NOVEL WEB Chapter 128 - Viper
Chapter 128 Viper
* * *
The hull, composed of blood and sweat, steel and tears, and gunpowder smoke, came to a halt with a rusty mechanical sound. Emitting vibrations that resonated heavily through the body, the Preliminary Rank ship, which filtered out 15 out of 16 participants, ceased its operation on the barren land.
Only a hundred survivors remained, while the other 1500 crew members disembarked, preparing for the next year. However, this did not necessarily mean the end of everything. Like the busyness after a performance ends, the eliminated participants were bustling to prepare for another competition.
Unlike the socialites who turned into a handful of ashes, lingering aimlessly after the Preliminary Rank ended, numerous clubs still had a lot of work to do. This included SSM, which, with the acquisition of Yoo Jin, had even more to handle.
Not only Dice, but all the users within SSM who had received even a single lesson from Yoo Jin.
“Hey, dog food. The Preliminary Rank is over, right? Go eat something nice and take a break. I know a fantastic barbecue place…”
“Ugh, I have to practice… Let’s go later…”
“…The Preliminary Rank is over, right? Why does everyone look half-dead?”
Like Dice, even if they were not overwhelmingly supported by Yoo Jin or SSM, the coach never overlooked a single individual. One such person was Pigeon Cheese Tangsoo, aka dog food, who was one of the users Yoo Jin encountered on her first day of appointment.
It was obvious that overseeing about thirty users uniformly was difficult, but the time spent on each person was significantly short, yet the effort put into each individual was by no means light. Her abnormally developed observational skills allowed her to identify most problems in just a few seconds or minutes.
After the curriculum, instantly transcribed through the voice-to-text machine, was distributed individually, most of SSM’s professionals voluntarily locked themselves in the shooting range as if in closed-door training as soon as the Preliminary Rank ended. Some even involuntarily.
The perspectives of other clubs observing these individuals varied, but to summarize, it was like this:
‘…Why are they suddenly like that?’
Frankly, SSM was not a club that produced particularly outstanding results. Although they were consistently at the lower end, unlike Xi, which consistently delivered results amidst the monstrous AP hurricane, or TK1, which stood at the pinnacle, SSM was close to those who received moderate results while tussling with each other.
But after acquiring Yoo Jin, almost for free, something began to change gradually.
It was an unusual occurrence for other users besides Dice to advance to the KSM in the AP territory, where it was commonly joked that it was all about Dice. Moreover, the overall results received by SSM users in this Preliminary Rank had slightly increased compared to the average.
The term ‘slightly’ was not important. It was notable that their growth had tilted upwards even slightly in such a short period of just a few weeks and the analysts from other clubs did not overlook this aspect.
“We should have secured her by offering twice the proposed conditions back then.”
This was a sentiment many shared recently.
What kind of magic did she perform to achieve such results? The only solace for the headhunters was that it was not a formal contract but one that could be extended or terminated depending on Yoo Jin’s intention after the term expired of course, considering her trajectory, she might quit coaching after SSM.
What was even more intriguing was that these results were not limited to AP soloing.
───Ratatatat!
“A squad ahead! We’re at a disadvantage in a power struggle!”
“Ah, damn it! The vehicle’s tire is blown! They’re circling behind us!”
“No, they blocked the retreat route in the meantime!?”
Systematic and purposeful movements.
When encountering the enemy, instead of indiscriminately shooting at the cockpit, hoping someone would die, they accurately blocked the retreat and skillfully pressured the opponent, as if they had done it multiple times before. This was the snowball effect created by the repeated advice from Yoo Jin.
Engage in combat with a clear purpose and intention. This shone even more vividly in squad battles rather than soloing of course, she did not forget to impart various methodologies along with her advice.
The big picture created by Yoo Jin grew larger and larger, revealing itself clearly in the duo and squad Preliminary Ranks, not just in AP soloing.
However, from a macro perspective, this was merely a ripple on the pond that did not blur the essence of the pond. Everyone advanced in their own way, whether similar or different from the previous year, whether in a good direction or a bad one, accepting their individual results and moving forward.
Thus, all clubs conducted their individual preparations.
Among them was Xi.
[Virtual Live On.]
“Hello. This is Corvus, returning with an official Xi broadcast after a long time. Nice to see you all.”
