Former Hero Streamer – Chapter 182

Chapter 1: The Unexpected Encounter

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong, Sehee?”

Maybe it was because I suddenly blanked out and let out a silly gasp. I felt everyone’s eyes focus on me as my mind jolted back to reality.

“Nothing, it’s fine.”

“Hmm. Well, if that’s the case, I guess it is.”

Jihye and the others didn’t seem to care much… which allowed me to concentrate on the strange ringing in my ears.

It wasn’t as intense as before, but there was still a peculiar feeling in my head—like that unsettling feeling of having missed spotting a cockroach.

Thanks to that, my tension-induced expression was pinched in discomfort. It felt as if my senses, honed as a Hero, were warning me that something was coming.

‘What is it?’

I widened my awareness, just in case, but the peaceful street yielded nothing.

The ringing in my ears, which had been overwhelming, seemed to have lost its energy and faded away. Was it just my imagination?

“Sis, have you thought of what to do for the next broadcast?”

Ajin, munching on cookies, asked with wide eyes.

Dahyoung was busy unpacking with our mom, leaving the rest of us to snack and hang out.

Ajin’s question was undoubtedly stemming from curiosity about what I had declared in the broadcast after the war. Her eyes sparkled with interest in my future plans.

Well, since I had openly announced that I was taking a break from Soul Warfare, it was only natural for the editor to inquire.

“Honestly… I haven’t thought of anything specific. I just said it on a whim.”

“Hmm. I figured as much. How about taking a few days off and trying a different game?”

“A game?”

“Yeah. What about this one?”

The trailer video that Ajin showed on her phone had a pretty familiar vibe.

It had a modern setting, but the silence in the city was palpable as if all energy had been drained.

The heavily overcast weather, as if about to rain, added to the city’s dismal atmosphere.

And then…

“Zombies?”

The scene was filled with hordes of zombies, while survivors were desperately carving out paths to escape.

They were furiously smashing the monsters with bats and tools, while also using firearms to push through—intense struggles were beautifully captured in the video.

And at the end of the clip, the title popped up…

“Zombied Route? I’ve heard of that.”

I guess it’s because I’m a streamer.

Even though I pushed through with Soul Warfare as my one and only, I couldn’t avoid hearing rumors about other games in this industry.

If my memory serves me right… it was a well-received game released this year. Some of the viewers had even mentioned it a few times.

“You knew about it. It came out earlier this year. Up until now, zombie games in virtual reality haven’t had great quality, but this one is praised.”

“Let me take a look.”

Jihye, who had been silently observing, chimed in and started watching the video with interest. She seemed to be searching for game info online.

“Hmm, seems like they slapped a survival skin onto an FPS. You gather materials from the city to craft parts and build your hideout, expanding your territory…”

It felt like a teacher summarizing a report.

Well, as Jihye said, this game was closer to survival-type housing which enhanced the hideout for FPS or hack-and-slash players.

In that process, players could collaborate with other users or raid their hideouts in hostile encounters.

If all survivor factions worked together, it would indeed be easier.

But yeah, there’s a saying that among five or more people, at least one will be a troll.

There have been those who meddled among the ranks and fought from the start with PKs.

This game, which tests human psychology in extreme survival situations, might seem dull visually, but it had a thrilling piquancy that excited the heart.

It encompassed a variety of guns like other FPS games, with countless possibilities for weapon combinations using various tools and materials.

Rumor has it that the total number of combinable items could reach an astounding ten million+.

“Wow, is there housing? That looks fun.”

Yuri, who was watching along, gasped in amazement.

At that moment, the game’s video showed players enhancing their hideouts, beautifully decorating their interiors, and plating dishes they had made right on the table.

Seeing the gleam in Jihye’s and Yuri’s eyes, I couldn’t help but revisit the game’s intricacies once more.

And then…

“Want to play together?”

My words slipped out casually, but Ajin, Yuri, and Jihye all turned to me wide-eyed.

“Who with? You mean all of us?”

“Yeah. Who else would it be?”

Jihye squinted her eyes at me in disbelief.

“You know Yuri and I are going back to school next year. I didn’t see you as someone who would suggest that…”

“…….”

Sure, courting someone who was busy studying for their return to school wasn’t exactly a noble move.

But really, what difference does it make? Games are meant to be enjoyed in the present and shouldn’t really dwell on such things.

We might be a bit older than typical students, but I thought this was within the margin.

