Prologue
I PROCEEDED ALONE through the dim underground passage of the labyrinth, my sole light source coming from the glowing flowers. In my peripheral vision, I kept the map displayed on the goggles clipped to my head. I gripped my FN P90 tightly with both hands, relaxing and tightening my grip in turn.
The labyrinth’s map expanded with each step forward, revealing red dots that indicated enemies ahead. There were only two dots at first, then three more followed behind them. At this pace, I would likely encounter them around the corner off to my right.
My pace quickened unconsciously, from a slow walk into a dash. I confirmed the red dots’ positions, and I accelerated into a dive around the corner, rotating my body to the right in midair. The red dots were goblins. I aimed down the FN P90’s iron sights at one’s head and let loose with a burst of fire while still airborne.
There was no doubt that the goblin was dead. My aim had perfectly aligned with its skull, and the burst fire of three 5.7 × 28mm rounds resulted in a headshot. That was one goblin down.
As my body descended, I released the iron sights and readjusted my aim, directing the crosshair displayed on my goggles towards another goblin’s head. Once it and the crosshair aligned, I quickly re-engaged the iron sights and pulled the trigger.
The FN P90 was equipped with a silencer, and its gunfire emitted a dull, subdued sound as I landed on the underground passage floor and quickly transitioned into a kneeling position. I switched the FN P90’s firing mode from full-auto to semi-auto. I looked at the goblins’ faces—they had no idea what hit them.
I spotted the remaining three enemies in the distance—glass wolves. Glass wolves were not your typical dog or wolf. They were huge, and it was difficult to stop their momentum once they were in a full headlong charge.
I fired two shots at the closest one. I slid the crosshair to target the head of the right-most glass wolf and fired two more shots. The last remaining glass wolf charged towards me. Still crouched, I leaned forward and launched myself off like a rocket into the passage wall diagonally ahead of me.
Executing a wall run, I evaded the glass wolf’s charge and leapt behind it. While still in midair, I performed a 180-degree turn, and the crosshair darted rapidly as it sought and found the back of the glass wolf’s head.
And its head absorbed every perfectly aimed shot without a miss. The goblins’ bodies were enveloped by black mist emanating from the underground passage, and they sunk into the ground. I checked the map and confirmed no other red dots were present and that I was now safe.
I reloaded the P90, discarding the old magazine with some rounds remaining. The discarded magazine transformed into particles of light before touching the ground and vanishing.
I collected the special stones the goblins dropped in the passage. There were three stones in front, with a few left by the goblins further back. These magic stones were rewards for defeating the enemies within the underground labyrinth. They were akin to the spoils obtained at the end of an in-game battle. They were essential for my survival in this world.
The day that I fell into this world changed my life dramatically. Back in my old reality, I was a young man who worked hard turning my hobbies into a rewarding profession. I dreamt of having a family one day and spending the rest of my days in that mode.
That was then. Now, I was living my life as an FPS player.