Chapter 269 – Polyurethane Bomb
-[Notification: Optical Camouflage Activated.]
“…Ha, it’s cold.”
“It must have snowed again.”
“Yeah. I felt it before, but I can never get used to New York’s weather.”
“New York sounds impressive, but latitude-wise, it’s actually further north than Sinuiju… It’s only natural.”
“Still, thanks to layering all my clothes, it doesn’t feel that cold….”
Crunch, crunch.
At 11 p.m., Dice and Yoo Jin walked through the streets of Manhattan, which were not entirely shrouded in darkness. The sound of their footsteps compressing the snow repeatedly echoed. After a brief calm, the weather had stirred again, blanketing New York with a thick layer of snow.
Around them, the surroundings shimmered ever so slightly, a scene created by Yoo Jin activating the optical camouflage, unable to fully trust New York’s security.
Of course, those unaware of the situation continued their conversation without noticing anything unusual.
“I didn’t think Monday would be the end of it, but I never imagined such a monstrous ordeal on a Tuesday.”
“You worked hard. Retreating wasn’t an option since the map wasn’t favorable, and there were no vehicles for an easy escape… Even if it was by chance, gathering the pieces to make that chance happen isn’t easy.”
It was a genuine compliment, not just lip service.
The Final Championship. The eyes of millions were fixed on just a hundred players. It was said to be comparable to the Olympics and World Cup, the two major international competitions – in that tournament, Yoo Jin had advised avoiding Logan.
It wasn’t about playing conservatively or safely. The Korean team’s play style was one of the most aggressive among the many national teams in the 3rd Final Championship.
Yet, Yoo Jin’s single insistent advice was that.
Only Dice managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible task.
“You seem to have a lot to say.”
“I told you earlier, I really thought I was going to die.”
An impossibly accurate shooter, incredible speed, and top-tier tactical and strategic ability – Logan was a literal killing machine. If he had decided to go all out, Dice would likely have been ejected to the lobby long ago.
Dice also thought so, and it was practically the truth.
Naturally, this was why so many people were interested in Dice.
“Even so, I never expected Yoo Jin’s colleagues to be interested in me.”
“The original reason for inviting Dice wasn’t that, but it seems they were quite curious about that part too. And about me, who brought such a person as Ye-rin here….”
“Ah.”
Indeed.
Even without consciously recalling it, the memories of earlier events vividly came to mind. As soon as Yoo Jin’s name was mentioned, everyone smiled and showered her with praise – no further explanation was needed.
Of course, Dice hadn’t heard a word about what had happened in the past. This allowed her to hear honest evaluations of Yoo Jin directly.
Thus, Dice’s conclusion was simple.
“Everyone seems to really like Yoo Jin.”
“…What?”
“Especially Logan and Laurentina. They never call her by name, only ‘the youngest.'”
“Ugh, those two….”
Yoo Jin let out a rough breath, but Dice’s keen blue eyes saw the faint blush on her cheeks.
After months of interaction, Seo Ye-rin had long since memorized Yoo Jin’s typical reactions, and through her logic circuit, she knew this was unmistakable embarrassment.
The mask of the iron man slipped, revealing Yoo Jin’s true self, a person who felt joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure like any other. Every time this happened, Dice was reminded that Yoo Jin was a normal person.
Of course, that wasn’t all.
Seo Ye-rin smiled cautiously and added.
“Yoo Jin has a lot of good people around her.”
“…Yes, very good people. More than I deserve.”
But that wasn’t the end of it.
As their blue eyes met, the conversation continued.
“Those people are good people I met when I was in the U.S. military, but… that’s not all. There are also many good people I’ve met while broadcasting and working as a professional.”
Swish, swish.
At the same time, Dice felt a strange sensation on her back.
If it were her former self from a few months ago, she might have jumped right there, but now she knew exactly what that sensation was. She glanced sideways, and sure enough, Yoo Jin was gently stroking her back with her tail.
Recalling when that mesmerizing tail had become something she didn’t dislike, Dice chuckled.
“Well, that’s good then.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Sharp me, I have to notice it first.”
Then, short bursts of laughter echoed between them.
With less than 10 minutes left to the hotel, Dice spoke up.
“Oh, right. I heard from Laurentina about the time Yoo Jin got drunk.”
“What?”
“You didn’t do that when we drank wine together, but you cried then? Why did you cry, eek! Ow, ow, ow!”
