Chapter 11 : Target

“Comment brigades, that’s the keyword.”

Department Head Cha Eun-ho, who had just become the third golden child within an hour of our first meeting, and succeeded in setting a new record for golden children, insisted with a very serious face that I needed to mobilize comment brigades.

“I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to do.”

Honestly, it wasn’t a very appealing suggestion.

A comment brigade. The term itself sounded negative.

As I made a reluctant face, the second golden child, David Kim, agreed with Department Head Cha’s suggestion.

“Hmm, noise marketing. It’s not such a bad method, Chairman. Generally, the public doesn’t pay much attention to new things. Issues that easily catch the public’s attention are usually negative ones.”

Then, an opposing argument immediately sprang up.

“I disagree, Master.”

The original golden child, Miley, shook her head with a slight frown. Looking at David Kim with hateful eyes was, well, it seemed to have become a daily routine.

“After all the hard work of packaging it, isn’t it just tarnishing Master’s reputation to gain notoriety? Master might get tripped up by that later.”

“I don’t think we’ll know until we try.”

“There’s no need for that. Master can reach the top just by following the right path. Don’t listen to such wicked words, Master.”

“Huh, it’s a bit much to describe a proven marketing technique like that. Butler, shouldn’t you listen to Department Head Cha’s opinion with a more progressive attitude? Or is that a bit too difficult of a request for you?”

“How could that be? I’m giving advice because I don’t think it’s the right opinion. To slander such words, Representative Kim, you speak strangely. Are you familiar with the term ‘fifth column’? It’s a famous phrase.”

“Are you claiming I’m a fascist stooge?”

Wow. They’re fighting again. Don’t they ever get tired of it?

How long has it been since they made up earlier, and now they’re already squabbling again? My golden children keep causing trouble, and this hero’s heart is about to burst.

More than that, is it because I’m stuck between David and Miley, who are glaring at each other as if they want to kill each other?

Department Head Cha, who had been showing a spirited appearance, gradually lost confidence, his soul seemed to leave his body, and he began to shrink.

……This isn’t helping.

“Okay, both of you, stop fighting. Separate yourselves.”

I lightly clapped my hands to draw the attention of the two golden children and instructed them to move far apart. Then, I snapped my fingers to awaken Department Head Cha’s flown spirit.

“Department Head Cha.”

“Y-yes, Chairman.”

Department Head Cha, who had been spacing out, came to his senses.

I smiled and encouraged him.

“If you just cut out the beginning and end and say it like that, everyone will misunderstand. Tell me the whole story.”

Only then did Department Head Cha’s eyes regain their light, and he looked around, then brought over a mobile whiteboard that was placed on one side.

*Screech!*

Department Head Cha, who wrote ‘Chairman’ in the middle of the whiteboard, cleared his throat and bowed his head.

“From now on, I will present my plan to the Chairman. I may be unprepared because I came up with it on the spot, but I will still do my best. I will also prepare a written report later.”

“Alright. Well, don’t be too nervous about making mistakes. I’m not going to kill you, am I?”

Just fire you, maybe.

At that, Department Head Cha’s face instantly turned blue, then returned to normal. Soon, he began to scribble on the whiteboard with trembling hands.

“Ah, and don’t write ‘Chairman’. Write ‘Seong-won’. It’s my name. You’ll have to remember it from now on, right?”

“Yes, yes!”

‘Seong-won’ was added next to ‘Chairman’ written on the whiteboard. He could have just written Seong-won, what a strange golden child.

Department Head Cha circled the words ‘Chairman Seong-won’ and wrote 1, 2, and 3 below.

“First, the first step is, as I said before, noise marketing. Specifically, it’s about framing me as a hacker, to draw the public’s attention.”

Department Head Cha wrote ‘Comment Brigade’ in large letters next to the first step. It’s very uncomfortable, but let’s just listen for now.

“To do that, we use the comment brigade I mentioned earlier. I know a few outsourcing companies. To be honest, it’s embarrassing to say, but we used them often in the industry I was in.”

“……If you say that, the moment I accept the proposal, I become someone who has done the same embarrassing thing, right?”

At my point, Department Head Cha smiled sheepishly.

“……Everyone does this kind of issue-making. Haha. Think of it as a marketing expense.”

“Hmm.”

I glanced at David, and he nodded.

“That’s actually what I know as well. In fact, this is on the cute side. If you hear about the incidents that happen in the financial world, you’ll probably be shocked, Chairman.”

So that’s how it is. More than that, judging by the way he speaks and his heart rate, it seems like he’s not talking about someone else.

Hmm, David Kim. Another 10 points deducted.

“Well, let’s say that for now. What’s next?”

At my words, Department Head Cha glanced at me and then carefully asked a question.

