The Sub-Sub-Contractor's Massive Collab (2)

The meeting wrapped up, and it was already 5 PM. Luckily, I'd put up an announcement today, so everyone was on their best behavior.

I hadn't even switched from the screen cover to the game view yet. Donations like this kept pouring in.

Rust isn't a game you can play long-term. Wipes are essential. Official servers and private ones alike reset periodically. Once resources overflow, it just loses all the fun... The real thrill is in the early farming and then dominating with those resources.

So we do Round 1 for a week, wipe, then start Round 2. Naturally, Round 1 is the most intense and crucial.

But ironically, for a noob sub-sub like me, Round 2 is even tougher. All the hardcore players who went all-out in Round 1 bail, leaving behind concept players messing around or casuals taking it easy—which gives opportunities, at least.

It's relatively better that way... but still not easy...

"Welcome, everyone. As you know, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠we're doing Rust today. I'll give it my all!"

I'm jumping into the war too. I really wanted to try it for real. I got lucky once before, but messed up my respawn settings and ended up just strolling around, wasting a golden opportunity.

"Gotta do the war too! I'll show you the real special forces Sena! Huh? Watch me go one-man army, take the high ground!"

An old fantasy of mine. Becoming a hero in war. Doesn't everyone dream of that? I wanna try it, especially as a sniper.

"You know, popping off with the sniper rifle! Bang bang! How's that? Cool, right?"

Fantasies are free for everyone, right? But... it really is cool. I just want you all to admire me.

"Fantasy... yeah, you're right. I could do it though..."

I suddenly feel down. That's why I fantasize—'cause I can't in reality. If I could, I'd prove it with actions, not words.

Everyone's cheering me on. Their support fills me with energy. Gotta work hard and show 'em my best.

"Thank you! I'll definitely show you! I'll try to make that Sena med movie happen."

I spent the time before logging in chatting with viewers. My communication skills have improved lately—I melt away the time without even trying.

Didn't say much, but it's already login time.

"Here we go. Start!!!"

Rust is a dog-eat-dog world. Before diving in, I took about three minutes for meditation. Meditation is crucial—it lets you reflect and calm down.

A truth I gained during meditation.

Promoted from sub-sub to sub. Thrilling. But no arrogance—work hard as a sub.

I really hope I stick to that.

Some things we know in our hearts but can't do. Study hard early, life gets easier later. Everyone knows. Yet some don't.

Honestly, even if you sent a slacker back to school days, they'd probably slack off. Me included. Back then, I'd have gamed smarter, no dumb trial-and-error.

Done...! Looking at chat, I feel like... maybe I can do it?

Yeah, if I draw the sword, I gotta swing it. That's right. I chanted sophistry to brainwash myself. But more importantly...

For a sub-streamer like me, the key is logging in on time.

Already 15 hours in. Planning to log off at 8 PM tonight with time to spare. A bit sleepy, but... gotta work hard to get praise.

Chat's basically dead. Aside from funny moments, it's one message per minute. Viewers are worn out from even typing.

And then.

They're openly trolling. Normally I'd clap back in chat, but everyone's too tired for much talk.

Staring at the dead chat, I recap my 15 hours.

Mined tons of wood and stone like crazy, tailed Koseu-nim as a bag mule. When Koseu-nim massacred, I looted the items.

Then off to the subway for farming—prime spot for scrap, the currency.

Great farm means lots of clashes. Died twice to primitives, but each time Koseu-nim geared up and avenged me instantly. Rinse and repeat forever.

"Sena-nim, you tired?"

"I... I'm fine."

"Haven't seen someone go this long in ages. Everyone else taps out from exhaustion..."

Koseu-nim sounded worried about me.

"Anything you wanna do?"

"I... um."

"Take this and hit the casino? Nothing else to do anyway."

Koseu-nim showered me with scrap currency. I gobbled it up greedily.

A whopping 500. Insane perks.

"Thank you!"

"Hahhaha. You earned it, Sena-nim. Make a 3-stack and blow it all. Tomorrow we wipe the snow biome?"

"Uh... oh!"

Already? Throne's owner decided this quick? Tempo's insane.

"S-So... tomorrow I can shoot guns?"

"Of course. Should be now, but rules block it Day 1. Otherwise we'd have wiped earlier. Shame."

"Aha...! So you'll give me a gun?"

