Season 3: Chapter 27: It’s a Hit! (1)
Suspicions could arise if money was strangely missing, but suspicions were rare when money strangely increased.
Sang-Hyeon was experiencing such a case.
'Oh. Today seems like a lucky day for making money.'
Due to the festive special of an outdoor stream after some time, it seemed like money was pouring in. He naturally attributed the reason to this and moved on.
‘If this continues, I could really move.'
It was a bit premature to think about the housing prices in a slightly livable area of Seoul, but his mind was occupied with a new apartment to move into. A south-facing, well-lit, with good ventilation and a riverside view… All the neighbors would be wealthy and wonderful people. And so on.
He could hear his grandmother's words and briefly escaped to a dreamland.
'Well. The current house isn't bad either.'
In fact, his current house was quite decent as a living space. There were memories with his grandmother, a decent yard, and it was a private house. He never had to worry about noise issues.
Apart from the worn-out interior finishes, incredibly steep stairs, swarms of bugs from the mountainside, randomly acting streetlights, and areas perfect for those dreaming of perfect crimes… not to mention the illegal shanty towns scattered around...
It was a good house.
'... Right?'
Anyway, that was how he had to think to survive. Otherwise, what else would he do?
“Earn money and move into an apartment!”
He could hear his grandmother scolding him.
'Grandmother. Now, I might really be able to move.'
Murmuring to soothe the spirit of his grandmother, Sang-Hyeon emerged from the capsule.
Chiiik.
"There's no special celebration for this game."
No host seemed to be coming to interview him, and the next challenge participants quickly entered. RunGuys was a very simple game and this minor challenge had little at stake.
— What did you expect?
— Celebration? RubySword already did it, man
— Trying to get more!? Greedy...
— Hey, Yu Sang-Hyeon. Are you possessed by Money Satan!?
Viewers argued that receiving donations was his reward. However, some viewers clicked their tongues at the malice.
— Those are the real devils LOL
— No, that's... that, that's just that!
— Satan: You're progressing too fast, bros.
— LOL
— Who's trying to cover the balance so recklessly? LOL
— Real irresponsible pleasure LOL
Sang-Hyeon received a lot of donations because he mistook a prize of one million won for ten million won.
He quietly surveyed the challenge booths again.
"Hmm. Well... it was a fast, fun, and decent game. There's still time..."
RunGuys was such a short and intense game. He could play another challenge.
'What can I really score big on?'
Sang-Hyeon wanted to score big because it was likely to be his last game.
— This man suddenly became proactive?
— Playing again? What a sight today
— Bro, don't overdo it...(clumsy)
'If possible, it's better to earn as much as I can.'
He didn’t want a challenge that rewarded him per victory, but something like a per-kill mission.
"I think I saw something earlier. Just a moment."
He opened the messages that he received. Among them, he found a decent challenge.
[Hitman Simulator]
[Eliminate enemies and complete the mission! Challenge points awarded per enemy eliminated!]
A challenge that paid as much as a player could accomplish. He found it.
'Sniping...? Is it played with guns?'
The fact that it was a shooting game slightly bothered him.
As an archer, Sang-Hyeon strangely never associated with gun users and was also exempt from mandatory military service as the head of a household. He felt apprehensive about it. That was why he only fought with bows in Battle Large.
'Isn't there anything with bows?'
With this thought, he searched further in his message box. There seemed to be no games that involved archery.
'Well...'
Although archery was a sport, bows were always unpopular in games.
He spoke to his viewers after a moment of contemplation, "I'm going to the next game."
***
Sang-Hyeon pondered why. It had been a long time since he left the archery circle. To him, the Yu Sang-Hyeon of Ah-Sung felt more familiar than Yu Sang-Hyeon the archer. Why did he reject guns in a game?
Of course, he couldn’t do anything about his background in archery.
'Ten million won can't be helped.'
The amount was too big.
Anyway, he was a streamer now. He had declared that he would win first place in the challenge points, so viewers expected him to win.
'That's why they donated so much in RunGuys.'
Because of such expectations, tremendous donations came in even after a short challenge like RunGuys.
Sang-Hyeon headed to a challenge booth, unaware that the donations were trying to fill the lacking nine million won.
"Ah. It's Almond."
"Looks like Almond is trying this challenge too."
Several participants recognized him and murmured.
This challenge was not particularly competitive, so there was no sense of animosity or displeasure about his participation.
"But this only gives points."
It was surprising that he specifically came for a challenge that only offered points.
"Is Almond aiming for challenge points?"
