259: Chapter 239 "Prisoners of the Demon King's Castle" Filming Set: Sweet Armory and Advertising Frenzy 2

"Armory!" Choi Yena's eyes lit up.

Although there was a "No Entry" sign, she couldn't care less right now.

She tried pushing the door; was it actually unlocked?

Or perhaps, this "prohibition" was more of a formality?

She carefully pushed it open a crack, confirmed there was no movement inside, and slipped in, with Lemm following closely behind.

The scene inside the door made Choi Yena freeze instantly.

This was indeed an "armory," but it was completely different from what she had imagined.

The room was spacious and bright, with clean, milky-white walls and non-slip mats on the floor.

However, what was displayed on the metal shelves were not knives, guns, swords, or halberds, but...

A dazzling array of brightly packaged, childish—candies and toys!

No, more accurately, they were candies and toys packaged to look like "weapons," each with a clear product description card and... a price tag?!

For example:

[QQ Gummy Assault Rifle (MEGA-BLAST Model)]

Material: Food-grade gelatin, fruit-flavored gummy core.

Range: 5-8 meters (safe gummy bullets).

Features: Burst fire design, magazine holds up to 50 gummies of different flavors, includes infrared sight (toy).

Usage: Mid-range fire suppression, disrupting the enemy's sense of taste.

Brand: Fruity Wonderland

Limited-time discount price: 39,800 KRW (Original price 49,800)

[Rainbow Bean Handgun (DUAL-WIELD Model)]

Material: Eco-friendly plastic, can be filled with rainbow beans.

Range: 3-5 meters.

Features: Dual-wield design, cool appearance, cool sound effects when drawn (battery-powered).

Usage: Close-range rapid fire, essential for showing off skills.

Brand: Rainbow Candy World

Buy one get one free event in progress!

[Chocolate-Coated Tactical Dagger (Fishbone Design)]

Material: High-density edible chocolate (dark/milk chocolate options), internal high-strength biscuit skeleton.

Features: Sharp (?) fishbone-shaped blade, can actually cut (softer food items like cake), tail has a bottle opener function (?).

Usage: Close combat (symbolic), wilderness (?) survival.

Brand: Deep Sea Fantasy Chocolate Workshop

New tasting price: 25,000 KRW

[Anti-Stick Goggles (Candy Coated)]

Material: Explosion-proof PC lens, frame is strawberry-flavored hard candy coating (non-sticky).

Features: 100% frost-proof, cream-spray-proof, anti-fog, stylish design.

Usage: Any occasion where one might encounter a "sweet attack."

Brand: CANDY-GUARD

Get 20% off when purchasing with any weapon!

Besides these, there were "Bubblegum Grenades," "Lollipop Sniper Rifles (telescope function)," "Cotton Candy Smoke Bombs," and so on... It was simply a collection of "weapons" that children dreamed of, and also the most absurd ones!

Moreover, every item was priced clearly like a store counter, with prominent branding, and even "discount," "promotion," and "new product" labels!

This wasn't an armory; it was clearly a large-scale product endorsement exhibition!!

Choi Yena ranted wildly in her heart, her mouth twitching.

Jiang Zhiyu went to such lengths to insert advertisements, not even sparing the "armory"!

And he made it look so serious!

But ranting aside, the reality was that she really needed a "weapon," even if it was just a toy.

Having something was better than having nothing, and these toys looked like... at least they could fire something?

She quickly scanned the shelves, thinking about the equipment suitable for herself.

Just then, the voice of director Jiang Zhiyu rang out through the on-site loudspeaker: "Cut! Very good! Yena's surprise and ranting upon discovering the 'armory' were spot on! This take is approved!"

Choi Yena breathed a sigh of relief, temporarily pulling herself out of the character.

But Jiang Zhiyu immediately announced: "Next, we will shoot the 'Sweet Armory Product Showcase'! All departments prepare, adjust the lighting, cameras focus on product close-ups! Yena, just coordinate with the voiceover and make poses for trying out and choosing weapons; the focus is on showcasing the products!"

