The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 127 (Part 2)

Chapter 127: Actors (Part 2)

Seo Arin’s expression was one of shock as she covered her face and crouched down.

Meanwhile, she secretly summoned two fairies under the table.

Unaware of the situation, the actors laughed maliciously.

“Just hand over your items willingly, and we’ll let you go without pain. But if you’re uncooperative, we’ll have no choice but to use force.”

“Why, why are you doing this? Why kill fellow actors just for…”

“Why, you ask? There are plenty of reasons. First, it’s easier to backstab actors in the same profession. Second, having good items increases your chances of surviving the next round. Third, as I said before, it’s a waste to let the items vanish. Fourth, to survive, we’ve realized you can’t be picky about your methods. Fifth, it’s surprisingly fun.”

“…”

“Have you ever had the chance to intimidate and kill someone? Always conscious of fans’ eyes and living under their scrutiny, could we ever engage in such thrilling acts?”

“They’re your colleagues… not just anyone, but peers you’ve acted with…”

“Ah, Miss Seo Arin, you’re so naive, not knowing what it’s like to start from the bottom.”

Ku Yeon-seung’s smile vanished.

“Do you know what it’s like to climb up from the bottom? The uncertain future of someday making it big, while living in a shitty reality as a struggling actor? I know. I’ve experienced it all and managed to make it big through hard work.”

“…”

“But what if that hard-earned dream shatters in an instant? The world going to hell, unable to work on long-term projects like dramas or movies, and having to live as a clown on variety shows or survive on commercials? What if you’re living a life counting down to the next round, wondering if you’ll make it through? It would be utterly despairing and empty, wouldn’t it?”

“…”

“Everyone here is in that situation. People who have lost the jobs they barely managed to secure. Actors who were sincere in their craft but betrayed by their efforts. What can we, in our position, do? Nothing but a struggle for survival. Trampling over others to survive is the only strategy left for the remaining players.”

“…”

“And then, a perfect stage for trampling over others is set, isn’t it? You can even learn a scam skill like erasing traces. With this, how could we not kill? Reducing the number of actors increases the scarcity of celebrities, naturally boosting our value. Our worth in reality increases, and we secure items for use in the otherworld. What better two birds with one stone could there be? Hehe.”

“…”

There was much Seo Arin wanted to rebut, but she focused silently on acting instead.

Pretending to be scared and trembling, she put all her acting skills into this moment, as if this was what she had been preparing for all along.

“So… you’re going to steal my items and kill me?”

“Of course.”

Seo Arin then smiled resignedly.

“Is, is this a hidden camera prank? A new variety show, or maybe a YouTube video? Can someone please tell me this is just a joke?”

“Hehe, this b*tch still hasn’t snapped out of it?”

Hong Sun-ah taunted as she approached Seo Arin.

Slap-

A slap followed immediately, blood splattering as her head turned.

The force behind the palm strike was clearly no joke.

“Hey, you f*cking b*tch. Do you think we’re playing around? Should we cut off a finger or two to help you understand the situation?”

“Ah, why bother with a finger? There’s a better way.”

As the men smirked maliciously, Hong Sun-ah grimaced.

“Men are all the same, huh? If a girl’s face is half-decent, that’s all they think about? You think she’s pretty? It’s all thanks to plastic surgery.”

“Plastic surgery isn’t for anyone, you know? You need a good base to start with.”

“So what if it’s plastic surgery? Hehe, as long as it tastes good, that’s all that matters.”

Even amidst the mocking laughter, Seo Arin curled up and endured.

Her expression mixed with shame, anger, and fear, she waited for an opportunity.

Ku Yeon-seung quieted the crowd with a sigh.

“You guys, why scare her already? Miss Arin? Don’t worry. Just hand over all your items, and we’ll let you die peacefully. I’ll make sure these guys don’t touch you.”

“…”

“You don’t like it, do you? By your expression. Wouldn’t it be better to hand over your items and die peacefully rather than being treated like a rag and dying horribly?”

“…Do you really promise to let me go peacefully if I give you my items?”

“Yes. Oh, but I forgot to tell you something.”

“What is it…”

“You know Jang Bokchul, right? He’s really into you, Miss Arin. He even mentioned you as his ideal type in the media. So, when he heard Miss Arin was coming, he was really looking forward to it.”

“…”

“So, just do what he wants, just once. You can do that much before dying, right?”

“What do you mean…”

“It’s pitiful, isn’t it? A nobody who survived not because of acting but as a player and finally made it big. And this guy picked you, Miss Seo Arin, as his ideal type, but you can’t even do that much for him? It would feel good if you grant one person’s wish before dying, right?”

