Chapter 54 : Stuffy

CEO Cha told me not to contact other streamers, but that’s because he’s worried my identity might get revealed in the process.

Which means, as long as my identity isn’t exposed, it’s fine.

I wasn’t planning on contacting other streamers right away anyway. What would I even do, considering I haven’t revealed my face?

‘But it’d be good to gather some information, right?’

By the end of the year, once I appear at the Patchick Year-End Awards Ceremony, my scope of activities will broaden significantly.

‘I’ll probably do some collabs too.’

That’s why I needed to know about other streamers—their information, reputation, and other things. But this kind of information can never be gleaned from outward appearances alone.

Everyone looks fine on the surface, but who knows what they’re really like? Even celebrities with seemingly normal faces commit s*x crimes, do drugs, and all sorts of things.

So.

“Hello. Baek Jihyuk? Could I ask you a favor?”

It should be fine if I use a broker.

He streams regularly under his team’s name, too. Sometimes he even collabs with other streamers. So he should be able to help me gather some rumors, right?

‘Of course, I’ll also hire a detective.’

I should tell Miley about this, right?

* * *

Baek Jihyuk, upon receiving the call from SeongWon, which he had been anticipating, scratched his cheek with a subtle expression. He was slightly confused.

‘…Information about streamers?’

Honestly, he needed to know something to be of help.

Although Baek Jihyuk streamed diligently, it was because the team told him to, and he didn’t really know much. Even his collab schedules were all arranged by the team’s front office.

There was no way he would know what the streamers he collabed with were like.

‘Well, SeongWon’s channel did grow in a unique way.’

No interaction with other streamers, no newbie phase, no growth through tournament participation or connections. She just became a cosmic monster on her own. In a way, it was obvious she would be isolated in terms of connections.

‘…But if she’s gotten this big, shouldn’t people be contacting her wanting to be friends?’

Baek Jihyuk clicked on his favorites to check SeongWon’s recent viewer count. An average of around 27,000 viewers.

That was just monstrous. How many individual streamers in the country had that kind of weight?

However, only after hearing SeongWon speak did Baek Jihyuk understand the precise meaning of her words.

She wanted to choose who to befriend based on their connections, but she didn’t know anyone. Certainly, even from what he’d overheard, there were plenty of strange people among individual streamers.

‘…But I don’t know much.’

Baek Jihyuk pondered, then asked SeongWon,

“Then, would it be okay if I shared this list?”

[“…Share it, what do you mean?”]

“One of my closest friends is a pro gamer who also likes to stream and has a lot of acquaintances. He knows other streamers well… Would it be okay if I just showed him the list without mentioning you and asked him subtly?”

SeongWon was silent for a moment, then replied,

[“Hmm. I guess that would be… okay.”]

Of course, SeongWon wasn’t agreeing to spite CEO Cha. It was because she knew who Baek Jihyuk meant by ‘closest friend who likes to stream’ and also knew that Baek Jihyuk couldn’t do anything reckless.

The non-disclosure agreement was still in effect.

[“However, I’ll contact that player directly.”]

“Huh? How do you know who…”

[“Isn’t it Ready2Die, player Yoon Jaemin?”]

“…Did you put a detective on me or something?”

Actually, she had, a while ago.

[“No.”]

“I don’t think so…”

[“Groundless.”]

What could he do if she said it was groundless?

Baek Jihyuk groaned, then asked something he’d been curious about,

“Um, alright. Oh, by the way, those… noisy shoes you sent yesterday, what are they…?”

[“It was your birthday recently, wasn’t it? It’s a present.”]

Baek Jihyuk’s heart skipped a beat, then stopped.

It was nice of her to get him a birthday present, but why were they noisy children’s shoes? Did it mean ‘Don’t have any ideas about me because in my eyes, you look like a child’?

No, wait…

“Yesterday wasn’t my birthday…?”

[“Is that so? I must have been mistaken. Then consider it an early present for your next birthday.”]

“…”

Baek Jihyuk learned two things. SeongWon wasn’t particularly interested in him. But he also learned that she wouldn’t cut off contact. A present for his next birthday!

As soon as the call ended, Baek Jihyuk clutched his smartphone, wriggling with joy.

‘There might be… hope?’

It was a huge misunderstanding. SeongWon was just making an excuse for her recent hobby of giving ‘DoobangDoobangKongKongByongByong Shoes’ as gifts.

* * *

I explained my thoughts to CEO Cha and told him to contact the SSG front office where Yoon Jaemin was.

