The Asia Preliminaries Briefing.

In other words, it was an event, often referred to as a "hall reservation," where professional gamers could socialize. The 20 people chosen through KSM, the 40 players selected as backups in case of any unforeseen events, and the coaching staff of each team—nearly 80 individuals—gathered to discuss the future, share some of their tightly held secrets from the past year, and exchange strategies on how to defeat other countries as representatives of South Korea rather than as members of their respective teams.

Additionally, for nearly a month, these players would simultaneously learn a curriculum devised by the 10 teams, receive the same information, and train together.

Although only four players would make it to the finals, the tournament's escalation from a domestic to an Asian-level competition transformed it from a simple team rivalry into a matter of national pride, and many people didn’t mind that.

But this gathering was particularly special.

"Wow, we're finally going to see what Yujin looks like."

"Wanna bet? I’ll put 30,000 won on him looking like a human weapon."

"Alright, I’ll bet 50,000 won that he has scars or surgery marks all over his body."

"Are you guys out of your minds?"

Yujin is coming.

The player who, in just one month, had swept away all the obstacles—be it professional gamers or tournaments—and had reached the top with overwhelming skill.

Considering one of the many intentions of this briefing was to foster camaraderie between the players, it was only natural that many professional gamers were looking forward to it. No matter how often they met in virtual reality, it never compared to meeting face-to-face in the real world.

Thus, with a certain level of anticipation, everyone was looking forward to Saturday. But this excitement wasn’t just limited to the 40 selected participants; it was especially evident among those who also streamed.

In short, it went like this:

[“YujinTailTheftGotCaughtDice” has donated 5,000 won!]

• Crossline, when you see Yujin noona on Saturday, please tell us what she looks like!

 

"YujinTailTheftGotCaughtDice… Hey! What’s with that username? Anyway, I’ll share the details if I get Yujin’s permission on Saturday. Since she’s coming for the first time, unlike the others I met last year."

- LOL - Honestly, I’m curious too~ - By the way, Crossline, you must know what Dice looks like, right? Please tell us!!! - There must be a reason he’s not saying anything LOL - Living Point: If you're curious about Dice’s appearance, become a pro gamer and get into the top 40 in KSM.

Viewers who envied the pro gamers set to see Yujin’s real appearance for the first time were overflowing.

It was only natural. Over the past month, countless questions had been asked, but Yujin had deliberately ignored any inquiries related to her real life. The only clue revealed during a Q&A session was the possibility that she might be an awakened one.

Even that wasn’t a certainty. It was just that the mere fact that she had gone over a month without being arrested for impersonating an awakened person and was still broadcasting and participating in tournaments, winning first place, lent legitimacy to the assumption.

Aside from the guesses drawn from Yujin’s actions, nothing was definitively known.

But just as many pieces of a puzzle come together to form a picture, Yujin’s actions over the month had provided enough for people to start making some educated guesses.

Her manner of speaking was gender-neutral.

Her name was Yujin.

Judging by her physical prowess in the game, she could lift at least 800 kg in her three main lifts, with exceptional muscular endurance to boot. And her proficiency with firearms was at a level that would be impossible for the average person.

Given her ability to use her tail so freely, she was at least an E2-grade awakened person or a player testing the third-tail skill in-game. However, the delicate movements of her tail, which contrasted with the thick tail of her avatar, made the latter more likely.

And most importantly, given her skill in reading the battlefield and the 9-Line briefings she gave—in English, no less—it was certain that she had at least JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) qualifications.

In summary:

- She’s a Korean-American who lived in the U.S., worked as an Air Force Combat Controller, at least Tier 2, or served in the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, and now she’s wiping the floor with everyone!

That was the strange and bizarre conclusion people had come to.

“Isn’t this just bullying at this point?”

But, of course, it wasn’t.

As Dark Zone gained popularity, it became common for former special forces operatives to transition into esports.

Take Unreal, for example, the operator of the YoursSpace channel, who provides comprehensive game information—he’s a former Special Forces soldier. Even among those selected as national representatives in KSM, you could find former Special Forces, UDT (Underwater Demolition Team), and even 707th Special Mission Group members.

