Chapter 7 - The New Streamer is Too Good (3)

Amidst the broken lighting and the pitch-black basement, the only source of light was a single flashlight.

Even that had poor output, limiting the visible range. It was an environment where even the bravest would hesitate to advance.

- The basement is a bit scary.

- That guy tried to open it and screamed like crazy. Haha.

Lee Kyungbok took a calm step forward.

- Is mentioning Tass bad manners?

- That's true.

- I guess the chat isn't well-managed because I don't have a manager yet.

The chat window was still bustling.

It seemed some viewers were uncomfortable, but it wasn't a major issue as it was buried in other chats.

Lee Kyungbok focused on the game.

'Hmm... There are some zombies here.'

The moment he stepped into the darkness, his instincts kicked in, sensing the positions of the zombies in the basement.

'11 bullets left, 10 zombies...'

Judging by their positions, it seemed he would encounter them one by one as he moved through the darkness. Some viewers probably enjoyed seeing streamers jump in surprise.

However, Lee Kyungbok had no such intention.

'Rather than act awkwardly...'

He couldn't pretend to be surprised when he already knew. So, he decided to take a different approach.

- What? What's he doing?

- Masaka...!?

- No, right?

Lee Kyungbok held the flashlight in one hand and a pistol in the other, adopting a cross stance often seen in Hollywood movies.

It was good up to that point, but the problem was there were no targets to shoot at. Nevertheless, Lee Kyungbok pulled the trigger.

- He did it!

- He really did it!

- He does what we can't, so calmly!

- What? What is he implying?

There was no time to dwell on the chat reactions. With the gunshot, footsteps began to echo from the darkness.

The zombies, scattered in various directions, started to converge. But Lee Kyungbok's antics didn't stop there.

"Hmm, I think two hands would be better."

He calmly placed the flashlight on the ground, further narrowing the visible range.

The chat window was flooded with question marks. However, Lee Kyungbok didn't explain further.

'At least the viewers should see something.'

He couldn't just shoot into the air. He took a deep breath and focused, standing in the center of the light cast by the flashlight.

Then, the gun barrel spat fire.

Each shot illuminated the surroundings. For a brief moment, the field of view was lit, and at the end of the barrel was a zombie.

It didn't matter which direction he faced; when he pulled the trigger, a zombie fell.

Exactly 10 shots later.

Lee Kyungbok ejected the empty magazine and holstered the gun.

"Used them well."

He smiled casually.

- Wow...

- He's amazing.

- He's terrifying.

- So sexy.

- This is a legendary moment.

- I'm a legend for watching this live.

The chat window exploded with reactions.

And that wasn't all. Sponsor messages started popping up one after another.

['YouAreTheBest' has sponsored 1,000 won.]

[I've been waiting for someone like you for a long time.]

['TopInMyArea' has sponsored 10,000 won.]

[It's great that you're alive...!]

['IsThisReal' has sponsored 5,000 won.]

[Of course it is!]

"Wow, thank you for the sponsorships. What a surprise."

As the sponsorships kept coming, Lee Kyungbok looked a bit embarrassed.

"Thanking you might take more time than playing the game. I'll continue, so please bear with me."

It might have seemed unpleasant, but the chat window remained positive. The performance Lee Kyungbok showed was that captivating.

Meanwhile, the number of viewers had surpassed 180, and 200 was just around the corner.

"Let's find the storage room first."

Fortunately, the storage room was close to the elevator, likely to prevent time-wasting for players who didn't have the card key.

- Knock, knock, knock, knock.

- What's in there?

- It will be revealed in 60 seconds!

- Jrln

- Yerim, look at that!

Lee Kyungbok, of course, felt the anticipation of the viewers.

"Let's open it."

He took out the card key. With a beep, the door opened.

The room inside was filled with cabinets, most of which were open.

"Looks like people took what they needed when the situation arose."

To prevent the viewers from being disappointed, he made a comment and stood in front of a closed cabinet.

- Ohhh!

- 55555555555!

- Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-Th

- Something big is coming. Something big is coming. Something big is coming. Something big is coming.

- Get rid of the spammer!

He carefully opened the cabinet. Inside were a police uniform, a pistol, three magazines, and a baton.

"Hmm..."

Lee Kyungbok let out a hum. It was less impressive than he expected.

However.

- What?

- A police uniform?

- Wow, it's here.

- No spoilers! No spoilers! No spoilers! No spoilers!

- Don't look at the chat! Don't look at the chat! Don't look at the chat!

The viewers' reactions were different.

Lee Kyungbok quickly looked away from the chat.

'Is this related to the story?'

Even though it was a hidden route, it wasn't completely separate from the main story. Fortunately, the viewers policed each other to avoid spoilers.

Meanwhile, Lee Kyungbok decided to take the items first. As he reached into the cabinet, the screen went black.

"Ah, I changed clothes."

It felt like he had just blinked, but his outfit had already changed.

- Wow...

- Look at that! Haha.

- If the HUD is gone, this must be a real body, right?

- What are you, really!?

- If you have a conscience, your face must be ugly.

- Ah, where do you get that insider vibe?

