I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 182 – Result

-[Notification: You are given a 30-minute break from now.]

“Ugh, we’re halfway there…!”

“Good job, everyone.”

“Wow, amazing. This has never gone so well in six consecutive matches.”

Time passed, and half of the scrim disappeared like melting snow.

After six out of twelve matches were played, a sort of grand break was given to all teams for reorganization. It was a time to exchange opinions among the players, coaching staff, and between the first and second teams, while also cooling down their overheated bodies and minds.

However, today, the atmosphere in the Korean team was festive. It was inevitable. When was the last time a game went so smoothly? The thrilling experience that even KSM couldn’t provide sent chills down everyone’s spines.

It wasn’t a significant improvement compared to before. It could be said it was just a slight enhancement. However, the snowball effect caused by this subtle difference rolled and rolled, resulting in a much better outcome than expected.

The proof was the Korean first team’s solo dominance displayed on the scoreboard.

More than two weeks of physical training and efficient curriculum. All of this allowed them to maintain their stamina even at the end of a match where concentration would inevitably drop.

Not only that, but under Yoo Jin’s command, unnecessary movements were eliminated, simplifying maneuvers during engagements. There were also two weeks of continuous training for moving and shooting at moving targets. The result was less ammo consumption and more accumulated damage to the enemy.

Moreover, in combat, where all variables are linked like a chain, this brought more advantages than expected.

“Two weeks isn’t a long time. I structured the curriculum to help you as much as possible during that time… but honestly, I wasn’t sure if it would be effective. Did anyone feel it was lacking?”

“No-!”

“I’m more curious about how Yoo Jin managed to bring them up to this level in just two weeks.”

Dice’s comments weren’t mere criticism.

But it was true — less ammo consumption and more accumulated damage. This meant more damage dealt to the enemy within the same timeframe. In other words, the likelihood of the enemy retreating first in an engagement was higher.

The time the enemy spent crouching behind cover to recover health. The moment the flames of engagement died down… that precious time. Those who gained the upper hand could use that moment to reload their magazines or consider other options.

Such small differences, one by one, two by two, three by three, when stacked together, increased the pressure on the enemy. The snowball effect rolled in such a manner, bringing more benefits to the Korean first team.

Even the players themselves were astonished.

“…Why is this working?”

It wasn’t that the new curriculum was completely different from the previous one. There were many differences, but it wasn’t completely unfamiliar. In essence, it was a collection of detailed differences, not something entirely new.

However, the more detailed differences accumulated, the more the outcome changed. Just like how two beams of light diverging by a slight angle would end up in completely different places after 300,000 kilometers, this was a similar logic.

Even individual minor variables, which weren’t considered before, were controlled. If deemed unnecessary or a drawback, they were ruthlessly eliminated, and if found useful, additional training courses to maximize them were introduced.

Thus, apart from Dice, everyone looked at Yoo Jin with admiration.

“Really amazing, really….”

“It’s regrettable that only up to four can go to the finals.”

In just two weeks — although it was the result of experiencing extremely intense training incomparable to before — if the outcome of the curriculum was like this, what would happen if they continued this level of training until the final championship in three months?

If the existing curriculum was like carving a large piece onto a stone, Yoo Jin’s approach was to smooth it out with a chisel and file.

It didn’t take long for them to realize that the difference between victory and defeat emerged from such small details — and what they were doing now was just a scrim. There were still several days left until the Asian preliminaries.

As the heated atmosphere cooled down, the emotion of greed began to grow in everyone’s hearts.

Moreover, those who were quick-witted already knew the truth.

‘…Even if four players are sent from Korea, isn’t it effectively two?’

One would be Yoo Jin, and the other would be Dice.

If, by any chance, Taiwan gets beaten so badly that they can only send two players to the final championship, and if Korea ends up first overall, leaving an extra slot open…

Wait a minute.

Even if there were three slots left besides Yoo Jin and Dice, wouldn’t it still be a brutal competition lineup? They considered how to pull Dice down, but unfortunately, the conclusion was that it was impossible.

Catching up with someone who had been trained by Yoo Jin for at least a month was… difficult.

To an extreme degree.

Therefore, the following words came out.

“Teacher Yoo Jin, would you consider joining our team after your contract ends? I was really impressed by your interview last time about maintaining the balance of power.”

“What? Hey, hey! Grab him! Pull him away! He’s trying to headhunt secretly!”

“Hang him! Burn him!”

“…What on earth is this chaos all of a sudden?”

Despite working hard in the match, they still had enough energy left, and in an instant, they all got fired up again.

The heads of the person and Dice, who clung to Yoo Jin, whining about not being able to sleep on her lap, all turned in that direction. Clearly, the sight of the beautiful girl chaos, with everyone putting each other in headlocks, wasn’t exactly a sight to behold.

Yoo Jin, glancing at them with an incredulous look, opened her mouth.

“I was going to take a short break and have feedback time, but it seems you all have plenty of energy left. Maybe we should have a theory lecture instead.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Yoo Jin….”

“It was a joke.”

But she didn’t say what exactly was a joke.

The two who had been silently watching the scene soon started talking among themselves again.

“Dice, if you feel like something’s lacking or if there’s something you think needs improvement in this scrim, please speak up quickly.”