Looking internationally, there was Keith, who served 14 years in Japan’s Special Forces Group and recently rose to the top of Japan’s Dark Zone rankings. As for the U.S.… well, let’s not even go there.

There, you could occasionally see former Delta Force members participating in scrimmages, making it a realm beyond comprehension.

And, naturally, with so many mysterious aspects to Yujin’s identity, curiosity about her only continued to grow. Despite her ordinary actions, the many layers of mystery made it inevitable.

Meanwhile, pro gamers and streamers alike could only offer empty answers when their viewers demanded to know Yujin’s identity. If they couldn’t reveal details about Dice, how could they spill the beans about Yujin?

But they would know soon enough.

Thus, Dice and the other 79 participants could only eagerly await Saturday.

Meanwhile, the person who was receiving all of this attention…

“...Why are they sending me this stuff?”

It wasn’t even September yet, but a variety of winter jackets thick enough to block out the world’s cold had already arrived at her home.

Reptile supplements and specialized products.

A cat-ear-shaped headset that didn’t even fit properly due to the sharp tips of her ears.

A genuine tactical hammer and axe sent by a survival shop.

Wax? For glossing? What am I supposed to do with this? Rub it on my tail to make it shiny?

Finally, a wallet made from real anaconda skin.

Sigh.

Yujin was buried under a mountain of useless packages.

It was a typical day.

Two days passed, and it was Saturday.

“Ugh, I didn’t sleep at all… I’m doomed…”

Dice.

In other words, the one who didn’t get any sleep.

She should have slept well in preparation for today, but she’d spent the previous night chatting pointlessly with Yujin and had missed the optimal window for sleep. On top of that, her excitement had kept her tossing and turning for over an hour.

Her final bedtime was around 3 a.m., and she woke up at 9 a.m. Objectively speaking, six hours of sleep wasn’t much, so naturally, she was tired in the morning.

And today, there was more preparation to be done than usual. It wasn’t just any casual event; she would be standing in front of everyone.

“Ugh, I’m dead tired…”

She took extra care with her bath.

After filling the tub with hot water, she shampooed her hair. Once that was done, she applied conditioner carefully. She had to wait 15 minutes, so she relaxed in the water, but then her mind drifted, and those 15 minutes compressed into a second.

In other words, she fell asleep.

The alarm blared loudly.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

“Wah! Ugh!”

Splash!

A loud splash of water. Still, after that brief nap, she felt more refreshed. She washed off the conditioner under the shower and then applied hair oil. After another 10-minute nap, she repeated the process.

Instead of her usual body wash, she used a shower oil she rarely touched, scrubbing off all the grime. After finishing her small tasks, she headed to the drying room.

She applied oil essence to her hair and activated the pre-programmed hairstyling function. The finely adjusted air started to dry and style her hair, with mechanical arms sectioning her hair and fussing over every strand.

Honestly, without the drying room, I wouldn’t even have the energy to shower, let alone style myself. Technology really has made life more convenient in some ways.

Anyway, after some time passed.

“Wow, looks good.”

Her blonde hair, full of volume, greeted her.

But that wasn’t the end. Next came makeup. Since her skin was already cleansed, she moved on to basic skincare. After a quick mist of toner to hydrate her dry skin, she applied a mask for 10 minutes. While waiting, she chose her outfit for the day. Then, of course, came the base makeup.

Normally, she would have had to go through the whole process of primer, concealer, and foundation, but that would’ve been too much. Instead, she applied primer evenly and then did a bit of shading and highlighting before moving on to eye makeup.

After applying eye primer, she worked hard on the eyeshadow, curling her lashes, lining her eyes, and applying mascara. She learned all of this from the internet. Without it, she probably would’ve just stuck to basic skincare and never bothered with makeup.

Finally, she applied lipstick, creating a light gradient effect with a few shades, and finished it off with a bit of gloss for shine.

But what time is it now?

“Oh, it’s already 11 a.m.? Wow.”

By the time she finished her bath and makeup, it was 11 a.m.

But to be honest, picking an outfit was the easiest part. After all, it was September. The temperature was a cool 22°C, so whatever she wore wouldn’t be an issue.

After putting on some underwear, she slipped into a light white shirt and paired it with simple denim jeans. Over that, she threw on a thin beige trench coat. Since socks felt too stifling, she opted for sandals, and she completed the look with a shoulder bag she had received as a gift.

