Hako's Massive Sub-Sub-Contractor Collab (3)

Groooan... The world's so unfair. I was winning at first, no doubt. Turned 500 scraps into 2,000—thought I had real talent, Sena did. But... kept failing, and now I'm down to 50. My 30 minutes just vanished into thin air.

What do I do? This is seriously bad.

I jump up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from my seat. Scan the gambling lineup real quick... and peek at the chat window.

"That's... hindsight."

Who knew 5x would hit? Obviously 1 was the safe bet, right? And last turn was 10, so psychologically 1 felt solid.

"No... I'll give it a shot first."

Thinking this is my last one...

"An angel shows up and if I nail it, 100 billion won. Where to bet...? All in on 1."

I immerse myself, creating the scenario. Was gonna go devil but devils are scary.

"Nope. My 100 billion, my rules."

If I lose, it's my loss, right? Gotta have no regrets. Lose listening to others? Can't sleep. Rust 50-hour no-sleep grind, for real.

I bet all 50 on 1. The wheel spins round and round. Passes 3... 10... 20...

"Ah, my 100 billion."

Lost 100 billion.

"Thanks for the 1,000 won like it's 100 billion..."

Why, just why did the single-slot 20 hit? Impossible odds—I squeeze my eyes shut.

"What! Real 10,000? Ate 10,000!!!"

10k? I whip my head around to spot the 10k shouter. 10k means they bet 500 on 20x... insane! Wild heart, who's that! Gotta borrow some cash. This is it.

"Um... TrainerPhD. TrainerPhD."

"Huh? Yeah? What's up?"

"Could you... spot me some scraps maybe?"

"Why me?"

"Uh... well..."

Yeah, right. Too abrupt.

"I just went bust... lend me a bit and I'll pay back later for sure."

"Got a story... angel appeared and promised real-world 100 billion if I nailed it... but I chickened on 1, 20 hit, lost everything. Lost 100 billion and 50 scraps. Please have mercy... thanks."

Got 30 scraps. In theory, 30 can turn into a million. Let's go! Hope lives! ...No miracle. "Groan."

Broke again. Hands shaking. From losing scraps? Nah. Party disappointed? Nah. Just... wanna keep going but no cash. Dopamine spiked but can't release. Driving me nuts. Sleepy eyelids lift, eyes snap wide.

"For real. This time 1. For real."

No cash, so imaginary bet. Wheel spins... lands on 1.

"Nailed it... 2,000... next 3."

Imaginary again. Spins... already lost 6,000 imaginary. So sad.

Think carefully. Gut says...

"10 this time. 10."

Then...

Everyone mocks me. But... wheel backs me up.

"60,000..."

Lost 60k in like 2 minutes. If only I had 1,000 real... had it. Flow was perfect. What if? Script it out.

Scenario 1. Action!

"Kos! I'm back."

"Hm... lost it all?"

"Heh heh heh heh. Here."

Sprinkle 1,000 first, gauge reaction.

"No waaay!!!! What's this? Turned it 2x?!"

"Heh heh heh."

Then 2,000 five times, Kos goes ape, excited monkey noises.

"Not yet."

Next, shower 5,000s like crazy. Knock Kos out. Comes to from fainting...

Hm, hold up. Too far? Kos is a vet, fainting at 60k? Lacks plausibility? Realism? Redo, redo.

Ah, fun delusion interrupted by dono, back to reality.

"Nah. Dreamt Kos saw my 60k scraps and fainted... Kos goes kyaaah!! Big Sena!! SuperZang! ProxyZang! faints, I do CPR. Then wake up. No scraps tho."

Begging sucks, and sneaking a peek at their level first crushes the soul. Decided ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to head back. Return to team Discord.

"Kos? You there?"

"Yup~ here."

"Kyyyaaah!! Kos is alive!!"

"Hahaha-rofl. What's wrong? Lost it all?"

So unfair, words fail. Would he believe I won a million in delusion gambling?

"Yeah. But if I say I won a million scraps in delusion gambling, believe me? For real, delusion gambling got me a million."

