New home

The young woman from the army decided to deliver her final words as a challenge to Yuriy. She aimed to put matters in such a way that would lead Yuriy to accept his fate.

"You believe nothing can surpass a family bond? Pathetic. Let's see if you hold on to that sentiment after you experience your first war."

Yuriy remained silent, having been defeated by the woman's unwavering stance.

The mission was completed. Since there was no military conscription in Yuriy's country, Anastasia's task was to persuade the citizen, Yuriy Kozlov, to voluntarily join the military. The soldiers were well-acquainted with the young woman's methods, so they offered to take the lead on her behalf. Knowing the emotional turmoil Yuriy was experiencing, they were hesitant to let him be further pulled into any emotional distress.

But as usual, Anastasia knew very well how to make new recruits resign to their fate. That's why she interrupted the soldiers' feeble attempt to persuade the targeted recruit.

After all that, without any delay, they headed straight to the constantly busy military center. Everyone made their way to the trucks parked near Yuriy’s house. With a sense of responsibility, they quickly left the area, heading to the center. Yuriy joined the truck with Vasyl and Vladyslav, who aimed to confront him and mentally prepare him for what was to come next.

After a stretch of awkward silence enveloped the truck, Vasyl, whom everyone called "the clown," seemed puzzled by the sudden hush. Ignoring the palpable tension, he exclaimed with a tone of surprise, "Hmm? Why’s everyone so serious, making the atmosphere awkward all of a sudden? Is it because we have a new member? Come on, guys, chill. Yuriy is one of us now. There's no need to make things feel so different." He concluded with a goofy laugh, "Bwahaha!"

Vladyslav gave a faux sympathetic laugh in response, replying hesitantly, "W-Well, it's just that we've had a long day, that's all. It's not necessary to be as energetic all the time like you, Vasyl."

Vasyl retorted, “Huh? What's wrong with being energetic? Try to stay positive for once, and you won't lose energy that quickly."

Vladyslav sighed in resignation at Vasyl’s words and exuberant behavior, as though he knew that every ailment has a cure except for foolishness. Vasyl could never contain his energy; nothing stopped him from spreading it to anyone he noticed. This time, his insatiable curiosity and mischief drew him to an enigmatic well, which was Yuriy – the new squad member still shrouded in mystery.

“You're a gamer, aren’t you?” Vasyl began probing.

Hearing that, Vladyslav was taken aback, thinking to himself: “Hmm? How did he know? Did he read Yuriy's report? That's so unlike him.”

Yuriy, who appeared completely calm and in control of his emotions after the incident at his house, replied in a subdued tone, “And, what about it?”

Vasyl, brimming with energy, seemed as though he had been waiting for Yuriy to confirm his suspicions. He exclaimed excitedly, “Woah, I knew it! They really are recruiting pro gamers, probably in preparation to use that new tech confiscated from the enemy.”

Vladyslav chimed in, "I thought you had read the report, Vasyl. Why act so surprised?" Vasyl responded to Vladyslav's comment, saying, "Who said I did? Just look at the tips of his right hand's index and middle fingers – they're flattened from so much clicking on the fire and scope buttons. This guy is definitely a seasoned gamer, just like us."

Yuriy's attention was suddenly piqued by Vasyl's words. He responded, "Did you say you're also gamers? And you're in the army for a specific reason? Why would the army specially recruit gamers? Why us?"

Vasyl, feeling the need to clarify since he brought it up, began to wave both his hands in the air as though gearing up to explain, saying, “It’s like…”

Before Vasyl could continue, someone from the front of the truck interrupted him, choosing to explain on his behalf. It was Anastasia, who decided to clarify the situation for the recruit herself. She said, "Recently, our army confiscated over ten enemy trucks that were inadequately protected. The enemy attempted to transport them across our western borders but failed miserably. We managed to seize the trucks without damaging their contents. What we found inside was beyond our comprehension."

Yuriy's curiosity was piqued, and he asked in surprise, “What was inside them?”

Anastasia continued, shedding some light on the mystery, “Inside the seized trucks was top-secret technology, unprecedented to the point that even the powerful West had no knowledge of such advanced tech. After our experts analyzed these devices, they determined that they could be remotely operated using just a mouse and a keyboard, along with other tools that are straightforward to master.”

Yuriy nodded in understanding and said, “So that’s why pro gamers are being recruited into the army – to learn how to operate these devices and eventually deploy them in combat.”

Vladyslav chimed in, “Exactly. But we haven’t yet used them in real action. We're essentially in what you might call a 'beta test' phase. There are former pro gamers now in the military, like Vasyl and me, but we need more to test these devices collectively, to identify any glitches, and simultaneously, to forge strong team dynamics before actual deployment. And guess what? You'll be part of this. Isn't that exciting?”

Yuriy asked no further questions. His head dropped in acceptance of their demands, which surely didn't seem too excessive. Closing his eyes, he seemed to convey his inability to deny involvement. Escaping this fate was not an option, as it would mean trying to evade an inescapable death.

Upon reaching the military center, the soldiers successfully completed their mission, securing the individual they secretly referred to as the most crucial recruit. Those in the know understood Yuriy's true value, not just by name or status, but by a talent that extended beyond the realm of gaming.

The moment the soldiers' trucks parked, Yuriy took slow steps out, scanning the military center with careful eyes. This center would now be his new home and place of belonging.