How do I look? Pretty good. The only things in my bag… well, no makeup, just a card wallet and a regular wallet. My phone is in my trench coat pocket.

“Am I overdressed? Hmm…”

I don’t know.

Still, I’m meeting someone, so I should at least look decent.

Anyway, I headed out. As mentioned earlier, the weather wasn’t too hot. From the team dorm to the Swiss Grand Hotel was about a 40-minute bus ride. Feeling like splurging a bit, I hailed a taxi.

It was now 11:20 a.m. After telling the driver the destination and paying the fare, I activated the soundproof partition and went back to my phone call with Yujin.

“Are you almost there? I just got in a taxi. It took a lot of effort to get ready, so I’ll probably knock you out with my look.”

“You’d better! I’m almost there too. I’ll probably arrive about five minutes before noon. You go ahead into the convention hall.”

“Wow, here I thought I was running late, but turns out there’s someone even more of a late sleeper than me. How late did you stay up? I mean, can’t guys just wake up, shower, splash on a bit of cologne, and head out?”

“I guess.”

“I guess”…?

What does that mean? Well, I suppose not all guys are like that. Besides, Yujin seems like the type who might have a full breakfast every morning.

My heart was pounding. Not in some weird way, but because I was curious to see how Yujin would react when she saw me. And secondly, I was dying to know what she looked like in person.

The same curiosity that kept me awake last night…

“Huff, huff…”

“Why are you breathing so hard?”

“This is all your fault, Yujin.”

As we chatted, we arrived at the hotel.

I quickly opened the door and got out since the taxi had stopped right by the road. Watching it speed away, I followed the navigation instructions inside the building. It was 11:45 a.m., meaning Yujin would arrive in about 10 minutes.

But I couldn’t just sit around waiting. The reason was simple.

I was starting to spot familiar faces.

“Wow, is that Dice? Really?”

“Man, you’re all dressed up compared to last year. You look like you’re meeting royalty.”

“Says the person who couldn’t say a word to me when you sat next to me last year.”

Reactions generally fell into three categories.

Those who knew Dice’s identity from last year’s KSM selections were able to engage in casual conversation, though a bit awkwardly.

On the other hand, newcomers who didn’t know her identity had wide-eyed expressions, nervously asking their mentors if Dice was really a woman. Most couldn’t even muster the courage to speak to her.

The only ones who maintained their composure were Summit from TK1 and Ink from Xi, both of whom had competed with Dice in last year’s finals. Their relationship was more akin to friendly rivals than simple acquaintances.

That wasn’t all, though. Since the coaching staff from teams other than SSM had also come, Dice took the time to greet them, establishing new connections.

Before I knew it, nine of the 10 minutes had slipped away.

The atmosphere grew quieter, and someone asked Dice a question.

“Come to think of it, where’s Yujin?”

“She should be here soon… Ah!”

Beep!

At the same time, her phone rang.

Dice quickly answered.

“Yujin! We’re about to head in. Where are you?”

“I’m almost there. I’ll be there in about 30 seconds.”

“Finally.”

Without thinking, Dice continued:

“By the way, we’ll be meeting in real life in about a minute, so how long are you going to keep communicating through your avatar? Isn’t it time to let us hear your real voice?”

“Oh, my real voice, huh. You’re right. It is about time. But… hmm, how should I put it?”

Then came the reply.

“The voice you’ve been hearing… that’s my real voice.”

“…What?”

“Oh, I can see you now. I’ll hang up.”

Huh?

With that dumbfounded groan, Dice’s gaze turned toward the front.

Marble floors stretched out before her. The white lights from the ceiling reflected in all directions, and amidst it all, a single figure appeared, cutting through the space.

Long black hair that flowed down to her waist.

Ears that jutted out sharply from her head.

A small face, barely the size of a fist, with porcelain-like skin. Delicate features gathered on it, and below cold, sharp eyes lay ice-blue irises. Her casual outfit tied everything together neatly.

But what commanded the most attention was the massive tail…

“Oh my god.”

Why is that real?

With an involuntary gasp, Dice slapped a hand over her mouth and collapsed to the ground.