"Wow. Is he trying to win that too?"
They were amazed that he went so far just to win a mere one million won prize.
"Wow... how many points will he earn?"
"But does Almond know how to shoot?"
Those who didn't know looked and whispered. This had become familiar since he became famous. He had even been recognized in a kimchi stew restaurant.
Since almost everyone recognized him as a streamer here, Sang-Hyeon didn't pay much attention and approached the host.
"Oh! Almond, right?! Do you want to join the challenge!?" the host immediately recognized Almond and welcomed him warmly. "Such a distinguished person in such a humble place! Come this way!"
This Hitman Simulator game was a new release and wasn't made by a famous game company. For them, having such a famous streamer participate was a great delight.
— What world class treatment
— Presidential level treatment
— Wow, is this a major company!?
— Why did Ah-Sung, a major corporation, come out? Because I am a major corporation!!!
— LOL The treatment is awesome for a small game company
"Here it is."
Almond entered the capsule as directed. He closed his eyes and rested for a while as the Hitman Simulator started on its own.
He checked the time.
"There are about three hours left."
Exactly two hours and forty-three minutes remained until the challenge points would be tallied.
"I heard that as long as I don't die in this game, I can keep playing in an unlimited mode."
The Hitman Simulator had three modes: Story, Mission, and Challenge. Naturally, the mode right now was the challenge mode. It was an unlimited mode for those tired of the first two modes, challenging the limits of their abilities.
[Hitman Simulator]
[Loading…]
***
“Hahaha.”
Sounds of delight from the officials at the booth could be heard outside.
"Almond came?"
"Wow. To our game booth? That's huge."
"See. I told you! Let's send an invitation message!"
They had even debated whether to send an invitation message to Almond because having a famous streamer participate wasn’t so easy.
"Sigh. We were placed in such a remote corner. I thought no one famous would come..."
The better the booth, the more money they had to spend. Had they not spent money? They spent every penny they had, but they couldn't compete with other companies that received real investments.
"But why did he come?"
"Exactly, our challenge doesn't even have viewer prizes..."
That was the second reason they thought famous streamers wouldn't come. Their challenge didn't include gifts for viewers like chicken gift cards. Streamers had no reason to play a new title from an unknown game company without any viewer gifts, but Almond came.
Not by chance, but he deliberately sought them out. It was a strange occurrence if there ever was one. Honestly, it wouldn't be out of place to suspect some hidden advertisement.
"Is it important why he came?" the manager stood up and didn’t want to dampen the mood. "What's important is that he came. Edit all the footage properly! Eh? Try to push forward a contract properly!"
"Ah, yes. Of course..."
Everyone at the table nodded. The manager was right. If Almond came, it was best to make the most out of the situation. Worrying about why he came was of no help.
However, sometimes the question of why was important.
"I've checked briefly why Almond came. It's already trending in the community."
A man with round glasses, Assistant Manager Park, found the reason.
"What? They mention such things in the community too?"
"Ah... that's a long story."
Assistant Manager Park refrained from adding that Almond was being lied to, thinking that a million won prize was ten million won.
"Anyway, Almond wants to get as many challenge points as possible right now."
"Oh? Really? But did we set that many?"
"Um..."
Assistant Manager Park was also doubtful about this, but the answer was clear upon a little thought.
"Maybe he saw the potential?"
"Potential?"
"Our challenge has the highest theoretical challenge points that can be obtained in one go."
"Yeah. We did that on purpose. To hook some people, but..."
The manager couldn't understand. Almond really came for that? It didn't make sense. They only offered such points per assassination target because of their poor circumstances.
"… He came for that?" he asked again to confirm it.
"That seems to be the case. If you sum up the situation."
"Then, there's no problem."
"Yes."
Almond purely aiming for challenge points was indeed a miracle for them. There was nothing problematic about it. Except...
"One thing, though."
"What?"
"There's a limit to how many challenge points we can tally. We have to buy them with money."
"..."
The manager stared at him for a while before speaking, "… You're worried he might take all of them?"
"He might not take everything, but we still have two more days of G-Star ahead..."
"No, Assistant Manager Park." The manager burst out with a resigned laugh. "What nonsense. I know he's good at games. What... why worry about such things? Ah, anyway, it's common to not even make it past the first office in the challenge mode."
The manager dismissed their concerns as nothing. He patted the assistant manager’s back reassuringly and left.
"I'll go with the manager. As we talked about earlier, make the most of this situation. Okay?"
"Yes!"
Everyone was in high spirits and Assistant Manager Park didn't bother to drag it out any further.