Choi Yena: "... Yes, PD-nim." (As expected...)

Thus, the shooting paused the "plot" and entered pure "ad time."

The lighting became brighter and more professional, like a real product display stand.

Several cameras were aimed at the "weapons" on the shelves from different angles.

Choi Yena, wearing the "Pisces Saintess" casual clothes, walked to the shelf as instructed by the director, picked up the "QQ Gummy Assault Rifle," and struck an aiming pose.

(Voiceover, in a passionate and enticing TV shopping tone)

"Dear Star Demon Legion warriors! Are you still worried about being unable to effectively intercept the escaping Saintess? Are you still anxious about insufficient long-range firepower? Look here! The latest 'MEGA-BLAST QQ Gummy Assault Rifle' from Fruity Wonderland is your best choice!"

With the voiceover, a 360-degree rotating close-up of the toy rifle appeared on the screen (to be added in post-production), along with a gorgeous animation of colorful gummies spraying out like a rainbow rain when it fired.

"Using the exclusively patented 'Air Compression Burst System,' it has long range and high accuracy! Fill it with our specially made 'Explosive Fruit-Flavored Gummies.' Upon hitting the target, it not only causes a 'sweet impact,' but the fruit aroma can also disrupt the enemy's judgment! Look! This is the effect of hitting a Golden Retriever Guard (Animation demo: A Q-version Golden Retriever is dizzy from the gummy rain, with fruit stars popping out of its head)! It's simply a three-in-one artifact for patrolling, intercepting, and entertainment!"

Choi Yena cooperated by putting down the rifle and picking up the pair of "Rainbow Bean Handguns," coolly (attempting to) spin them.

"Do you like the flexible and mobile dual-wielding style? Rainbow Candy World's 'DUAL-WIELD Rainbow Bean Handgun' satisfies you! Cool design, built-in sound effects when drawn, filled with our signature rainbow beans, each one is colorful and crispy! It can not only strike enemies but also replenish energy during breaks in battle (Animation: Q-version candy soldiers sneakily stuffing beans into their mouths while shooting)! Buy now and enjoy a buy-one-get-one-free super value offer! Team up with your comrades and form a dual-wield firepower net!"

Next, she picked up the "Chocolate Fishbone Dagger" and made a blocking pose.

"Close-quarters combat? We have the 'Tactical Fishbone Dagger' crafted by the Deep Sea Fantasy Chocolate Workshop! Don't be fooled by its cute appearance! High-density edible chocolate shell wrapped around a high-strength biscuit skeleton, not only is the design unique and sharp (can cut cake), but the tail is thoughtfully designed with a bottle opener function (Animation: Q-version soldier easily opens a bottle of soda with it)! It's your capable assistant for executing missions and wilderness (?) picnics! New tasting price, don't miss out!"

Finally, she put on the "Anti-Stick Goggles," and gave a cool wink to the camera (actually the camera next to it).

"Of course, comprehensive protection is also essential! CANDY-GUARD professional-grade 'Anti-Stick Goggles' use food-grade safety materials, the lenses are explosion-proof and anti-fog, and the strawberry-flavored hard candy coating on the frame is not only stylish but absolutely non-sticky! Effectively defend against any sudden attacks of frosting, cream, or jam (Animation: Q-version soldier wearing goggles, calmly advancing through the flying frost)! Get 20% off when purchasing with any weapon! Protecting your eyes is protecting the victory of the battle!"

After a series of passionate, information-heavy, and exaggerated animation-demonstrated ad shoots, Choi Yena felt her face was about to go stiff from smiling, and she admired PD Jiang's "business acumen" (and thick skin) to the ground.

"Cut! Ad segment finished! Very good!" Jiang Zhiyu shouted, satisfied. "Twenty-minute break! Makeup team, change Yena into her 'combat equipment' look! Prepare for the next scene, armed infiltration!"

The shooting paused, and the atmosphere on set relaxed slightly.