Not all pro gamers did broadcasts, but it was safe to say that none completely excluded appearing in public.
Even if it wasn’t a personal stream, appearing on an official broadcast in the name of the club’s voice was effective even for those who didn’t like showing themselves in front of others.
A long, jet-black straight hair reminiscent of a crow, and below that, a slightly cool-looking pretty girl. With the rise of virtual reality, many chose pretty avatars simply because they looked nice, and pro gamers were no different.
As always, being pretty could offer many advantages.
“I’m not very good at talking, but since today’s main for Xi streaming fell on me… Please take care of me.”
A unique culture of Xi.
Selecting one of the pro gamers randomly and having them host the official broadcast once a week. It was possible for those above the second league, excluding trainees, but it was a strategy for promoting the players within the club.
As he said, today’s host was Corvus.
“KSM is just around the corner. You might not know this, but the day before the match starts… that is, on Friday, all 100 participants receive a sort of pre-briefing. It covers things like how the competition will proceed, event matches, and such. It’s similar to what you might think of as an event.”
An impromptu talk show using the roughly scripted topics provided beforehand. The viewership could vary depending on the content and even on who was broadcasting.
Therefore, the ‘On Air’ sign next to his view was blank. Originally, the number of viewers would have been displayed there. It was a measure to prevent users from feeling deprived by the disparity in viewership, but to Corvus, it felt like talking to the air.
However, it wasn’t an important part. Whether there were many listeners or not, he had to do his best regardless.
“Those who support me might have already seen this, but fortunately, I made it to the KSM entry list this time. It was a grueling week. So many things happened during that time…”
As he spoke and gently closed his eyes, the scene he saw was… unsurprisingly that day. More specifically, the day he was brutally defeated by Yoo Jin. Reflecting on the memories of last week’s Preliminary Rank, how could he not mention that memory?
Also, unfortunately, the next topic was related to that as well.
“…You all already know about that incident, right? Personally, I think it was the scariest thing I’ve experienced while playing Dark Zone. It sometimes comes to mind even during matches.”
He naturally transitioned to the second topic.
“But you all probably enjoyed it, right? I understand. I’m the type who enjoys seeing others in trouble, so I get it so, Xi has a gift coming soon for those of you like that.”
With a light flick of his finger, a video popped up.
A video where the Icarus and Xi logos appeared alternately, followed by a few words horror cinematic. It was a compilation of clips where Xi members died in all sorts of bizarre ways, edited to include eerie and scary sounds. Though it was an advertisement, it wasn’t really an advertisement. His clip was also included.
The video had long been completed, and once the final checks and adjustments with the featured members were done, it would be uploaded to Yourspace.
One might wonder if it could be called an advertisement, but the die had already been cast. Once the mouth opened, it had to be finished somehow.
“This cinematic collaboration between Xi and Icarus… the theme is horror. Many joke that Dark Zone is a horror game. We’ve embraced that and created a video, which will be available on Yourspace as well. So, we’ve decided to ride that trend.”
Simultaneously, the video started playing.
The chat must be in a panic. Unless one was a horror movie enthusiast, many disliked the feeling of fear. However, unfortunately, the roughly 10-minute video was scheduled to be uploaded to the official Icarus channel in a few days.
The composition was quite simple. Edit several death clips in the style of found footage and put them together. That’s it. They also intentionally adjusted the color tone and sound, adding scary background music and noises.
Among these was his own clip one that was perhaps the most fitting for such a horror cinematic video. A murderer emerging from the flames, searching for a victim with a fire axe. It was classic but still retold for a reason.
Donations started pouring in. The content was predictable. Please stop playing it, I can’t handle this, and so on… but shouldn’t at least a minute of the teaser be shown? The guidelines stated so.
After what felt like an hour, the minute passed, and the donations gradually subsided. After the teaser ended, he spoke again.
“Haha, did you all enjoy it? I hope so.”
Maybe this was the pleasure of scaring people.
Although the chat and the number of people currently in the room were
invisible, who could resist the joy of teasing others? Though he lightly covered his mouth with his hand, it was hard to suppress the rising corners of his mouth. He had somehow forgotten the past and was indulging in this mischievous pleasure.
However, viewers tended to get agitated seeing the streamer chuckling.
