Chapter 150
Chapter 150
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: The Mad Duo Takes Off
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『Aaah!』
A wriggling sensation came from Baeksul, who had been asleep in my arms. Thanks to that, I opened my eyes, and I could hear footsteps approaching from outside.
"Nella."
"Yeah."
"Ugh, damn, you scared me."
Though she'd been sleeping, Nella responded in seconds and shot up like a ghost.
Even after waking from sleep, she looked wide-eyed and tense as hell.
Guess the ex-soldier thing wasn't just talk.
"Let's go out."
As we stepped out of the makeshift shelter Nella had built, a crowd of people had gathered.
One of them was clutching his ankle, slumped on the ground. Blood seeped between his fingers gripping it.
On a deserted island, it wasn't just poisonous mushrooms and plants you had to fear.
Even small wounds turned into massive poison in the humid heat.
"Why'd you come here?"
"You bitch!"
The injured participant glared daggers and swung his knife wildly in the air.
"What do you think you're gonna do swinging that around from there? I asked why you came."
"Hand it over!"
"Hand over what? Your lifeline?"
— Viewer [lolololol] — Viewer [Speaker on, went to bed early, why the commotion in the dead of night?] — Viewer [lol Captain duo always on 24/7 combat alert?] "Hand over the food!"
The injured guy's knife swings were aimed at the fish hanging from the rack Nella had made.
In this weather where preserving rations was impossible, we'd smoked the fish first to keep bugs off and hung them over the dying embers.
Fish was the only decent food on this island, but even that didn't last a day, so the other participants must be losing their minds, jumping out of their skins.
Even smoked, who knew if it'd spoil in this muggy air.
"Look at your wound."
"W-what bullshit! Give me the fish!"
"No, seriously, look at your wound?"
His gaze finally dropped to his own ankle as he flailed the knife around like a maniac.
"...Huh?"
"It's turning blue, right? Pufferfish poison."
"Uh... Uh... Huh?"
Not just his ankle—his face went blue too.
"Good thing it's your ankle; it'll take time to reach your heart."
"Uh... Uuugh..."
Whether he'd lost his mind or not, he just trembled and pawed at the wound.
"P-please... s-save me..."
After fussing with the wound for a while, he looked up, face streaked with tears.
"Damn, kid. Can't watch this; it's pitiful. Wanna live? Fire it."
"...Fire what?"
"It's in your pocket. Fire if you wanna live."
"...Ah!"
His face flipped from despair to joy as he rolled his eyes in thought.
"N-no, don't."
His shaking hands fumbled the flare gun from his pocket once before he snatched it up from the dirt.
─Pheew!
The sharp whistle lit up one dark corner of the island.
"Q-quick! Hurry!!"
Rescue team swarmed in moments after the flare. They'd been waiting nearby since participants started popping flares non-stop after the rules loosened.
"Bye."
He grinned in relief, snot and tears smeared, as they loaded him onto the stretcher.
Once the injured guy vanished, an eerie silence fell over the crowd.
"You lot wanna come too? Got plenty inside."
"...Crazy murder bitch."
"Thanks for the high praise."
— Viewer [lolol psycho bitch] — Viewer [Trash talk doesn't faze the stream-hardened Captain] — Viewer [What's going on?] Then Nella, standing beside me, handed over one of the hanging smoked fish.
Sniff sniff. "Ga-eul, still good."
"Oh."
One big bite, and the fatty flesh crumbled in my mouth.
It didn't taste great since we'd burned weeds for smoke.
Just got rid of the fishy smell, that's all.
"Mm, not bad."
The throats of the watching participants bobbed hard.
Gulp.
— Viewer [Damn, Captain's chowing down] — Viewer [Ate dinner but now craving snacks, what time is it for Captain?] — Viewer [Pacific side? Like 3-4 hours ahead?] — Viewer [Captain duo lives in our future lol] After grumbling and showering praise for a while, the participants finally shuffled off.
"Ga-eul, was it really poison?"
"Just seaweed scraps Baeksul left from eating, mashed up and smeared on."
"Haha."
Her face, tense from worrying I'd actually kill someone, gradually relaxed.
─Click, click.
"Wanna smoke?"
"Still got some left."
She refused my offered cig and rummaged in her pocket for her pack.
"Hoo—too hot to sleep."
"Our fluffy one's sleeping fine."
Baeksul, nestled and asleep, perked her ears as if knowing she'd been called.
"Ugh, gotta brush her teeth again."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Stepping out of our embarrassingly flimsy grass hut, a thumping sound hit hard.
─Click.
"Hoo—what's that noise?"
— Viewer [Sounds like music?] — Viewer [Song playing on a deserted island?] "Ga-eul..."
"You up?"
With sunken eyes and dragging feet, Nella approached.
The heat wave, dawn intruders, constant flare pops echoing everywhere.
