Chapter 104
In the rampaging Sertina game, you could revive even after dying. Dying in the game didn't harm your real body. And the same went for horror games.
This game let allies directly revive teammates killed by monsters. As long as not everyone died, the game continued.
'If they're just gonna keep coming back anyway, it doesn't matter if I sell them out when things get dicey.'
That system had twisted my ethical thinking in a very wrong direction.
BAM! "No, what if you close the door right now—arghhh!"
BAM! "S-Sertina?! Kyaahhh!"
Whenever a monster appeared, I sold out my teammates without hesitation. There wasn't a shred of doubt in those mechanical actions. It was as if my brain had been programmed with 'this is just how it's done.'
The guild members couldn't even react to my heightened senses pushed to the limit and dropped dead one by one.
"Haha, Sertina, I've got years of streaming experience! I'm not going down that ea—"
BAM! "Huh? Wait... this is bad..."
-KRROOOAAAR!
"Uwaaaah!"
Even the boastful SniperVillain went down helplessly.
Later, I'd come back and revive my fallen teammates. I couldn't just leave my precious meat shields lying around.
Now, a question. A monster's footsteps echo behind me as it chases. Ahead, a bit further, Cha Eun-joo flees desperately. In my hand: one brick item.
Hitting a monster with a brick stuns it for 5 seconds. Killing a player triggers a 6.5-second kill animation.
What's the smartest move? Simple.
I chucked the brick at the back of Cha Eun-joo's head.
Thwack! "Ow! What the—?! Sertina?!"
While she was stunned, I bolted past her like a shot.
-KRROOOAAAR!
"Kyaahhh!"
That bought me an extra 1.5 seconds. Gotta use your head, right?
"Sertina keeps selling out the team!"
"Save me! Hiiik!"
"I... I think I'm losing my mind..."
The viewers' chat was in a frenzy.
On my way back after safely using Tier as a meat shield, SniperVillain's voice came over the mic.
"Oh? Found an escape item. But there are two monsters nearby, so I can't grab it right now."
To clear this game fast, securing escape items was priority one. His position wasn't far from here.
Perfect timing—Cha Eun-joo was rummaging through a dresser in the same room.
I quietly pulled out an egg timer from behind.
Click-clack.Tick-tock, tick-tock.
I set it and tossed it at Cha Eun-joo, then slipped out of the room and hid in a cabinet I'd scouted earlier.
Moments later, a racket echoed through the hall.
DRRRRING!!
"Ugh! What is this?! Who threw an egg timer?!"
The monsters swarmed toward the noise.
"Kyaahh! It's Sertina again!!"
With their aggro pulled to Cha Eun-joo, SniperVillain snagged the escape item safely. Escape items were shared with all players.
His usefulness was done.
-SKREEE!
A monster chased me fiercely as I emerged from the cabinet. I ran hard, then...
Screech, clang!
I flung open the cabinet where SniperVillain hid and kept running.
"Wait, if you open that—"
-KIKIKIKI!
"Uwaaaah!"
SniperVillain's scream rang out as the monster spotted him.
For the record, I had three bricks in my inventory. But why waste precious items when I had infinite respawn meat shields?
"N-No way... is this... right?"
I ignored SniperVillain's dazed mutter and rushed to the fallen Tier far ahead.
More meat shields, the better.
"S-Sob, Sertina! Stop killing me!"
"The monster killed you."
"Argh! You keep slamming doors! And what's with the bricks to the head?!"
While reviving the complaining Tier, I focused my senses. Ominous thuds grew closer.
'This'll be close.'
Tier's recovery bar hit 90% over her head. Then 100%.
I bolted without looking back, slamming the door behind me.
BAM!
"Huh? Why the door a—"
-KIIIII!
"Hiiiik!"
Her agonized scream echoed.
"I'll curse you! I'll curse you!!"
Time passed. After twists and turns, we secured all the escape items. The team looked exhausted.
"Feels like I've died more to Sertina than to monsters."
"Same here..."
We unlocked the key-locked door, swapped the fuse to restore power, entered the code, and remotely opened the exit.
WEE-OO-WEE-OO!
A grating siren blared through the building.
Now, just escape through the opened exit somewhere on the map.
"Anyone know where the exit is?"
"Think I saw it that way earlier."
"Let's all search together."
This was the real deal. Once the exit opened, monsters from across the map converged on it. One slip, and wipe—back to the start.
'No way in hell!!!'
One survivor clears the game. Ideally escape together, but if needed, ditch without mercy.
And I was ready to brick any teammate's skull anytime.
'To avoid scary scenes, I'll do anything!'
Five bricks prepped for this day. My inventory stuffed full.
"There! Monsters incoming!"
Two grotesque shapes rounded the corner: a bloodied woman-thing with bulging eyes, torn mouth, long claws; and a living mannequin baring sharp teeth.
Teammates hurled bricks.
"Die!"
Thwack!
-Kek!-Kyooo!
We dashed through the stunned gap. More monsters lunged as we neared the exit; I bricked back, keeping enough live teammates.
"Right here! Turn!"
"I'm out of bricks!" SniperVillain yelled, empty-handed.
Ceiling lights pointed the way.
Then, ominous thuds from behind.
Thud-thud-thud!
-KRROOOAAAR!
The fastest one on our tail. Lagging most: SniperVillain.
Quick calc in my head.
'Said he used all his bricks, huh?'
No value left. Go earn 6.5 seconds!
-KRROOOAAAR!
"Uwaaah!"
Good, shaken it. Saved a precious brick at the cost of one teammate. +1 brick from his death.
-Kishishishi!
"Kyah! More coming!"
Hard mode meant hordes. I flung a brick without mercy.
Thwack!
-Kieeek!
"Nice one, Sertina!" Cha Eun-joo shouted as it ducked.
Then, mid-sprint...
-KRWAAAAH!
A new beast: hulking muscles bulging with veins, rebar impaled everywhere. No stunning that with a brick.
Keep going, it'd grab me!
'Thought acceleration!'
The game slowed frame-by-frame, world near-frozen. Heart pounding, but cool head decided.
Yes—the answer.
I bricked Tier's head.
Thwack!
"Kyah! It's slowed! Hiiiik!"
-KRWAAAAH!
"Noooo!!"
Bone-crunching sounds faded. Now just Cha Eun-joo and me.
She'd been ahead, but frame-perfect pathing let me pull even, then ahead.
'Exit's right there!'
Beyond a vast main hall, a straight corridor gleamed. Light poured from beyond—the exit!
Est. time to exit: 25 seconds. Fast monster right behind.
-KRROOOAAAR!
"Sertina! Run!"
Cha Eun-joo jabbed a syringe into her arm.
'Adrenaline?!'
Boosts speed 30% temporarily. Doped, she overtook me.
'Uh-oh...'
One brick left. Stun the monster 5 seconds? Might not reach. By a hair, it'd grab me.
I gripped the brick. Resolved: survive, no death.
"Sertina! Hurry!"
She glanced back. I looked at her face and...
Thwack!
Threw the brick.
"Kyah! Crazy bitch!" Cha Eun-joo shrieked.