Escape - Chapter 16.2
Chapter 16.2
This was another reason for Escape’s popularity. The game was strangely realistic.
“…He’s gone for good now, isn’t he?”
Especially since death was permanent. No matter your level or how long you played, death was death. Unlike other games where you could create a new character, ‘Escape’ offered only one chance. In short, death was the end.
The atmosphere instantly turned somber. Woo Yune lowered her head in the heavy silence. She herself had almost died several times today. Just crawling near the serpent’s den had been a risk. If things got bad, she could just log out. She was just focused on getting views…
[End broadcast?]
[Viewers: 9,313,654]
She stared at the message in the corner of her vision. The chat window was exploding with messages too fast to read. It was only natural, given the appearance of celebrities like Geto and Bruja, and Adeline’s performance being broadcast live.
Her finger, which had risen to her chest, hovered in the air. She just had to press it. A part of her knew she didn’t have the right to broadcast someone else’s story, much less profit from it.
‘But it’s just a game, right? What does it matter? They’re all just playing for fun.’ A small voice whispered sweetly inside her.
As her hesitant finger moved towards ‘No(N)’…
Ding! At that moment, a translucent message window popped up with a notification sound.
[Main Quest: Birth of the Serpent Lord has ended!
Players in the starting zone have been killed in large numbers, resulting in a change of ownership in District 11.]
[District 11 Zone Lord: Serpiente
Reward: Each Serpiente can consume 100 humans.
Main Scenario: Birth of the Serpent Lord is complete.]
“What the hell is this bullsh*t?”
“Mierda.”
Curses erupted around them as soon as the message appeared. Startled, Woo Yune fumbled for the quest notification and accidentally pressed ‘Yes(Y)’. The broadcast window disappeared with a ding, clearing her vision.
At the same time, Adeline, who had been walking among the serpent corpses, looked up. Her expression was indescribable.
***
“What did that message mean?”
Her hand, clenched so tightly her knuckles were white, trembled. The man who looked exactly like Damian. The serpientes pouring out behind him. The strange message window.
She massaged her throbbing temples. Putting all the information together…
“It means exactly what it says. The Serpent Lord has taken over the starting zone.”
It was as if Damian was the Serpent Lord in the quest. Despite her calm exterior, she was far from okay. Aside from the exhaustion from hours of fighting, she felt like something inside her had snapped.
Then, a sharp voice cut in, laced with disbelief.
“The starting zone has been taken? Don’t be ridiculous. I know of at least five large guilds heading there.”
“Oh, the translator’s on.” Geto muttered thoughtlessly. Bruja scoffed.
“…I need to go there.”
Bruja, taken aback by Adeline’s decisive movement, raised her voice.
“I’ll contact them and find out what’s going on, so just stay here. I know you’re strong, but it’s better to assess the situation first.”
“Then I’ll bring any nearby allies here. Look after Woo Yune.”
Adeline nodded impassively towards Woo Yune. Woo Yune’s eyes widened in surprise at the mention of her name.
“Uh, sis, you don’t have to worry about me. I need to eat and sleep anyway… I think it’s best to log out while the quest is over.”
Adeline stared at Woo Yune for a moment, then nodded without any visible reaction.
“That might be safer. Do that.”
“But sis, before I go… can I add you as a friend?”
“Friend request?”
“I need to be friends with you to contact you when I log back in. Is that okay?”
A friend request. Such a game-like term. Adeline gave a wry smile and nodded again. Woo Yune’s face brightened. Soon, a ding sounded, and a message window appeared.
[Friend request from Woo Yune.
Accept? Yes(Y) / No(N)]
Adeline raised her hand and touched the ‘Yes(Y)’ button. Another cheerful chime sounded, confirming the friend request.
She hadn’t accepted that this was a game. That was impossible. The moment she did, she would become just a character in the game.
She swore she’d never lived a life created by someone else. She’d carved her own path. If someone had created her life, then what were all the hardships she’d endured? The word ‘game’ trivialized everything. Events she couldn’t avoid became mere plot points in a game.
She decided to accept this world, temporarily. She had no other way to cope with the current situation. The man who looked like Damian was already giving her a headache.
‘I don’t have the luxury of pondering the nature of this world.’
She could only think of it as a space where people from different worlds could coexist. They believed they were in a ‘game,’ but for her, this was reality. Because Damian, herself, and Luce were all thinking, feeling individuals. Because she didn’t want to believe that all of this was predetermined and planned by someone else.
