Chapter 75: Unexpected Luck

Abyss, Now Called the National Game

Abyss has grown so much that it’s now being called the national game.

With leagues being consistently held and the game thriving, the news of a movie adaptation caused a huge stir.

Dozens of articles were written about it, and even professional Abyss gamers couldn’t hide their excitement, saying they would all go watch it.

Naturally, even those who weren’t aware of the movie learned about its release.

Finally, on the much-anticipated day, Abyss: The New World landed in theatres across South Korea.

“No way, it’s already sold out?”

“Wow, if I’d come any later, I wouldn’t have been able to book a ticket.”

“Ah, guess I’ll have to catch the next showing…”

On the opening day, the theatres were packed with people eager to watch the Abyss movie.

From casual players who simply enjoyed the game, to couples who had met through Abyss, and even die-hard fans of certain streamers—news of the movie had spread far and wide, drawing massive crowds to the cinemas.

Among the throng of moviegoers, one person stood out.

“So… you want to book every showtime from the first screening until the last one?”

“Yes.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the woman nodded.

Despite the fact that reservations weren’t allowed on opening day, she had shown up early in the morning and purchased tickets for every available screening.

This in itself wasn’t too unusual.

Plenty of people were planning to watch all the showings, whether it was to collect promotional coupons or simply out of sheer enthusiasm for the game.

What made her stand out, however, was her appearance.

She wore a pulled-down cap, sunglasses, and a mask that covered more than half of her face.

‘Is she a celebrity?’

That was the first thought that crossed the cashier’s mind.

The woman’s tiny face, flawless skin visible through the gaps in her disguise, and most of all, her striking hair color—far too eye-catching for an ordinary person—made her seem like someone famous.

Her pure white hair was something that would naturally draw attention, typically seen on people in the entertainment industry.

The ticket clerk glanced at the woman curiously, subtly trying to figure out if she was someone they recognized.

They mentally ran through a list of potential celebrities they knew.

“Here are your tickets. Enjoy the movie.”

In the end, the staff couldn’t figure out who she was.

With her completely covered appearance, it was impossible to identify her, and eventually, they gave up trying.

As the woman walked away, the clerk watched her retreating figure for a moment before turning their attention elsewhere.

“Yawn…”

A small yawn escaped the woman’s lips.

Perhaps waking up at 8 AM had been too much of a stretch, even for Camilla’s steel-like stamina—four hours of sleep simply wasn’t enough.

But there was no other choice.

Everyone had anticipated a crowd, and if she hadn’t arrived early, getting tickets would have been impossible.

Despite the early hour, the cinema was already bustling with people, confirming her expectations.

The chilly weather had her dressed in a thick jacket, cap, sunglasses, and mask—full protection against the cold.

Well, the cap, sunglasses, and mask had nothing to do with the cold, but they were necessary.

After all, this was an Abyss-related movie.

If someone who looked exactly like Camilla walked around the theater, it would cause a complete uproar.

Realistically, most people don’t pay that much attention to others, so one could argue that she was just being overly cautious.

‘But it’s better to be safe than sorry.’

If she wanted to enjoy the movie in peace, this was the only way.

She could briefly remove her sunglasses and mask while watching the film; after all, everyone would be too focused on the screen to notice her.

“Even the teacher said they were watching it today.”

Top of Form

“Can we really have a fan meeting if we wait at the movie theatre?”

“What do you mean, a fan meeting? You don’t even know what they look like…”

“Maybe they’ll recognize the voice?”

“That might be true, but it feels a bit awkward to try to find them while they’re resting.”

“It’s a fan meeting if we just happen to bump into them.”

A shiver ran through my body as I overheard the voices of three men from across the room.

‘Please tell me they’re not talking about me.’

Wait, are those my viewers? The ones talking?

They were joking about having a fan meeting if they met me at the theatre and asking if I would give autographs if we ran into each other.

I had jokingly said I would give autographs—and even hugs—if anyone asked.

And before I knew it, the chat had exploded, with everyone saying they would find me at the theatre.

That’s why I was being extra cautious. I had hoped it wouldn’t happen, but now… it really was happening.

‘I’m glad I went all out with my disguise.’

I felt like I had turned into a public figure, someone famous enough for people to recognize me.

The relief that I hadn’t been spotted, coupled with the thrill of sneaking around, made my heart race.

With that complex mix of emotions, I walked into the theatre.

“Ugh…”

A man who loved Abyss, a Platinum-tier player, Park Joo-seung, ruffled his hair in frustration.

