Chapter Two – Kai Rowen"The Game Wasn't Just a Game."
We didn't speak.
Not at first.
That thing… whatever it was — whoever it was — had sprinted at us with dead eyes and rotting skin. It wasn't part of some prank. It wasn't some new-age team-building exercise. It was real. And it wanted to tear us apart.
We stood in silence, like statues. I could hear Yeri's shaky breathing, Loke pacing behind me. The air in the room had shifted — heavier now. Every corner felt like it was hiding something.
Then Stella finally spoke.
Her voice was low, almost thoughtful. "This might sound insane, but… I think I know what's going on."
Evan looked up, blinking. "You've got a theory?"
Loke scoffed, arms crossed. "Please, Miss Genius, do enlighten us."
She ignored him. "This place. The building. The empty floors. The elevator that didn't move until five of us came. And now… a zombie." She paused, then turned to me. "It's all—"
We both said it at the same time:
"Level Underground: Zombie Edition."
Silence followed — sharp and complete.
Then Yeri stepped forward slowly. "Wait… you guys play that game?"
Evan stared at her. "You do? , cause i paly it too its my favorite ! "
She nodded shyly. "I mean, yeah. A little…"
We turned toward Loke.
He raised a brow. "What? Yeah, I play. Don't look at me like that , its a nice game ."
Stella stared at him. "So all five of us… we've all played it?"
"That's not just strange," I said. "It's calculated."
Stella's tone turned cold. "It's a setup."
She turned to Yeri. "What's your rank?"
Yeri hesitated. "Fifth."
Stella crossed her arms. "I'm second."
Evan blinked. "Wait. Second?" His mouth dropped open. "You're Scarlett?"
Stella gave a tight smile. "In the flesh."
"Holy crap," Evan said, laughing under his breath. "I'm ranked fourth."
Loke raised a hand lazily. "I'm number three. Barely behind Scarlett… though she cheated with that emerald sword."
Stella rolled her eyes.
Then they all turned to me.
I felt my throat tighten. It was strange — I never cared much about recognition. But in that moment, their eyes made me feel like maybe, for once, I wasn't the screw-up.
I scratched the back of my neck. "I'm… number one."
The room reacted like I'd dropped a bomb.
Yeri gasped. "You're The Stranger?"
I nodded.
Her smile was almost giddy. "I'm your fan. Seriously."
Evan looked impressed. "Makes sense now. You're calm even when it's hell."
Loke chuckled. "I'll give it to you. You're a beast."
But Stella wasn't smiling anymore.
She stepped closer. "So let's recap: the top five players of a very specific survival game — a game with zombies, levels, and permadeath — get hired by a company no one's heard of, show up to a building with no doors, and meet an actual zombie within ten minutes?"
She looked around at all of us. "This isn't a coincidence. We're inside the game."
Evan slumped into a chair. "We should've stayed outside."
Yeri touched his shoulder gently. "We'll get through it. We always do."
But I shook my head. "No. There's only one way out."
They all looked at me.
"We finish the game."
Loke squinted. "What do you mean?"
I stared at the elevator panel. "In the game, there were 100 levels. But there was also a secret final one — the Underground Level. The true last stage."
"Level 101," Stella whispered.
I nodded. "We have to clear them. All of them. Or we're not getting out."
No one argued.
Because deep down, they already knew it too.
Loke broke the silence first. "And what? We just… fistfight zombies? We don't even have weapons."
"Not yet," Stella said. "But each of us had a specific weapon in-game, right? Let's go around. Say it."
Loke smirked. "Golden Gun. Fully modded. High burst. Low recoil."
Yeri raised a hand. "Two short Chinese daggers. Speed over strength."
Evan cleared his throat. "I was the tech guy. I had a computer interface — hacked doors, disabled traps, access to cameras. But it only worked once per floor. I also had a deployable shield."
Loke grinned. "So the nerd with the shield."
Evan grinned back. "Tank nerd."
Stella lifted her chin. "Emerald Sword. Light, fast, poison enchant built-in."
Everyone looked at me.
I hesitated a second, then said:
"Immortal Sword."
They all froze again.
Yeri whispered, "That sword could cut through anything."
Evan nodded. "No wonder you soloed the mid-level bosses…"
Stella's gaze sharpened. "So: we've got three fighters, one stealth-healer, and one tech-support tank. It's… balanced."
I said, "Balanced… if we had our weapons."
Loke groaned. "Great. A dream team with no gear. We're so screwed."
"Maybe not," I said slowly, scanning the office. "In the game, the weapons were unlocked per level one here . Maybe they're hidden inside this room ."
Evan was already moving. "Everyone check everything it must be here and no one try to go outside yet ! ."
We split up, searching everything.
Minutes passed.
Nothing.
Yeri dropped into a rolling chair, sighing. "We're screwed."
Loke kicked the side of a file cabinet. "Yeah. Game over already."
Evan was staring at the far wall, squinting.
"…That chalkboard."
We all turned.
"What about it?" Stella asked.
He stepped closer. "Why the hell would a chalkboard be in a high-tech office?"
He pressed his hand to it — then slid it sideways.
Behind it:
A metal display wall. Dark. High-tech. A holographic screen blinked to life.
On it were our gamer profiles — photos, usernames, rankings, and—
Our weapons.
Real ones. Mounted below the screen like a personal arsenal.
We stepped closer.
The Arsenal – Level 100: Armory Access
Kai – Aka The Stranger lonely wolf :Immortal Sword
A black obsidian blade, long and slightly curved. Crimson veins pulse along the edges, humming with low energy. It feels warm — alive — as I wrap my fingers around the hilt.
Stella – Aka Scarlett The elegant fighter : Emerald Sword
Slim and vibrant green, with silver edges and mysterious runes etched along the handle. Light but dangerous. Beautiful and deadly — just like her.
Loke – Aka Golden Men Garry : Golden Gun
Heavy, gold-plated with an orange crystal core. Sleek grip. Semi-auto bursts. It buzzes faintly in his palm, like a heart ready to pump bullets.
Yeri – Health Ninja lilly : Twin Daggers
Jade-handled, perfectly balanced blades. Quick draw, quick strike. Their silence is part of the kill , and a first aid kit. She smiles softly as she touches them — comforted.
Evan – Raynold Digital Core
A silver wrist-mounted system with a holographic screen. From it, a small round riot shield unfolds. Interface ready. "One hack, one lock, one cam per floor," he mutters.
Stella looked around at us. "Now we're talking."
I stared at the sword in my hand.
Cause Now?
Now it was real.
So were the rules.
So were the enemies.
And we had 100 floors left.
Plus one.( The Underground )