Already suffocating from the heat, eyes and ears tormented too—I got why she looked half-dead.
Poke.
"Eek!"
"Russia's warrior woman acting all weak."
She pouted, rubbing her poked side.
I stuck a cig between her lips, and a faint smile spread.
─Click, click.
"Hoo—thanks, friend."
"Meow."
Smoking with Nella, we headed toward the noise.
Along the way, we spotted a massive speaker thumping at our first landing spot.
"What the hell this early."
"Ga-eul, watch your mouth. Ruins your pretty face."
"Damn it."
— Viewer [lololololol] — Viewer [Already morning? It's dawn here] "Morning, my babies."
As time passed, more participants trickled in from all over.
Their states were as bad as Nella's, if not worse.
Seemed they'd all barely survived the night somehow.
"Hoo—"
After chain-smoking two cigs, the influx slowed.
At the same time, the blaring speaker went quiet.
Someone in a pitch-black suit—sweaty just looking at it—complete with a full-face mask, climbed the temporary stage by the speaker. Looked like he'd partied solo; totally out of place on the island.
【Ah, ah.】
【Nice to meet you, participants. I'm Game Master B.】
After greetings, the so-called Game Master fiddled with his wrist device and made an exaggerated shocked gesture.
【Oh my! Looks like a bunch dropped out overnight!】
"What a load of crap."
"Ga-eul..."
— Viewer [lolololololol] — Viewer [Seeing heat haze on screen, morning weather confirmed?] "Yeah. Steamy since morning."
Beep!
Answering viewers, I fiddled with my device, and a number popped up.
< 709 > All those flares popping every second till morning must've been dropouts.
Like the Game Master said, something happened overnight—300 gone.
As time goes on, only the elites will remain.
With skills that can't even last a day, stubbornly hanging on just means suffering; dropping early might be smart.
【As announced yesterday, we're holding a little game. Top performers get advantages, so keep that in mind.】
Staff hauled in big crates as he spoke.
【It's lighthearted, so join with a relaxed mind.】
Staff handed a round object to the stage.
The self-proclaimed Game Master took it and held it up for all to see.
【The game is Water Balloon Survival. Details in the handouts from staff.】
Surreal scene.
Beautiful deserted island, grim survival game. Ill-fitting suited guy and water balloons.
If they wanted bizarre, hats off.
Participants couldn't even fend for themselves right now.
"Participant 666. Trade your knife for a game one."
"Ah, sure."
Handed over my knife; got back the non-woven bag from day one.
Inside was the paper the Game Master mentioned.
⚙ GAME RULES ⚙ [Water Balloon Survival] Issued water balloons and rubber knives have special ink on them. Hit with thrown balloons or stab others with game knives to eliminate. Only issued items allowed; refill balloons at supply points. Ink won't wash off with water; game runs until one survivor left. Violations lead to elimination: 1. Using non-issued items. 2. Unable to continue. 3. Leaving designated area. ... "Hmm."
"Ga-eul, what do you think?"
Next to me, Nella's eyes sparkled as I read the long rules.
Thinks I'm omnipotent, huh.
"Feels like it'll drag on."
"Why? Says 1 point per elimination. Just knock a ton down."
"If points beat cash, sure. But 700 players. Stamina management first."
【Final winner gets 100 points; redeem for useful items.】
"See? No need to push; hide and win."
"Maybe?"
She tilted her head, oddly cute on her muscled frame.
"Not water balloons—politics."
"Haha. Could be."
No rule against teams, after all.
"But wouldn't that be boring?"
Problem: I suck at throwing tantrum-style.
Grenade? Lob nearby. Balloons demand precision.
🛒 SHOP ⚙ [Throw] You get better at throwing. [Price: 10,000,000 won] I'd skipped the skill to avoid becoming too inhuman, a tiny fear, a deliberate flaw against hubris—and paradoxically, proof I was human.
But cash matters more.
"I'm a money zombie."
She shot me a quizzical look, like what the hell?
⚔ SKILL ACQUIRED ⚔ [Throw Lv.1] ◎ Throw Accuracy boost for throwing actions Purchases stack to raise skill level [Next: 20,000,000 won] The unfriendly description got a bit clearer.
─Click, click.
"Hoo—"
Nella stuck a cig in my mouth and lit it.
"Hoo—time to wreck shop."
"Haha. Let's go, friend."
Strutting cig-first with Nella, stares poured in from all sides.
As we walked, I snapped my fingers for any surprises.
⚔ SKILL UPGRADED ⚔ [Throw Lv.2] ◎ Throw Accuracy boost for throwing actions ◎ Thrower Throw beyond your strength, but accuracy drops sharply [Next: 40,000,000 won] "What a pain."
The super insane chain-smoking duo's off.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Legs numb... Hug me♡"