Season 3: Chapter 35: Unexpected Team Play (3)
Ju-Hyeok chuckled. He tried to manage his expression, but couldn't stop his lips from curving up to his ears. He could only exit the booth as fast as someone rushing to the restroom.
After walking quite a distance until the booth was out of sight, he spread his arms and shouted, “Kraaaaa!”
It sounded like a cry that could’ve come from a dinosaur. Pedestrians glanced at him, but it didn't matter. This was G-Star, a place that overflowed with all sorts of eccentrics.
Of course, most of them were not dressed in suits like Ju-Hyeok. Nonetheless…
“Aaaaa!”
Ju-Hyeok could hardly contain his emotions. Only after performing a ceremonial fist pump in the air did he calm himself.
“Phew.”
After taking a deep breath, he composed himself and straightened his shirt. He also rearranged his hair, which had fallen down.
“That was great. It was good.”
His excitement was understandable. That deal was probably their highest advertising revenue ever. It was rare for a capitalist demon like Ju-Hyeok to feel sorry for the person paying the money, but this deal was that significant. The scales were tipped so heavily in one direction.
It couldn’t be helped. On one side was the manager dealing with Ju-Hyeok alone. On the other side, it was practically two against one. Sang-Hyeon kept adding pressure with unbelievable gameplay.
When Sang-Hyeon failed to maintain the pressure, Ju-Hyeok would drag out the company's difficulties, shaking the manager's mental state. Although they weren’t in the same space, Ju-Hyeok and Sang-Hyeon clearly played as a team.
“Phew. That was great. It was good.”
He often brought in advertising deals and secured tough negotiations alone, but he felt much happier this time than when he did it alone. He couldn’t explain exactly why.
He only remembered something Sang-Hyeon once said during a hectic moment.
"When the team syncs up and coordinates, there's a thrill. Something you can't feel in solo sports…"
This was his first time being part of a sports team.
Sang-Hyeon said it wasn't a bad feeling. At the time, Ju-Hyeok had half-listened to his vague talk. Maybe now he understood a bit of what that meant.
“Isn't it over yet?”
Ju-Hyeok opened his phone to check the stream.
Sang-Hyeon was still gaming and caught up in receiving donations. A single donation of 4.1 million won came in with more following.
“Is this going to spread in the community?”
Ju-Hyeok naturally entered one of the most talked about communities related to G-Star and started searching. It was a community talking about streamers. When there was an event involving many streamers, no place was more active in related discussions.
As expected, they also mentioned Almond.
[Real-time nutjob making a month’s wage lol]
[Should have been born as a nut...]
[Breaking: That nut's mission amount omg]
The view counts were also climbing sharply.
“As expected…”
A smile formed on Ju-Hyeok's lips.
No matter how many layers of wrapping were put on, nothing drew attention to human affairs like the topic of how much someone made.
— 4.1 million won???
— That's crazy lol
— Wow
— ??? Ah-Sung? That was my daily wage.
— He nailed it lol
— Did this blow up at G-Star? Bro, what did you even do…?
— Wow... that's more than my salary…
— That amount looks like something from a girl streamer's channel?
└ At this level, it should be a male streamer's channel, I agree.
└ Male streamer's channel? It's a female streamer's channel, isn't it?
└ ???
Comments started flooding in just as quickly as the views.
Ju-Hyeok scrolled through with a pleased smile. Soon, his expression hardened.
As provocative as the troll comments were, they naturally came fast and with side effects.
— Streamers making money is too easy.
— Wow, sitting there and making 4.1 million won~ gulp~ life is sweet!
— Isn't this a sponsored thing? WTF 4 million won lol
└ What sponsorship are you talking about? The donor is a big spender.
Jealous people started to chime in. People like Ju-Hyeok, who led an upright life, probably wouldn't understand such types in their entire lives.
He grew used to them, but his brows still furrowed every time he saw these comments.
— So when are they introducing the damn usage fee ffs. Making money too easily sucks
└ Yeah~ when they introduce the fee, the first one to cry will be losers like you lol
└ Don't be ridiculous~ they'll introduce it~ let's go Bong Joon-ho, Song Kang-ho, Son Heung-min, Kim Yuna, Jay Park, and K telecom~
└ LOL crazy
— Was there ever a job that made money as easily as streamers? I really don't know.
— 4.1 million won LOL to some gamer
"Really."
Ju-Hyeok was incredulous. These people thought streamers like Almond made easy money. At a glance, it seemed easy.
Some streamers received donations just by sitting and chatting. Even those who made money by playing games seemed like a dream job to someone else.
Among the many streamers who laughed and chatted, there were so many gamers. Why did donations come only to them? Why were they the only ones with such charm?
'Irreplaceable character, conversational skills, mental strength, affability...'
So many requirements flashed through Ju-Hyeok's mind.
They didn’t know. Or rather, they claimed not to know. They didn't want to think about it because that was easier. They just wanted to throw stones comfortably. The more they knew about the complex facts, the heavier their shoulders would get when throwing stones.
Why would they want to know?
— Easy money deserves a hit~
Nowadays, there was even a culture of boldly displaying an attitude of not wanting to know.
