Centipedes Are Scary

Life itself had turned into virtual reality, leaving my leisure options ridiculously narrow. Games? Pass—I was sick of them. Movies and other video entertainment? Pass—too expensive. That left only V-Tube or internet communities, but they were miles from my tastes. First off, I couldn't connect with their culture. Second, stumbling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the occasional nasty comment about me ruined my whole day.

But today, I really didn't feel like grinding. Was this the power of money? The free time that capital bought made my body—no, my mind—lazy. Buried in bed, I started surfing the sea of information for something to enjoy.

I rarely checked the gaming category on V-Tube, but the third episode of yesterday's Docu4Days popped up in the recommendations. Views were already pushing four million in under twelve hours. I'd seen most of it already anyway, and clicking in would just mean a flood of hate comments about me...

In the end, I picked something from my old interests: Brahms's Ballade for Piano. It reminded me of music my master once loved. I hit play, closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn't come. Was it the fear of drifting off and dying tomorrow? Or six years of ingrained habits?

Naps were impossible. The beautiful melodies were meant to wash away yesterday's bad memories, but that damn Docu4Days kept replaying in my head. Not because of cancellation worries—I'm using this illegally without ID registration, so a ban just means VPN around it. It's annoying, so I avoid it...

Four million... More than the population of a decent-sized city. Wasn't there a prince charming among them to rescue me from this hellish prison? Like a human instinct to grasp at straws in despair, even after tasting it countless times, I was foolishly sending out SOS signals again.

All it taught me was how indifferent people really ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are. What a tragic fate. I was always trapped like a bird in a cage, unable to escape. In my past life, bound by the chains of the imperial family, I couldn't withstand the nobles' intrigues. If granted one more life, I'd begged to live freely in obscurity. Was that such a grave sin? I hated human touch, so now they'd physically locked me away. No wonder I resented the gods.

Yet I lacked even the courage to end it. You might argue I've died twice already, but I had a strong gut feeling this life was truly my last. There was evidence: At birth, I had one Mongol spot on each hand. Past life, one vanished. This time, both gone. If they marked my lifespan, this was my final shot.

My body was signaling its limits. I hadn't checked it properly in nearly a year after waking from the capsule—the energy drain was too ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠much. The unfiltered physical feedback from outside was enough. A few weeks ago, my limbs started tingling, chills and cold sweats hit sometimes. After grueling sessions, I'd feel creepy centipedes crawling all over me as I dozed off. Once, when one bit me, I screamed in shock. Of course, no centipede under the covers.

Without normal nutrition, my body's health was a miracle. The music ended. Rest was sweet, but the silence and emptiness after? Unbearable. Worst of all, my room was crawling with centipedes. Today, like always, I had no choice but to head to a battlefield free of them.

But today must be cursed with bad luck.

"These are brutal..."

Staring at these troll missions made me want to DC. But six years of experience taught me it's more efficient to grind every game to completion than skip for easier ones. No guarantee the next won't be the same.

Wall paintings to snap, plus kill quests. And Double Ace—the nightmare achievement where both teams wipe in one teamfight. Twice. The standard way: Hog resources solo so no ally snowballs and enemies stay even. But forcing that setup? Impossible.

I pondered my assigned role. Mid laner gives big impact but harder walls. Others worse. No hesitation: Swap spell.

"Smite Ghostwalk?"

No way... Se-min tensed as the allied mid swapped to Smite. He planned jungle Rammus as usual, but now two junglers.

'Wants jungle, huh.' Even after swapping to Ignite, silence. Probably. Soul Hunter Vargo pick looked shaky on spells, but not total troll. Old game, toxic players everywhere. Gentleman like me yields.

Every game precious, Se-min swapped his champ.

Cloudy skies, northwest wind, morning sun. Blinded ally/foe nicks engraved on Honor Stele signaled start.

And Se-min wanted to cry.

"Why am I same tier as NoName?"

Se-min knew he wasn't great at the game. But he gave his all from his position. Yet equated to that troll? Fire in his eyes. Heartbreak bracket reality—worse happens. Familiar taste, scent. Even hopeless games turn with effort. He slammed staff down hard.

Staff flops weakly.

HitBackTwice hated his team. Decent support for once, now top/mid rampaging. ADC roaming mid for carry lane? Laughable, but team spitting it back? Infuriating!

3v2 fight, ally triple kill disaster. Morale gone. Mid knew, Dogero consoling. At least team knows who's best. Late game ADC duel anyway. Ignored kill score chanting that.

But upper-lane monsters wouldn't let minnow grow. Kill laning, TP dive, even tower path ganks.

Third bar fills fast. Se-min knew who opposed—obnoxious NoName. Weirdly serious this game, 2/0/0 bot kills. But troll pathing opposite, mindless CS farming. Useless for win. Even bronze knows despair. 15 min, gold gap 5-7k. Se-min votes yes, rare for him. No full consensus.

5 min later, 4 yes ends it. No change possible, slacking. Sensing it, ally jungler NoName first ping.

Usually top/jg/mid 3v3, but today full teams. Rare outside celestials.

'Someone calling shots enemy side too?' 5v5 incoming. Se-min bought rare stopwatch, resolve firm. ADC items 2 core + half. Enemy mid/jg mocking at 3 core.

'Jungle levels 2 apart. Smite duel loss.' Head spinning. But arrived. Enemies holding bushes. Step forward = skill storm.

NoName beside in bush, calm eyes. Enemies start cap knowing no engage. Lose second Guardian? GG. Interrupt? They're ready. Tension peaks, Vargo lunges first. Enemies swarm.

"Danger!"

Se-min hesitates, top DontCryMumu and ADC HitBackTwice join. Skill chaos. Se-min calculates cool: Assassinate enemy ADC. Where? Five out, four visible. Then?

"Hahahahahahaha!"

Seductive female voice from flank, buckshot barrage.

"Ah... damn."

Enemy ult too perfect. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Should cut ADC first, half HP instead. Jarvan/Kayn cleanup easy. Silver lining: Blitzcrank CheetahIsCrying ult-pulled enemy ADC mid-ult. NoName/HitBackTwice finish, one kill up.

"Right, stopwatch!" Se-min fails turn skip again. Vision tunnels in tf... Hopeless. Ult-missing Jarvan/Kayn still huge, autos shred. Enemy supp bait saves, but HitBackTwice dies too.

"Dodge ults obviously!"

Spawn rage. No real tf, extra regret. Vargo soon join. Mumu has words. But no defeat ping. Replay shocks silence.

"What the hell."

Mumu first. Post-HitBackTwice death, Vargo wall-hops, snipes poking enemy top instant. Steals soul, bursts, exits, chains skills.

Kayn stuns, Vargo soul-steals CC break. Barrels detonate on both. Half HP despite heal. Jarvan shurikens drop him. Shadow clone traps no-escape, ult exits. Ignores Jarvan, dives lone Kayn. Dodges stun vertical. Bonus.

Jarvan no mobility post-clone. But grins.

"Ult up again?"

Guaranteed Jarvan ult. Auto finishes razor-thin. Marks death. But Kayn bush stealth. Auto misses, shurikens dodged dash. Turn skipped.

"No, Ignite!"

Spell cooldown miracle, burns Vargo.

Level up. Victory. Vargo survives dramatically.

'What am I watching?'

Mad movie scene, Se-min speechless.

"NoName nuts? But my grab enabled it."

"Only jungler human."

"What're others doing?"

Eternal instant ends, Vargo staggers. 20min neutral Baron Duke in sight. Blink-stare showdown. Inaudible gruff: "What? Eyes down."

Dragon breath engulfs.