“It doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Yoon Jaemin seemed to have a good personality and no bad rumors when he was on that variety show… As Baek Jihyuk said, he has a lot of interactions with streamers, so he should be able to find out.”

CEO Cha frowned, even as he spoke.

“But you said you wouldn’t do anything strange…”

“I haven’t revealed my face.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

CEO Cha grumbled and left.

Contacting them wouldn’t be difficult. The SSG front office had contacted me before asking if I wanted to become a pro gamer, and I’d also been on a variety show, so I could reach them through various routes. CEO Cha would figure out the method himself.

It was easy to tie down people who had reached the professional level with contracts.

‘It’s so convenient when someone has a lot to lose.’

I felt like some kind of villain, but let’s move on.

The next thing to do was today’s stream.

I immediately entered the virtual machine.

As soon as I started the stream, angry messages flooded the chat.

[Are you telling us today? You’re telling us today, right????]
[Day 4! Day 4! Day 4! Day 4! Day 4!]
[But you said you’d tell us on Day 3!!!!!!!!!!]
[SeongHa~]
[Woo, trash]
[Want a taste of democracy???????]

A tremendous number of people, who seemed to have been waiting for the stream to start, entered. The chat was scrolling rapidly, as if they had a lot to say.

Well, it couldn’t be helped.

Because I didn’t reveal that item, even on Day 3 after that day. I said three days later, but I didn’t say ‘when’ I would reveal it on Day 3, right?

“Everyone in the Thumbs-Up Squad, you all seem very angry.”

[You made us angry, teacher]
[I’m turning my thumbs down????]
[Turn on Black Ops quickly!!!!!!!!]
[Hurry!!!!!!!!!!]
[Stop the trolling!!!]

“Anger isn’t good for you. How about we all take a moment to breathe in and out gently and have a meditative moment to calm our minds?”

[Dalegyalgyeranbap donated 1,000 won!]
[Teacher, cut the crap about meditation]
[YeokjeoneuiDanggatoGgi donated 1,000 won!]
[I think I’ll calm down if you reveal it quickly]

One, people’s anger didn’t subside despite my suggestion of meditation. Meditation is so helpful. They must have been too immersed in science. Science must die.

But if I say that, things will get too heated.

I’ll give up on today’s communication roulette. I was thinking of dragging it out for another 30 minutes with the roulette, but that seems like crossing the line.

“I’ll start Black Ops first.”

I immediately launched Black Ops.

As soon as I entered the small office that served as the Black Ops waiting room, I immediately picked up the holographic device and opened the equipment list. Then, I took out the letter and checked it.

[To dear ‘SeongWon’, from the World War development team.]

A letter with my game nickname and the phrase “World War development team.” It seemed like an item automatically given to users who cleared the extermination route.

[Oh, nice]
[Yes, yes]
[Hurry up and read it, this is the third time I’ve said this]
[But what are the contents?]
[Just encouragement or something, right?]
[That’s highly likely.]

Just like the chat’s reaction, I didn’t think it was anything important. Black Ops isn’t a P2W game or one that consumes currency. So there’s no way they would give some extraordinary super equipment to the first user to clear it.

Maybe it was just a trophy item?

That thought disappeared as soon as I read the letter.

[Congratulations on being the first to conquer the hidden route of Tutorial 1, ‘SeongWon’! We cautiously speculate that you, who are reading this letter, are a user who enjoys V-BAT. It would be even more surprising if you weren’t!]

So the armored vehicle was indeed an homage to the tank destruction in V-BAT.

It seems that the armored vehicle is indestructible unless destroyed in that way. I later found out that someone had buried grenades like landmines underground, but it didn’t work.

I skimmed through the letter praising my achievement. Then I blinked at a certain phrase.

[…Also, your nickname, being the first to clear, will be reflected throughout the tutorial with the codename ‘Legendary Mercenary’! If you happened to choose a nickname you’re embarrassed about, well, that would be quite unfortunate.]

“…Oh.”

So, my nickname.

My name will be engraved in the game?

[Nickname engraved in the tutorial lol]
[Wow, crazy lol]
[The Great SeongWon!!!!]
[The communist robot of the Soviet Union that finally started invading the world dddd]
[It’s so funny that they won’t change it even if the name is embarrassing lol]
[Ah lol they’re just gonna stick it in there lol]

I smiled brightly.

“This is a very satisfying reward.”

Anyone would think so.