“Talking about that in front of me, have you gone out of your mind after facing Logan?”
Dice’s soft, chewy cheeks stretched as Yoo Jin’s vice-like fingers pulled them apart. Though Dice’s voice was filled with pain, Yoo Jin had no intention of forgiving her.
Of course, Dice was merely the messenger, a complete reversal of cause and effect.
But even so, Dice’s courage hadn’t exactly returned to its original place.
“Do you think that’s all I heard? They say Yoo Jin has a terrible drinking habit….”
“Stop it.”
“But during the Asian qualifiers, you hugged me with your tail like a body pillow. I got muscle pain and a stiff neck when I went home, you know?”
“…Ugh.”
Just desserts.
Thus, Yoo Jin became a wilted Biyam, and Dice consoled her with a wry smile. It was a mystery how Yoo Jin had developed such an unusual drinking habit.
The night grew deeper, and the cold wind that followed the snow was biting. The two disappeared through the familiar entrance of the luxury hotel.
It was the night of the second day.
“…Yoo Jin from the Korean team has 2 wins, Logan and Cain from North America each have 1 win. Arthur from the UK has 1 win. This year is done for.”
“People struggling with skill countermeasures probably don’t have the leisure to notice that.”
-[Notification: Optical Camouflage Activated.]
“…Ha, it’s cold.”
“It must have snowed again.”
“Yeah. I felt it before, but I can never get used to New York’s weather.”
“New York sounds impressive, but latitude-wise, it’s actually further north than Sinuiju… It’s only natural.”
“Still, thanks to layering all my clothes, it doesn’t feel that cold….”
Crunch, crunch.
At 11 p.m., Dice and Yoo Jin walked through the streets of Manhattan, which were not entirely shrouded in darkness. The sound of their footsteps compressing the snow repeatedly echoed. After a brief calm, the weather had stirred again, blanketing New York with a thick layer of snow.
Around them, the surroundings shimmered ever so slightly, a scene created by Yoo Jin activating the optical camouflage, unable to fully trust New York’s security.
Of course, those unaware of the situation continued their conversation without noticing anything unusual.
“I didn’t think Monday would be the end of it, but I never imagined such a monstrous ordeal on a Tuesday.”
“You worked hard. Retreating wasn’t an option since the map wasn’t favorable, and there were no vehicles for an easy escape… Even if it was by chance, gathering the pieces to make that chance happen isn’t easy.”
It was a genuine compliment, not just lip service.
The Final Championship. The eyes of millions were fixed on just a hundred players. It was said to be comparable to the Olympics and World Cup, the two major international competitions – in that tournament, Yoo Jin had advised avoiding Logan.
It wasn’t about playing conservatively or safely. The Korean team’s play style was one of the most aggressive among the many national teams in the 3rd Final Championship.
Yet, Yoo Jin’s single insistent advice was that.
Only Dice managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible task.
“You seem to have a lot to say.”
“I told you earlier, I really thought I was going to die.”
An impossibly accurate shooter, incredible speed, and top-tier tactical and strategic ability – Logan was a literal killing machine. If he had decided to go all out, Dice would likely have been ejected to the lobby long ago.
Dice also thought so, and it was practically the truth.
Naturally, this was why so many people were interested in Dice.
“Even so, I never expected Yoo Jin’s colleagues to be interested in me.”
“The original reason for inviting Dice wasn’t that, but it seems they were quite curious about that part too. And about me, who brought such a person as Ye-rin here….”
“Ah.”
Indeed.
Even without consciously recalling it, the memories of earlier events vividly came to mind. As soon as Yoo Jin’s name was mentioned, everyone smiled and showered her with praise – no further explanation was needed.
Of course, Dice hadn’t heard a word about what had happened in the past. This allowed her to hear honest evaluations of Yoo Jin directly.
Thus, Dice’s conclusion was simple.
“Everyone seems to really like Yoo Jin.”
“…What?”
“Especially Logan and Laurentina. They never call her by name, only ‘the youngest.'”
“Ugh, those two….”
Yoo Jin let out a rough breath, but Dice’s keen blue eyes saw the faint blush on her cheeks.
After months of interaction, Seo Ye-rin had long since memorized Yoo Jin’s typical reactions, and through her logic circuit, she knew this was unmistakable embarrassment.
The mask of the iron man slipped, revealing Yoo Jin’s true self, a person who felt joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure like any other. Every time this happened, Dice was reminded that Yoo Jin was a normal person.
