Fenrir Translations
"…And next up, we have this."
Clank.
A massive box, nearly the size of a refrigerator, was buried under the mountain of other deliveries. On top of it, the words Dark Zone were written in the familiar, apocalyptic font. It was clear this was another promotional item haul, likely filled with all sorts of branded goods.
I tore through the tape plastered all over it. The box inside was heavily wrapped in bubble wrap, and something inside rattled with an odd metallic sound, like maracas or perhaps something else strange. My curiosity got the better of me, and I sped up the unboxing process.
What I found inside was unexpected.
“Why is there a lock…?”
It really did look like a gun cabinet.
On top of it was a letter. The lock was electronic, with a keypad, and it seemed pretty sturdy. I wouldn’t be able to brute-force my way in. I opened the letter to see what it had to say.
"2038, huh? At least they’re nice enough to give me the code."
Beep-beep!
The electronic lock made a distinctive sound as it opened. The lock seemed pretty high-quality, so I decided to set it aside for later. With a slight push, the doors of the cabinet swung open. The drone cam adjusted its position, hovering in place to capture everything clearly.
Inside were multiple smaller boxes, each adorned with their own locks. Seriously, what was with this obsession with locks? It didn’t make sense, but I figured I’d just have to deal with it.
While the viewers flooded the chat with excited messages, I pulled out the first box. It was surprisingly heavy. Setting it on top of the cabinet, I noticed another letter attached, so I read it out loud.
Click.
The box, which resembled a small weapons case, clicked open. But instead of gun parts or anything dangerous, it was filled with practical, everyday items.
The first thing I noticed was an imitation Icarus watch. It lit up with a circular glow the moment I touched it. It looked exactly like my real one.
This was probably the item the viewers were most curious about, so I carefully took it out and activated it. As I played around with it, testing its features, the drone cam zoomed in to give the viewers a better look.
"According to the manual, this watch functions similarly to most modern smartwatches. It’s an in-house product from Icarus Gear, developed through a partnership with another tech company. Pretty impressive, right?"
When did they even start making this?
The software was even customized for me, greeting me with a, Welcome, Eugene. Normally, you’d have to input your info when setting up a smartwatch, but not with this one.
I figured it wouldn’t be practical to give this away. Besides, now I had a legit excuse to carry my real Icarus Gear around, which was a nice perk. I didn’t mention anything about giving this one away, though.
The next item was a ring with my username engraved on it. I slipped it on my ring finger, and it fit perfectly. They must’ve measured my avatar data to get the size.
Still, I probably wouldn’t wear it often…
"This one’s up for grabs."
I ignored the chat, as usual.
Next, I pulled out a Zippo lighter and a poster. Neither of these were things I’d ever use, so I figured I’d send them out in one big box. I even agreed to include a handwritten note, though I wasn’t sure why people were so obsessed with getting handwritten letters.
There were plenty of other items inside: T-shirts, a tumbler, and a dog tag. The T-shirts weren’t my size, and I already had a tumbler I liked, so those were getting packed up too.
As for the dog tag…
<OptimisticPerson donated 10,000 won.>
"Get lost!"
Bang!
I activated the VR interview function, delivering a swift kick that sent their avatar flying into the void. They were banned from the chat for 15 minutes.
The chat immediately filled with people pretending they had no idea what had just happened, even though the logs were saved. I banned a few more offenders to make an example, then froze the chat as I made an announcement.
"That’s it. I’ll unlock the chat again now, but anyone who brings up what just happened will get a 15-minute ban too. Be warned."
Feeling much more relaxed now, I moved on to the second box. After shaking it, I didn’t hear any metal clanking like before, just a soft rustling sound, like paper or fabric.
This one had two locks, so I tore open the next letter. The codes were 2642 and 8056.
But then...
Click-click!
"…Why isn’t this opening?"
I entered the codes precisely.
I even moved the drone cam to show the viewers that I was entering the correct numbers, but still, the lock wouldn’t budge. I thought maybe I’d mixed up the codes between the two locks, so I swapped them. Still nothing.
It must have either malfunctioned or the combination had been reset. And unfortunately, this wasn’t the type of lock that my Icarus Gear could break through. It was an old-fashioned, analog lock that required picking or brute force.
The lock was thicker than expected. If I forced it open, either the lock or the box itself would break.
Hmm.
Guess I’ll just have to break it.
"…Alright, here we go."
I scoped out my target.
The axe felt unusually light in my hand as I activated the Icarus Gear’s noise-cancellation feature and prepared my stance.
<RadiationDonator donated 5,000 won.>
Whoosh!
In one swift motion, the axe sliced through the air.
With a loud clang, the dull metal of the tomahawk made contact with the silver-plated U-lock, sending shards flying in all directions.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the second strike came down. In less than 10 seconds, the once-sturdy lock was reduced to twisted fragments. Impressively, the box itself remained intact, despite the violence of the attack.
While the viewers were still processing what had just happened, I casually twisted the broken lock off the box and tossed it aside. Then I repeated the process with the second lock.
As soon as I finished, another donation appeared.
<(ICARUS)MIZU donated 10,000 won.>
"…Well, it would’ve been nice if you told me that a bit sooner. Oh well. Since it's already open, let’s continue the unboxing."
The Icarus employee on the other end must’ve been stunned into silence.
Meanwhile, halfway across the world…
"These people are insane."
The night in Russia was bright—not from natural phenomena, but from the towering buildings of the newly rebuilt cities. After the Soviet Union collapsed in the wake of Chernobyl and various earthquakes, the country had been reborn, complete with glittering high-rises.
Wrapped in a blanket with the air conditioning on, I checked my messages on VKontakte, one of Russia’s popular social media apps. The combination of soft bedding and cool air was pure bliss.
This, my friends, is sex.
Turns out, no matter where you are—Russia, Korea, or elsewhere—people find joy in the same small pleasures.
"So, streaming, huh?"
I didn’t usually watch other people’s streams. Occasionally, I’d check out fellow pro gamers for tips or ideas, but I didn’t bother with random foreign streamers.
But today was different.
It was that Eugene. The one who had shaken up the entire scene when her gameplay became public. Known as one of the best AP players, yet surrounded by an air of mystery.
Still, I had to ask.
What could she possibly be doing that had them so riled up?
Sighing, I clicked the link to Tricky.tv. It had been ages since I’d logged in. Unsurprisingly, it took me forever to remember my password.
After finally getting in, I noticed that the link had reset. Instead of clicking it again, I just scrolled down to the “most popular streams” section. Sure enough, there she was—Eugene, currently live with 68,674 viewers.
That number was insane. Even more surprising, her typical viewer count seemed to hover around 20,000, which was still incredible.
None of my fellow pros had ever pulled numbers like that.
"Unboxing?"
What could she possibly be unpacking?
With a mix of curiosity and skepticism, I became viewer number 68,675.
And what I saw…
KA-BOOM!
"Сука!"
Sparks flew.
Shrapnel scattered.
This woman—cool as a cucumber—was chopping a lock in half with an axe. It took me a moment to calm my racing heart.
Without even realizing it, I muttered aloud:
"…She’s more Russian than any Russian I know. This woman is out of her mind."
If anyone deserved the title of “crazy, but a total badass,” it was her.
Just another day in the life.