Chapter 82: Battlefield

The car driven by Woosung gently entered the highway and sped towards the destination, Muju.

"Wow, Woosung, your driving has really improved!"

"Yeah, I've been driving a lot lately. Haha."

Compared to the slightly nervous driving when they went to the cabin last time, this was a significant improvement.

Woosung's smile widened at Yeonwoo's compliment.

Yeonwoo looked at Jinuhan, who was sitting next to him, staring out the window.

It seemed quite awkward for him to be among people he had never met before.

"Juhyeong, have you seen many of Jinuhan's works?"

At the sound of his name, Kim Juhyeong and Jinuhan turned to look at Yeonwoo.

"Um, since I'm a movie buff, I've actually seen almost all of his works. It's amazing, it feels like watching a movie in real time."

Jinuhan's eyes sparkled with interest at Kim Juhyeong's words.

"Do you like movies?"

"Uh, yeah! I really mean it, I've seen all of his works!"

Kim Juhyeong, who had been tense like a new recruit, answered Jinuhan's question.

In fact, Kim Juhyeong found it quite amazing to see Yeonwoo, who had become quite a famous star, but Jinuhan, who had been a child actor for a long time, was even more impressive.

The same went for Woosung and Kim Joonsoo, who were sitting in the front.

As the conversation flowed, the young men quickly became close and started chatting freely.

'He's so easy to get along with, why do they say he's so guarded on set?'

Yeonwoo tilted his head in confusion.

Before they knew it, the car had entered Muju.

"By the way, shouldn't we go to the market before checking into the reserved place?"

Yeonwoo asked, and Kim Joonsoo and Woosung in the front seats smiled.

"Let's go to the place we reserved before heading to our accommodation."

"Is it 2 PM?"

"Yeah, we'll arrive with plenty of time to spare. After this, we can go to the market and then to our accommodation."

The car stopped at a parking lot located in a quiet area on the outskirts of Muju, where Yeonwoo and Jinuhan, who looked curious, got out.

"Here we are!"

The car door opened, and the group got out.

"Huh? A survival game field?"

"Yahaha, it's going to be so much fun! I've been looking forward to it since last week."

Jinuhan read the sign next to the parking lot, and Yeonwoo looked puzzled.

'If it's a survival game, it must be a simulated battle.'

Yeonwoo, who had undergone simulated battle training hundreds of times and had been deployed to numerous operational areas, including desert and urban warfare, thought to himself.

'I need to go easy on this.'

He muttered to himself, trying to suppress the instincts from his past life that his body had memorized through repeated training.

Woosung heard this and laughed.

"Oh, our Yeonwoo is confident? I need to go easy too. Our opponents will be pitiful. Haha."

Scratching his head awkwardly, he followed his friends into the survival game lobby.

Arriving about 30 minutes early, Yeonwoo and the group received a safety briefing and instructions on how to use the equipment.

"So, if a BB pellet hits you, the protective gear automatically recognizes it and broadcasts it, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. The eliminated player will be called out, and the elimination will be announced. Then, you should raise both hands and come to the entrance."

The group's eyes lit up with interest as they listened to the staff member answer Kim Joonsoo's question.

Woosung, wearing a mask and cap, turned to Jinuhan, who was standing behind him.

"Jinuhan, have you ever fired a gun?"

"Of course, Jinuhan fired hundreds of rounds in his previous work 'Beyond,' right?"

Kim Juhyeong answered for him, and Jinuhan smiled slightly.

"That was just a prop gun. It only made sparks and had almost no recoil, so it's like I never fired a real gun."

At that moment, several men entered, making a lot of noise.

"Oh, those must be our opponents for today."

Woosung looked at them with interest, and an older man from the group approached to greet them.

"Hello, you must be the ones we have a reservation with. Welcome. Let's play a fair game."

"Ah, yes. We're new, so please understand if we make any mistakes."

The older man glanced back and apologized politely.

"Sorry, they didn't mean anything bad."

"Ah, yes."

The representative of the opposing team turned back, and their murmurs could be heard.

"Bro, why did we pick the newbies? Do we have to go easy on them?"

"They all heard that. Why are you provoking them? And it's tough to get opponents these days. We're lucky to have caught them."

Joonsoo, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

"Still, it's a strange way to talk, saying they didn't mean anything bad after saying something bad."

Yeonwoo chuckled and shrugged.

"Well, we are newbies and inexperienced. But we'll see how it goes."

At that moment, a staff member approached each team.

"I'll guide this team. Follow me to the other side to put on your equipment and receive further instructions."

Yeonwoo and the group followed the staff member and received protective gear and game-specific guns.

