Friede’s Game Night
“Isn’t it just infuriating how Friede is playing the game like a total loser this time?”
Posted by: Anonymous
“What a bunch of losers, right?”
Dominator: “Always lurking, eternally lurking.”
Anonymous: “Can’t help but recognize the toxic phrasing, damn.”
Washtub: “Are you hoping for our queen to be touched by the sticky sweat of a man?”
Sweet Guy: “Flowers belong with flowers; we’ll have a headache if nasty bugs show up. Been there, done that.”
—
“Do these guys really have anything they can do?”
Posted by: Eyefolded
“This isn’t a Soul Warfare where you spam skills, so what gives them the guts to charge in?”
I mean, sure, they might have good reflexes and aim due to their physical skills, but still…
LAMpadu: “Hey, if you wield a sword well, you can handle a gun too.”
Anonymous: “Didn’t Friede use a bow once? Or was it someone else?”
NLRL: “Huh?”
Kim Cracked: “It’s tricky. Jomu mostly fights with guns, and it’s not like you can see projectiles like arrows. Dodging while reacting to multiple attacks like in Soul Warfare isn’t really possible.”
Anonymous: “What if they give Friede a broken skill like the Supernova in Soul Warfare?”
—
“Jomu’s crew is losing their minds.”
Posted by: Dominator
People are forming teams to ambush after seeing the Friede announcement.
Looks like they’re planning to wait at a stronghold close to the starting point, watching the broadcast start timing.
Several teams have already geared up, lol.
“Wow, an ambush exclusively for Friede? Scary.”
Anonymous: “If they want to play comfortably, they should secure the stronghold for supplies—sounds like they’re planning to kill for sure.”
Kim Cracked: “The hero party is going to get wrecked.”
—
Regaining my composure and keeping an eye on the gallery vibe through the chat, I couldn’t help but sigh.
There were a surprising number of players turned ambushers in a building this size.
It sounds overly self-aware, but Friede has established herself as a top-class user in Soul Warfare, one you can’t just knock down with a pathetic sniping attempt.
As the pre-season arrives, that gap only widens, leaving little room for hope.
But in life, opportunities always arise. My broadcast notice about playing another game seems to have presented them with a golden chance.
After all, it was a game well-suited for sniping play.
There’s no system correction through skills, and they could team up to put pressure on, right?
“Ha! What the hell is this? Looks like Friede is actually getting pwned.”
“Haha, I can’t believe it’s come to this.”
“Is there a spy among the snipers here?”
“Who is it? Reveal the truth, haha.”
—
Noticing the chat starting to panic as they finally grasped the situation, Jihye couldn’t help but chuckle.
I had things to say too. I honestly didn’t think they’d go this far with the ambush.
I shrugged my shoulders and glanced around.
An endless hallway dimly lit and eerily quiet.
If they complete the encirclement, that would be it. With bullets flying, we scattered into several empty corridors.
Not sure how I ended up in the basement level, but trying to dodge the hordes of attackers led me here.
“Friede: Where is everyone?”
I opened the team chat to find out where the scattered members were.
“Forming: Me and Achi are together on the 3rd floor.”
“Yuriling: I’m on the 1st floor, and I’m fine ^^.”
Looks like Yuri managed to shake them off somehow. Anyway, everyone seems to be holding their ground without retiring.
“Friede: This is the basement level 2 passage. Let’s regroup toward the shopping mall annex. Share any updates.”
“Forming & Achi & Yuriling: Understood.”
Finishing the chat, I stared down the long passageway stretching ahead.
—Zzzzzt, zzzzzt.
The occasionally flickering lights and the screaming sound they made created a sinister atmosphere reminiscent of something from a horror film.
If this wasn’t some zombie flick but another horror genre, it would be a perfect spot for ghosts or a killer to pop out.
“Wow, talk about some intense vibes.”
“This place and a prison would totally give off the same creepy feel, haha. I almost pissed myself when I soloed it.”
“I know for a fact you did.”
While leaving the chat behind and continuing down the hall, I spotted an elevator entrance leading upward ahead.
According to the map guide Achi provided, I should be able to reach the target—the annex—through here.
Suddenly, Jihye casually approached with a mischievous smile.
“But is this really okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a swarm of people here, you know.”
Isn’t that a given? Why?
When I tilted my head in confusion, Jihye wore a knowing smile as she continued.
“You know, the more people gather in this game, the more likely an encounter event will happen. The ambushers I saw on the first floor looked like there were dozens. Is this really okay?”
“Why say something ominous like that…”
—Ding!
Before I could finish my sentence, a cheerful notification sound echoed down the hall from the elevator entrance ahead.
An empty space, underground with no one around, flickering red lights counted down the floors.
Are they attackers or…?
—Ding!
With a loud clang, the elevator door swung wide open, almost like it were connected to hell itself, revealing…
—Uuugh.
—Kerrkk! Kkikik!
—Ughddug! Grrgh!
