Chapter 254 – Final Championship Squad
“Oh, what’s this? Yoo Jin is on the live stream of the Korean national team.”
“Where? Isn’t soloing starting next week?”
“…She’s in the squad players’ lounge?”
One of the largest Trickey broadcast channels at that moment was in turmoil.
The channel, which usually had about tens of thousands of viewers, was now hosting a live stream. There were neither streamers nor any communication, but the broadcast was showing the lounge of the squad that would represent Korea in the final championship in a few hours.
Nothing particularly interesting was happening. It was a room where players had trivial conversations or discussed some tactical details before the game started. As such, the viewership of tens of thousands was not particularly high compared to the prestige of the final championship.
Of course, that was the story before a special guest made an unexpected appearance.
-[Hey, hey! Get up! Oh my god, the special coach is here!]
-[How did you get here with so many people outside? Did you walk?]
-[Yes, I did. Nice to meet you all. Have you been practicing well?]
In an instant, the previously subdued atmosphere became lively. As the six people entered, the lounge, which was already crowded, became even more bustling. Those who knew each other beforehand exchanged greetings.
As there were already six people waiting in the chatroom, the news spread quickly. It took less than five minutes for the 120,000 viewers to double.
But on the other hand, five minutes was more than enough time to share brief pleasantries and get down to business.
-Oh, lololololololol
-Why is Bi-yam Noona here again??????
-Did she come to observe the squad?
-She’s ridiculously diligent, lolololololololol
-Harmony sneaked in, too, lololololololololol
Sure enough, they began to discuss strategies.
-[//-Content has been censored-//]
-[//-Content has been censored-//]
-[//-Content has been censored-//]
A pre-entered keyword filtering system was activated to alter specific words and contexts, to prevent any leakage of the Korean team’s strategies. However, there wasn’t much to worry about.
The discussions between Yoo Jin and the Korean national team revolved around tactics that were challenging to counter even if revealed, rather than critical strategies that should not be disclosed.
Yoo Jin started to discuss numerous tactical trials and the traps that resulted from them, embedded in her mind and body.
More than one could ever imagine.
-[Set up a flamethrower turret.]
-[If you install it alone, it can easily be neutralized with foam grenades or the like. It’s best to install an additional regular turret.]
-Oh, I hadn’t thought of that, lol
-Turret tip: hit directly with a foam grenade, and it’s screwed.
-Usually, I don’t use foam walls because bullets easily pierce through them, but it seems pretty effective against flamethrower turrets?
-The map is small, so it’s perfect for blocking visibility, lol
-It looks like nothing special when you see it this way, lol
What started simply became increasingly complex.
However, it was information of little use even if disclosed. Both the Korean and foreign teams already knew this content, and even if they didn’t, it wouldn’t matter much.
In actual combat, you never know what variables will come into play, so it didn’t make much difference from a tactical standpoint.
That’s why Yoo Jin began to discuss aspects that were not commonly addressed by regular users.
-[Polyurethane walls emit hydrogen cyanide gas when burning. If there are no gas masks to block it, be cautious using flamethrower turrets. In wooden buildings, you could end up burning to death.]
-[That’s quite a risk.]
-[But in certain positions, it’s highly effective.]
-Ding, lol
-Who thinks of things like this, lololololol
-But it’s a fact, lol Usually, in tunnel-like places with openings on both sides, you don’t worry about gas, but in enclosed spaces, you could die if unlucky.
-Wooden building trait: burn to death if you don’t pay attention
-I’ve died several times because of fire, so I totally agree, lol
But that was just the beginning.
As the conversation deepened, the viewers’ reactions constantly changed.
-[The building has predictable entrances and stairs. Position yourself first and block the emergency exits located elsewhere. Preplace turret fuel and explosives on the floor below, then when the enemies come up….]
Boom.
The hologram in front of them spewed fire. Flames surged fiercely from the third floor of a four-story building, engulfing the entire fourth floor in less than 30 seconds. In that time, the allied squad on the fourth floor retreated one by one using ropes, holding back the enemies for the last moment.
But that was just one method. Many other combat tactics emerged. Predicting enemy movements, pre-placing explosives behind walls where enemies might hide, bringing equipment to hide doors, and breaking through unexpected places to surprise attack….
Countless tactics that couldn’t be achieved by imagination alone. When psychological warfare and theory combined, something beyond ordinary CQB (Close Quarters Battle) tactics emerged—a malevolent something that many users had used and adapted multiple times.
But Yoo Jin nonchalantly added.
-[…This is just the basics. The enemy can easily infer this.]
-[Why haven’t you come since the day before yesterday?]
-[Haha, I’ve had some places to go around lately.]
-So this person wasn’t just about physical skills? lololololololololololololol
-Evil… The epitome of evil….
-Damn, every tactic is brutal, lolololololololol
-Brains are part of physical skills too, lol, this person is truly insane, lololololololol
-Oh, the solo representatives’ faces are turning sour, lololololololol
At that moment, the room fell silent.
Simultaneously, the camera’s focus widened to capture the entire room. Despite this, it was clear that some of those sitting beside Yoo Jin didn’t look particularly happy.
Of course, it wasn’t hard to guess why.
-[…So. We have to work with this person all week next week?]
-[Phew, I’m glad I’m not participating in the final championship. Right? I always believed in you.]
-[Hey, back off!]
Naturally, Dice’s expression was the worst.
The most reliable ally became the scariest when turned into an enemy, especially if that person had actually tested all sorts of tactics as a special forces member – of course, only Dice and Harmony knew this fact -.
