AFM Ch 6 Part 2

…

Then, unarmed, players would start gathering nearby resources and equipment, gradually expanding their range and attacking any enemy they encountered along the way.

Eventually, a red door would appear in the game, visible even through numerous buildings.

The players’ task was to escape through this door before the countdown in the top right corner ended, securing their entry into the next stage.

Jing Mian could also revive more teammates than the opposing team.

As a seasoned core member of the team, Cen Xian, known as Mole, was exceptionally steady with his shots—accurate and ruthless, always starting for the team.

Each side fielded eight players.

In total, there were one hundred players, the rest being AI-controlled.

As the time came,

Team Me. took their seats, one by one.

Jing Mian walked in last, dressed in a deep blue hoodie with the zipper pulled tight, a headset around his neck, and as always, wearing a hat and a pure black mask, revealing only his warm, beautiful eyes and his pale complexion.

The offsite live stream quietly captured all of this, and the chat exploded in an instant:

【Ahhh, Jing Mian!】

【Jing Mian!!!】

【Holy crap, I’m stunned. So it’s true that Mianmian joined ME.?】

【Me. really has some moves. Heard through the grapevine that several top-tier clubs DM’d this streamer, but Mianmian didn’t join any of them.】

【Thank you, generous patrons, for the high-definition camera that lets me see Jing Mian so clearly.】

【Mommy’s darling Jing Mian [heart]】

【Thought Mianmian joining a team meant he’d take off the mask and show his face during matches, guess I thought too much, sob sob】

…

The network operator quietly took a breath, observing the rapidly increasing online viewership and data metrics, and silently gave a thumbs up to the organizers.

As they had anticipated,

Jing Mian was a traffic magnet.

Good-looking people playing esports often cause an uproar among netizens.

The match had just begun, and the online viewership had already reached fifty thousand.

For a cross-server match, this was an instant skyrocket in traffic.

Jing Mian put on his headphones.

The noise from the outside world suddenly quieted down a lot.

The huge screen went dark, and soon, the players awakened.

Without a clear, complete field of vision, Jing Mian couldn’t tell where he was, so he slightly pushed with his palm.

The obstacle blocking his view moved away.

“…”

Well, Jing Mian realized he was actually in the trunk of a car.

Jing Mian had to admire the developers’ creativity; there was even a dedicated forum online for sharing the most bizarre places they had woken up in during the first level of Glory.

“Damn…” muttered a teammate beside him, “Waking up in a pigsty, what’s that about…”

Jing Mian almost burst out laughing.

If this were posted on the Glory forum, it would definitely hit the front page.

With these thoughts, Jing Mian’s nervousness eased considerably. He then fully immersed himself in the game. After all, every bizarre and unexpected location could be hiding an enemy who had just awakened. Among them were ambushers. For instance, one could wake up, find a small hiding spot, return to their original location, and ambush other players from behind with a headshot, seizing their rich equipment.

Jing Mian moved to the nearest house. Inside, there was only a shotgun, colloquially known as a “blaster” among players. It was only good for close combat, not precise shooting, and was as useful as a frying pan for self-defense—not very.

“SHOOT!” A sound alert came from nearby, and Jing Mian realized it was from outside his headset. While everyone was still scouting and searching for equipment, Cen Xian had already made the first kill. True to his reputation as a seasoned pro.

The number of enemies each team member successfully eliminated would be added up at the end, and the player with the highest score would decide when to close the red door on the other side, disqualifying those left in the battleground.

As Jing Mian was distracted, a moving figure suddenly appeared in his field of vision. His hand reacted faster than his brain, and he pressed the mouse. Immediately, the successful kill sound “SHOOT!” rang out.

“Damn, that was fast?”

“Does anyone still think our Jing Mian is just a pretty face? The little gun god in the tech area isn’t just for show.”

“So freaking cool, it was purely a reflexive strike!”

“Blow up, Jing Mian!”

“Then Mole comes out, formidable as the younger generation.”

…

The rest of the team quickly followed with their own kills. Eliminated enemy players would take off their headsets, curse under their breath, and frustratingly watch their teammates’ screens to offer guidance.