Wearing a tight-fitting police uniform instead of the loose patient gown, his physique was clearly visible.

With the 'immersion' level of the capsule at its maximum, the virtual body reflected his real body.

"I've been exercising since I was young."

It wasn't a lie.

Due to his 'new recruit' condition, Lee Kyungbok had been consistently exercising at his parents' urging since he was young.

He tried various activities but got hooked on boxing, particularly enjoying hitting the punching bag.

- Why me...

- Is it genetics?

- Fact: If you're meant to be, you will be.

- Fact: It's a fact.

Having achieved what he needed, it was time to leave. Lee Kyungbok reloaded the pistol.

'Using two pistols would be fun.'

He had two pistols, one given by the police and one he found. He decided to try it later and put one in his holster.

'Hmm?'

He had just finished organizing and was about to leave the storage room when he felt a chill run down his spine, a strong instinctive warning.

'This feels ominous.'

Lee Kyungbok frowned slightly and opened the storage room door.

- What?

- What is that?

- Am I the only one seeing this?

In the light of the flashlight, something was writhing in the darkness.

Lee Kyungbok knew it was the danger his instincts had detected.

"Design is..."

The object came into view.

A massive corpse, a monster made up of several corpses, with multiple limbs and heads.

- Haha

- Why are you here?

- Cluster, come on.

The viewers immediately recognized it.

Cluster, a zombie cluster.

- Is this a boss fight already? Haha.

- Why is it here so early?

- Usually, you fight it when you leave the hospital.

- Maybe it's because of the hidden route?

The first boss of Bio Crisis.

As Lee Kyungbok frowned and gripped the pistol, a message appeared.

['Agent Q' has proposed a quest!]

[Condition - Defeat the Cluster without using firearms.]

[Reward - 1,500,000 won]

The game paused, and a message appeared.

- Haha

- Agent Q was waiting for this, huh.

- Revenge battle.

- No firearms, okay.

- What should we do if we don't play the game or sponsor?

- Bring the bat-popcorn, Robin.

Lee Kyungbok's eyes twitched.

'Without a gun, the only weapon I can use is this baton...'

It meant he had to take down the massive zombie in close combat.

- It's hard even with a gun, haha.

- You have to restart if you run out of bullets, haha.

- Some streamer did 50 tries.

- This guy is a pro.

- He did 3 tries but eventually turned on the HUD and cleared it in one try.

- Stop mentioning Tass.

Even a physically fit streamer would use a gun. But Lee Kyungbok wasn't just any streamer.

A relaxed smile spread across his face.

"Long-legged Q... No, Agent Q. Thank you for the quest."

- Long-legged? You mean Mr. Long-legged? Haha.

- Ah, let's give him a good amount of money.

- Long-legged Q, haha.

The viewers jumped at the chance to make a joke. But Lee Kyungbok wasn't fazed.

"Well, it's a sign of gratitude. He's a great person, isn't he? Anyway, this quest sounds more interesting."

- Interesting...

- STAY! STAY!

- It's fun, keep going.

- Something... Something is happening.

- GG

The chat window became lively again. Unlike the previous quest, this one was extremely difficult.

"Let's start."

But Lee Kyungbok accepted the quest without hesitation.

As before, the 'no coaching' function activated, and the chat window disappeared.

Time resumed.

"Well, since it's a zombie, I just need to crush its head, right?"

He made a comment and held the baton upside down, using it as a club because the reach was too short for its original purpose.

- No...

- That's right, but...

- He accepted the quest without knowing the clear condition?

- How do you find the main body in close combat?

- It's impossible, damn it.

The Cluster's weakness, like other zombies, was its head. However, it had 12 heads, and only one was connected to the main body.

The usual strategy was to shoot the heads while running away.

- Agent Q really got him, haha.

- No wonder he retired as a newbie.

- He's going to get his revenge, haha.

- Hey, newbie, that's hell ahead.

The chat reactions were divided, but they all expected the same outcome.

Lee Kyungbok would ultimately fail.

"Let's do this."

Meanwhile, Lee Kyungbok shone the flashlight on the approaching Cluster and said a word.

His actions were immediate.

- Suicide Squad!

- Tenno Banzai!

- Remember this!

- I will!

There was no hesitation in Lee Kyungbok's movements. He didn't slow down as he charged at the Cluster.

"Kiiiik!"

"Gagagagaga!"

The Cluster's multiple heads let out eerie cries. Over 20 arms on its fused body moved to grab him.

'Sure enough, it's useless.'

But none of the arms reached him. Lee Kyungbok moved his body according to his sharpened senses and instincts.

The Cluster's attack, which seemed impossible to avoid, was narrowly evaded.

- What?

- What...!?

- ???: Got it! (No, he didn't.)

The viewers were shocked by his agile movements, but it didn't end there.

"Got it."

Lee Kyungbok leaped, hooked the baton handle on a protruding shoulder, and pulled.

Using that force, he kicked off the flesh mass and leaped again, reaching the height where the Cluster's heads were visible.

- Is this real, haha?

- Where are you touching! Where are you touching!

- Let's go, flat-top!

