Yuzen felt like he had to do something.
Anything.
Because the MC of his channel who used to pedal his bike around town with his childhood sweetheart was now crying his heart out and Yuzen could only watch. This was not what he wanted.
He tried to open the AnWorld main page from his watch. He swatted the display toward the wall that had been projecting his channel seconds ago. He searched for a way to contact customer service, but there was no button like that anywhere.
He closed the page and opened his channel again. The subs and views climbed like wildfire. The college student who usually ate ramen with his family had now buried his mother and his girlfriend in a makeshift grave.
God.
This was the worst thing Yuzen could imagine.
He watched in horror as the number of Loens from viewers rose past one million. He had never dreamed of a number like that.
The live comments flew so fast he could not follow them with his eyes.
He paused and used the control to slow the comment flow down.
#anonim23: lol at least he meets with the big boobs lady the prev girl is too flat. Very much not female lead[1]
#truesupreme: can't you guys think with your head for a sec not with your lower body! Serin is much more suited to be the FL!
#lolledg46: lol the investor is so bad, can't he save serin with this much loens alr
#tresav78: meybe* he also prefer the big boobs lad lololol
#appleisgood: GUYS CHECK THIS OUT https://shorturl.at/HXjE8
#loku732: AnWorld channel is reall people???? They arent simulated stories?? Wtf
#iamgod7613: can't believe you guys just found out lol ofc they real lololol congrats for being a murderer lololol
#anonim23: i call bs dont get sidetracked with hoax. Hey owner imma donate 50k loens if you make the MC end up with big boobs lady
He closed the comment section and opened settings to limit who could comment, then he clicked on the link to read.
"...so it's confirmed."
"Yes. Very much so. The machine confirmed that every channel in AnWorld actually connects to real lives in different dimensions or alternate realities. Call it what you like. All of them are alive and we as viewers are watching their lives from some distant point of view."
No way. No way. No way.
Yuzen slid from his chair to the floor. His palms pressed cold against the cool tiles. He could not breathe for a long moment. He stared at the MC whose face looked like he would rather die than go on living.
The MC was now inside ruined buildings, hiding from Scavenger Dogs. He rested his head on a pile of rubble and looked up to the sky. The camera followed his view, then shifted down to show his face.
What had I done?
Yuzen rose from where he sat. He walked slowly to the wall where the screen was projected.
The MC raised his arm upward, like he wanted to touch the screen from the other side. Yuzen, as if hypnotized, lifted his arm to meet it.
The moment his hand touched the point where the MC's hand was, Yuzen felt nauseous. His breath came in gasps, but his hand could not pull away from the screen.
It felt like his body was being compressed, dragged through the surface. The pain was unbearable. The world started to go black, and he closed his eyes, wincing.
Then his whole body was thrown forward with incredible force. He felt like he was falling.
Then—
Brugh!
"Ouch... oww... Argh... sh*t, what the f*ck just..."
He opened his eyes and met the face he had seen a million times on his channel.
The face was still and pale, with patches of dried blood across the skin.
Yuzen pushed himself up as he realized he was lying directly on top of the person. The same person whose life he had changed forever. The one who was supposed to stay on the other side of the screen.
Yuzen looked around and saw buildings that were completely ruined. Steel beams bent at strange angles above shattered glass that covered the ground. Nearby, entire walls were torn open, exposing overturned cars with burned frames.
In the shadows between the wreckage, broken power lines sparked weakly. The air was so thick with the smell of smoke and iron that dust clung to his throat with every breath.
A low growl from beside him made Yuzen turn his head slowly. His eyes landed on a dog larger than a grown man. The creature's eyes glowed a deep red as thick saliva dripped from its jaws where it bared its teeth.
Yuzen tried to move but found he was frozen in place. A holographic window suddenly lit up just above his watch.
[Notification to Channel Owner: Your MC is in danger! Use Loens to change his fate. Remember, if your MC dies, your channel ends too!]
Just as the notification appeared, another growl came from the opposite side. The sound of claws scratching against the asphalt followed right after. He looked ahead and saw a whole group of the creatures closing in.
His mind went blank, he can't understand where he was or if any of this was real.
No way. I must have passed out in my room. I remember feeling nauseous. That's right… I definitely collapsed in my room from the stress. There's no other explanation except this being a dream.
The vibration on his watch grew more urgent when one of the dogs lunged at him. Yuzen reacted instantly, throwing his right arm up to shield himself.
An incredible pain exploded in his arm the moment its jaws clamped down, and he could feel its teeth sink deep with enough pressure to crush bone as hot saliva flooded over his skin. The pain was so sharp his vision started to blur.
"ARRGGGHHHHHHHH!"
He screamed and collapsed to the ground, his arm still trapped as the beast shook its head violently. His free hand scraped against the asphalt, searching desperately for a weapon. His fingers closed around a jagged shard of metal.
He gripped it tight, slamming it into the dog's face again and again. But the monster refused to let go.
His strength began to fail even as he kicked his legs wildly. The pain grew so intense that darkness crept into the edges of his vision.
Only the constant buzzing from his watch kept him from passing out, jolting him back to the nightmare every time he started to fade.
"Goddammit! Let go! Sh*t!"
He gathered his remaining strength for one last push, kicking the beast with both legs. The impact threw the dog a few feet away, where it hit the ground hard. It stood back up almost instantly, letting out a growl that was louder and angrier than before.
Yuzen's breath came in short, burning bursts as his right arm throbbed with intense pain. Blood dripped freely from the wound, and the darkness in his vision grew wider. Through it all, the buzzing on his watch refused to stop.
[Notification to Channel Owner: Your MC is in danger! Use Loens to change his fate. Remember, if your MC dies, your channel ends too!]
[We have recommended some items for you to help your MC!
1x small mod
1x medium mod
1x large mod (not enough fame)
1x custom mod (not enough fame)]
The pain clawed deeper into his arm, sharp enough to make his stomach twist.
Is it possible for a dream to hurt this much?
He blinked hard as his own panicked voice echoed in his head.
So this is really inside my channel?
He couldn't focus as his attention flicked between the blood dripping from his arm and the warning on his wristwatch.
His whole body felt too heavy to move and sweat stung his eyes while the other dogs circled closer, their claws scraping across the asphalt with every step.
Yuzen gritted his teeth against the pain and forced his right hand up, reaching with a trembling finger toward the hovering projection until he pressed one of the options hanging in the air.
[You have bought 1 x Small Mod Story]
[You have used 1 x Small Mod Story]
[Choose your Mod:
1. A noise from somewhere distracts the Scavenger Dogs from your hero.
2. A person appears and kills all Scavenger Dogs.
Any Mod you choose is permanent and can't be undone! Think carefully!]
Yuzen just clicked on the first option without thinking.
As soon as he did, a thunderous roar echoed through the ruins.
The Scavenger Dogs froze in place, trembling. Then they scattered, tails tucked tight under their bodies.
Yuzen stood frozen in horror as the roar echoed again. The ground shook under his feet, causing rubble to crash down around him. Whatever made that sound was getting closer, and it was heading straight for him.
[1] Author’s Note: All typos and grammar in viewer comments are intentional, kept to reflect how people actually type online.