NOVEL NEXT Episode 17:
When we came out after attacking the tower that Park Tae-sik took us to, there was no sign of the reporters who were supposed to be crowded as usual. This is thanks to the fact that he kept the secret as the head of the Department of Home Affairs. Before I knew it, the morning sunlight in the eastern sky was dispelling the darkness.
“Wow, it’s the King of Heroes!”
Just then, I heard a young boy's voice next to me. When Yoosung turned his head, the child holding hands with his mother was smiling broadly at Yoosung.
The child's T-shirt depicted a shooting star in the final setting for the first time in the King of Heroes season. The theme was classic and it was the most expensive ‘legendary grade t-shirt’.
“Mom, look at that, it’s the real King of Heroes!”
“Uh, yes, yes...
In contrast to the child, who is smiling brightly without knowing anything about the world, the child’s mother looks as if she has been struck by lightning. Because I know about Yooseong's record, which is on the news every day.
“You’re the hero, right? Right?”
“Oh yeah. right.”
“I’m sorry! The child is still there...
Yoosung, dressed in a black skirt, quietly shook his head and gestured to the child.
“Kid, come here.”
“yes!”
“How much is that t-shirt?”
“It’s free because it was given to me by Santa Claus
!”
“Oh no, Santa Claus, I’m going to strain my back.”
The child answered with a wide smile, and Yoosung muttered calmly.
“So, is there anything you want to receive for Christmas this year?”
“I want a legendary t-shirt this season!”
“It’s a legendary t-shirt, so the marketing is truly legendary.”
It is a time-honored marketing strategy that depicts the King of Heroes in a final setting every season and sells them at high prices as legendary t-shirts.
Additionally, the setting just before the end is depicted on a hero grade t-shirt, and as the setting just before that goes below the rare level, the level gets lower.
“Anyway, surprisingly, a mythical T-shirt is scheduled to be released this year.”
“Wow, really?!”
“Well, that’s only when my hair is still attached.”
Not understanding Yoosung's words, the child just smiles.
“For your information, parents all over the world... no. “They said they would sell it at such a high price that Santa Clauses would break their backs.”
Leaving behind his mother's pale, exhausted expression, Yoosung took something out of her arms.
“So, let me place an order for Santa Claus in advance so that you can receive first place.”
“order....”?”
“Mom will tell you well.”
Leaving behind the child who was tilting his head, Yoosung handed out a business card to his mother.
“Please walk up to that business card and give me your address and name. It will be delivered around December of this year.”
“What is it...?”
“Shinhwa t-shirt and other things.”
“Still, a t-shirt with such an expensive premium label... Just as
the mother was looking at the child and cautiously trying to continue speaking, Yoosung whispered something. When my mother heard those words, she held her breath. “Now that it’s been so long
, should I take a
picture with you ?”
“yes!”
At the same time, the child urged her to quickly take a picture, and the mother quickly took a picture of the two of them.
click!
A flash went off. Pictured was the boy's undoubted hero.
the next day.
“Hey you crazy bastard. “You were forced to order a premium t-shirt that wasn’t even in my name?”
“Ah, that’s why I came here to do you a favor.”
“I haven’t asked you yet?”
“I thought it was about time to ask for something.”
“Hey bastard...
Yoosung shrugged his shoulders and Master Park was dumbfounded and closed his mouth.
“You need to go to Busan.”
“Can you just take back what I just said
?”
“huh. “I can’t do it. I don’t plan on canceling it,
so go back, you bastard.” Master Park chuckled and Yoosung was so dumbfounded that he had to keep his mouth shut.
“Did something happen in Busan?”
“yet.”
“Why am I going to Busan when I don’t have any work to do?”
“Because something is going to happen soon.”
It was a truly easy proposition:
“You know Ivanova, right?”
“A famous Russian model? Oh, I know very well. Can we take the KTX and leave right now?”
“No, Natasha Ivanova, a criminal player belonging to the Russian mafia.”
“Ha, I really don’t want to go.”
Before Yoosung could continue speaking, Master Park spread out a pile of documents on the table.
What was written there were players ranked within the top 500 in the player rankings at the end of the ‘Plague Lord season', and among them, a criminal player who was internationally infamous. It was a blacklist of players.
Commonly known as Black Player.
“They said he was chased by the Russian government and entered the port of Busan smuggled and started farming by going around towers in the Busan area. You need to deal with it before it gets bigger than it is now.”
“No, I only finished in 483rd place. Can’t the National Intelligence Service of the world catch a single black player like that?”
“Oh, that’s it… Domestic players met him at the tower, and they said he had already acquired legendary skills. He also has four players’ subordinates.”
“What is the legend?”
“The veil of darkness.”
“Hi, you damn lucky game really.....
As soon as he heard that name, Yoosung didn’t hesitate. All I could do was remember the sword technique I had stolen from the sword lord and calmly look for a ticket for the train to Busan.
After all, other people's rice cakes seem bigger than others.
