Escape - Chapter 13.2
Chapter 13.2
And that wasn’t all.
The true brilliance of the game lay in the boundless imagination of each district’s world. For example, District 10 was home to a village of beautiful dwarf fairies, while District 9 housed a city of rugged orcs. People were instantly captivated by the unique city designs and the realistic monsters. It all felt so real.
So, who would be in the next district? What existed on the ruined surface? Everyone was obsessed with reaching the game’s ending.
It was said that reaching the surface would reveal the game’s ending, but no one had achieved it yet.
The Labyrinth was sometimes maze-like, sometimes brutally dungeon-like. Despite the combined efforts of powerful guilds over three years, humanity had only managed to conquer up to District 9.
Reaching the surface had become a common goal for all players.
And now, in the midst of all this, the main quest had appeared.
The two previous main quests had allowed humanity to advance to District 9.
Experience had taught players that main quests provided crucial clues for progressing to the next district.
At the same time, on the Anonymous Echo Plaza A, the South Korean Escape forum:
mal***: Oh, crazy. Is it real that the logout button disappeared because the main quest popped up right when I have to go to work? LOLOLOLOL
bae***: Weekend work;;;;;; But honestly, even my boss would understand this. Escape main quest popped up, how can I focus on real life?
rar***: But isn’t this a bit strange? Something related to District 8 should have happened, why are the snakes suddenly going wild?
pas***: I think there might be some story connection. More importantly, isn’t this quest too scary? You feel all the sensations when you die, and there are only newbies in District 11.
eun***: I can hear Escape’s stock price plummeting. What about the companies that set up in District 11 because it was safe? They might die just going to work.
sol***: apdl dk alcls gksrmf dho dkscuwu.
jii***: Newbies, please hide somewhere or if you think you’re going to get eaten, just kill yourself. Getting ripped apart alive is seriously traumatizing. Don’t get PTSD from playing a game.
cho***: LOLOLOLOL Wait, doesn’t suicide cause trauma too? LOLOLOLOL
The problem was that the main quest had started in District 12.
99% of the world’s top-ranked players and major guilds were around District 9. This was natural; playing in areas appropriate to one’s level was common sense.
Of course, the Serpent’s Lair (District 12), known for its endless depths, was a hunting ground for high-level players. However, it was a monotonous abyss with nothing new to offer, so high-level players quickly grew bored and left.
This meant that there was no one to protect the Starting District right now.
Not until the high-ranked players, alerted by the quest, arrived.
***
“My level is 27…” Woo Yune mumbled, her face filled with fear. Adeline, still staring at the quest window in disbelief, frowned and replied, “According to you, this is… a game, right? Then you can just… log out or whatever.”
“I wish it were that simple, but once a main quest starts, you can’t log out until it’s over. Unless someone forcibly disconnects your device from the outside. But even that causes aftereffects, so people avoid it.”
Adeline frowned even deeper. The book hadn’t mentioned any of this. It said District 12 was the Serpent’s Lair, but there was no mention of a master, human hunting, or anything like that.
Everything was confusing.
Especially these message windows that kept popping up. ‘How is this technology even possible? And why do only Woo Yune and I see them, and not Luce?’
“Anyway, we need to hide somewhere, fast. Level 90+ ranked players will be here soon. We just need to hold out until then.”
Right, that’s a problem for later. Woo Yune’s anxious voice snapped Adeline back to reality. Escape was the priority. The message flashing before her eyes was likely true. The ground had been rumbling beneath their feet, a clear sign of a massive number of creatures on the move.
“The message said the Serpiente are heading to District 11. So, shouldn’t we just go the opposite way?”
“Ah, right. But how are we supposed to know which way is opposite in this maze?”
“We backtrack. Luce and I were coming from the opposite direction of District 11.”
Adeline paused while gathering her bag. A thoughtful expression crossed her face before she rummaged through it, retrieving the potion she’d stowed earlier. If they were in for another long trek, it was best to take it now.
Without hesitation, she downed the crimson liquid. The sensation as it slid down her throat was vivid.
‘If there were such a thing as the elixir of life, this must be it, like drinking life itself, like blood.’
Her eyes widened. A shiver ran through her as she felt the energy, though faint, spreading to her very core.
The moment the last drop disappeared down her throat, the persistent ‘Error’ message flickering in the corner of her vision began to fade. In its place, a new line of text appeared briefly before vanishing: My Info – To confirm, say ‘My Info.’
“My Info…?”
A chime sounded.
Name: Adeline La Graciel
L.v.: 278
Occupation: Hunter
Title: ???/ ???/ ???/ ???/ ???
HP: 34900000
MP: 1029000
…More (Click)