- One out of twelve!

But Lee Kyungbok had climbed directly to the heads.

If he failed here, another head would immediately bite him.

Without hesitation, he pressed the baton down. With a crunch, one head caved in.

And then.

"Ah, it was a new uniform."

Lee Kyungbok calmly landed on the ground. The police uniform was splattered with dark red blood.

Behind him, the Cluster twitched and then collapsed.

[Quest completed!]

['Agent Q' has sponsored 1,500,000 won!]

The system message and the reactivated chat window appeared.

- Wow.

-WA!

-Another one-shot?

-He's on a lucky streak.

-It's not just luck, though.

-How did he know? How did he know? How did he know?

The chat window was flooded with reactions. Most viewers couldn't believe the result Lee Kyungbok had shown.

They didn't know about his instincts, so it was a natural reaction. They never imagined he knew the Cluster's weakness from the start.

And there was another subject of interest for the viewers.

- Agent Q, haha.

- ???: How about a draw?

- From now on, call him 'Long-legged Q'.

- Philanthropist Q, haha.

- He's already 250 deep.

- His teeth must be gone by now, haha.

- I wonder if he has dental insurance, haha.

It was the Agent Q who proposed the quest.

"Long... Hmm, Agent Q, thank you. Thanks to you, the broadcast is more interesting."

Lee Kyungbok made a comment before the chat overheated. The chat window was soon flooded with 'haha'.

['Agent Q' has sponsored 1,000 won.]

[I acknowledge... I'll earn more money.]

The sponsorship amount had changed from the previous one. The chat window was filled with laughter.

- Haha

- The newbie was about to be trolled but ended up losing, haha.

- He trolled himself, haha.

"Ah, of course. I welcome any quests. I'll be waiting!"

Lee Kyungbok smiled brightly in response.

- Smiling while spitting, haha.

- Slapping a crying baby, haha.

- Hey! Agent Q is a person too!

- What's your personality like?

The viewers said this, but they were clearly enjoying it.

"Let's continue. First, let's go to the first floor. This guy seems to have come through the emergency stairs."

Lee Kyungbok shone the flashlight. The emergency stairs, previously blocked by a barricade, were now open.

As he climbed the stairs and reached the first floor, a cutscene began.

'Oh...'

The barricades at the first-floor entrance were also broken. It seemed the Cluster was originally meant to be fought here.

"My God..."

John muttered with a serious expression.

The raging fires, black smoke, and damaged vehicles on the road, along with the blood-stained streets, made the city beyond the open entrance look apocalyptic.

The screen gradually went dark, and text appeared.

[Chapter 1. 'Awake' End.]

The first chapter of Bio Crisis had ended.

- Cr...

- I was scared when I saw this the first time.

- Shh!

- It's not over yet!

- Everyone, take your seats!

The dark screen brightened again. John cautiously stepped out of the hospital.

Passing through the parking lot, John was about to head to the street when a zombie quietly approached from behind.

"Oh no!"

John noticed it too late and panicked. He hastily drew his pistol, but aiming was impossible.

Just then, a gunshot rang out, and the zombie fell with a thud.

- Suddenly feeling claustrophobic?

- It felt natural when I played.

- What's the gap between the gameplay and cutscenes?

The chat window erupted with complaints as John's actions in the cutscene didn't match Lee Kyungbok's gameplay.

But there was nothing they could do about the cutscene.

Meanwhile, John turned to the direction of the gunshot.

"Are you okay!?"

It was a person, a woman with striking beauty.

Her lustrous blonde hair, flawless skin, and sharp features, with a small mole under her sharp eyes, made her look like she belonged in a fashion magazine. Even in blood-stained clothes, she exuded an aura.

- Sandra!

- Sandra, you're so beautiful!

- She's always beautiful.

- Haha

- If only her personality was a bit tamer.

She seemed to be a beloved character among the viewers.

"Thank you."

Meanwhile, John thanked the approaching woman.

"I'm glad. I'm Sandra, by the way."

"I'm John."

"John, a common name. Anyway, I thought all the police were dead..."

Sandra scanned John up and down, and the chat window's reactions changed.

- What?

- Our tsundere Sandra is amazing...!?

- Who are you? Where's our Sandra?

- Is this a hidden route bonus?

- Wow, haha, it really is a hidden route.

- It's different from the start.

No matter what the chat said, the characters didn't change. Sandra nodded solemnly after listening to John's explanation.

"I was hoping there might be some medicine left, but it can't be helped. If you don't mind, let's go back to our camp. Or do you have somewhere else to go?"

With that question, the cutscene paused.

[Do you want to join 'Sandra'?]

[1. Yes - "No, I don't have anywhere else to go. Let's go together."]

[2. No - 'It's foolish to follow a stranger in this situation.']

The choices appeared.

Lee Kyungbok finally regained control.

- Of course, it's 1, haha.

- To see the story, 1 is the right choice.

- The other is free play mode.

- There's no reason to hesitate.

- 11111111

Most of the chat window expected him to choose 1.

But Lee Kyungbok chose differently.

"Thank you for coming to my first stream. So