BANG! A loud gunshot echoed as a bullet pierced my abdomen. The pain shot through me, knocking me to the ground with such force I nearly blacked out.
"What… what's happening?" I clutched my wound, feeling blood oozing through my fingers, my heartbeat pounding like a drum. In front of me stood a cold-eyed man, still holding the smoking gun, his gaze as icy as death, watching me to see if I'd breathed my last.
Just as my vision began to blur, a chilling mechanical voice sounded in my mind:
[Host detected as injured. System activation condition met. Assassin System initializing… loading complete.]
"What… what?" I froze. Was I… hallucinating? But the voice continued, emotionless and cold: [Host, Mission 1 has been issued: Survive the current encounter. Reward upon completion: Basic Combat Lv1.]
Survive? The world around me was fading fast, but those words jolted me awake. Was this really a life-or-death struggle where I'd have to fight my way out?
The assassin seemed to notice I was still breathing, an odd glint flashing in his eyes before he sneered, "You're a tough one, but you're still going to die." He raised the gun, ready to fire again.
"No… I can't let that happen!" I gritted my teeth through the pain and, seizing a split-second of opportunity, rolled aside just as he pulled the trigger. My eyes landed on a glass tumbler on the table—I grabbed it without thinking and hurled it at his face.
The glass struck his nose, and he snarled, staggering back. I forced myself to stand, my mind in chaos but clinging to one thought: "Delay him, even for just a second!"
The assassin's rage flared, and he lunged at me. My gaze darted around, locking onto a desk lamp—I snatched it up and swung it at his head with all my strength. He stumbled back a few steps, giving me a chance to catch my breath, though I was pale and shaken.
"You've got some moves, little doorman," he sneered, straightening up with a look that suggested I was a mouse cornered by a cat.
Swallowing hard, I gripped the lamp tightly, muttering to myself, "Stay calm… this might be my last chance."
The assassin advanced, his eyes cold, his steps murderous. My heart sank with despair: Was this really happening? I'd only come here to be a doorman—how did things get this deadly?
Amidst my frantic thoughts, that cold voice sounded again: [Host, hang in there. Upon completing the mission, you'll receive "Basic Combat Skill Lv1."]
"Hang in there, my ass!" I screamed in my mind, forcing down my fear as I searched for any way to survive. Focus… I had to stay focused—I couldn't die here.
A quick glance around, and I spotted a chair in the corner with a small ornament nearby. In a flash of desperation, I pretended to make a break for the door, then swerved back, hurling the lamp at him. He flinched, dodging just in time, buying me a few precious seconds.
"This is my chance!" I dove for the chair, gripping its legs, and, despite my injuries, swung it with all my strength, crashing it into his chest. He stumbled back again, the mocking look on his face twisting with anger.
With no escape, I clenched my teeth, abandoning all thought and relying solely on raw survival instinct, swinging the chair over and over.
Finally, he staggered back, clutching his injured shoulder, a grimace of pain briefly crossing his face. My heart raced, my breathing ragged. "I'm still alive…"
I panted, drenched in sweat, the chair now battered and splintered. But when I saw the assassin's pained expression, a glimmer of hope flared in me.
Clutching his shoulder, he glared at me, his eyes cold and filled with contempt. "Hmph, not bad for a little doorman," he sneered.
Before I could react, he snatched up a shard of broken glass from the floor and lunged. I yelped, stumbling back instinctively. But then, the voice echoed in my mind again: [Host, complete the mission to gain "Basic Combat Skill Lv1."]
"The mission… it's almost done?" Without hesitation, I tightened my grip on the chair leg and swung it with every ounce of strength, aiming for his arm.
SMACK! The chair leg struck his wrist, sending the glass shard clattering to the ground. I took advantage of his momentary pain, ramming the chair into his chest. He stumbled back, finally losing his balance and collapsing heavily onto the floor.
I stared at the fallen assassin, my mind still reeling as my heart raced wildly. Just then, the mechanical voice sounded once more: [Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission. Reward: Basic Combat Skill Lv1.]
Suddenly, a flood of unfamiliar memories surged into my mind, combat techniques I'd never learned becoming clear as if I'd trained for years. Without thinking, I shifted into a defensive stance, feeling newfound reflexes and a sense of confidence.
The assassin struggled to his feet, his expression even colder, an evil smile on his lips. "I guess I'll have to finish you off now… can't leave you alive to cause more trouble."
This time, though, I didn't retreat. Armed with this new strength, I steadied myself, gripping the chair leg, and met his gaze with determination. "Come on, I can handle it now."
He sneered, "So you've got a spine after all, little doorman…"
A sudden gunshot echoed behind me, and I watched in shock as a bullet pierced the assassin's forehead.
Frozen in place, I looked down at his lifeless body, his eyes wide in surprise, clearly not expecting someone else to attack him.
Stiffly, I turned around to see a tall, slender man standing in the doorway, holding a gun with a bored expression. He gave me a brief, irritated look, muttering, "Can't a guy get some sleep around here?" He lowered the gun and sneered, "You're the new doorman, right? Keep it down next time, or I might put a hole in your head too."
I stood there, still numb, just staring at this lanky stranger. He looked at me with an air of exasperation, as though dealing with this mess was merely a minor annoyance.
"What, cat got your tongue?" He scoffed, a hint of disdain in his gaze. "Or don't you know how to say thanks?"
"Oh… th-thank you…" I stammered, my mind still spinning. Who was this guy, casually dispatching an assassin and threatening me in the same breath?
He snorted, waving dismissively as if my reaction bored him. "Fine, since you're new, I'll let it slide this time." He turned to leave, muttering to himself, "A bunch of noisy idiots… acting like this place is a joke."
I stood motionless until he disappeared down the hallway, finally letting out a shaky breath as my body sagged, exhaustion washing over me. My chest heaved with every frantic breath, hands still trembling. For a moment there, I really thought I was going to die.
[Congratulations, Host. Mission complete. Basic Combat Skill Lv1 successfully acquired.]
The voice pulled me back to reality. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself, recalling the combat skills that had surged into my mind. These moves and reflexes felt like second nature now, as if I'd trained for years.
"What the hell kind of place is this…" I muttered, looking down at the fallen assassin and the bloodstains on the floor, unsure if I should feel terrified or relieved.
It seemed my life as a doorman was going to be far more complicated than I'd imagined.