Even in the outside world, the player's abilities are still valid. Therefore, even if you encounter people wearing cumbersome medieval-style armor or a wizard's cone hat while walking down the street, it is not such a surprising sight in a world that has changed.
‘Well, it's better because it's winter.'
Yoosung thought as he left Busan Station after a short nap. Thanks to the biting cold of January, I wore thick winter clothes over my ‘golden fanaticism’ and pulled my hood down.
Players cannot kill players inside the tower.
However, this is not the case in the world outside the tower.
Therefore, the higher a player becomes, the more exposed he is to all kinds of threats and the more careful he needs to be about revealing his identity. It is in the same context that heavy armor that shines brilliantly in gold is undervalued among top players, regardless of its efficiency.
Or, they can draw the world's attention by openly attracting reporters wherever they go.
‘I can't do that right now.'
The same goes for Black Player Natasha Ivanova. And finding her here in Busan would be like finding a needle in the desert.
Nevertheless, it wasn't Yoosung's job to find her anyway. Yoosung’s role is ultimately one of execution.
Just then, Yoosung's phone rang as if he had been waiting for it.
“Oh, Yoosung. The train to Busan arrived safely, right? “Are there any zombies on the train?”
“I know everyone is watching, so please send me a car right away.”
“okay. “My kids happened to get information about the tower where Ivanova’s gang is located, so we’ll send them there.”
“What tier is it?”
“Tier 5.”
“Hey. “He just flies around just because he saw some legendary skills.”
A black SUV stopped on the shoulder of the road, as if waiting for Yooseong to mutter while standing on the main street.
“Watch out, kid. “The way he entered was very sloppy for someone who sneaked in.”
“I use the same dictionary as Napoleon, and there is no retreat in that dictionary.”
“It’s not a retreat, it’s impossible,
you stupid bastard.”
“Oh, I guess so.”
Yoosung hung up the phone after Master Park’s words. Soon after, an SUV stopped on the shoulder of the road began to cross the streets of Busan. [Top of the Zombie Apocalypse] [Tier
5
Survival Format Biochemical Full of threats. Number of players allowed to enter. Minimum 1, maximum 6. Stores available.]
［Strategy goal: Survive until the designated date］
［Special note: Five players have already entered the tower. Until entry deadline 13m 21s 13m 20s.. ....
‘Five people.'
Natasha Ivanova There is no way that the Black Player, who has attracted so much attention, can move alone without going crazy. Therefore, it is safe to say that the other four people in the tower are also her helpers. In fact, five to one. That is also a zombie apocalypse
. survival format.
Still, there was no reason to hesitate.
“Enter the tower.”
[In the early 21st century, a deadly virus has been leaked from a confidential laboratory at the Busan branch of Tyrella Corportion, and the entire city has been placed on lockdown. Survive the hungry infected and Tyrella Corporation's ‘secrecy unit'!] As the message disappears
, It was the area around the streets of Busan that Yoosung had been walking on until just moments before. However, it was by no means the world that Yoosung remembered. The sky was stained gray. The
ruins of the city center had turned into ashes. The streets of the apocalypse were literally spread out.
The world after the destruction of the zombie apocalypse.
The game started and still nothing had changed.
At that moment, a scream rang out nearby. The shooting star turned its head. It was not a human scream. It was literally a zombie,
like one from a blockbuster zombie movie. The army was racing towards the shooting star. Each one let out an extremely grotesque scream and began to tangle and tumble, forming a fleshy sphere. “Oh my, the ball is rolling.
”
It was like a bundle of materials that the Creator had piled up to create a human being.
‘Yes, there is no way a single zombie would emerge from a tier 5 tower.'
Seeing that, Yoosung stretched out his arms. A bunch of swirling cold air formed a blade, and even faster than that, Black Cat jumped up from under Yoosung's feet. It
was a very small and petite black cat.
But at Black Cat's feet , The shadow that was cast was neither small nor cute.
— Nyaaaang.
The black bird let out a cry and grinned.
Immediately after that, the maw of a strange fish emerged from the black fish’s shadow. At the same time, there was no doubt about it. It was a monster of the boundless ocean itself.
A blue whale leapt out of the water, opened its mouth, and began sucking in zombies like a school of fish.
‘Was the whale a beast...
of gluttony ? The monster devoured the zombies in the area, and Yoosung tilted his head as he watched it. It was at that moment. He
could sense the presence of a silent silhouette beyond the streets of the apocalypse.
“I thought you would come in as expected.”
“Black Player Natasha Ivanova.”
“Because there’s no way a hero among heroes would overlook a villain like me
.”
“Do you know the virtues of a hero?”
The silhouette was silent, and Yoosung continued,
“Characteristics of a righteous hero: Has no specific goals for his own future or dreams. Always likes to move alone. Acts only after something happens. Passive attitude. Always angry. Finally. ..
Adjusting the hilt of the frost sword.
“The joy of life is trampling on the dreams and ambitions of villains.”
At the same time, the asphalt road he was standing on collapsed, and Yoosung’s body rushed like a flash of light.