Chapter 13

You know, this is a “you’re an idiot if you don’t buy it” package. I only bought one at first, but I thought you might need more, so I’m gonna buy five and give them to you. There Ms. Miyoung22.gif

—BANG!

Um, by any chance... do you like wearing outfits?? This is an item that’s been trading for a lot lately, I heard. There Ms. Miyoung22.gif

—BANG!

This one is for m— There Ms. Miyoung22.gif

—BANG!

Holy shit. This time, I really almost died.

How can someone’s instincts be this good? I couldn’t even tell if that was a person or an auto-aim sniper turret. I’d geared up—noise-reduction shoes, ballistic armor, everything—and tailed him from behind, and yet...

“Ms. Miyoung... did you serve in the military or something...?”

The aura was on a different level. The moment I tried to say anything, he’d sense me like a ghost, whip around, and fire.

‘And he’s getting faster and more accurate by the day?’

Honestly, the first time he shot was the slowest reaction he ever had. As time went on, Miu started pulling the trigger on pure reflex the instant he caught even the hint of Yeonhoo’s footsteps.

‘Still. It’s fine. I had no idea giving gifts could be this fun.’

So that saying was real—watching someone you like eat is enough to make you feel full. Even if I couldn’t manage a single line of conversation, just knowing Miu would use the items I’d carefully picked out made me so happy I could burst.

‘But I want to see Ms. Miyoung just a little closer.... If I can, I want to say hi, too.’

Isn’t that how it goes? A person’s greed just keeps growing.

Anyway, I had to make an impression sooner or later, and today—when I’d be delivering the twenty-first gift box—I decided I’d get a little closer.

Here was my plan.

‘Hide... and then surprise!’

I’d leave a note in the box, and if Miu’s reaction looked good, I’d show myself and reveal that the one who’d been sending gifts all this time was me. Then I’d lay it out: “I’ve been interested in you ever since you saved me, and I want to join the same alliance.” That was the pitch.

And today, I’d even prepared an item that fit the plan perfectly.

🛒 [Shop] Item Info

-Stealth Cloak (Shadow Cloak)

Price: 4,900 cash

Single-use

-Item Description

“The unseen are the most terrifying.”

A cloak made from a special fabric that absorbs light. The moment you equip it, you blend into your surroundings, and your presence is concealed unless you take a hit.

While stealthed, it doesn’t just fool the human eye—some mechanical detection sensors get disrupted too, making it the ideal assassination tool for striking from behind.

(Stealth duration: Perfect stealth maintained as long as you take no damage

Machine disruption: 70% chance to nullify detection by drones / sensors

Speed penalty: Movement speed -10%

Cancel condition: Stealth immediately ends upon attacking or being hit

Restriction: Cannot be used inside alliance territory with a hostile relationship.)

Yeonhoo’s face—prepared down to the last detail—was packed with a strange mix of tension and resolve.

‘Ms. Miyoung is here!’

Under the cloak, I stole a glance at Miu. Sometimes he’d park his character at the edge of the map’s forest and go do something else. I couldn’t tell if it was game-related, or something in the real world.

‘Now!’

If he wasn’t moving, there was a high chance he was AFK—and even if he wasn’t, this would be the moment his guard was loosest. Wearing the Stealth Cloak, I grabbed my pager and hurried right up in front of him.

‘But when you give someone a gift... is it supposed to be this terrifying? Like you’re about to die? Is your heart supposed to pound like this?’

A gift is supposed to be something you prepare and hand over with fluttery excitement, isn’t it?

‘My hands are sweating.’

I couldn’t tell if my heart was racing because I liked Miyoung so much—or if this was the feeling of a mouse trying to hang a bell around the neck of a monster cat with thirty-five eyes.

Of course, the tension only lasted a moment. I forced myself to steady it.

‘It’s because it’s love. Because it’s love....’

Just imagining Miu’s character narrowing his eyes made my heart go crazy, so that had to mean it was love.

‘...It’s love, right?’

Why did doubt keep bubbling up?

Carefully, I watched Miu.

‘His eyes are closed. Looks like he’s going AFK for a while today.’

In Zombie Village, if your character doesn’t move for a certain amount of time, they close their eyes.