The makeup and costume staff immediately crowded around and started a "makeover" for Choi Yena.

They first helped her take off the slightly flashy "Saintess casual clothes" and changed her into a sharper, dark blue-purple jumpsuit with tactical vest elements; the material looked more elastic and convenient for movement.

Then, they started equipping the "weapons":

The "QQ Gummy Assault Rifle" was slung across her shoulder (although it was a toy, the workmanship was exquisite and had some weight).

The pair of "Rainbow Bean Handguns" were inserted into the holsters on her thighs.

The "Chocolate Fishbone Dagger" was tucked into the small scabbard at her waist.

On her head, she wore the "Anti-Stick Goggles"; the lenses were light tea-colored, which actually looked quite cool.

She also wore fingerless tactical gloves (for decoration) on her hands.

Finally, her hairstyle was redone into a sharp high ponytail.

"Wow, Yena, this look... is unexpectedly cool!" the makeup artist Unnie exclaimed while helping her tidy up hair messed up by the helmet.

"Really?" Yena looked in the mirror.

The girl in the mirror had shed the softness and panic of the "Saintess."

With a toy assault rifle on her back, handguns hanging on her waist and legs, and goggles pushed onto her forehead, her eyes were bright and firm.

Although there was still some fatigue from shooting on her face, her whole aura had become sharp, decisive, and even had a bit of the flavor of a Candy Kingdom special forces soldier.

Plus, Lemm next to her, wearing a mini lotus leaf hat and goggles, trying to straighten its (jelly) body, made the picture both cool and cute, full of contrast.

"Wow! Yena Unnie! So cool!!" Lee Chaeryeong and Shin Yuna, who had been watching from the side, were the first to shout, their eyes shining.

Even the staff couldn't help but exclaim: "A completely different feeling! It suits you so well!"

Looking at herself in the mirror, Yena couldn't help but smile, a smile filled with freshness and excitement.

She immediately took out her phone (allowed during breaks), struck a few cool poses in front of the mirror, and snapped several photos.

She chose the one she was most satisfied with—side profile, hand on the assault rifle, goggles pushed to her forehead, eyes showing a bit of smugness and eagerness—and sent it to the IZ*ONE group chat.

Yena: [Photo] Unnies! Kids! Look! My current look! Candy Soldier Yena, ready to execute a secret mission!

Almost immediately, the group chat exploded.

Kwon Eunbi: [Wow! Yena! What kind of look is this? So cool! But why are you carrying a candy gun?]

Miyawaki Sakura: [Totally cool! Like a character in a game!]

Jang Wonyoung: [Unnie! Be careful! (But the look is really cool)]

An Yujin: [This equipment... it must be from PD Jiang, right? You can tell it's his style (laughing and crying).]

Kim Chaewon: [Yena-ah, remember to save some candy for me...]

Lee Chaeryeong and Shin Yuna also came over with smiles, pulling the armed Yena to take selfies together.

Lee Chaeryeong sent the photo to the ITZY group to show off ([Look! The show we guested on, Yena Unnie is super cool!]), and Shin Yuna sent it to her family and a few close friends.

Other staff members on site also took photos of this interesting "Candy Soldier" look; some planned to post it on personal accounts (pending company review), while others just kept it as a souvenir.

And Lemm (the special effects model and the stunt actor in the mascot suit were taking a break) was also "dressed up"—staff put a tiny "soldier lotus leaf hat" made of hard candy pieces on its small body and "put" a miniature version of "candy goggles" (stickers) on it, making it look even cuter and more "professional."

The twenty-minute break passed quickly amidst happy selfies and admiring the look.

"All departments prepare! Actors in position! 'Captive of the Demon King's Castle' Scene XX, Action!" Jiang Zhiyu's voice rang out, and the scene entered shooting mode again.

"Candy Soldier" Yena, armed to the teeth (although they were candy teeth), and her ally Lemm, wearing a small military cap and small goggles, looked at each other and nodded.

Yena checked her "equipment" one last time, took a deep breath, and her eyes became firm and sharp.

