"Alright, is there anyone from the national team list that we haven’t been able to contact yet? Report back quickly. After contacting the players, figure out if there are any common free days in their schedules. If it doesn’t work, group them in threes or fours!"
"Which companies have requested PPL (Product Placent)? Separate the ads that can be displayed in virtual reality from those that are limited to real life. I’ll handle the contacts, but if they have any samples, ask them to send pictures as well."
"Here’s the list of broadcast channels requesting interviews… None of them want to interview more than four people at once. We’ll break it down into six teams of three, except for Yujin and Dice, who will have separate slots. Anyone object?"
"There are over a dozen ad proposals just for Yujin... Jincheol! You said Yujin’s an Awakener, right? Send her the list of ad requests for now. I’ll check with the legal team to see if there are any issues. But don’t expect too much."
"Understood. Also, SSM just asked us to hold off on officially listing Yujin as part of their team. Her short-term coaching contract ends in late November, so she’ll continue being marked as unaffiliated."
After the tournant ends, people fall into a few different categories.
First, there are the ones who relax.
Second, the ones who are busy.
Lastly, there are the ones who are so busy, they might as well be dying from overwork.
When KSM ends, the players get a break.
When KSM ends, the viewers either go back to work or chill.
And when KSM ends, Icarus, the teams, and the countless brands eager to secure PPL deals with the AP Soloing National Representatives beco busier than they could possibly handle.
AP Soloing National Representative.
Considering that the viewership for the third KSM peaked at five million, these representatives were not just national champions shining a light on Korea—they were walking billboards. In other words, they were money magnets.
That’s where Icarus’s PR team cos in—not only the legal team but also the planning and business departnts, along with anyone involved in external publicity.
In short, there was no ti to breathe. The national team roster wasn’t finalized until Monday, which ant that, starting early that morning, inquiries flooded in at an overwhelming rate.
The result? This frantic scene.
"The Icarus Japan branch has released the JSM roster."
"Okay. Distribute it to the teams. Listen, just do what we did last year. Focus on the basics, and if anything gets complicated, connect them directly with the teams. We don’t need to handle everything ourselves. Got it? Just focus on things like shoes and gloves—anything that can apply to all players."
"Got it."
The work never stopped coming.
It wasn’t just about processing it either. We had to constantly adjust our tasks and deliverables according to the situation, which could change by the minute. Only the best talent could keep up with all of this while maintaining the reputation of a major corporation like Icarus.
And that wasn’t all. Amidst all this chaos, you also needed to identify key trends, process them, and turn them into presentations and reports for endless etings and briefings.
This structure practically guaranteed overti for at least a week. But with the kind of money flowing into your account, how could you not work with a smile? What others earned in a month, we made in three days.
In the middle of this pandemonium sat Assistant Manager Kim Jincheol, typing furiously at his keyboard, moving his mouse and other devices with speed, drafting multiple docunts. After a quick restroom break, he grabbed a cold can of coffee from the break room fridge.
As he opened the can, his mind wandered to soone he couldn’t forget.
"…It hasn’t been that long since then, and she’s already risen this high."
Yujin.
The more data he compiled, the more that na ca up, endlessly. Though he was part of the PR team, Jincheol was also the bridge between Yujin and Icarus. It was impossible for him to be unaware—he had heard her na enough tis for it to be drilled into his skull.
It was just a couple of months ago when she showed up, oddly stiff, and broke every record in Icarus’s physical ability tests, quickly establishing herself in hardcore mode as a rising star.
Her delicate features and toned figure… No, more than that, it was her snake-like tail that ca to mind from ti to ti. Jincheol wasn’t even fond of reptiles, but his YourSpace algorithm had started suggesting snake-keeping videos after her appearance.
Just then, the door to the break room opened, and another familiar face walked in.
"What? You’re on break too?"
"Oh, hey, senior. I’m dying here… Was it this bad last year?"
"Last year? It was rough, but not as bad as this. But what can you do? Next year’s going to be even worse. You do know Dark Zone’s only been out for five years, right?"
"Geez, they really grind you down here."
"If I’m getting ground down, what chance do you have?"
They exchanged about 20 seconds of banter.
Then, with a sigh, they left the break room. They couldn’t afford to take a longer break with the mountain of work piling up.
Outside, it was still a madhouse. Soone, tablet in hand, sprinted down the hallway, though it was unclear if they were from a different departnt or the sa one. The holographic displays floating overhead flickered and glowed, illuminating the chaotic scene.
It almost felt surreal—like a company from a near-future dystopia.
Before sitting down, the two exchanged one last bit of conversation.
"Yujin’s na keeps coming up everywhere. How far do you think she’ll go?"
"Hard to say."
But one thing was certain.
"You’ll still be hearing her na in a month, and in three months, too."
"Wow, you think she’ll make it to the finals? For real? I an, she’s insanely good. I’m still learning how to handle PVE raids…"
"Haha. Just get back to work."
Jincheol wondered what Yujin might be doing right now.
Cracking open his can of coffee, the cold, bitter liquid slid down his throat, clearing his head. But seeing the thousands of characters and images filling his screen quickly killed any motivation he might have had.
Sigh.
"I wish I could just go shoot so guns in-ga."
Condensation ford on the can of coffee as the heat slowly faded.
Autumn was coming.
"…Are you all paying attention to what I’m saying?"
-Of course! We’re all focused on how beautiful your tail is. ;) -I can’t concentrate! Your tail’s too distracting~~~ -Yujin, I’m not associated with these idiots. Please rember that. -You fools, LOL. -Every mission is set to extre difficulty, haha.
They weren’t paying attention at all.
Back in the day, I would have picked a well-tid donation like a drill sergeant, cracked so heads, and turned them into model viewers. But now that I had a national team title to my na, I felt a little more pressure.
Was this what they ant when they said a position makes the person? Realizing that now, it felt like a headache. But at the sa ti, it was kind of nice to be back in my elent after so long.
Pop!
"Ti to do so scouting."
"Uh, is that how scouting is usually done…?"
Harmony’s confused voice ca from behind , but scouting from a high vantage point is standard procedure.
The popping sound was the anchor bolt fastening itself to the top of the Washington Monunt, about 170 ters up. Given that drones could be shot down, this was a handy alternative.
A steel rope about 500 ters long uncoiled and dropped. I told Harmony to wait below for safety reasons. Pressing the ▲ button, I was swiftly pulled upwards. But given the height, it took a while.
The wind was cold, but the sky was clear. The frozen snow on the roof was slippery, so I had to be careful. After securely attaching myself to the line, I added a comnt over comms.
"Better stay away from the tower."
"Ah, okay."
Crack! Craaack!
I opened the pouch attached to my tail and pulled out a tactical spike hamr, smashing the eternal ice on the Washington Monunt’s peak. Huge chunks of ice broke off and plumted over 150 ters to the ground, shattering into thousands of pieces.
Harmony’s startled voice and the bewildered chat ssages ca in simultaneously.
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