“…”

“If you don’t answer, I’ll take it as a yes. You don’t have a choice anyway.”

“…”

“Don’t even think about resisting. You see how many of us are here, right? Including Bokchul, that makes nine of us. All above level 35. According to Sun-ah, Miss Seo Arin is level 37, but you won’t stand a chance against us.”

“Please, spare me. I, I was wrong.”

Seo Arin showed tears and rubbed her hands together.

Belatedly facing reality.

Bitter laughter leaked from the actors’ mouths.

“Everyone ends up like this in the end, don’t they? ‘Please spare me, I won’t do it again, I was wrong.’ But if you’re begging for your life, shouldn’t you start by handing over your items?”

“I’ll give them to you. I’ll give them all to you.”

Seo Arin pretended to take items out of her inventory and sneakily looked around.

Now was the time.

They were off guard.

‘Equip!’

At the command word, Seo Arin’s body was enveloped in her gear.

Swooosh-

Before the people could react to the sudden armament, the waiting fairies emerged from under the table.

Then, those cute creatures fired beams of light straight at Ku Yeon-seung.

Screeeeech-!

“Aaaargh!”

As the sound of burning flesh filled the air, Ku Yeon-seung screamed.

He raised his arm in defense, and it was just in time; a moment later, and his eyes would have been burnt out.

“You f*cking b*tch! Catch her!”

Before Ku Yeon-seung could even shout, the actors were already donning their equipment.

Seo Arin was inwardly surprised.

‘They’re quick to respond.’

It seemed they had anticipated her resistance.

Quickly summoning a golem, Seo Arin pushed away the male actor standing by the door.

Boom-!

“Ugh!”

When the 1.5m golem charged with its entire body, the man was slammed against the wall.

Seo Arin grabbed the doorknob and flung the door open.

She had never intended to confront them head-on.

She was only looking for a chance to escape.

‘I’ve done it, now I just need to get out…!’

But before she could step over the threshold.

Ssshhhrrr-

Black chains wrapped around Seo Arin’s body.

“F*cking b*tch, where do you think you’re running to?”

The chains belonged to Ku Yeon-seung.

No actor had ever escaped from the grasp of the black magician.

“F*cking hell, I thought you were no different. I was fooled by a woman’s tears, I really got fooled, huh?”

“…!”

Seo Arin tried to command her fairies, but it was too late; she realized they had already been destroyed by Ku Yeon-seung’s black arrows.

Crashhhh-

The golem, too, had been shattered by the players, returning to a pile of rubble.

‘Ah, what do I do now? All my summons are dead.’

To summon again, she had to wait for a 10-minute cooldown.

In a situation where every second was critical, she couldn’t afford to wait.

“Why not try summoning again? Oh, maybe you can’t because of the cooldown?”

“…”

“Then, can we have our fun with you now?”

“Brother, you said we’d leave her for Bokchul.”

“I changed my mind. Who knows when she’ll summon again? We can’t wait for Bokchul to arrive.”

Ku Yeon-seung ordered with a murderous gaze.

“Men, get ready. Let’s show this f*cking b*tch what humiliation is.”

“Hehe, gladly.”

“I’ve been waiting for this.”

The men stepped forward with malicious smiles, and Hong Sun-ah laughed bitterly, stepping back.

As the men grabbed her arms and legs, Seo Arin was engulfed in despair.

‘Ah, to end up like this…’

Her escape plan had failed.

With no way out, darkness enveloped her vision.

Then, someone entered through the open door.

The actors’ attention shifted.

A familiar face, Jang Bokchul, had arrived.

“Uh? Bokchul! Here’s your favorite Seo Arin…”

Their expressions brightened but quickly hardened.

Behind him stood a masked stranger.

“Who…”

Before they could finish asking, Jang Bokchul’s head flopped lifelessly.

It seems he was already dead.

The masked man stepped forward while carrying Jang Bokchul’s body with him.

“Jang Bokchul, this bastard, was your friend, right?”

Thud-

As he let go, Jang Bokchul’s body collapsed lifelessly.

“Who, who are you?!”

“It seems I was right.”

With a wave of his hand, the corpse vanished without a trace.

Trace erasure.

“I smelled trash from afar. So it was gathered here.”

“Who are you..”

Before Ku Yeon-seung could finish, he swallowed his words.

The others did the same.

Silence fell, as if time had stopped.

There was no need to ask who he was.

Because they could see a large black scythe in the masked man’s hand.