Chapter 180
‘Was it just a scout?’
That was the first thought that popped into Lee Suhyuk’s head when he got the question.
Recently, Suhyuk had been courted by scouts from several guilds.
Their goal was singular: to recruit Suhyuk into their respective guilds by any means possible.
“I believe I already answered that question via email.”
It felt strange to him.
A viewer with a nickname he had never seen before, who had not even changed their nickname, suddenly sponsoring such a large amount of points seemed unusual.
Suhyuk was convinced that this person was indeed a scout.
“If you insist, I can check the email you sent. But I don’t think the answer will change.”
The atmosphere felt off. But suddenly, an answer came in hastily.
『’q1w2e3r4′ has donated 1,000 points.』
『Oh, I’m not a scout! I just wanted to mention that you should keep streaming solo… that’s all.』
The donations continued incessantly, clearly indicating some level of distress.
『’q1w2e3r4′ has donated 1,000 points.』
『I’m sorry if I upset you. I didn’t realize you might misunderstand.』
『’q1w2e3r4′ has donated 1,000 points.』
『I really hate Blue Zone. Honest. I hope Blue Zone burns. That shitty guild, ugh.』
『’q1w2e3r4′ has donated 1,000 points.』
『But what did I do wrong? Suddenly getting all pissed off at me…』
The messages and donations kept coming one after another.
– LOL They really seem pissed
– Swearing so refreshingly LOL
– But is it okay to bash like this officially?
– Guild Leader, I was just watching…
A cascade of furious donations.
Suhyuk felt flustered by the donor’s reaction.
‘Is it really not a scout?’
It was perplexing.
Given the explicit language like ‘shitty guild’, it genuinely felt like a misunderstanding. A bona fide scout wouldn’t say such things, even as a lie.
He had made the wrong assumption first, and now it was up to him to calm down the angry viewer.
“Oh no, um… sorry for the misunderstanding. I don’t like Blue Zone either… uh, should I not say that? It’s not your fault… please calm down….”
The donations kept coming regardless.
Receiving points was nice, but the situation was undeniably awkward. Still, it didn’t feel entirely bad.
『’q1w2e3r4′ has donated 1,000 points.』
『Really sorry, okay?』
Suhyuk nodded his head.
“Yes, sorry for not recognizing a big spender.”
If ‘q1w2e3r4′ was not a scout, then they were undoubtedly a valuable viewer for any streamer.
Someone willing to donate such a significant amount without hesitation was clearly a big spender.
『’q1w2e3r4’ has donated 1,000 points.』
『Then, just do me one favor.』
“Sure. As long as it doesn’t interfere with my trials, anything.”
The donations had started pleasantly enough that he felt he could accommodate most requests.
As long as it wasn’t something as bizarre as the previous ‘blockhead.’
Then,
『’q1w2e3r4′ has donated 1,000 points.』
『Say ‘Kim Ilsoo is a bastard’.』
‘q1w2e3r4’ requested something strange once again.
– LOL
– Can’t believe they’re asking that LOL
– Did they get slapped by Kim Ilsoo or something?
– Will he do it? Really???
An unexpected and somewhat shocking request.
However, Suhyuk felt they might actually get along pretty well.
* * *
“It looks like they just enjoy teasing Suhyuk.”
Yerang giggled under her blanket. She kept tapping away at her kit, thoroughly entertained by Suhyuk’s flustered reactions.
She began to understand why people made expensive donations on streams. Seeing the streamer react to her words made it feel almost as if they were having a real, face-to-face conversation.
It had been a long time since she had laughed this much.
Even for a moment, it felt like Suhyuk, who had passed away, had come back to life and was talking with her.
‘I used to tease him so much like this back then.’
Yerang often pretended to sulk, and Suhyuk would do his best to cheer her up. The process was so amusing that she sometimes faked being upset just to prank him.
“Hey, Yerang!”
Suddenly, the locked door burst open, and Shiwoo entered the room.
Yerang, hiding under the blanket, sprang up in shock.
Shiwoo was holding a player kit, just like hers.
“This is you, right?”
“What, what, what is it?”
“Lee Suhyuk stream sponsorship. This is you, right?”
Yerang feigned ignorance.
“No, it’s not!”
“Don’t lie. If it’s not you, then who is it?”
“How should I know?”
“Give me the kit. Is it because you have too many points?”
“No way!”
In an instant, both of them turned into children. Yerang ran around the cabin, trying to prevent the kit in her hand from being snatched, while Shiwoo hurriedly moved his slow feet to chase her.
Fortunately, Yerang did not disappear. He thought she might vanish the moment he broke down the door and entered.
Finally giving up on catching Yerang, Shiwoo stood in place, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender.
It was a sign of his consent.
‘Feeling a bit better now.’
Yerang, standing with both feet attached to the ceiling, stuck out her tongue at Shiwoo. Shiwoo burst into laughter at the childish taunt.
Both he and she had chosen to escape from this situation. And oddly enough, they met again in that escape.
“Let’s get up now.”
Shiwoo barely managed to pull Yerang up.
“The planned day isn’t far off. We can’t keep moping around like this.”
The promised date was not far away, and time was still ticking.
“We lost Gyuseong, but… we need to find Hyomin.”
“I know.”
“Then get down now. Stop watching the stream.”
Whoosh-.
Before he finished his sentence, Yerang descended from the ceiling.
“You nag after seeing the map.”
“Ah, right.”
“And didn’t we promise not to criticize each other’s streams?”
“The situation’s a bit different now. Why are you sponsoring streams? Geez, really.”
