Lotto-Level Opportunity (1)
I'm sure my mentor said women make bank by crying, and I was jealous... but wasn't that me? This is really pushing me to grow. Fine. Challenge accepted. I'll grow for sure. And once I do, my ultimate move... permanent ban incoming.
That said, squeezing out the juice is harder than I thought. Not just anyone can do this. No wonder it's my ultimate technique. Urgh... feeling dizzy. My brain's shutting down.
Wh-what do I do in a situation like this? What should I do?
My mind went completely blank. Brain overload. More precisely, brain fog. That's what they call the mist that clouds your head. Everything got hazy and numb.
In times like these, I need to go for a walk in the fresh air. Walking usually clears my head.
"Phew, let's walk. Yeah, let's do that."
I slipped on my shoes and headed outside.
I followed my usual walking route all the way around. It's so hot. I want a dog... they're so cute. So many flies. Ptoo ptoo. Whoa, those flowers are pretty. What's the name of this flower? As I walked, the fog in my vision started to lift bit by bit. My mind felt clearer too.
"Alright... time to head back."
No more need to stay out here. I don't have money to blow anyway. Wandering around just racks up expenses.
I resisted the temptation, grabbed one hard can, and made it home. First things first, lights on. Darkness makes me sleepy, and that'll just get in the way of my serious thinking.
The resolve was solid? Growth? Okay, I admit it. But.
"What do I do?"
I plopped down cross-legged. I've been streaming for over 150 days. And yet. Today: 0 viewers. Reality hit me hard.
If I don't think this through properly, I might be stuck at 0 forever? Should I just go home and eat Mom's cooking?
That wouldn't be so bad... Aah, snap out of it. Okay... first option.
Go all-in on drawing? I'm surprisingly good at it— even a dummy like me can tell. Worth a shot.
To check if it's just me, I opened Twitter. 4,531 followers. Following 324. More followers than I thought. Maybe I've found a new path?
Suddenly, a laugh bubbles up. Become the world's top illustrator? Announce it to the world?
I took a deep breath and sat down at the computer.
Grabbed my pen tablet and let my hands take over. Just a light sketch, and the result was satisfying.
But games are more fun than drawing. With games, I can focus for 40 minutes out of an hour. Drawing? Maybe 15-20 minutes of scribbling before I'm wiped out.
Having choices is happy but tough. Especially for someone like me—it's grueling.
"What do I do?"
I fluffed up my pillow and pulled the blanket over me.
Not trying to sleep. Just lying down to think... Lights are on! No way I'll doze off.
Deeper pondering... Ponder... Pon... P...
Slept from being sleepy! Totally spaced. I fought the drowsiness hard, but humans are weak creatures. Realized that anew.
What was I gonna do? Recalled what I needed to before bed.
Stream, duh! Oh right! It's late... Wait, no? Or is it? Brain freeze hit hard again.
Remembered my pre-sleep self. Ah! Right. Streamed with 0 viewers and ragequit. Fell asleep at the crossroads of quitting VTubing or not.
That nap was prime. Like a tonic. My brain feels refreshed—mind at ease.
With a calm mind, my vision cleared. Narrow view widened, thoughts expanded.
Think about quitting streaming life. I'd draw hard, sure. But can I really make it?
I'm pretty good, yeah, but I've heard illustrators are getting threatened by AI clickers and all that.
"Hmm... tricky."
I scoured YouTube and communities.
More pessimistic stuff. In E-Europe, A-America, artists are fighting back... but can they win?
Ten minutes of agonizing, and I reached a conclusion. Keep streaming doggedly until drawing pays the bills. That's my call.
My IQ's 79. That's beyond 80-level performance—no, way higher. At least 99, 100. Proud of myself.
Couldn't hold back the grin. Decision made—time for games!
Euhheuhheuh.
Mind's lighter now. I chose this! I decided! Euhheuhheuh.
I jumped up and booted the PC. Now I can game carefree. Bought that GOTY title. Gotta play.