For a normal player to be asleep in some corner like that—on the X server, no less—was basically a protest sign that said Please kill me, but who would dare mess with Miu?

Not knowing any of that, I worried someone might attack him, so I kept uselessly scanning the area as I stepped right in front of him.

And the moment I lifted my head, I flinched.

‘Close....’

Miu’s character was right in my face.

‘Feels like the first time I’ve ever seen him this close.’

I cleared my throat for no reason.

Of course, Miu’s avatar was a clean-cut male character, so it didn’t really remind me of Miyoung in real life—but still, I found myself stepping back like I was suddenly trying to mind my manners.

‘Drop it and hide. Fast.’

I set the gift pager down in front of him, then sprinted behind a tree in the forest.

‘Ah—my heart’s going crazy.’

Right away, sound rang out from the pager sitting in front of Miu.

—♪ ♩ ♫ ♬

With a tiny melody, a parachute started floating down, dangling a package right in front of Miu’s character. Maybe he heard the soft rustle of the balloon—Miu opened his eyes like he’d just come back from AFK.

—CLUNK, THUD.

With a heavy sound, the parachute delivered the goods safely to the ground in front of him.

But something was off. He didn’t open it right away like usual—he just stared at the box for a while, like he was in a staring contest with it.

‘Why isn’t he opening it?’

While I watched, tense enough to choke, Miu slowly reached out, dismantled the parachute, and opened the package.

‘Finally!’

And that wasn’t all. He even picked up the note I’d left beside the box, and my eyes lit up.

Today, I’d sent three packages.

📦 Hot Pink Survival Kit

Instead of ammo, it’s packed with strawberry-flavored candy and a ton of cat stickers. The candy restores stamina, and the stickers can be used to decorate your face or clothes.

(Stamina Recovery Strawberry Candy × 99)

(Limited Edition Cat Stickers (HarmlessMeow Collaboration) × 12)

That strawberry candy was one of the best stamina recovery items, and I’d sent the cat stickers because I’d heard it was trendy lately to slap them on weapons.

Miu stared at the package for a moment, set it down beside him, then opened the next box.

📦 Bling-Bling Surprise Box

Ditch the black ballistic vest. A limited-edition ballistic vest in the signature colors of the group <Bling-Bling>!

Don’t you want to surprise zombies? What about your PVP opponents?

A gift for someone exactly like you!

As a bonus, we’re also including an adorable cat doll that can decorate your base and increase your Luck stat!

(Limited Edition Bling-Bling Ballistic Vest (Bling-Bling Collaboration) × 1)

(Rainbow Water Balloons × 20)

(Calico Cat Doll × 1)

Apparently the Luck stat the calico cat doll boosts is a really important factor when enhancing gear.

Miu didn’t ignore the package this time either—he did open it. But he only opened it. He didn’t pick it up.

‘What? Is it not good?’

I was chewing on that when Miu reached for the last package. The last gift I’d sent was an emergency kit.

📦 Wee-Woo Emergency Kit

Contains a pink LED baton and medicine. Press O to interact and a heart will blink, revealing your location to nearby people. A safe zone with a 5m radius will be maintained for 10 minutes. *Cooldown 24h

(Emergency LED Baton × 1)

(Emergency Kit × 10)

Not only did it have ten emergency kits—something every player had to have—but I also knew that LED baton was pretty damn cute and sold for a decent price on the marketplace, which was why I’d sent it.

After checking the last package, Miu stayed still for a while... and then started reading the note.

‘He’s reading my note. This is insane.’

I watched him with a rigid face. Honestly, for something I’d written with such resolve, the note didn’t have much in it.

Hello.

You probably don’t remember me, but I’m the person you saved.

I’ve been sending gifts these past few days because I’m always grateful and I like you a lot.

Thank you for accepting them. Next time, I want to give you something even better.

Also—if we end up getting close, there’s something I’d like to say to you in person.

Have a good day today too.

It’d be great if she reacted like a kid, all happy and excited, but in-game, Miyoung was pretty cool and collected—she didn’t seem like the type to show that kind of thing.

But something was weird.

‘Why is he just standing there?’