A mob of zombies approaching with twisted limbs and decaying flesh.
Can modern zombies ride elevators now?
—
Dayoung rummaged through a fallen player’s gear, snagging extra bullets.
The Dragunov sniper rifle in her hands glimmered slightly, showcasing its presence. During her ascent to the third floor, she took down two ambushers and collected what they left behind.
It’s one of the few sniper rifles capable of rapid fire in this game, so unexpectedly, she hit the jackpot.
Along with the extra bullets, there was bulletproof armor, a first-aid kit, grenades, and even surplus food necessary for survival.
‘Plus, over there…’
Gazing towards the dual assault rifles Achi had picked up, Dayoung sighed helplessly.
Two rifles in hand didn’t scream efficiency, but they certainly had some romantic appeal.
“Looks like Forming and the editor scored big loot.”
“Damn, those snipers seem to have gathered a ton of stuff. Just look at that gun quality.”
“This game went from a survival game to an FPS shooting game, haha.”
“Is there a noob who got totally cleaned out by them because they’ve never had this experience?”
The chat’s reactions buzzed with excitement, reveling in the unexpected loot.
Given the high focus on survival in this game, such high-quality weapons weren’t easy to find, so Dayoung found their enthusiasm understandable.
‘Just how much loot did they gather to be armed this well?’
The route’s discovery was now compromised after taking down the ambushers, leaving them no time to waste.
“Achi, are you ready?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
Just as they were about to stand up,
“User ‘OurDudeBungBung’ sponsored 5,000 won!
—An encounter just happened right in front of Friede and the Undercut Group! A wave of zombies is pouring in, lol!”
“What?!”
Startled by the sudden notification that appeared in the corner of the screen, Achi jumped.
“LOL, isn’t that basic gear for them?”
“I thought their weapon was some cash item because they hadn’t met players.”
“Both elevator doors are open, and the zombies are pouring in. Our escape route is blocked, haha.”
“Is this the moment Friede bites the dust?”
—
Encounters.
In this game, when too many players are packed into a specific area, zombies randomly spawn.
I kind of assumed it would blow up someday, considering how many snipers were lingering.
‘Of all the places, it had to be near my sisters.’
The bitter taste formed in my mouth, but now there was no turning back.
Things shouldn’t go wrong though.
Those two could survive even if tossed right into the midst of a horde. All I had to do was focus on my own survival.
“I hope the sisters are okay.”
“All the useless worries come true when aimed at the sisters.”
I shot a lethargic remark at Achi, who was growing restless.
At that moment.
—Boom!
The grenade explosion from the first floor central hall shook the ground, causing Dayoung to hurry her steps.
Hiding on the third-floor railing, she glanced down at the sight below.
“Yuri?”
The sight of fully armed men met her eyes.
—
“Wow, zombies are pouring out. Is this the encounter?”
First players and now hordes of zombies…
A clash between the ruthless sniper encounter and the system-triggered encounter was unfolding.
Could this be called a cross-encounter?
As the barricade at the main door of the first-floor main building collapsed, a horde of zombies numbering in the hundreds surged forth, causing Yuri to cover her mouth.
Decked out in grenades, magazines, and rifles, she looked quite fortified at first glance, but amidst the gigantic wave of incoming zombies, she appeared as fragile as a delicate flower.
With escape routes severed and peril looming, Yuri showed no signs of anxiety or impatience.
“Drop the grenade in the hall!”
“Shut up. Don’t bring back bad memories.”
“Hey, Yuri is watching. Let’s be careful with our words.”
—Bang!
—Boom!
The intense explosion and impact of the grenade, alongside the gunfire that followed, wiped away the front line of zombies.
Though more of them kept coming, Yuri wasn’t worried at all. Why?
“Yuri, are you okay?”
Inspired by her, a group stepped up like knights dedicated to protecting their princess.
Were they washing their faces with butter instead of facial foam? Their expressions dripped with a greasy shine, reminiscent of honey.
Boys a little younger than Yuri, peers, college students, and workers formed this motley crew that seemed to be enchanted by the impression that they would protect her.
“Yuri, don’t worry. I’ll share my gear with you.”
“Yuri, I’ll protect you, even if I have to throw myself into the fray.”
“Yuri, just follow me.”
“Yuri, we’re here for you.”
We? Who is this “we”?
I felt like bursting into laughter at their ridiculous statements, but I forced myself to maintain a straight face.
Stifling laughter pushed my blood pressure up, making my cheeks flush, but the sweet boys seemed invigorated by their own encouragement.
Ah, I wish the older sisters could see this.
With a twinge of regret, Yuri offered a shy little smile.
“Yes, I trust you.”
Of course, you have to protect me, even if it means throwing yourself into danger and handing me all your supplies.
“Until I meet my sisters…”
Whispering her unvoiced thoughts softly so no one could hear, she let her radiant smile grow even brighter, curling up like a crescent moon.
A chill swept through the air within that innocent, delicate laughter.