Of course, that wasn’t all.
Seo Ye-rin smiled cautiously and added.
“Yoo Jin has a lot of good people around her.”
“…Yes, very good people. More than I deserve.”
But that wasn’t the end of it.
As their blue eyes met, the conversation continued.
“Those people are good people I met when I was in the U.S. military, but… that’s not all. There are also many good people I’ve met while broadcasting and working as a professional.”
Swish, swish.
At the same time, Dice felt a strange sensation on her back.
If it were her former self from a few months ago, she might have jumped right there, but now she knew exactly what that sensation was. She glanced sideways, and sure enough, Yoo Jin was gently stroking her back with her tail.
Recalling when that mesmerizing tail had become something she didn’t dislike, Dice chuckled.
“Well, that’s good then.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Sharp me, I have to notice it first.”
Then, short bursts of laughter echoed between them.
With less than 10 minutes left to the hotel, Dice spoke up.
“Oh, right. I heard from Laurentina about the time Yoo Jin got drunk.”
“What?”
“You didn’t do that when we drank wine together, but you cried then? Why did you cry, eek! Ow, ow, ow!”
“Talking about that in front of me, have you gone out of your mind after facing Logan?”
Dice’s soft, chewy cheeks stretched as Yoo Jin’s vice-like fingers pulled them apart. Though Dice’s voice was filled with pain, Yoo Jin had no intention of forgiving her.
Of course, Dice was merely the messenger, a complete reversal of cause and effect.
But even so, Dice’s courage hadn’t exactly returned to its original place.
“Do you think that’s all I heard? They say Yoo Jin has a terrible drinking habit….”
“Stop it.”
“But during the Asian qualifiers, you hugged me with your tail like a body pillow. I got muscle pain and a stiff neck when I went home, you know?”
“…Ugh.”
Just desserts.
Thus, Yoo Jin became a wilted Biyam, and Dice consoled her with a wry smile. It was a mystery how Yoo Jin had developed such an unusual drinking habit.
The night grew deeper, and the cold wind that followed the snow was biting. The two disappeared through the familiar entrance of the luxury hotel.
It was the night of the second day.
“…Yoo Jin from the Korean team has 2 wins, Logan and Cain from North America each have 1 win. Arthur from the UK has 1 win. This year is done for.”
“People struggling with skill countermeasures probably don’t have the leisure to notice that.”
As many concerns as there were people, the night of the second day passed. Then another day went by, and the third day of the competition was preparing to commence.
As always, Madison Square Garden was so packed that finding a place to stand was difficult. Inside, only the selected few, 60,000 people, could enter the individual arena. The host and the hundred holographic players greeted the audience as usual.
Faces showed a mix of tension, determination, and countless other expressions, but hardly anyone seemed truly relaxed.
Yet, despite this, the 60,000 spectators cheered for their favorite players.
And today, naturally, the most cheers were for none other than Yoo Jin.
“Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin! Yoo Jin!”
“Oh Yoo Jin, come to crack the head of the Final Championship~ The anaconda that crossed the Pacific is the top predator~!”
“What the heck? What kind of ridiculous song are they singing?”
The American cheering squad, more fervent than the fans who had flown in from Korea, sang a bizarre song as if they had composed it beforehand, instantly making the atmosphere more heated.
Even those who were laughing couldn’t escape the song’s influence. The fact that fans had flown in from Korea to support Yoo Jin intrigued the North American audience, leading both sides to attempt awkward conversations.
Questions about where they came from and answers that they were from Korea. That was enough. They quickly bonded and sang at the top of their lungs as if there was no tomorrow, even making the host laugh.
Of course, unfortunately, Yoo Jin was proficient in English, able to understand the song sung by the cheering squad and answer the host’s questions without needing a translator.
The host, after laughing for a while, handed Yoo Jin a microphone with a helpless expression, and a simple interview began.
“Haha, you have some very enthusiastic fans.”
“My fans have a condition where they break out in hives if they do anything normal or ordinary….”
Naturally, the host laughed again at Yoo Jin’s answer.
The map draw began. The Final Championship featured all eight maps over Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday – meaning today was the time to play the remaining maps that hadn’t been chosen yet.
Aurora Power Plant, California Gas Complex, and Port City Tannhäuser.
By the time the bizarre song singers fell silent, the 100 holograms on the central stage disappeared, and a screen displaying the game appeared before the 60,000 spectators.
A single transport plane flew across the sky.