'They're talking nonsense.'
When Ju-Hyeok felt too angry, he would leave a comment or two before leaving.
└ Fact: The easiest way to make money right now is this guy typing on the keyboard in his room, living off his mom's allowance.
└ LOLOLOL
└ Real talk lol lol lol
'It's useless anyway.'
It was futile no matter how much the fans rolled up their sleeves and cleaned up. If one disappeared, another filled the space. It was as if there was a quota for villains in this world.
Perhaps being famous inevitably came with these by-products. Was being famous an unhappy thing?
'That's not it.'
Ju-Hyeok shook his head.
— Almond's expression is so cute…
— Wow, did he really succeed with a 4.1 km snipe??
— Such class!
— Son! You must grow up to be like Almond!
— ??? The end of the human era has arrived. The era of nuts is coming.
Becoming famous was certainly a good thing if one could withstand the weight. Receiving so much support from many people and being recognized by the world for what one did well were indeed honorable things.
— They don't talk about the 4.1 km snipe success, only about receiving 4.1 million won tsk tsk.
— Isn't that a new record??? It's a game, but still lol
— 4.1 km, damn!
— Four subway stops!!
Although Almond initially received attention for the money he made, more people gradually began to recognize his work.
— No other streamer could have completed that mission lol
└ Really, if BubbleSniper had the same mission, he wouldn't have made even 5,000 won
└ 5,000 won?! lol lol lol is it a slingshot?
└ Usopp lol lol lol
— Wow, an Almond reaction please!!
└ Really??
└ It's worth it for this much lol
Being recognized by many people for what one did well, and on a broader scale, by people all around the world. Perhaps this was also connected to the life Sang-Hyeon initially dreamed of.
‘Maybe he is still pursuing that dream.’
From an archer to a game streamer, it had been a long and winding journey. Perhaps he was still approaching his dream.
***
Chrrrrrrrk!
Hannah opened a weapon storage unit and said, "Here it is. The armory you requested."
Almond looked over the weapons with a grin.
After rummaging around for a while, he picked up something that looked enormously powerful at first glance.
"Oh. This looks good."
Hannah's complexion turned pale.
"Agent. That's... a weapon used against tanks."
Hannah looked doubtfully at the formidable weapon he was holding. She concluded several times before that it was much better to leave things be. Even so, this weapon was a bit too much.
"For the next mission, I really recommend using a weapon that..."
"Hannah."
"Yes?"
"Get as far away as possible."
"...?"
"Hurry."
Hannah stepped back hastily at Almond's command.
"Agent...? Why aim it upward?"
Click...!
Almond aimed the anti-tank gun up.
Hannah wore a puzzled expression.
— Crazy guy crazy guy crazy guy
— lol lol lol lol
— Going like this? lol lol lol
— Could this be that thing?
Click.
Before Hannah could ask anything else, Almond pulled the trigger.
Kwooooooong!!!
A massive explosion sounded as the projectile fired up.
‘It seems to have gone up well.’
After examining the angle, Almond spread his arms out.
"Thank you for your support!"
Swoosh…
During the time it took for the projectiles to fall.
‘Ah… but how much was it….’
He was calculating something. The rocket that had reached its highest point in the sky began to fall back down at a terrifying speed.
Almond, having finished his calculations, spoke to the viewers, "And the mission per kill is at 730,000 won! With an additional 10,000 won, making it 740,000—"
Just then…
"Agent!"
Crash!
Hannah suddenly jumped in.
"It's dangerous! Our company can't go on without you…!"
— ???
— Did she just jump in?
— Are they including her death in the 10,000 won too lol
— That's real love for real
— Face ID here?!
"Uh…?"
Almond was surprised by Hannah's unexpected rescue attempt, but it was already too late. The rocket he had launched up already landed above his head.
Boom!!!
Almond and Hannah, who embraced him, were oxidized and turned to ash.
— Hannah…
— Bad boy Almond!!
— Lol why would she run back in again? lol
— Haha…
The explosion also engulfed and obliterated several meters around them.
Boom!!!
Naturally, Agent Almond's health reached zero.
[Mission Failed]
Consequently, the mission ended in failure and the game terminated.
***
The game turned off.
[Calculating…]
The points were being tallied.
Almond scratched his head and asked the viewers, "Does this make it 750,000 won?"
He was referring to the per-kill mission.
— Why 750? I thought it was 740.
— Gonna exchange it right away?
— No lol are you including killing Hannah too??? lol lol lol lol
The original mission amount, which had reached 730,000 won, became 750,000 won with the addition of Almond and Hannah's lives. It was a terrifying calculation.
— Could the additional 20,000 won be for yourself and Hannah??
— "Cyber Psycho"
— This is why you shouldn't be too social~ exchanging love for money~
— Mom… is being social this scary?!
— Exchanging love for money lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
— Exchanging love for money crazy lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
— ??? Ah, with the dollar exchange rate so high, might as well exchange Hannah~
The chat was in chaos over the notion of exchanging love and everything else. Amid all this, the donations kept coming.
Bam bam!
[Mission Success!]
[ShyNapoleon has donated a whopping 750,000 won!]
[Please… kill me… Almond…]