Everyone is Young Except for Me - Chapter 252

Chapter 252
Two hours later, at the Korean team’s waiting room at Union Square... 

Park Muyeol, Mido, and I arrived by bus together and met the other Korean players. However, the joy was also temporary. Union had hired a clean director with no corruption and we had a long meeting with the director on the rules and strategies of the Star Field.

Time passed quickly and we were on the verge of playing.

“Then let’s come together.”

The South Korean players placed their hands together at Captain Lim Changyong’s words. The funny thing was that among the hands, there were elderly hands with small wrinkles. It was just that no one laughed. No one dared to express their dissatisfaction with the fact that Park Muyeol and I were proud representatives of South Korea.

“Would the two of you like to say a word?” Lim Changyong looked between Park Muyeol and I.

Park Muyeol glanced at me and said, “I think it is better for Chuntaek to speak than me.”

“Hrmm.”

I was deeply troubled due to Park Muyeol passing the baton to me. What could I say right now? I was too old to talk nonsense. I would appear as a nagging grandfather if I was too interested and it would be a problem if I was too light. I contemplated between heaviness and lightness before making up my mind.

“Maybe we’ll lose.”

I just wanted to say something from my heart.

“However, history will record us as the winners.”

“......”

“......”

The silence lasted for around five seconds.

Park Muyeol blinked before suddenly speaking, “...Aren’t you being too fussy?”

Then the young people in front of him couldn’t hold back their amusement. Their smiles turned into giggles and laughter. The moment everyone grabbed their stomachs, a blush appeared on my face.

“Aish, just fight well, you rotten guys.”

“Puhahaha!”

“Hahaha.”

Everyone’s laughter eased the tense and serious atmosphere. As expected, I truly didn’t fit such serious words. However...

“I still have to say this.”

The young people in front of me once again watched me with serious eyes. Their eyes looked much better than before. I glanced at them with a satisfied smile. “Let’s do our best.”

It was the only thing this old man could say to these young people.

“Come on!”

The moment Lim Changyong shouted, our hands soared high in the sky.

“Fighting!”

Our hands scattered like a lotus flower blooming. I opened the door of the waiting room first and ran toward the stage, followed by Park Muyeol, Mido, and the young people. They were pillars of the future who were more reassuring than thousands of troops.

* * *

At the waiting room of the United States team...

“There is only one game in the Star Field event. This is why we have to focus our efforts on becoming stronger. As you all know, we should do our best...”

Damian, the US team’s captain, summoned the players and expressed the strategy he had been planning. The unusual thing was that there was no coach in the United States team to direct them. Damian took the role of coach and player. It was because Damian had a high position in the United States and it was well known that he had the right to choose who gets to play in the American team.

The players nodded and didn’t scoff at Damian’s words. They knew that Damian’s strategy and tactics made the United States the best in the world.

“...James, are you listening?”

“Huh? Ah, yes. I’m listening.”

“What did I just say?”

“Ah, that... I’m sorry.”

Damian’s face was like cold ice. “Maintain your mind, James. If you are distracted like last time, you will really be withdrawn from the national team.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll listen to you.”

James’ expression became serious. Damian nodded and continued to explain various strategies. However, James was still thinking about what happened yesterday while listening to the strategy.

‘Choi Mido...’

The woman who always had a cold image at school. He was the first one to approach her when no one else got close to her. She was his first love, but it was also a painful love.

‘She has become a representative of South Korea... maybe it is an ill-fated relationship.’

It was really painful when he had to immigrate to the United States due to his parent’s circumstances. Inevitably, James had to lie to her.

‘I’m tired of you now.’

Perhaps it was a disgusting thing. The spike that he embedded in his loved one ended up being embedded in his own heart. Like a boomerang, it returned to him and created the current situation.

‘Maybe we will meet in this game.’

After making a big mistake in the second game, James was put on probation by Damian. It was natural since he blew the heavenly assistance. James didn’t play in yesterday’s third game and had to watch from the waiting room that day. Today, his probation was lifted. James’ guns and survival skills were too useful in this survival match. It was why Damian said he had to do a great job.

‘I hope we don’t meet this time, Mido.’ 

James’ eyes filled with a small light as he made up his mind and listened to Damian. In any case, he was now a representative of the United States. It was appropriate to erase unnecessary feelings. It was also good for himself.

“Let's go.”

The U.S team, led by Damian and Michael, headed to the stage.

* * *

[Code named ‘T-32’ test capsule for the competition has been confirmed.]

[All stats are fixed to a certain number.]