“Now, let’s start the Final Championship’s Wednesday match-!”
Cheers and applause erupted like a flood.
And-
-[CSAG Unlocked // Foam Grenade / Chemical Launcher – Suppression Foam]
-[Notification: Combat Assistance Equipment Data Download in 10 seconds….]
“There are a lot of people in the skill activation zones lately….”
Holding a pistol in her left hand, a faint smoke rising from the red-hot suppressor, Yoo Jin leisurely unlocked the skill amidst the apocalyptic scene of a massive wildfire.
There was no one around, but bullet marks on the containers and walls, unnaturally scattered or dug-up ground, and two piles of items laid out at considerable intervals suggested several skirmishes had occurred here, and Yoo Jin had been the final victor.
Green grenades and black liquid-filled canisters poured into the multi-purpose pouch. With the blueprint already downloaded into the ICARUS Gear, they would be continuously manufactured and added over time.
Yoo Jin looked around, exhaled, and smiled slightly. It was a smile of relief or familiarity – the clattering noise from the pouch was a sound she had heard every time she acted as the point man for the Dagger team.
And an unspoken truth.
Her favorite skills were none other than the foam launcher and grenades.
‘…The real potential of a skill is in its ability to create or modify terrain.’
Previously, everyone had considered the Final Championship a competition within a limited framework, but after the 3rd finals, that notion would completely disappear.
Creating new variables and incorporating them into combat to find breakthroughs. This would be a literal innovation for attackers or defenders – the myriad applications would be a nightmare for all existing users.
Among these, Yoo Jin’s chosen foam launcher was literally a skill for ‘defenders.’
Click!
Compressing the chemical launcher as much as possible, Yoo Jin neatly placed it into her tactical backpack and started moving. The number of people watching this scene exceeded tens of millions. Yoo Jin’s plays were filled with unpredictability that normal users couldn’t understand, paradoxically sparking curiosity.
It was a skill Yoo Jin had never chosen before. Moreover, it was one of the least picked skills in the Final Championship.
The chemical launcher itself wasn’t mainstream, and the foam launcher even less so. It couldn’t bind the enemy unless it hit them, and the projectile speed was a disadvantage.
This was precisely why many people were focused on Yoo Jin.
-Our snake teacher is doing something strange again ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Doing something strange (beating the opponent)
-I’m already excited to see what creative method Yoo Jin will use to kill the opponent this timeww
-Fact check) Last year, people would have thought she was crazy
-This is making my head spin
At least five different languages were streaming nonsensical chatter, indicating that people were watching Yoo Jin’s play in real time.
But among Yoo Jin’s many nicknames was Iron Man, and true to that, she had an expression that showed no tension as she meticulously surveyed the surroundings. One of her many strengths was her quick thinking, which, combined with experience, led to her unbelievable battlefield awareness.
It didn’t take long for this to yield results.
Ratatatata!
A skirmish broke out in a materials warehouse with no clear floors.
Yoo Jin was on the first floor, while the enemy was on a second-floor balcony, with no clear visibility. The situation wasn’t favorable. There were no proper cover and the sightlines were wide open, making it easy to get hit.
Of course, she defiantly faced the situation head-on.
In the most extraordinary way.
She took out two foam grenades from her multi-purpose pouch, activated them, and then lodged them into a bundle of rebar in front of her. Contrary to what everyone thought she would do—throw them directly at the enemy—her actions were unexpected.
And then, their expectations shattered as she took it a step further.
Boom!
As the two foam grenades exploded, the rebar, weighing several hundred kilograms, shook and became thick cover enough for a person to hide behind.
Normally, or if it was just foam, it would have been penetrable by bullets, but this time, the rebar inside provided significant protection.
This forced the enemy to move to find a better shooting angle, but naturally, Yoo Jin didn’t let them.
The enemy moved quickly to the opposite side via the steel balcony, only to be met with a grenade about to explode.
A flash, a shockwave.
A collapsing scaffold.
A falling enemy.
They hit the first-floor ground roughly but weren’t severely injured. However, losing their weapon in the fall was a big setback.
Luckily, there was an emergency exit ahead, and they hastily got up and tried to open the door.
Boom!
Something flew in at an almost imperceptible speed and exploded, covering more than half of the door, including the push bar, in polyurethane foam.
When the enemy turned to face forward again, Yoo Jin was already there.
Click.
She raised the gun, aiming at their forehead.
“Damn, I—”
Bang.
And there was no one left.