Whoa, too cheeky. But I want it... Never got one Day 1, always rationed on Day 3-4 when everyone's already armed—useless for my slow shots.

Everyone on crossbows/shotguns? I need semi-auto, AK-47, bolt-action to matter.

But that was way too bold. How to recover? What to say?

"Uh... I mean. Um."

But Koseu-nim was all cool about it.

"Obviously. What gun you want?"

"Y-You're really giving? For real? I suck at guns! Totally suck. You sure?"

"Hahhaha. Duh. I'll print infinite. Don't worry, spray and pray. What you gonna do with it?"

"With that... uh. Rust, so... N-No, nothing."

Whoops, got too immersed and slipped. Koseu-nim burst out laughing, filling the air with it.

"Ah~ Rust, gotta do a raid."

Warm sub boss. Come to think, all sub bosses I've met were nice...

"Thank you."

"Hit the casino before raiding. You work non-stop, gotta relax."

"Gasp... thank you."

Casino run with 500 scrap? Always too busy before, but now? Work-life balance time! I packed light, feeling free.

"Koseu-nim, I'll head out quick!"

"Wait. Lemme pick you up. Hang on."

"R-Really?"

Taxi service too? Koseu sub boss is the best. Top of all bosses I've seen.

"Sure. Dying solo's more hassle. I'll ferry you. Call when done."

"Th-Thank you!"

Thrilled. Jackpot. The duo heli's rotors whir to life.

"Hop in."

"Y-Yes!"

Front seat, and we're airborne. Rust isn't supposed to be this chill. Infinite grinding, farming, massacres. That's why big corps dominate.

Work environment's too good—hard to adjust. Hope it's always like this...!

Me and chat parted ways long ago. Got used to it. At least Maru-nim's here, shifting to Rust talk.

Earlier chat was wild... Flooded with "Mr. Baek's recipes" out of nowhere.

Some agro about a self-employed pharmacist making 100 mil a month passing 9th-grade civil service—how many upgrades is that?

Mentioned my big donors SenaJoa-nim and JjinSpecial-nim, then mystery first chats calling for their death.

Nearing CSAT, asked for cheers—I did. Bait switched to Einstein.

Could Einstein get into med school on CSAT? Shockingly, no. Bro's a math/science purist—studies only calc/geo/prob (all perfected) and physics 1/2, blanks Korean on test day for 41211, hits cram school second year...

Or cuts physics 1 in 5 mins, sneaks physics 2 paper out, caught cheating and expelled.

Make sense, idiots. Chat made me dizzy.

These people are nuts. Stream's so boring they lost it.

Then Maru-nim saves the day. Better this way—stops viewer circlejerks, pulls all agro, cleans it up.

"For real?"

Full-course VIP possible. Infinite resources, I swear.

"Ah... yep."

"Who was that?"

Mic's on. Oh no. When did...? Sloppy mistake...! Get it together. I scolded myself and replied.

"Huh? Oh! Mic was on. Sorry! Just chat stuff."

"Aha. No worries. Almost there. Good luck gambling, win big."

"How much should I win?"

"As much as possible."

Wish she'd hype me. No hype? Bitter. Humans are social animals craving approval. That's us... No expectations feels good yet ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sour.

Upside: praise threshold's low. Do decent, get showered. School days, 10-20 points usual. Then grinded Korean history to 52.

Mom gave chicken + 100k allowance. "So good!"

Chicken and cash for 52? Knew her expectations. Kinda bitter thinking that.

"I'll win big!"

"Ooh, yes. Looking forward. Kill anyone en route? Say the word, I'll wipe 'em. Anyway, good luck..."

"Good luck!"

Landed safe near casino entrance. Casinos have versions: indoor/outdoor.

This server's indoor. Voices grow louder inside.

'Kyyyaaack my money! Give it back! Please!'

'Why 5x? What're the tip rooms doing.'

'Nooo! All my fortune!!'

Screaming losses. Kinda performative. I'm better off than I thought. Self-promo. Big/mid corps scream on open mic? Maybe with friends... Solo? Mute and chat viewers. Or I'm no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠corp, dunno.

Anyway. Paused, cleared throat a few times. Can't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mess up... Loosened up, went in.

Roulette spins. Multipliers: 1, 3, 5, 10, 20x. Start safe, build steady... ehehe. Won't sub boss be touched?

'Here, 100 million scrap.'

Sub boss: Kieeeek!! Faints?! Heeheehee. Too funny—gotta win.