“Why? It’s fun. Wanna try?”
“No, thanks.”
He said as if he wasn’t interested, but he was, in fact, curious.
Streamer Lee Suhyuk. This person had always caught his attention. If it weren’t for this situation, he would have liked to meet him and ask,
“How do you know my friend so well?”
“Kim Ilsoo, you son of a bitch.”
Broadcast sounds continued to flow from the kit in Shiwoo’s hand.
* * *
-Wow lolololol
-He’s really doing this lololol
-Money grubber ON
-Lee Suhyuk controversy. Statement: Kim Ilsoo is a son of a bitch!
-Guys, keep it cool~
Even though it was at the viewer’s request, it felt satisfying. He could publicly curse at Kim Ilsoo in front of all these people.
‘This feels relieving.’
His gratitude doubled. Since it was a request that came with the sponsorship money, it wouldn’t become an issue separately.
Lee Suhyuk cautiously asked, hoping he could freely curse once more.
“Is there any other request?”
He waited for a moment, but no reply came back.
The viewer, who had been requesting each phrase for a thousand points, suddenly disappeared.
“q1w2e3r4-nim? Hello?”
-lololololol
-He bailed
-Added controversy and ran lol
Suhyuk scratched his head in disappointment.
“Did he really leave…?”
-lolololol
-He’s disappointed over the points lol
-Stop calling him, Suhyuk… It’s pathetic
Viewers, unaware of the circumstances, thought Suhyuk’s reaction was due to the points.
Of course, that wasn’t entirely untrue.
Though disappointed, he couldn’t help it.
Neither could he wait indefinitely for q1w2e3r4.
“Today, I talked more than usual.”
Step-.
Suhyuk slowly took a step towards the portal.
“Thank you all for waiting so long.”
『Viewers: 81,310』
Eighty-one thousand.
The number didn’t surprise him anymore. As the stream continued, more viewers would join.
This was the one thing so many viewers were eager to see.
To join Lee Suhyuk in the making of history. And to experience that moment live.
“Let’s start the test.”
Hwaaaak-!
『Commencing the test of the 7th floor.』
* * *
Along with the cluster of light, he felt a renewed sense of every sensation in his body.
The temperature of the air, the textures and sensations on his skin, the positions of his hands and feet—all felt different.
It was as if he had closed his eyes and opened them to find himself in an entirely different world. And that was exactly the case.
When Suhyuk opened his previously closed eyes, he found himself staring at a ceiling in a strange place.
‘Where am I again?’
He glanced around with slightly opened eyes. Walls decorated with golden curves, a chandelier emitting a soft light that wasn’t harsh on the eyes, a pleasant fragrance filling the room, and a marble floor.
Even the warm and cozy blanket wrapping his body made him feel that there couldn’t be a more perfect place for rest.
-Where is this place?
-Now that I think of it, they skipped the previous test
-Can someone explain?
The previous test hadn’t been broadcasted. The world where Odin had trapped Thor was designated as a ‘non-stream area’ due to his power.
‘Good thing this time.’
Seeing the chat, Suhyuk sighed in relief. He had been worried that this test wouldn’t be broadcasted either, but luckily, that wasn’t the case.
It seemed that with the change of location, the restrictions had also disappeared. The test in that place had concluded with him breaking Thor’s Mjolnir.
“Where are we, you ask….”
He was about to say that he didn’t know when,
“We are in Asgard.”
A melodious voice he had never heard before stimulated his ears.
-!!!!
-Looks familiar
-Damn, she’s gorgeous
A woman with soft bronze skin and neatly cut golden blonde hair down to her shoulders.
Her sharp and strong eyes exuded an aura of a ‘warrior’, despite her slender physique.
“…so she says.”
Suhyuk continued his sentence.
Asgard, huh.
He found it bothersome to have to go there again, but since the test with Thor had ended, the transition was skipped.
“I was ordered to protect you while you were unconscious. It’s a relief you woke up.”
Thud-.
She approached Suhyuk.
“How’s your body?”
Instead of answering, Suhyuk stared at her face closely.
-Her beauty is insane…
-My love, I found you… Sorry, sister!
-She’s even prettier up close
The chat was abuzz with comments about the woman’s beauty.
Given that someone of Viola’s level of beauty had appeared as soon as the stream started, it was no surprise that the reactions were intense.
Suhyuk thought about who she might be. The face seemed familiar. Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to remember.
“Are you Brynhild?”
“You must have taken Valhalla’s test.”
Brynhild. The leader of the Valkyries, to which Viola belonged, and Odin’s most powerful sword.
She immediately understood how Suhyuk recognized her.
“If it’s you, you must have passed it brilliantly. Otherwise, Tyr wouldn’t have brought you here himself.”
‘Tyr?’
The person who had brought him here was Tyr?
It was odd. The last test was under Odin’s domain.
“Thor…”
He was about to ask what happened to Thor when,
-Don’t say it.
A voice echoed in his mind. Reflexively, Suhyuk shut his mouth.
Creak—.
The door opened, and someone walked in. Seeing the figure enter, Brynhild bowed her head.
“You’re here?”
“You woke up early.”
With his hand behind his back, Tyr entered the room. Passing by Brynhild, he looked down at Suhyuk and asked,
“To think you’re so worn out by just the test of Valhalla… humans truly are weak.”
“Pardon?”
Just the test of Valhalla, he said.
But the test he had undergone was no small feat. Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Tyr slightly shook his head.
It appeared that the fact Thor had awakened was still a secret.