Goal: Top-floor magic platform, Starry Lava Chocolate!

Action: Armed infiltration, start!

She gently pushed open the door of the "Sweet Armory," and with her jelly little strategist, she infiltrated the perilous corridors of the candy castle once again.

This time, she was no longer an unarmed fugitive, but a warrior fully "sugar-coated"!

Although the reliability of this equipment was debatable, at least, she couldn't lose in terms of momentum!

Fully "sugar-coated" Choi Yena (Candy Soldier ver.) snuck silently through a quiet corridor on the middle level of the Candy Castle, accompanied by her jelly advisor, Lemm.

Lemm's guidance always seemed to steer them clear of the main patrol routes, and their goal was clear: find the path to the top floor and deal with (or avoid) any obstacles along the way.

"Lemm, there seems to be movement ahead." Choi Yena stopped behind a "candy cane" decorative pillar and lowered her voice.

She peeked out slightly, looking toward a slightly wider intersection at the front of the corridor.

Sure enough, standing right in the center of the intersection, with its back turned to them, was a solitary figure.

It was another Kitty Cat Guard.

This guard looked "newer" than the one they had encountered before; the mascot costume was clean and crisp, and its pink fur (velvet) shimmered softly under the corridor's wall lights.

It held no weapons, just standing there blankly, occasionally swaying its heavy cat head from side to side. It seemed bored with standing guard, even reaching out with its paw (the mascot suit) to try and grab a strand of "cotton candy cloud" hanging from the wall, but it couldn't reach.

A lone guard.

Back turned.

Completely defenseless.

Choi Yena's heart began to race. This was the perfect opportunity to test her "Candy Armament," and her first real combat test during this infiltration mission!

She gently patted the "Rainbow Jellybean Pistol" at her waist and touched the "Gummy Assault Rifle" on her shoulder, ultimately deciding to start with the pistol to test its power.

She took a deep breath, her gaze becoming focused and sharp. She slowly raised her right hand and drew the "Rainbow Jellybean Pistol" from the holster on her thigh.

The toy gun felt a bit heavier than she had imagined, and the design was truly cool, with the words "RAINBOW BLAST" printed on the gun body.

Mimicking the movies, she gripped the gun with both hands, arms extended, body slightly tilted, and aimed the muzzle at the back of the Kitty Cat Guard's head (the mask) about ten meters away.

Just as she aimed, something magical happened!

Through the lenses of the "Anti-Stick Goggles (Candy Coated)" she was wearing, a faint, semi-transparent red square reticle appeared in her field of vision, automatically locking onto the Kitty Cat Guard!

Even more absurdly, next to the reticle, a line of information floated in a cartoon font: [Target: Sleepy Kitty Cat Guard] [Status: Relaxed (Drowsy)] [Threat Level: Low] [: 10/10]

A health bar?! It actually has a health bar?!

Choi Yena: "!!!"

She almost screamed, but fortunately covered her mouth in time. These goggles... actually have a health bar display function?! PD Jiang, your product placement is way too hardcore! You even added an AR (Augmented Reality) game interface?! Is this black technology provided by the sponsors, or is it special effects by the production team?!

But there was no time to dwell on it now. The information on the lens clearly showed: aiming for the head seems to cause greater damage? The durability is only 60%, does that mean it wasn't in peak condition to begin with?

Her confidence instantly doubled!

She adjusted her breathing, her finger resting lightly on the slightly plasticky trigger of the toy pistol. The goggles' reticle adjusted slightly with her subtle movements, remaining firmly locked on the target.

Aiming...

The corridor was quiet, save for the faint, sweet background music in the distance and the soft, bored snoring sounds emitted by the Kitty Cat Guard itself (voiced by the actor inside the mascot suit).

Fire!

Choi Yena's eyes sharpened, and she decisively pulled the trigger!

"Pew—bang!"

