I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 204 – Special Guest

—

“Ugh….”

I didn’t want to do anything.

In fact, I already wasn’t doing anything, but I wanted even more intensely to do absolutely nothing.

So, on a mid-October day that was transitioning into the latter half of the month, Dice, a pro gamer belonging to SSM Entertainment and one of the five ticket holders heading to the finals, was very quickly becoming one with the bed.

Not that he was really doing nothing at all. After waking up in the morning and washing, he would crawl back into bed, lie there all day, order delivery food, take a nap, wake up to enjoy a variety of content, then do some light cardio before logging into VR to keep his skills from getting rusty.

You could say he was doing what he had to do, but otherwise, he was the epitome of laziness. Just three days after the end of the Asian preliminary rounds, Dice felt his weight creeping up by the gram.

“I shouldn’t be doing this….”

The word “rest” had a strange magic to it. Specifically, it was a kind of magnetic force that dragged you to the bed almost against your will. It felt like someone had tied a weak but unbreakable chain around him and was slowly pulling it. Of course, as mentioned earlier, the destination was the bed.

Of course, the biggest reason besides that was – just burnout.

Preliminary rank and competition rank, KSM, and the Asian preliminaries. After completing all these things in just two months, the only thing left was the final championship. But the remaining period was the same two months as before.

It was like the brakes had been applied.

‘I thought I could handle it, but maybe not….’

Of course, thinking about it carefully, the situation was completely different from last year.

Recalling memories from a year ago, had he worked as hard for the Asian preliminaries then as he had this year – although it was closer to being forced to work hard this time – if he asked himself honestly, the answer was no.

As his thoughts calmed, memories floated up and burst like bubbles. The answer to what he had been doing around this time last year. He remembered it being too vague then, as it was his first time going to the finals. He had wandered a lot, trying to find an answer to a question that had no clear answer.

Anyway, to summarize, this year was different from last year. He couldn’t just reflect on his past memories.

───Rustle.

He had already slept a lot.

Since he didn’t go out much except to exercise, he wasn’t sleepy anymore and his eyes were wide open. Rolling his eyes, he saw his phone, which had become annoyingly familiar. It was the very thing he had been fiddling with just a few minutes ago.

Maybe asking Yoo Jin would be easier.

He wasn’t sure, but she might have an answer. Even if she didn’t, at least he could pass the time chatting with her.

Should he call or text? It was around 4:30 PM. Actually, he had just woken up from a nap, so he was quite groggy.

So he chose to call.

As he waved his hand in the air, the phone screen lit up.

The dial tone didn’t last long.

“Hello-”

“Yoo Jin, I’m bored.”

“Although we’ve talked many times, this is the first time I feel like losing my mind the moment I hear your voice.”

Of course, there was no real laughter in Yoo Jin’s voice, though she laughed lightly.

Still, she responded to Dice without being too flustered.

“So, why did Dice call today out of boredom?”

“Oh, you know… Do we really need a reason to call? I’m just feeling a bit burnt out, wondering how you deal with it. Also, I’m just so bored from resting.”

“Burnout, huh. Should I give you something to do?”

“No, not that!”

Honestly, how should I put it? Within just a few seconds of the call, she instantly reminded me of the importance of rest that I had forgotten.

Anyway, Yoo Jin listened quietly to my story, thought for a moment, and then responded.

“I think it’s not burnout but because you’ve been lying under the covers for the past few days.”

“That’s actually true… but I don’t really feel like going out. Even if I go out, there’s nothing I want to do. Maybe I should go on a food tour. How did you deal with it?”

“Well, I’ve been communicating with people constantly while streaming recently, so I don’t think I’ve had the chance to burn out… It might not be a sufficient answer.”

“Streaming? Streaming, huh….”

One thing was clear, it wasn’t an answer she had considered much herself. Should I say it was a completely new realm? Although I had appeared as a guest at Yoo Jin’s house on her stream last time, it wasn’t really a proper broadcast.

Besides, streaming involved a lot more considerations, and my main job was being a pro gamer. There were those who managed both, but I wasn’t really thinking about doing that, and even if I was, I would need permission from my coach to stream.

So, that was out of the question.

“For now, I’ll just be content being a guest on Yoo Jin’s stream.”

“Haha. Well, I was planning to stream soon. Want to join?”

“Oh, that’s so sudden.”

“You’re not going to do anything in your dorm anyway, right? Come over and practice.”

“Um….”

A brief, simple calculation.

I had already been to Yoo Jin’s house. It wasn’t too far, but it was still from Gangnam to Gangbuk. It would take about 30 minutes one way. The travel distance wasn’t really a concern, but if I went now, I would hit rush hour on the way back.

…Anyway, the Asian preliminaries were over, and I had secured my spot in the finals. It shouldn’t matter if I stay out for a day.

“Will you let me sleep over if I come?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Then I should go check out Yoo Jin’s place again, which I didn’t get to explore during the unboxing stream last time. If there’s no late-night snack service, I’ll rate you lower.”

“I’ll make you do bodyweight exercises instead, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Wow, you’re really determined to make me exercise.”

But of course, despite saying that, I was already preparing to go out.