But even without knowing, it was obvious. Michael, Ink, and Gambit didn’t look particularly happy either.
Of course, Harmony was an exception.
-StrongWeakStrongWeak, lololololololol
-StrongWeakStrongWeak? From what I see of Harmony lately, it’s just StrongStrongStrongStrong?
-Look at her clinging right away, so cute, lololololololol
-Yoo Jin was talking about brutal stuff just now and suddenly becomes shy and tells her to back off, kinda cute? lololol
-Please let me be Harmony for just one day!!!!!! Just let me cling once!!!!!!!
She literally clung to Yoo Jin.
Seeing this, Yoo Jin gently peeled her off, continuing to speak in her usual calm tone.
-[…By the way, the strategies I’ve suggested can also be used by the enemies. Especially in a squad match. As a squad leader, you know that losing one member in a four-person team doesn’t equate to a simple arithmetic loss of 25% of your strength. Isn’t that right?]
-[That’s right. The moment one person is taken out, the tactical options drastically decrease.]
-[Therefore, you must choose strategies that disable your opponents without aiming your guns directly at them. This is something I’ve been hammering into your heads since before we came to America, but it’s truly a difficult goal to achieve.]
Everyone already knew the answer.
But these tactical options were not easily executed.
Yoo Jin patted the squad representative on the shoulder and added,
-[Think of it as real combat, not a game. If you think you’ll actually die in the game, you’ll likely see better results.]
There was little else she could say.
She could give countless pieces of advice on how to move the squad members more swiftly or how to read the battlefield instantly, but the match was imminent. The minimal feedback she provided was all she could give at that moment.
-[I’m looking forward to today’s match. By around 10 AM tomorrow, you’ll get feedback on the results.]
-[Oh…yes. Thank you always. You’re really busy from the moment you arrive.]
-[Haha.]
-A real force of nature, sweeping in and out just like that. LOL
-When Bi-yam shows up, my mind goes blank…
-Isn’t this basically knocking the Korean team out of their senses? LOL
-She’s seriously diligent though. LOL
-Koits is really the incarnation of my pace. LOL
With only a brief laugh left behind, Yoo Jin disappeared.
A visit that lasted no more than 30 minutes. Yet, the hundreds of thousands of viewers in the lounge and broadcast room had experienced an incredibly intense period incomparable to before.
Only a sense of bewilderment remained.
-[Notification: Verifying entry pass…]
-[Notification: Anthony Owens // Christopher Laurentina = Verified.]
“Sergeant Major Christopher! How many years has it been? Are you on leave?”
“Just came out to see my kid. How’s your pro gamer career going, Swanson?”
“It’s lukewarm compared to my active duty days, haha.”
Heads turned.
The bear ears atop Logan’s head twitched as he absorbed the familiar conversation between two familiar voices—one belonging to Laurentina, who was visiting the players’ lounge next to Madison Square Garden as a companion today, and the other to Benji Swanson, one of the North American representatives in the Final Championship.
Whether it was unique or not, Logan had observed a few things after experiencing several scrims—the players, coaches, and others involved in the Final Championship North America were intricately intertwined like a spider’s web.
“Did you know each other?”
“We met a few times when I was in charge of Blue Squadron’s training. I heard he left due to some complicated family issues, but I didn’t expect to run into him here.”
Swanson glanced over. His eyes held a curious question, wondering if Logan and Laurentina knew each other.
“We were both with MWTR. Say hello. This is Logan Blamis. You’re probably already acquainted since he’s also a North American representative.”
“Logan, were you with MWTR? My goodness.”
“I’m moving to another place next year, but it’s nice to meet you. I didn’t expect you to be with DevGru.”
“Haha, I wouldn’t have mentioned it anywhere else.”
Nodding, he looked in another direction.
Across from him, Owens was warmly greeting several people. Since all the pro gamers in the room were former SOF members, they all seemed to have briefly encountered each other when they were part of the same unit.
Unfortunately, Logan didn’t know any of them. Unlike her seniors and Laurentina, who were continuously part of Delta Force or DevGru, she had been a contract member of Delta Force and previously with MWTR.
It was fortunate that her previous acquaintance with Yoo Jin hadn’t changed.
“So, why is everyone here today? You’re still active duty, yet you’ve come all the way to cold New York.”
“Came to see my kid. Not a duo or squad match, just soloing. Ever heard of Yoo Jin?”
“Oh! Of course… but by kid, you mean….”
Heads turned instantly. They all stared at Logan, resolving the small curiosity that had lingered in the minds of the North American representatives.
However, the logical deductions of those gathered here were exceptional, and as the new puzzle pieces aligned with their existing memories, new facts began to emerge.
According to the North American representatives, Yoo Jin was also an incredibly physically gifted individual. At least Swanson, who had once interacted with Laurentina, knew fragments of her immense physical abilities and combat skills.
Naturally, questions arose, but they also brought certainty.
Those who roughly grasped the situation cautiously spoke up.
“Logan, everything you said was true.”
“It could be even more.”
Logan gave a short laugh, and everyone’s expressions hardened.
Although their faces were serious now, how would they react when they confronted Yoo Jin next week?
Only Laurentina laughed heartily.
“Everyone better brace yourselves. We can’t predict what methods she might bring.”
The true meaning of that laughter would soon be revealed.
Meanwhile,
“Everyone, take out your notebooks. Let’s begin.”
Cheers and applause, deafening roars of support.
Among them, five people raised their pens.