“Hmm, is there anything… I think just doing what we’ve been doing so far should be fine. By the way, Yoo Jin, where are you planning to go next?”

“Does it bother you?”

“…Wouldn’t it bother me?”

Haha.

Yoo Jin laughed softly and added.

“I don’t think there’s any particular reason for me to join a pro team.”

“…Sometimes it seems like you don’t place much weight on the Dark Zone itself, Yoo Jin. Don’t disappear without a word later.”

“Of course not.”

Yoo Jin answered, but Dice’s words subtly touched on the secret buried deep within Yoo Jin.

In truth, Yoo Jin was quite curious herself. The biggest driving force behind her actions was the very secret of the Dark Zone. Why does the world she visited exist as a game? Why does this game know her?

Fortunately, aside from the drive to uncover these secrets, new roots were growing in this world that were enough to hold her down. If she only cared about efficiency, she would have flown to the U.S. as soon as she learned about the Dark Zone.

Streaming would have been out of the question.

“I’ll think about where to go after we win the finals.”

“That’s so like you, Yoo Jin… But where are you going now!?”

“I’m going to stop those people.”

With that, Yoo Jin stood up.

As Dice watched her back with considerable unease, the snakelike tail of anxiety slithered away – and how much time had passed since then?

“Ugh, nooo-!”

“Whoa, I’ll die if this keeps up! Teacher Yoo Jin, no! Yoo Jin, please! Aah!”

“Don’t waste your energy on nonsense and think about what questions you’ll ask me after the scrim ends.”

Violence.

When it came to ending a situation, overwhelming violence was always right.

Sweeping up those who were half-collapsed like brooms, Yoo Jin took advantage of their softened bodies and minds, pulled a chair over, and began debriefing.

It was Tuesday of the second week of October, and there was still a long way to go.

“Fierce, so fierce. If the first team is performing like this, what are we supposed to do for the next three days?”

“Someone, please stop them!”

Meanwhile, there were those who couldn’t easily cheer for the success of the Korean first team.

The Korean second team.

Having fought Taiwan yesterday, they had to face the first teams of Russia, Japan, and China in succession on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, extracting as much data as possible.

The same number of people as the first team each spoke their piece. The content was almost the same. Half-jokingly, they asked how they were supposed to cope if the first team kept going like this – half-jokingly, but half-seriously.

Of course, it wasn’t that their reactions were unreasonable. With the first team performing so wildly, the upcoming offensives from the other first teams would surely be stronger than anticipated.

Scrims were not only a venue for understanding the opponent’s strength but also a power struggle between countries. With twenty advanced Korean national representatives under Yoo Jin’s command acting like this, the likelihood of the other countries staying still was slim.

“Will the other countries act rationally?”

“I don’t think so at all.”

They could say, ‘Don’t fall for such power struggles!’ but that’s easier said than done. Overcoming logic with rationality, and even more so with pride, was tough.

Though they were the second team, they were still national players. Since Korea had turned their players into powder, the upcoming engagements were bound to be tougher – though it wasn’t all negative. If the opponents became a bit more serious, it could also be an opportunity.

The longer they endured, the more data they could collect.

It was a simple logic.

Moreover – although the foreign analysts would already know this – the second team had also been taught by Yoo Jin, so the probability of sparks flying from tomorrow was high.

“If the first team has any conscience, they should buy us dinner, seriously.”

“Right. If they don’t realize we’re going to get beaten for the next three days, they should pull the plug.”

“Didn’t Yoo Jin get a department store gift certificate for winning first place last time? Maybe a naked dogeza would work.”

“Quickly say you’ll do that dogeza in VR, not in reality, or you’ll end up buried with only your neck showing.”

“Of course.”

Such pointless chatter continued.

In the meantime, Blooming, who had become quite friendly with the second team users, approached subtly.

“What were you talking about?”

“We were talking about getting Yoo Jin to buy us dinner.”

“You guys are out of your minds. Or you have a death wish.”

Were they acting like this because they hadn’t been ground down enough by Yoo Jin?

Having been treated like a dog under SSM even before KSM, Blooming couldn’t understand their recklessness, but what could be done. There are all kinds of people.

Anyway, the conversation flowed naturally. She understood the motive behind the sudden talk of getting Yoo Jin to buy them dinner – it wasn’t an incomprehensible idea. Besides, Blooming was also part of the second team, so she had to engage in fierce battles starting tomorrow.

Being part of SSM had its perks in situations like this. It meant she had a connection with Yoo Jin. Knowing her personality to some extent, Blooming thought it wasn’t entirely unrealistic… but still, outright asking for a meal was a bit much.

And it was the middle of a scrim. Tomorrow’s game was close, and the still undiscussed promise was far off.

“…I’ll carefully bring it up later, so let’s do that later. Asking for a meal outright is a bit much.”

“Right. It wasn’t serious anyway.”

Sigh.

A brief sigh followed.

In reality, the importance of the second team in this scrim was just as significant, if not more, than the first team. Thinking so, the weight on their shoulders felt heavy.

A dry voice was heard.

“Will we do well tomorrow?”

But having been taught by Yoo Jin – albeit somewhat forcibly – such doubts were meaningless.

Their accumulated efforts, blood, sweat, and tears over the past two weeks would support them tomorrow.

There was no answer to the question thrown into the air.

The scrim resumed.