They used the computers at the entrance to input their nicknames into the slots connected to their equipment.

"What are your nicknames? They're funny. Haha."

"Why? They're simple and good."

The staff member, noticing the group chatting, started the explanation again.

"See the monitor up there? If you're eliminated, you can go outside and watch the game from there. This team is the Blue Team. Please wear the blue armbands on your arms."

The group put on the blue armbands and black protective gear, and Yeonwoo felt a sense of nostalgia.

"There are three rounds, each with a 30-minute time limit. If one team is not eliminated within the time limit, the team with the most remaining members wins. If the number of remaining members is the same, the team with the first elimination loses. Understand?"

The group nodded.

"Please go in this direction. If you're eliminated, your nickname will be called out over the broadcast. Follow the blue arrows on the ground, raise both hands, and return here. The terrain is symmetrical, with a fountain in the center. Have a safe and fun game."

The staff member left, and the five of them were left alone in their protective gear.

The area, which was quite spacious, seemed to be well-designed with various environments.

"Let's spread out first. I read online that it's disadvantageous to stay together and get wiped out at once."

Everyone nodded at Joonsoo's suggestion.

'In a real situation, we would need to guard the perimeter and move as a group, but since it's a game...'

Yeonwoo also spread out according to Joonsoo's suggestion.

He climbed up a tilted pillar to gauge the overall area.

In his field of view, there was a ruin about 30 meters away and a building that looked like a factory beyond it.

'I can't see the fountain the staff mentioned. That means there's another open area beyond the factory where the fountain might be. Since the terrain is symmetrical, I need to advance quickly to the factory to gain a geographical advantage.'

With that decision, he quickly advanced and entered the factory.

Inside, there were various obstacles, windows without glass, and a passage leading to the opposite side.

Yeonwoo quickly explored the interior, found no one, and leaned against the entrance to observe the opposite side.

Meanwhile, the opposing team had been enjoying this place as a club for several years and knew the terrain well.

The terrain was changed periodically, but due to budget constraints, it was mostly the same. They had been playing here for years as if it were their home.

"I'll go first. The best things should be taken first. Hehe."

The man who had been talking about the newbies excitedly ran out.

His teammates shook their heads at him.

"Man, he was talking about newbies and inexperienced players, but he's the most excited."

The man ran at full speed.

'Since it's their first time, they'll probably be cautious. If I run ahead and take the factory, I might eliminate two or even three of them. Hehe. Newbies need to be taught by their seniors.'

He quickly navigated the familiar terrain, passed the central fountain, and entered the open area where the factory was visible.

Normally, he would have checked for cover, but he was so excited to eliminate the newbies quickly that he ran without caution.

Pit─.

Bang, Bang─.

Three BB pellets flew, two hitting his body and one the center of his helmet.

"Ah!"

Although the protective gear prevented any pain, the man was startled by the unexpected hits and let out a pitiful scream.

- Red Team MarineWin eliminated. Eliminated by MaskMan. Please raise both hands and leave the area.

The man, MarineWin, who had been eliminated, was initially confused but soon realized what had happened, and shock appeared on his face.

'... Mozambique Drill? No way, it must have been a lucky shot. He just fired three random shots while running.'

The Mozambique Drill is a shooting technique based on the Mozambique operation, where two shots are fired at the body and one at the head, as the head is a smaller target.

MarineWin, a military enthusiast, or "mil-geek," who often watched military-related videos, was amazed by the clean shots to his body and head, fired in rapid succession.

"... Damn, those newbies couldn't have used the Mozambique Drill. It must have been a lucky shot."

He raised his hands and walked back to his team's waiting area.

Meanwhile, the sudden elimination announcement surprised both the Alpha Team and Yeonwoo's Bravo Team.

"Red Team? That's the opposing team, right? MaskMan must be Yeonwoo."

Woosung and Kim Joonsoo, who had quietly entered the cover near the factory, were puzzled.

"Seems like..."

"Yeah, no matter how he did it, it's definitely Yeonwoo."

Woosung nodded in agreement with Kim Joonsoo's interruption.

On the other hand, the Red Team couldn't help but laugh.

"What? He was so excited and then got eliminated right away? Haha. He's embarrassing the club."

"Always wondered why he's a public servant but his nickname is 'MarineWin.'"

The team member, who had a hasty and aggressive style, had a low survival rate.

The team leader, seeing his teammates mock 'MarineWin,' put a finger to his lips.

"Shh! Even if the opponent seems inexperienced, let's play properly. Move quietly and split into two to surround them from both sides."

The Red Team, unaware that the 'tiger's mouth' was waiting for them, started to advance.