“Still, I want to! Sounds fun! I want to enjoy virtual reality too!”

“Me too! I want to cook in virtual reality!”

Following Ajin, Yuri also raised her hand in excitement, prompting Jihye to smile brightly.

“Of course, finding cooking on virtual reality first! You’re suspiciously serious about cooking.”

“Yuri is such a cooking freak, a cooking freak.”

“…….”

“Okay, I’ll get the gear for you, so you just need to make temporary IDs. There will be some limitations, but one game shouldn’t be an issue.”

None of Jihye, Yuri, or Ajin were set to appear on broadcasts, anyway.

Yet, I remember how much attention they garnered during the camping car broadcast last time.

“Zombied Route, huh….”

It felt like we were forming a team, and I thought it would be nice to promote it on a broadcast sometime.

Just then.

—Zing.

A tingling sensation shot through my palm, making me frown involuntarily. I had felt something strange earlier too…

“This time, it feels more intense.”

Did someone intrude?

—Buzz!

My phone buzzed with a notification that caught my eye with an unexpected name.

“Eunha?”

What’s going on at this hour?

* * *

“Strange.”

Why can’t I enter?

According to the address on my phone, the building right in front of me is the penthouse.

When I first saw it, it was an incredibly luxurious building. I felt proud that it was a home befitting my sister’s class.

As I approached the front door, intending to contact my sister for permission, I soon found myself tilting my head at the bizarre situation.

“What the?”

I was clearly trying to go in, but now I found myself going in circles in the same spot.

What’s going on? Is this some sort of mental issue?

‘Was I in such a precarious state?’

Some passersby went by, but they seemed unaffected by my predicament, hurrying along their way.

In other words, this dizzying situation was only happening to me.

“Ugh, what am I supposed to do?”

The unease that sprouted in my heart soon planted a new seed of desperation.

I simply couldn’t get any closer to my sister’s house. It was as if the building were avoiding me.

‘Am I being rejected?’

Just in case, I pinched my cheek and gave a little kick to a small pebble in front of me.

But the pinch on my cheek burned, while the kicked rock just rolled a bit before stopping.

At least I could confirm it was no dream…

“Ugh, this is insane.”

With my destination so close and yet feeling distressed, I finally decided to call my sister.

And then….

“Hello?”

“Huh, huh!”

Her voice resonated through the phone, so familiar yet bringing tears to my eyes.

“Sis! It’s me.”

“Eunha? Are you crying? What’s wrong?”

Ah, my sister was obviously taken aback. After all, I had never shown anyone my tears before, so this must be a first for her.

If I, who always appeared strong, suddenly started crying like a fragile chick, it makes sense that she would be surprised.

In a shallow and underhanded way, I felt a strange satisfaction from her surprising reaction to my current state of pain and sadness.

Wiping my tears, I forced my throat to clear.

“I… I just really want to see you. I’m struggling; I’m going round in circles in front of your house. So… please help me.”

“Of course.”

Eunha’s response to Sehee was cool.

* * *

Ah, I saw a familiar child in front of the door, tears brimming in her eyes.

With her long black hair impeccably groomed, her sharp yet strikingly beautiful appearance set her apart.

From a distance, seeing Eunha in the familiar gaming team jacket made me wonder.

‘Is there any reason she can’t come in?’

Well, being a sacred place, it would ward off those with evil intentions or impure motives from the outset.

That’s also why no stalkers had approached my home while I was streaming.

But Eunha wasn’t a stalker, and certainly, she wasn’t of evil origin.

Every sensation I had when encountering her before assured me of that.

“Eunha!”

Spotting me, her wave was filled with joy, like a lost puppy.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Um, yeah. It’s just that….”

Could she be too surprised to even speak?

Thinking it wouldn’t do to keep her standing outside, I took her hand gently.

And then….

—Step.

“Huh?”

As we casually approached the entrance, Eunha let out a startled gasp.

“No, I clearly couldn’t enter just now… why can I go in now? This wasn’t the case before.”

“Huh? How could that be?”

“I feel like I’m lying… I mean… wait, what am I even saying….”

Eunha’s babbling made me smile softly. She wouldn’t know, and nothing seemed to catch her attention, making me think it might just have been a hiccup episode.

I chose to believe it was simply a malfunction. Most likely, her emotions, which she leaned on far too heavily, had misrepresented themselves negatively.

“Come on in, it’s your first time here, right?”

“Yeah. Um… I’m going to go in now.”

Eunha stepped forward into the house.