It was 1 PM, and he had already finished watching the movie three times after waking up early in the morning.

Abyss: The New World.

For each viewing of the movie, there was an event that gave out coupon codes for in-game items.

Since he’d watched the movie three times, he had entered three codes. But each time, the results were disappointing.

“Did you get anything?”

“Just a crappy old man skin. How about you?”

“I got a Camilla emoticon. Not bad, right?”

“Shit, I’m jealous…”

“At least it’s a skin. Earlier, I only got some weird icon.”

“No, I want a cute female character skin, or at least a Renok.”

Joo-seung mumbled, clicking his tongue.

He felt like he was the unluckiest one of the group.

There were originally three people in the group, but now only two remained.

One of them had already completed their goal and left after the 2nd screening at 10 AM.

‘Frost Queen Camilla! Hahaha! I’m out of here first!’

“I’m the only one unlucky. Only me.”

The image of his face, grinning from ear to ear, was still fresh in his mind.

“As for me… I’m just watching again to maybe get an emoticon or skin. But don’t you just buy Frost Queen Camilla?”

“That’s not romantic, though. Where’s the romance?”

Imagine watching the movie, entering the coupon code, and then seeing the Frost Queen Camilla appear.

There’s no better way to release dopamine than that.

Already, four posts had been made in the gallery showing off their lucky draws.

The limited stock of Frost Queen Camilla was quickly running out.

At this rate, the lucky winner might be able to claim the prize today, tomorrow, or at most, the day after tomorrow.

The one who would seize this opportunity had to be a man.

“Let’s go in now. It’s time.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Top of Form

As Joo-seung clenched his fist, determined, his friend tapped his shoulder and moved ahead.

“It’s nice and spacious.”

It was 1 PM, during the lunchtime period, so the theatre was less crowded compared to earlier.

Most people must have gone out to eat. The ones left behind were either those who had already eaten a hearty lunch or, like the men, the kind who could endure hunger.

Joo-seung felt a quiet sense of camaraderie as he glanced around.

Then, for some reason, he spotted a familiar face. Someone he had run into several times in this very theatre.

Joo-seung whispered to his friend, asking, “Isn’t that the person we saw earlier?”

“Yeah, looks like they keep coming back, just like us.”

The woman, with long, white hair, stood out. Even her attire caught attention.

From her hat down to her face, she was wrapped up so much that it sparked curiosity.

The woman fidgeted with her fingers, staring at the screen, occasionally grabbing a handful of popcorn to eat.

Every time she did, she slightly lowered her mask, and even from the brief glimpses of her face, it was clear she was exceptionally beautiful.

Hmmmm—

As Joo-seung found himself staring at the woman, the lights in the theatre slowly dimmed, and the movie began.

‘This is boring.’

To be honest, Joo-seung was starting to feel bored. This was the third time he had watched the movie. He already knew the lines and could predict what scene would come next.

Watching the same movie three times in a row was something he had never experienced before, and it turned out to be much more tedious than he had imagined.

So, instead of focusing on the movie, he decided to watch the woman who had caught his eye.

Though the theatre was dark, he wasn’t too far from her, so it wasn’t hard to glance at her occasionally. In fact, the darkness made it easier for Joo-seung to observe her without being noticed. After all, it would be odd to stare at someone when the lights were on.

Then, suddenly, the woman took off her sunglasses and mask and sat upright in her seat.

It was the scene where Camilla appeared. Specifically, Camilla’s battle scene.

The woman paused eating her popcorn and, with an intense focus, stared at the screen.

“Uh…”

Joo-seung found himself focusing in a different way.

‘What’s going on? What’s this?’

She was the most beautiful woman Joo-seung had ever seen.

He could truly understand what it meant to be so beautiful you could hardly breathe.

But there was something even more surprising.

‘Doesn’t she… look like Camilla?’

While others might not notice, Joo-seung, who invested eight hours a day into Abyss, recognized it immediately.

The woman’s appearance, her features, were so strikingly similar to Camilla’s, it was like a high-level artisan had recreated her.

‘Is she cosplaying? The quality is insane…’

There wouldn’t be much reason to cosplay at the theatre, and the fact that her face was covered seemed odd.

But if it was for her own satisfaction, it made sense. The world was full of diverse people.

At any rate, for Joo-seung, it was a win.

He was far more entertained watching the woman, who looked like Camilla, than by the movie itself.

So, he couldn’t take his eyes off her until the movie ended.

By the time the film finished, thoughts of Frost Queen Camilla had completely disappeared from his mind.