Eventually, Nate reached the spot where he was supposed to see the game sealer, but there was no one there. No one was in the spot where he used to see the game sealer.
"Where is he?" Nate almost shouted, his brow furrowing in frustration.
It was a cross-line junction at the side of the road near a traffic light, where Nate usually saw the sealer man.
"Is he not here or did I come too early?" Nate thought to himself as he looked around, hoping to spot someone on the street.
However, the street was deserted, with only a few pedestrians walking by.
"If I'm too early, then I guess I'll just have to wait for him," Nate decided, finding a spot to sit on the road.
Nate was so excited after school that he didn't even bother to check the time.
After waiting for about an hour, there was still no sign of the game sealer.
"What is taking him so long?" Nate wondered aloud.
After two more hours of waiting in the same spot, Nate became restless.
Unable to stand the wait any longer, he decided to ask the few people around if they had seen the game sealer.
He spotted a shop that was open in the middle of the street and decided to go in.
There was no need to knock since it was just a shop that sealed clothes.
"Hey, have you seen the man who seals video game plates and virtual reality game cards?" Nate asked a chubby man who appeared to be wearing lipstick.
There was a slight pause as the man looked Nate up and down.
"What do you want, darling?" the man said, leaning closer to Nate's face.
Nate inwardly cursed himself for getting into this situation.
Ignoring the man's behavior, Nate repeated his question, "I said, do you know the man who seals games outside?"
"Get out," the man replied curtly.
Confused, Nate asked, "What?"
"Security!" the man called out.
Hearing the word 'security,' Nate quickly dashed out of the store.
"Is it because I'm not in my school uniform?" Nate wondered as he left the store.
He was certain that if he had been wearing his school uniform, the man wouldn't have treated him that way. But since he wasn't, he had no choice but to find someone else who might know the game sealer.
Nate had taken off his school uniform because he was not only in a deserted street but also a dangerous one. After all, the street was not isolated for no reason.
Soon, Nate found another person to ask, but just as he was about to approach them, he heard someone calling out to him.
Turning back, he saw an old man holding envelopes in his hand.
"Where have you been?" the man asked.
"Really? I'm the one who should be asking those questions," Nate replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Anyway, where is his package?" Nate extended his hand.
"No. You'll have to show me the cash first," the old man said, putting the envelope back in his pocket.
Nate thought to himself, 'Silly old man,' as he handed over the bundle of money.
"I hope this isn't a scam," Nate muttered before quickly walking away.
The old man shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, young lad, but I have to eat."
Soon, Nate arrived at his house and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower.
He lived in a one-room apartment, and how he ended up there was still a mystery.
Nate had been given a house, a scholarship, a VR helmet, and platforms as a reward after defeating a game programmer in his own game.
But Nate had sold the house and used most of the money to buy more VR game cards.
Just like a DVD player, a VR card allowed players to play different types of games.
VR cards were more expensive than DVD games.
VR helmets came in two types: the mental helmet and the platform helmet.
The mental helmet used the player's mental energy to transfer their consciousness into the game, while the platform helmet required the player to stay on a platform.
The platform helmet was quite expensive and mainly owned by rich people. Fortunately for Nate, he had been awarded one after defeating the programmer.
People believed that playing with the platform VR helmet was more fun, as it gave players freedom and a more realistic experience than the mental helmet.
However, playing with the platform helmet also allowed players to use their physical bodies to control themselves in the game, which could make them stronger in real life.
After setting things up, Nate put on his black, elastic clothes to allow for free movement in the game.
He took out the envelope and opened it, revealing a jet-black card with a red blood tundra bot in the center. It was the same size as a credit card.
Nate's mouth dropped in surprise at the sight.
Without wasting any time, he plugged the card into the slot and waited for the game to start.
[Zombie game]
[Are you sure you want to play this game?]
[Yes or No]
A message appeared in Nate's interface as soon as he put the helmet on his head.
"What is this?" Nate wondered aloud.
He had a bad feeling about the game.
"Who programmed this game? Is this how you introduce your game to players?" Nate muttered, determined not to let it affect him.
"If that's it, just know it won't work on me."
Nate clicked 'yes' without realizing that he had just embarked on a path from which he could never return.
[1%]...
[20%]
[50%]
[100%]
[Welcome to the zombie game]
These were the last words Nate heard before losing consciousness.