“I’m asking because it’s something I need to know, but do you have any specific game preferences? Or any games you don’t like to play because they don’t suit your taste……?”

“I don’t really have any particular preferences.”

At my words, David Kim flinched for some reason. What is it?

“Then that’s good. It might have been a difficult plan if you had any games you were particularly fond of or disliked.”

Department Head Cha sighed in relief after hearing my answer.

I shrugged.

“Well, I haven’t really played many games yet, so it’s more like I don’t know what I like or dislike, right? I’m sure I have preferences.”

Then Department Head Cha’s expression became subtle.

“Hmm. Is that so…….”

Don’t be disappointed already.

I grinned.

“But if I need to, I’ll learn. If I’m aiming to be the best broadcaster, that’s only natural, isn’t it?”

“Haha. There’s no need to go that far. We have to respect preferences. Actually, it probably won’t matter much. It’s a minor detail. In the end, it’ll be a success as long as we attract some public attention…….”

Department Head Cha shrugged with an awkward smile.

A minor error doesn’t matter much. He seems to think that it’s not very important anyway.

At those words, I felt a subtle sense of incongruity.

After that, Department Head Cha continued to explain something. How to operate the comment brigade, which game to play to attract the public’s attention, and so on.

But, honestly, I wasn’t really listening.

I couldn’t help it.

His attitude, his tone, his story.

Something felt, a bit off.

And.

“Finally, if we proceed with these three steps, I think you will probably be able to join the ranks of mid-tier streamers. That should be considered a success.”

Finally, Department Head Cha’s presentation ended.

He smiled as if he was proud of himself after finishing his words.

It was as if, this is as much as I could do.

And.

That was, a slightly.

Annoying attitude.

“Hey.”

“Yes, Chair…… Gulp!”

Department Head Cha gasped.

He realized that my atmosphere had completely changed.

I slowly leaned forward and stared at him intently.

I’ve crossed the line between life and death tens of thousands of times in another world, and I’ve accumulated enough bloodshed to submerge my body in blood. When I glared at him with killing intent, Department Head Cha’s legs gave way and he staggered.

He looked at his legs with a puzzled face, then slowly raised his head with a terrified look.

“I thought you were just casually listening and overlooking it because you thought I was exaggerating, so I’m going to point it out again. I was just wondering, but after listening to what you said, it seems like you’re misunderstanding something.”

“Y-yes!”

“Listen carefully. I’m not just trying to do some broadcasting. This is not a joke. Do you think I’m throwing money around and living a hobby life? Spending hundreds of millions as a hobby?”

At those words, Department Head Cha’s face turned pale.

“N-no, never! I never thought that…….”

“I’ll say it again. My goal is to stand at the top of the internet broadcasting industry. I’m not just trying to make some money and play around as a hobby.”

The sound of Department Head Cha swallowing hard after hearing my declaration echoed in the conference room like thunder.

“T-top…….”

“As you can see from this office, I have a lot of money. Much, much more than you can imagine. And I’m the kind of person who can throw all that money at my goal.”

If money was my only goal, I would have just lived a life of spending money lavishly after grabbing 27 trillion. 27 trillion won is enough money to do that for the rest of your life.

However, I’m going to give the middle finger to that kind of life.

I was happy about the 27 trillion because my dedication was rewarded.

Honestly, the amount of money itself has no value. Frankly, even if I received a few gold bars from the god, I would have just cursed a little and let it go.

A life that relies on the charity thrown by the god?

That’s, still a life tied to that damn world.

“I am.”

I, proved myself.

“Going to be, the number one internet broadcaster in the world.”

I was forcibly dragged into that terrible nightmare-like world, swayed by the god, swayed by the world.

“I’m going to set this as my goal and run, and I’m going to keep running with all my might.”

I, stood up on my own and made my way through it.

“I chose you as a navigator to join me on this grand journey. You’ve even boarded the ship already.”

Such a me, cannot fall into insignificance.

“But, if you’re going to say such soft words, get off my ship right now. I don’t need that kind of crew member, I need someone who will go all the way with me.”

When I said that firmly, Department Head Cha collapsed to his knees. Then, lying flat on the floor, reflecting on his foolish attitude, he swore a tearful oath of allegiance, uh, uh, why is he foaming at the mouth?

“H-he fainted! Quick, 911! Call 911!”

“What are you talking about? It’s 119 in Korea.”

“This isn’t the time for such jokes!”

Thanks to David quickly calling an ambulance with his smartphone, Department Head Cha Eun-ho was safely taken to the emergency room.

I scratched the back of my head as I watched the departing ambulance.

“……He fainted from this.”

I just put a little pressure on him because he was showing off his spirit earlier. I guess he was actually a timid person.

Mm, sorry.