Soon, players from both teams were being eliminated. Jing Mian’s teammate beside him took off his headset and sighed deeply. Then, his gaze shifted to Jing Mian’s screen. He widened his eyes, thinking the overly obedient newbie would first find two perfect guns, then bravely sweep through the arena, eliminating enemies. Instead, Jing Mian had amassed an array of guns and magazines. The sheer number and weight slowed down his character’s running.

Teammate: “…” This was completely different from what he had expected. It was actually kind of cute. Then, he saw Jing Mian switching guns effortlessly, not taking more than half a second between each switch, even managing to choose his weapon based on the distance for targeted kills.

“Damn… can you even play like that?”

Soon, only three survivors remained on the opposing team, while only Cen Xian and Jing Mian were left for Team ME., putting them at a disadvantage.

Jing Mian and Cen Xian quickly coordinated, sweeping the map with one attacking and the other defending. Despite not communicating verbally, their teamwork was exceptionally in sync… their understanding was nothing short of perfect.

Before long, the red escape door finally appeared.

Cen Xian, usually the one covered by teammates and charging forward, made his move first. He maneuvered between vehicles and trees, approaching the red door with an effortless yet forceful stride.

Just as Mole was about to reach it—

A sniper shot rang out without warning.

Cen Xian squinted slightly as his character’s health dropped by half instantly. The sniper was positioned far away, with few covers around, indicating the shooter was quite skilled.

But before he could heal, a second shot followed.

Cen Xian was taken aback.

This time, it wasn’t from an enemy.

It was from his own teammate.

—Jing Mian had taken the sniper rifle and, from a similarly long distance, had headshot the enemy sniper just as everyone had almost forgotten about him!

This gave Cen Xian ample time to heal.

As Cen Xian was about to reach the red door, an enemy team member, unable to sit still any longer, picked up a submachine gun and started firing in Cen Xian’s direction.

However, before the second bullet could be fired, he was headshot.

The direction… came from the same little sniper who had just cleared the way.

Following that, Jing Mian silently stood up and walked to a relatively hidden corner of the map.

He uncovered a haystack and without hesitation or pause, took out the enemy hiding inside.

The air fell silent for a moment.

After a brief pause, the chat exploded:

【Damn, what just happened?】

【Simply put, headshots with every shot.】

【What kind of sorcery is this???】

【Ahhh, a highlight moment! We were almost wiped out, but Mianmian saved the entire team with his own strength!!】

【This team captain Dawn is quite something. He didn’t let Jing Mian start, but when he finally showed up, he maxed out the thrill factor.】

【How did he even know someone was under that haystack?】

…

Jing Mian’s teammates also voiced this question.

The young man paused, then honestly replied, “I’ve hidden there before, got uncovered, and was headshot.”

“Because from the outside, it sticks out a bit.”

Teammate: “…”

“What on earth have you been through, kid?”

Thus, at the first checkpoint, two members of the Me. team survived.

They also gained the privilege of reviving more teammates in the next round.

“Next round, they’ll definitely start with Li Shengwen.”

Xuan Cheng leaned forward, sighing, “Today was so relaxed largely because their team captain, Greek, didn’t show up for the match.”

Jing Mian was taken aback, “Greek?”

“Yes,” Xuan Cheng confirmed, “the player ranked second on the PK leaderboard.”

Jing Mian hesitated, then decided to share the encounter from the previous night: “Greek sent a pinned invitation last night to join their team, which I declined, and then he added me as a friend.”

Xuan Cheng was shocked, “What?! Despite being one of the top clubs in the country, they still try to poach talents from others?!”

After understanding the situation, Xuan Cheng pinched the bridge of his nose, resignedly saying, “It’s good that Greek didn’t come, but among the opponents in the next match, there’s one named Li Shengwen, and he and Greek are a duo.”

Jing Mian was only vaguely familiar with one of them.

So he wasn’t too interested in this gossip.

Xuan Rui bought some mint candies and distributed them to the team members who needed them.

However, when he handed one to Jing Mian, his palm accidentally touched Jing Mian’s fingertips, feeling icy cold.

Xuan Rui was startled, “Mianmian, why are your hands so cold?”

