G-Go, I'm Playing a Horror Game…….(3)
G-Go, I'm playing a horror game…….(3)
[Thud, thud-thud-thud!]
The monster's footsteps kept echoing. I focused on the sound and moved in the opposite direction, starting to farm diligently.
"More stuff… more stuff… Hehe, oh! A box cutter!"
Box Cutter: A weapon capable of fighting monsters. It seems to have been reinforced somewhere.
Has a chance to inflict the debuff Tetanus on monsters.
[Press E to equip in right hand]
"Heheh."
[Swish, swish-swish swish!]
The box cutter sliced through the air with rapid swings. I smiled and nodded.
"Kya…! Th-This is it… I-I got a weapon…! That alligator bitch, I'm gonna s-slaughter her…!"
[89 bpm]
"Heheh, I'm the best counselor of this era."
When I laughed, the Jireongi protested. Thinking they might be angry, I quickly apologized and hurried back to farming.
'…Th-The pacing is getting a bit slow.'
Ever since I realized the monster wasn't human, the game had started to drag. Reality was already far scarier than any nonexistent monster.
After rummaging through corpses in the dark lab for about three more minutes, I found a flashlight and a keycard.
Flashlight: The flashlight with the least battery in the world.
Shining it on monsters in the dark can inflict the debuff Stun for 0.7 seconds. (10-second cooldown after 5 consecutive uses.)
[Press E to equip in left hand]
Keycard: An all-purpose keycard that helps you escape.
"A-A keycard…! I can finally clear the stage!"
Thrilled at the thought of finishing the now-boring stage, I grinned—and the chat started flooding with tears.
"I-I get that I'm good, but please don't curse… i-it's bad for the heart."
[122 bpm]
"I-I don't hate people… there are lots of kind people… and there were many around me too…"
I said that while clutching the keycard, trampling over corpses as I searched for the exit.
[Thud! Thud! Thud-thud!!]
The monster must have heard me—it started sprinting, the sound pounding in my ears.
Footsteps approaching from behind.
"…Wh-What if the monster catches me and I can't clear it? D-Do I have to do that boring part all over again?!"
[133 bpm]
"Eek… I really don't want that."
Having to search corpses again, find the flashlight again, and the keycard again. The very thought of replaying this section now that I knew the monster wasn't scary anymore felt like true horror to me.
[Thud-thud! Thud! Thud!]
The staggering footsteps echoed from behind. I couldn't see it, but the constant sound alone was driving me insane—like a drunk person stumbling after me at full speed.
"Hic! Hic! I-I messed up…!!"
Trauma triggered in an instant. My heart pounded wildly, and my eyes signaled they were ready to cry. I needed to see the monster's face to calm down. I had to remind myself it wasn't human.
I had to make myself realize the thing chasing me wasn't Dad holding a soju bottle.
'People were scared earlier.'
Afraid they'd scold me for doing something weird, I ran like mad without looking back. Every time the monster thudded, my heart thudded with it.
[157 bpm]
[Thud…!!!]
[Thud…!!]
[Thud…!]
The monster must have slammed into the corner of the hallway and slowed down—the footsteps grew fainter. Seizing the gap, I sobbed and begged the chat.
"E-Everyone…! I-I… I'm s-so scared, c-can I… hic! Haa… look at the monster's face while I move…? Th-The sound is too scary."
I shouted, asking if I could look at the monster's face because the sound terrified me so much.
"Heut!! Please!! Please let me s-see the monster…!!"
I was scared they'd hate me for showing something scary, but Dad was scarier—so I gathered my courage. The chat answered with support, telling me to do whatever I needed.
"O-Okay…! B-Be careful of s-sudden jumpscares."
Shaking like a leaf, I sprinted toward the corner, knowing the monster would slow down after hitting the wall.
"I-It's fine…! Hic… I'd rather die from a heart attack…!!"
I quickly turned the mouse, shifting the screen.
"K-Kuhic! I'll show you what real control looks like…!"
It was time to show the Jireongi who I was.
[Kieeeek!!!]
When I turned the screen, the monster was right there, drooling filth and shrieking.
[125 bpm]
A heart rate calm enough to fight.
"Huu…"
After one deep breath, I blinked once and focused entirely on the game.
"…Th-The sprint key isn't working, and it's getting closer…!"
"I-I'll finish this quickly…!"
I stared at the monster covered in chunks of flesh and shone the flashlight the moment it got close.
"F-First, I confirmed it slows down at the corner, hic! So… hic! I'll keep distance with the flashlight and… slash with the box cutter like this!"
Paying no mind to the chat, I focused on slaying the monster before me. Confirming it stunned when it hit the wall at the corner—
'…Flashlight here.'
[Kieeeek!!!!!!]
"Ugh…! S-So loud…!!"
After stunning it twice, I safely stabbed the monster repeatedly with the box cutter. Watching its durability drop hurt my heart.
"B-Box cutter, I'm sorry…!! Hic! I'm sorry……"
[Stab! Stab! Stab!!]
Enduring the pain of lost durability, I kept stabbing until dark red blood splattered.
"…It looks just like dried, rotten blood."
That color calmed me once more.
[87 bpm]
If I kept stabbing, the monster would thrash and swing its tail once when it woke up. Getting hit by that while dazed would—
[HP 47/150]
—drain my HP instantly, so I had to be careful.
"Hik…!? I-I saw the restart screen…!"
Well, since I'd been hit once, I just had to avoid it next time. Keeping my eyes forward with godlike mouse control that induced motion sickness, I eventually mastered every pattern.
[Kieeeek!!]
[Whoosh…!]
The monster's final tail swing came flying. I lightly dodged it.
[Thud!!!!]
"I-I dodged it, right? Now the eyes…!!"
[Stab!!!]
[Kieeeek!!! Kiek! Kueeeek!!!]
The monster collapsed after my final blow.
"…P-Please don't curse… N-Now let's escape."
Smiling faintly, I leisurely walked around looking for the exit.
* * *
Suhyun who had a panic attack while gaming
