participating (2)
Navigating around the store, she passed by the electronics section. spotted a few employees along the way, but managed to get past them unnoticed.
Moving around while thinking, she thought about working as an employee, honestly, will that even work? It seems logical. But, right now, her mind is messy, frustrated with the time given.
The longer time passes by, the thicker the fog grows. Employees that used to look human and friendly started looking weird. The static-like glitching, also some even losing their facial features, becoming deformed; faceless.
The closing time finally came in. She quickly crouches down, hiding her presence as the bright lights turn off. Fortunately, there's ambience lights all around the store, it's still possible to see with the dim lights.
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[Failure had been detected!]
[Mission failed.]
[Penalty: granted a new mission (check)]
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.
.
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[New mission]
[Mission: escape the super-mart (2)]
[Duration: 3 days]
[Failure: elimination and permanence of employment at super-mart.]
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'well that's surprising.'
Another mission given to players, another chance to clear the level. Seeing the newly given duration, she exuded a small sigh of relief, after all, she didn't really think any other participants had escaped yet from this level.
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[notification alert!]
[It seems like you have been granted protection by the
Option:
× description × close
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A new notification popped through, she recalled the speech given by the black-dressed man as she read the panel's contents.
'Is this the "powers" He was talking about?'
She clicked the description text, hoping for more explanation on how to use her "powers".
.
.
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[New attribute: the hunter]
Given the title of a hunter, you're able to hunt like a predator. 15-50% boost in strength, agility, speed and regeneration.
[New specialty: swordsmanship]
Given a shapeshifting sword suitable for the current level. You're able to use swords now, no matter what sword. Requires a minimum of 10% sanity.
Bonus items:
• wolf mask (+70% real identity concealed, NPCs won't be able to identify you.)
Options:
× check upgraded stats × close
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A wolf mask appeared out of nowhere along with a butcher knife. Wait, why a butcher's knife?
She clutched the mask and put the butcher knife in her inventory. Looking at the mask, she decided to put it on for her safety. It seems like a requirement honestly.
She clicked the panel to check her status, it wasn't that bad, in fact it was decent. Most of her Stats had been boosted up to 20%
.
.
Few moments after hiding under a display table, she feels the need to move, since logically there's a higher chance to get caught by the employees if you stay at one place.
Slowly moving around, she starts looking in the shelves hoping to find some useful things, maybe even money, it's quite unlikely but judging it as a game, it's possible.
Being super quiet is necessary, making a loud sound would probably attract the employees. Walking down the aisles with her head down, she found another participant. Wearing.. a fox mask? It doesn't really look like it though.
The man had noticed her and signalled her to come near, probably telling her it's a safe spot for now. They both crouched down under the mannequins stand, it's somehow quite spacious for a hiding spot.
And just then—an employee saw them.
'crap.'
She took the man's hand and starts running with him, desperate to be out of the employee's sight. And at the end, they'd found themselves in the storage room, hiding under the boxes.
"..Thanks."
The man whispered his gratitude quietly towards Eunha, which is quite unexpected from his gangster-like looks. Bleached blonde hair with brown roots peeking through, he looks like the type of gangsters you'd usually see.
"No worries."
With an awkward talk, she finally recognized him. He's Han Jaehyun, a member of his brothers boy group
"Sorry for the late introduction, my name is Han Jaehyun from ReWind, you?"
"Kang Eunha, a member from FxN."
"Ah, you're that sister Eunho keeps talking about, you two are related, right?"
"Yeah, we're siblings."
"Let's team up, I feel like it'll be better to stick around in small groups to figure things out."
"I'm quite unsure, but let's do it for now."
Exchanging information they have about the store, and explaining a tiny bit of their given powers, Eunha finds out that his animal mask is a maned wolf, it looks similar to a fox rather than a wolf honestly.
Despite the information exchange, they kept more information towards themselves, fearing the exchange might backfire during the next levels.
Keeping on track, Jaehyun explains that he has the ability to defend, thus his title as a protector. He's given the ability to use strings or ropes, casting it with protection, its maximum range to 10 meters.
"..What about this then?" She pulled out a roll of dental floss, still intact of its packaging.
"—Can we use this?"
"But if we use that, then doesn't it count as shoplifting?"
"It doesn't if we pay for it."
Thinking of a plan, she suggested an idea to blend in as employees. She quickly explained to him about the plan she just came up with.
"Are you sure this will work?"
"it's a game, they'd want us to think outside of the box, wouldn't they?"
Somehow convinced, Jaehyun agreed with her plan, despite it being risky.
Moving around watching both their backs and their fronts, they managed to find their first prey. It was perfect, in the middle of the aisles, staring at a bag of chips.
Eunha soon signalled jaehyun to sneak to the other side of the aisle, pulling out the end of the dental floss as he walks. Once he made it there, he soon threw a loop to the employees head, suffocating them. And just then, Eunha steps in with her butcher knife and knocks it out.
They took the employee's vest off, along with the employee's ID card and hat. Making sure all uniformed attributes are fully taken away.
Few moments after their attributes are off, the employee's suddenly vanished to thin air. As if its only purpose is to be an employee.
"Haa, what do we do now? Do you wear it or do I wear it?"
"Doesn't matter, you should wear it first, and let's find mine next."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm fine."
He takes off his player ID, storing it into his inventory, then slowly wears the uniform.
It felt normal, just like he always felt, but then his vision starts to blur out. The woman he saw as normal before looks terrifying now.
His mind breaking with the urge to eliminate, he still knew it was the very girl that helped him, his teammate.
.
.
No.
Stop.
No—
.
He plunges straight onto the intruder, desperate to eliminate her, she's a threat to the store, an intruder.
She quickly broke out of his assault, really surprised by his behavior. She ran away as fast as she could.
The newly become employee, despite tripping over a few times, still ran towards the girl. It was his instincts. He desperately tried to slow it down. Knows well it's wrong—but still couldn't help it.
Running towards the elevator, she pressed the close button a few times until it finally closed.
Catching her breath, she pieced her mind together to keep her sanity level stable.
'..What just happened?'