The toy gun emitted a comical sound effect somewhere between a bird chirping and a balloon popping. The muzzle suddenly spat out a small burst of colorful, jellybean-sized... rainbow jellybeans! The jellybeans flew in an arc toward the back of the Kitty Cat Guard's head at a speed that wasn't particularly fast (visible to the naked eye)!

"Splat!"

A faint, muffled sound of jellybeans hitting the plush mascot suit.

The Kitty Cat Guard jolted, then suddenly turned its head! Its eternally smiling cat face seemed to reveal a trace of a "Who hit me?" confused expression.

At the same time, the enemy health bar displayed on Choi Yena's goggles "whooshed" and instantly dropped from 60% to zero! It turned completely gray and empty!

Immediately after, a line of prompt text popped up next to the health bar, accompanied by a small "Victory" icon: [Precision Headshot! One-Hit Kill!] [Target: Star Demon Legion · Kitty Cat Guard (Lv.1) has lost combat capability!]

As if to verify these words, the Kitty Cat Guard let out an extremely exaggerated, drawn-out "Meow~~~~" scream (the actor was really giving it their all), then its limbs stiffened, and it fell forward, straight and slow-motion, crashing onto the "toffee" carpeted floor, bouncing twice before lying completely still.

Choi Yena: "!!!"

Success?! One hit?!

Choi Yena maintained her post-shooting pose, stunned for two seconds before lowering the gun in disbelief. Success? That simple? This toy gun... is its power (insulting) that high? And that health bar system... isn't it a bit too childish?! But... it seems quite useful?

She looked at the toy pistol in her hand that was still emitting (non-existent) smoke, then looked at the "Victory" prompt on the lens and the "defeated" pink figure on the ground. Her expression shifted from disbelief to being quickly replaced by immense surprise and a sense of accomplishment: "So I'm this strong."

She couldn't help but flash a bright smile—a mix of determination, confidence, and a little smugness—at the camera (there wasn't actually a dedicated camera, but she was too excited), and habitually blew gently on the muzzle (safe, no gunpowder) (the action was very cool).

(The post-production director had already decided: this must be a slow-motion replay of Choi Yena raising the gun, aiming, firing, and blowing on the muzzle, accompanied by passionate, hot-blooded BGM, and then a giant artistic title on the screen: [We are all sharpshooters, every candy eliminates an enemy! ✧ ٩(ˊωˋ*)و ✧] It would definitely become a famous scene and high-energy editing material!)

"Awesome! Lemm! We did it!" Choi Yena cheered in a low voice, crouching down to high-five Lemm (Lemm touched her hand with a jelly tentacle).

First battle victory! Candy weapons, effective!

But the battle was over, and there was something more important—looting! Isn't that how it is in games?

She immediately ran to the "defeated" Kitty Cat Guard and started searching (feeling a bit embarrassed, after all, the person inside was a colleague in a mascot suit). There were several special "pockets" on the mascot suit.

First pocket: she pulled out a few loose rainbow jellybeans, the same as the ones she had just fired. (Ammo refill +5)

Second pocket: she actually pulled out a small sealed bag containing two golden dried fish, just like the ones from before! (Special Item: Dreamy Star Dried Fish x2)

Third pocket: she pulled out a... colorful, fuzzy ball of yarn? (Unknown Item: Strange Ball of Yarn x1)

Choi Yena held the ball of yarn, full of question marks, and instinctively complained to the camera: "This... what is this for?! Can it be used to knit a scarf? Or... can it attract cats?" (Post-production effect: a giant "?" appeared over the yarn ball, with a note: Purpose unknown, perhaps hides a secret?)

Although puzzled, she still followed the principle of "why not take it," and stuffed the ball of yarn into a small pocket on her tactical vest.

Having replenished her ammo, harvested dried fish (though she didn't know if they could be used as weapons yet), and pocketed the mysterious ball of yarn, Choi Yena felt more confident. She and Lemm continued forward, and soon, under Lemm's guidance, they discovered a room with a sign hanging on it: "Cat & Dog Special Training Room (Candy Personnel Keep Out)."