“Is the room too cold?”

Jing Mian paused, then nodded, “A bit.”

It was more than just a bit; his fingertips felt like little ice cubes.

Jing Mian was only wearing a thin shirt, and even the chair he sat on was cold, devoid of any warmth.

“It’s my fault! I forgot to mention it earlier,” Xuan Cheng admitted guiltily, “This venue is like this, the backstage area is a temporary setup, and the heating is inadequate, only the stage area is warm.”

Xuan Rui said, “Wait here, I’ll go ask a staff member for a coat.”

“Jing Mian, wear mine,” offered an experienced team member, handing over a coat, “It’s new. I ordered two when buying team uniforms. It might be a bit large, but it’ll definitely keep you warm.”

Jing Mian really needed it, so he nodded appreciatively to the senior, “Thank you.”

Soon, the mid-game break ended.

The players selected for the second checkpoint, the haunted house, took turns entering the stage.

And Jing Mian was among them.

Those who had watched Jing Mian’s streams knew that compared to the first checkpoint, which was purely a shooting game, Jing Mian was actually better at the second.

The haunted house was more fun, with a vast map and many Easter eggs that could keep one entertained for dozens of plays, always coming up with the most optimal escape plans.

Combined with the team battle aspect of the competition, it added even more excitement.

As Jing Mian settled back into his seat, his chatty teammate leaned in close, whispering a rundown of the opposing team’s members, each with their names and corresponding ID codes. Among them was Li Shengwen. Soon, the match began. Jing Mian donned his headset, and the screen gradually came into focus—revealing a dimly lit, somewhat dilapidated pale house. The floor and tables were made of mottled wood, exuding an air of antiquity. Yet, there was something oddly familiar about it. Was this… the haunted house map?

—

【Another haunted house!!】

【Haha, last stream I saw Mianmian enjoying the scenery in the haunted house.】

【The haunted house is really classic, but honestly, I’m a bit tired of it. Those who play a lot might feel the same; some rooms hide supplies, some spots where ghosts appear, the hidden locations of the big and small bosses… I’m too familiar with it, really tired of it.】

【+1 to the above】

【Can we get a different map, please?】

…

But the organizers paid no heed.

The competition continued.

This time it was the official match, and Jing Mian no longer had the luxury to simply enjoy the scenery; he was fully engaged. He began to silently recall every detail from his previous runs through the haunted house. Jing Mian wasn’t a naturally gifted player. So, each exploration required his utmost concentration, and if he wasn’t confident enough to use it as a tutorial, he would continue to practice it alone dozens of times. The haunted house was one of the maps he was most familiar with, which gave him some reassurance.

Jing Mian maneuvered his character, scavenging the room for bandages and potions but found no weapons. Deciding to venture out, the haunted house aimed for immersive realism, even in-game details were vividly crafted: like the dust motes that seemed to float up, the creaking sound of shoes on the wooden floor, and the faint, slightly tense breathing sounds of the character as he moved. Jing Mian hadn’t gone far when he and a teammate turned a corner and bumped into each other. They shone their flashlights on each other’s faces and then silently exchanged supplies. They met another teammate and swapped items again. Then they encountered an enemy player, exchanged glances, and quietly passed by each other without conflict.

One advantage of the haunted house map was that, although the scenery and bosses remained the same, the escape exits were highly randomized. They could appear in any room on any floor, requiring players to explore on their own. This meant that every safe room needed to be checked and, simultaneously, the most dangerous places in the haunted house… also had to be bravely faced.

But the locations that could serve as exits had been thoroughly explored by seasoned players over the years. Even once, the toilet in the room where the Boss resided was used as the sole escape route for players. With such bizarre creativity employed, everyone couldn’t help but wonder what new twists this game could still offer.

As Jing Mian walked, a subtle, indescribable feeling began to creep up on him. Today’s haunted house… seemed different from the usual practice sessions. For instance, the usual ghostly encounters at every corner were absent. The crawling creature that should have appeared when he picked up the green potion was nowhere to be seen. And when Jing Mian geared up to storm the Boss’s master bedroom, he found it eerily empty, devoid of any ghosts.