[The power of your skills is reduced by one-third.]

The moment the players entered, I climbed into the capsule and connected. A window with the fixed stats appeared and was then followed by a message that the skill power was reduced. It seemed to be an extension of what happened in the national team selection last time. Well, it would be hard if the power wasn’t reduced like this.

It was the gathering of the best players. There would be no map left if they didn’t do this. The characteristics of this event was survival and it wasn’t known what would appear. For the sake of fairness, Union seemed to have adopted this approach.

In any case, it wasn’t bad. 

I felt my body being sucked into somewhere and I appeared in a dense jungle. It was exactly like what I saw in the movie.

“...How interesting.”

The map of this Star Field was said to be based on a particular movie. The Korean players, including Mido, arrived.

“Wow, is it really Jurassic Park?”

“Amazing. Isn’t it like being in a movie?”

“Everyone, be vigilant. Did you watch the movie and see what happened to the people who came here.” 

The map for the selection trials was based off Jeju Island while this map was made under the movie ‘Jurassic Park.’ The basic rules were similar. Poisonous gas would slowly flood in from the outside and in the end, players would gather in the center to fight. There was just one different thing.

“I-It’s a dinosaur!”

Everyone’s gaze followed the terrified An Seunghyun’s finger and were shocked. In the place he was pointing, a giant pterosaur flew in the sky.

Kiaaack!

The cry was terrifying.

“......”

“......”

“......”

Everyone stared at it and gulped. I was naturally the same. Damn, it was really terrifying and frightening. It was only now that I realized that this was Jurassic Park. Union had made it more difficult by adding carnivorous dinosaurs located all over the island. Of course, it was a set at a level that we could’t easily hunt. That big pterosaur alone was over level 300.

“We have to run away well.”

“Damn. Union...”

“They actually made this ridiculous map.”

It would be fortunate if we could maintain our items and skills.

“Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed by thy name...”

In the distance, the monk Kim Haeil was praying. It was said he was a real Catholic priest. He became angry every time he saw his disobedient siblings so he started the game to relieve his stress. Then he became a national representative. In any case, he was a funny friend.

“Everyone, gather.”

I heard this sentence and headed straight to Lim Changyong’s location. The countdown was above our heads.

[01:00]

One minute was given for the operational meeting.

Lim Changyong spoke, “Everyone has played in the team selection so it should be clear.”

Everyone except me and Park Muyeol nodded.

“First of all, we will move as a team. Everyone will know from seeing the dinosaurs, but their level is very high and strong. We could’ve moved individually if it wasn’t for the dinosaurs. However, if we become a target of the dinosaurs then we only survive by working together.”

I listened to his words. Not a single word was wrong.

“After listening to the instructions, we should be able to hunt a small herbivorous dinosaur. Still, try not to fight if possible in order to not be discovered by enemies. Additionally, Mido.”

“Yes.”

“The map you can create will be very useful here. Focus on making maps, not hunting.”

“I understand.”

The words that followed were similar to those in the waiting room. Finally, a minute passed.

[The game has started.]

[Good luck to all the players.]

We moved at high speed. Mido looked around and concentrated on making the map. We carefully looked ahead while running to the center. They had felt it in the last selection game. It was more advantageous to ambush by occupying the center first.

Suddenly, Eun Jeonghyeok sent a signal from where he was moving in stealth in the front. “Stop.”

Everyone’s movements stopped and many eyes were on him.

Eun Jeonghyeok told us, “The enemy is coming.”

“......”

There was a moment of silence where everyone’s breath seemed to have stopped. There was the chirping of birds and buzzing of insects all around us. We watched each other while waiting for orders. Lim Changyong’s eyes were calm as he observed in front of us.

However, Eun Jeonghyeok’s words were wrong. My super sensitivity was telling us that they were already around us. Just then, an arrow headed to us from the sky. I quickly grabbed the arrow with my right hand.

“Above!”

“It’s the enemy!”

“Damn. Are we surrounded?”

Everyone scrambled as they hurriedly aimed their weapons at the sky while I stared at those smiling from afar.

...It was the Arabs team. Right then, a man with huge wings and the face of an eagle laughed openly. It was Muhammad, who was chosen by the eagle constellation Horus.

“Kuhaha! Sorry, but you are surrounded. You must be our offering.”

Who would allow it?

“Don’t come out.”

“Huh? Grandfather!”

Mido’s eyes widened at my words. I stepped forward without looking back at her. “Today, I will be the carre.”

“It is carry!”

It was the moment when today’s carry was decided.