It was time to get out of bed. I pulled back the covers and started getting ready. I put volume back into my flattened hair and thought about what to wear. I wasn’t planning to wander around outside, but it was mid-October. It was bound to be chilly.

I put on some suitable pants and a top, then threw a cardigan over it. It would be nice to take a taxi to Yoo Jin’s place, but I wasn’t planning to go that far. Finally, I left a message for the coach saying I would be staying overnight at Yoo Jin’s, then stepped into the hallway.

“I wish our club had a nearby park….”

Maybe it was because I had stayed near Yongsan Park for a few days during the Asian preliminaries, but after returning to the dorm, there was a noticeable contrast. Unlike the fresh and eye-relaxing park, stepping outside greeted me with numerous buildings.

The view on the way to the subway station was the same. It was a familiar sight for anyone living in Seoul.

I took the subway and looked out the window. As the train crossed the Han River, catching the sunlight falling below the horizon, I headed from Gangnam to Gangbuk, then onto Line 3.

After getting off at Hongje Station, I retraced my memory to familiar paths. Once inside the apartment complex, everything went smoothly.

Standing in front of a familiar building, I pressed the call button.

“Well then….”

Let’s go see Yoo Jin.

—

“Surveillance team is entering the complex. Estimated contact with Viper in five minutes. Risk classification – minimal. No interference with mission progress.”

“Confirmed. The video conference with the minister is nearing its end. Keep monitoring.”

Meanwhile, in the control room.

Two staff members, functioning more like on-duty personnel, were watching as Dice headed to Yoo Jin’s house.

—

“Unfortunately, I cannot give a definite answer as an individual at this moment. I hope you understand. But rest assured… Yoo Jin, you won’t regret coming to America.”

….

Secretary Janet, you look much better than before.

The woman who survived having a rebar pierced through her abdomen when the temporary Pentagon headquarters was bombed, and who continued to inspect dangerous areas afterward, earning the nickname “Iron Lady,” no longer resembled her past self at all.

Her distinctive firm and resolute tone remained unchanged.

For those unaccustomed to her or those who hadn’t conversed with her frequently, she would indeed seem like a cold-blooded person, but for the Task Force Dagger members who had discussed milestones and adjusted opinions with her dozens of times, it was familiar.

But….

“…She remembers.”

Rather than feeling moved, it felt unreal.

For the Secretary of Defense to speak to me like this implied she wasn’t acting alone. There was a clear structure in the world, and for her, at the top of the Department of Defense, to unofficially reach out to me meant….

How many people knew?

Unfortunately, I couldn’t ask that. The head of the U.S. administration’s one branch would have a mountain of work. After touring Asia for about a month and returning to the mainland only recently, she had made time to video call me… squeezing time out of her schedule.

Therefore, in just a few minutes, I received a brief explanation she personally wrote, not from an aide. There

was no time for questions. It was one-way communication.

But….

“Two months, huh.”

I desperately wanted to hop on a plane to America right away, but I still had too much to do.

And I wasn’t waiting aimlessly. – A small box. Shaking it, I could hear a rattling sound. It was a warning, clear as day. A tracker sent by mail.

Whoever it was, they had a peculiar taste. Making me wait like this, whoever visited my house later would have to be prepared for my numerous questions.

But for now – I had to focus on my main task.

It was time to open the door for Dice, who was waiting outside.

───Beep!

With the classic beep sound, the glass door at the apartment entrance opened.

Before it hit 6 PM, I set up the VR for Dice, opened the door, and entered the room to carefully lie down on the bed – or rather, lie on my side. My tail always got in the way of lying down comfortably.

I set the door to automatically open when Dice was recognized, sent a final message, and logged into the Dark Zone. Closing my eyes and pressing the button on my choker, my vision blinked and now familiar login screens appeared. A green light indicated Harmony and her team were online.

How long had it been? Before I could make contact, an invitation message flew in front of me.

Accepting it, my vision changed instantly.

And-

“Ah, you’re here.”

“Wow, finally here!”

“Long time no see, Yoo Jin! Have you been resting well?”

“What the….”

They greeted me with utmost politeness.

I checked if they were streaming, but fortunately, they weren’t. Today wasn’t about an official collaboration – it was more about observing and evaluating their play. Though I would be playing the game with them.

As proof, Harmony and her team briefly explained why they had gathered. They wanted indirect assistance while focusing more on debriefing.

Moreover, the game mode was Domination, which divided the 12 players into three squads, making it impossible for me to squeeze into Harmony’s squad.

With only about a minute left before 6 PM, everyone began pre-setting. I also made a few adjustments – today’s stream wouldn’t feature just me.

Using the microphone settings from the last unboxing stream, I set it up for my guest, who hadn’t arrived yet.

Harmony glanced at it and was about to speak, but I preempted her.

“It might be a bit much for me to handle alone, so I brought a guest to help today.”

“A guest?”

───Flash.

Simultaneously, a light flashed next to me.

Her wide-eyed face peeked through her flowing blonde hair. I gently pulled her hand with my tail.

Ignoring her surprise, I added.

“Today, we’ll delve into analyzing others’ engagements in detail.”

“Wait, what!?”

Leaving the stunned Dice behind, I smiled slightly.

I hadn’t mentioned what kind of practice it was, so it should be safe.

Probably.