PUBG = PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, PC version.

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Chapter 1

The pale glow of the computer slightly illuminated the dim room.

Brian Clark came back with a glass of water. In that short time, he had already received five messages on YY, all from a friend named "Autumn Foster".

"Andy, want to try streaming?"

"I know a streamer, a big name on Starry Sky TV, can’t say who, but they’re recruiting new streamers."

"The pay’s pretty good, there’s a base salary, and they’ll provide all the equipment, but you’d have to move there."

"Andy? Still playing?"

"Andy?"

He quickly set down his water and replied.

"Yeah, I’m playing. What about you guys?"

Brian Clark worked as a PUBG companion-for-hire, usually taking orders on a voice streaming platform called YY, charging 60 yuan per hour.

He’d only been in this line of work for a month. Most people could only get 15-30 yuan per hour after a month, but he was different.

The reason was simple: he was good. He’d been ranked number one on the Asia server, a rare standout among the many team players and streamers on the leaderboard.

And there was one more thing—he had a great voice.

This "Autumn Foster" was one of his regular clients.

Well, "regular" just meant they’d booked him for a few days in a row.

Autumn Foster: "We’re playing, get ready."

Brian Clark switched back to the game and readied up. In just a few seconds, they were in a match, and the one-minute countdown began.

Autumn Foster: "Did you see what I just said?"

Yan Andy: "Yeah, I saw it. I’m still not going, sorry."

There was no reply for a long time, and the game soon started.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was a hugely popular shooter game recently, also known as "chicken dinner." Up to a hundred players per match, everyone starts on the same plane, picks a spot to parachute down, and finds guns and supplies on the ground. All players fight each other, and the last person or team standing wins.

The game mechanic that brings everyone together is called the "blue zone." Every so often, the zone shrinks, and if you’re outside it, you take damage. The further into the game, the more damage it does. The zone’s location is random each match, and the final zone is called the "final circle."

A voice came through his headphones: "Where are we dropping?"

Although only one person had hired him, the client usually made the most of it and brought along two friends for a standard four-man squad.

"Anywhere’s fine, we’ve got a carry, drop wherever."

"Even a carry can’t drag the three of us! Let’s just go for a quiet spot, okay, Andy?"

Brian Clark said, "I’m good with anything, you guys mark a spot and I’ll follow."

Each city on the map had its own quirks. Some popular cities were in the center, and players who liked intense firefights would drop there for the thrill.

Going for a quiet spot meant dropping somewhere with fewer people, trying to survive until the final circle, and then catching the enemy off guard for a happy chicken dinner.

Brian Clark parachuted down with them, landed, and searched three houses in a row—didn’t find a single gun.

Gunshots rang out outside.

"Ahhh—" The girl on YY screamed, "There’s someone here! Someone’s here!"

Brian Clark’s ears hurt from the shouting. He opened a door and finally found an AKM. He quickly picked it up and loaded it: "Did they see you?"

The girl was so nervous she was whispering, "I don’t think so, I’m hiding behind the door, I didn’t get a gun."

"Okay, just stay put." Brian Clark chuckled. "I’ll come save you."

"Wait, I think there’s more than one!" The girl paused, probably listening for footsteps. "There are three! Oh no, what do I do…"

As Brian Clark passed the next house, he made sure to grab two grenades off the ground: "It’s fine, just don’t move."

She agreed and obediently crouched, not daring to budge.

The enemies were downstairs. Brian Clark jumped over from the next house, took the high ground, and crouched at the top of the stairs to ambush them.

The people downstairs heard his footsteps. Once they were sure he was alone, they all rushed up together.

Brian Clark immediately threw a grenade, then pulled out his gun and fired a barrage at their heads!

Gunfire erupted. The girl nervously watched the bottom left corner as her teammate with the ID "yanxyan" lost health—down, down—

Until the health bar turned red.

Suddenly, everything went quiet.

"All done, they’re dead." The boy’s voice came through, with a hint of a smile. "Come on, loot the bodies."