The door wasn't locked, and there seemed to be no one inside. Choi Yena pushed the door open and entered. It looked like a small indoor playground and training ground, with soft mats on the floor and some targets hanging on the walls.

The target patterns were very "professional"—some were snarling Q-version gray wolves, some were mischievous Kitty Cat Guards wearing pirate eye patches, some were drooling, goofy Golden Retrievers, and there was even a twisted lollipop labeled "Lord Star Demon."

In a corner of the room, some "training equipment" like toy bones and feather cat wands were scattered about.

"Is this... where the guards usually practice their 'combat skills'?" Choi Yena guessed. As it happened, she also needed to familiarize herself with her newly acquired candy weapons to prepare for the tough battles ahead.

Lemm hopped over to a device that looked like an "automatic target machine" and touched the start button on it with its body.

"Beep—Welcome to the Star Demon Legion Basic Shooting Training Program! Please select difficulty: Easy, Normal, Hard." A mechanical electronic voice sounded.

Choi Yena's eyes lit up! A great place to practice shooting!

Although she had one-hit killed the guard earlier, that was partly due to luck (the guard had its back turned, was bored, and wasn't at full health). She might face more and stronger enemies, or even a BOSS, so her marksmanship had to be more accurate!

"Lemm, help me keep time! I'm going to do some special training here!" Choi Yena was full of fighting spirit. She selected "Normal" difficulty.

The training began! On the wall at the other end of the room, several cat-paw and dog-paw shaped targets began to move left and right irregularly; the speed wasn't fast, but it was quite deceptive.

Choi Yena raised her Rainbow Jellybean Pistol again (not using dual-wield mode for now, focusing on accuracy first). The goggles' auxiliary aiming UI lit up again, and the crosshair appeared.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Colorful jellybeans shot out continuously.

At first, her accuracy was worrying. The jellybeans either hit the edge of the targets or missed entirely. The goggles kept flashing "Graze" and "Miss" prompts.

But Choi Yena didn't get discouraged. She concentrated, trying to ignore the toy gun's comical sound effects and the jellybeans' slow trajectory, focusing her attention entirely on the goggles' reticle and the moving bullseyes. She adjusted her arms slightly as the targets moved, trying to find that feeling of "man and gun as one" (?).

Bang! One shot hit the bullseye of the dog-paw target! [Precision Hit! +10 points!] Bang! Hit the moving cat-paw! [Effective Hit! +5 points!]

Her movements became increasingly skillful, and her gaze became more focused. The shooting rhythm gradually stabilized, and her hit rate steadily improved.

Lemm watched quietly from the side, occasionally emitting encouraging "pop-pop" sounds, and the gears inside it turned happily as Choi Yena hit the bullseyes.

After ten minutes of special training (filming), Choi Yena felt her "shooting feel" had improved significantly. Although the weapons were toys, this experience of focused aiming, predicting movement, and decisive firing unexpectedly immersed her.

"Training complete. Final score: 85 points. Evaluation: Good. Marksmanship has improved significantly. Suggest continuing to work hard to become a sharpshooter soon." The electronic voice gave the evaluation.

Choi Yena wiped the non-existent sweat from her forehead (acting), a satisfied smile on her face. She felt like a real soldier training in a secret base.

"Alright, Lemm, special training over!" She put away the pistol, her eyes sharper and more confident than before. "Our journey is the stars and the sea... ah, no, it's the chocolate on the top floor! Let's go!"

Carrying her newly honed (in her own mind) sharpshooting skills and a haul of loot, Candy Soldier Choi Yena and her jelly advisor set off on their journey to the top of the castle once again. This time, she was full of confidence! Although the road ahead was still full of candy traps and fuzzy enemies, with her "magic gun" (toy) in hand, "special skills" (just practiced) at her disposal, and a magical advisor partner, she felt that getting that piece of magic chocolate seemed... not an impossible mission after all!

As Choi Yena (Candy Soldier) and Lemm delved deeper into the middle level of the castle, the path to the upper level seemed to become harder to find, while the frequency of patrols increased significantly.