A click sound was followed by another video donation.
An involuntary gasp escaped him. Beyond the screen was Yoo Jin. She was watching his interview video.
With an incredibly bright smile, she began to speak.
…Hmm.
I always wonder where these peculiar nicknames come from.
As for this nickname, I’ll be sure to repay you thoroughly with interest later. There’s no other strange meaning behind it, so I’ll see you later. I hope you make it to the KSM.
“…Hiccup.”
A fact known only to him.
The time for reckoning was approaching.
[Authenticating….]
[Identity authentication complete // Adrian B. Solomon]
[Position authentication complete // NSA Director]
[Please enter the password // ICARUS]
.
.
.
[Authenticated.]
Whoosh.
The door opened with a hissing sound. A person walked inside. An average height with an exterior weathered by the years. His eyes, beneath graying hair, were cold, and a white shirt with a black two-button suit covered his sturdy frame.
The mingling of indoor and outdoor air carried a unique scent that brushed past his nose. Taking a short breath, he scanned his surroundings. There were only three people in the room, including himself, but with the active hologram presence, it added up to four.
Solomon subtly took in the people in the room. They were individuals he should never have met, but as their eyes met, vivid memories flashed before his eyes as if they were from last night. Names he shouldn’t know naturally came to his lips.
“Michael. Michael Kissinger.”
“We’re meeting here for the first time, Director.”
“You don’t look like the face I remember. Are you sleeping well?”
“The Secret Service has a lot on its plate.”
As he said, the backgrounds of those gathered here were illustrious. His gaze turned left, capturing another person. Jordan Royden. One of DARPA’s senior researchers. Every piece of ICARUS technology should have passed through his hands.
And in the center, though only his voice was heard through hologram communication, it was clear currently the Senate Democratic leader, who, in a few years, would run for president and, once elected, would have to steer the United States through the Omega virus crisis.
The unluckiest president, Henry M. Brayton.
As soon as they sat down, the conversation began.
You look well. How’s it going as the NSA Director?
“Better than not being able to sleep peacefully due to terror threats.”
It’s the same for all of us. So, what’s the reason for such a blatant gathering? Forming an in-house cartel? Amusing. Should I suggest cutting the NSA budget at the next hearing and redirecting it to public welfare?
“And here sits the person who was rescued by a member of that cartel.”
After exchanging a few words, the conversation continued.
“Viper will be here soon. No longer than two months. We should at least give them a small gift, don’t you think?”
Let’s hear it.
“We should provide a solid background. You were the one who amended the MAVNI bill, weren’t you?”
Is it worth that much?
“It’s confirmed that they possess an actual ICARUS gear.”
The room filled with silence and astonishment.
Something only the NSA Director could know a gear officially approved in another worldline’s America. It could legally infiltrate any network in the current United States. The access logs derived from it could not be identified by the NSA or any other counterintelligence agency.
Except for him, who inherited new memories, no one else could know this.
“Although it’s a matter of another world, it’s an item authorized and signed by you as president and me as the ICARUS director. Even based on the catalog specs alone, it can access all existing digital-based electronic devices in the country. Even the Pentagon’s defense network or nuclear power plant networks.”
Who approved such a thing? That’s insane.
“Then there are two insane people in this room.”
Similarly, a brief silence ensued.
However, the atmosphere slightly lifted with a cheerful laugh from the hologram communicator.
Request the retrieval of that gear. Although it’s biometrically locked, it’s better than it falling into someone else’s hands… Ha, is the election next year? If it had been delayed by a year, I wouldn’t have granted such a risky favor, but the timing was good.
“Do you also have presidential intentions here?”
Why wouldn’t I?
After a small laugh, he continued.
It’s fortunate that there are many who were saved by that charming kid. It won’t be too difficult. But I’d rather avoid any backlash here, so work with other agencies if possible. I’ll help mitigate any fallout.
“The Department of Defense, Treasury, Homeland Security, and JSOC are all involved. I’ll handle it cleanly, so don’t worry.”
Alright. I guess I’ll have to move my heavy ass for the first time in a while. It was enjoyable. I hope our next meeting is as pleasant, Director.
“Likewise.”
Click.
After the communication ended, he spoke.
“So… any suggestions on how to embellish Viper’s military career?”