Prepped thoroughly already. My comprehension's weaker, so diving in blind is disaster. Prep's essential.
Played a jump-only game over 70 hours—still no clear.
The world calls me dumb, but won't cut slack.
Why stick around? Find another job? To fend off beasts, show only my best. One slip, and they pounce.
Pounce hurts.
Hated admitting it. That I'm behind others... Inferiority crushed me before.
But a monk's YouTube vid enlightened me.
So what? It's true I'm behind. Yeah. Can't change it. I'm lagging. But if I go the distance, I win!
Accepted it. Stick to what I do best. My survival mode. Best my brain can do.
With courage, I fired up the stream again.
Launched the GOTY game End Dungeon. Black dragon logo, then Unreal logo, weird logos flash by.
Prepped ten times. Dungeon crawler with 3-player multi. Hero farms, powers up, slays tougher monsters.
Started character customization.
Glanced at chat: 0. Don't worry. I got drawing! The more you troll, the tougher I get.
"I-I'm going with this."
But feeling like a loner was inevitable. I talk, chat's a library. Seoul Uni bound? Viewers hit the library. For Seoul U. Come on...!! Enter my room!! Chat something!!
"Or maybe this is better?"
Focused on customizing. Started normal build, ended up cool beauty big-tiddy smiley girl.
Black silky hair, sharp eyes, super huge chest. Like a mobile game's ass-focused character.
"Th-this it is!"
Empty chat—I peeked once more, then hit create character.
Tutorial: WASD move, mouse smack smack. Slot skills/pots to 1-4,Q,E,R,F—survive well. Prepped, I know. Newbie pick: healer. I'm newbie, so healer it is.
"I-I'll... healer."
Pecked at chat.
This a library!! Kruk.
No one's here for real.
Mashed skip through tutorial. So much talk, fingers hurt.
"Hmm. What."
Vids made story fun, but solo? Meh. Real deal starts now: multi, the game's flower. Excited.
As expected! God game—match made instantly.
"Hello."
One greeting, and boom—trouble. Player 1 and 2 fixate on me. Chat's library but kruk. Endless chat floods... more interest in me than game... Hands shaking, I hit dot.
"Guys... should I just refund?"
Pecked chat. Nothing, as expected. Pondered refund for ten minutes.
"Ah, decided—"
200,000 won?! Ten drawings = 2 mil?! Hundred = 20 mil?! Thousand = 200 mil?! Jackpot!! Infinite money glitch?! Use it? Should I?
N-no, dummy. Don't think that. No sir. Wasn't planning 100 drawings for 20 mil!! Bad thoughts gone!!
"Of. Of course! Thank you so much. No, really, this much money... No... Truly... thank you. From the bottom of my heart."
Got 200k! As a donation! Euhheuh. Huge sum—jumping for joy.
"Thank you so much! Really..."
Second biggest ever. Didn't top my record 250k, but second. And same donor. Respect. Max.
"No, really, this much..."
"N-not?! Thank you so much... Uh... First time today... Multi first, they asked if girl. D-dotted. Haven't yet!"
"Ah. Right! H-hold on. One sec."
First time giving manager, fumbled a bit. But Himaru waited.
"D-done! M-Maru-nim, try chatting!"
"Eh... Ehh? R-really?!"
Sudden opportunity. Himaru-nim's a famous VTuber too. Splashing cash like this? Gotta be.
"Wh-when?"
Asked shyly.
"I-I'm in! I'll practice! Don't wanna be a burden..."
"Y-yes... Yep! I'll prep!"
"I'll do my best!"
"Yes! Got it."
Chance. Real chance. Gotta grind. Full brainpower. No burden—be top-tier Zhuge Liang. Rare shot. Lotto-level. Collab with big corp? Prep ironclad!! Luck like this? Monk vid right—always positive. Never quit. Praise thyself. For streaming through the library silence. Euhhaha.