"Hmm. Sure. Want more? Just farmed some, can give."

"Ooh? For real? Not delusion, for real this time. Gonna get a million. Prep to faint at my million, Kos. I'm the gambling god descended."

"Haha~ looking forward. One sec, coming."

Wait blankly for like 10 mins. 2-seater heli ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠buzzes in for landing.

"Sena, here."

Kos drops scraps. Subcontract boss indeed—1,000 whole!

"Whoa, this much? Won't bankrupt you?"

"Haha, of course. Use freely, no worries."

"Where you off to, Kos? Gamble together."

Guilt stings, wanna drag him along. Feel better that way.

"Gambling's no fun for me... rather go kill people."

"... Ah."

Different values... reliable but scary.

"Have fun."

"Wait."

"Yeah? What's up?"

I grab Kos. What if these scraps are from...?

"These scraps... from slaughter?"

Rust's all about looting and losing loot. Been there, know it. Sure enough... Kos just nods, no words. Scary dude.

Anyway. All-in one spot. Theory says split 5 across smaller baskets, but that's losing strat.

My gambling logic:

10 on 1, 10 on 3—if 1 hits, break even? Why gamble then? Win big or lose big—that's gambling.

Cheap tricks get punished by luck. All-in one. Gambler's mindset. Cowards, don't gamble! Go home!

"Cowards... gotta shape up."

Discipline time. All 1,000 on 1.

"Watch! Watch!"

Aaaaah, so unjust. Hate the world. Why do I flop on real bets? Nailed imaginary ones. Lost everything again.

Success? Proved with scraps. Failed? Yeah.

"See, evidence-based gambling. Look. Right now, 1 had to hit. What came up before? 3, 5, 10 right? Common sense, who thinks 5 next...?"

Losers talk a lot. Excuses for over 10 mins.

"Everyone... thanks. Alright, now."

Stuck. What now? Nothing left. Pathetic. Broke AF. No honest scrap grinding gambling.

"Sorry... ending stream."

Stream's been long. Check: 16 hours 50 mins.

Long stream, everyone's chill. Hit exactly 17 hrs and end.

Wake up, check time: 7 PM. Rush to start stream. Rust work, but overslept from fatigue. Turn on, everyone's shocked.

"Khup... Hi everyone. Welcome."

Panicked, hit stream without thinking. Voice super hoarse. Obvious to me, viewers pounce.

Spend time fending off hoarse voice waves.

Dive straight in? Chaos. Need warm-up. Viewers sulk, no chat.

30 mins chit-chat, finally.

"Game time now?"

Bad reception, but what? Collab. Gotta do it. Viewers bored, I get it.

All I do: farm. Farm. Farm. Farm. Know. But collab. Can't skip. Repay with fun games later.

Log into Rust, bottom-left nameplates light up.

"Sena hi~"

"Hello!"

Moteok greets warmly.

"Sena, what today? Farm with me?"

"Uh... yeah! Sounds good."

Dive right into work. Chainsaw in hand, go nuts on trees.

"Sena, after this?"

"Me? Uh... mobile game."

"Ooh. What? Me too. Together."

Moteok's pushy, stressing me.

"Uh... sure."

"Not sure, tell me what."

"Last Ra..."

"Ah, that Lara2. Lara2 right?"

"Lara...?"

Game's epic dark backdrop. Lara2 cheapens it.

"Yeah... right..."

But whatever. Eyes shut, nod.

"Ooh, doing that too. Did 1 back then. Nostalgia."

Played original? Serious? Kinship!

"Really? How far? I'm ex-rank 1, making guild. Your rank? Oh, know SuperZangJang? Public guild celeb. Kraken OTK deck? Spread that. Saved noobs! Real. PVP deck? Speed deck user. My speed gear OP, mained Leo freebie deck..."

"Wait. Sena. I'm... light user. Don't know much."

Ah, only I hyped? Only I cared? Blabbed clueless again. Motivation crashes.

"Ah... okay."

"No, still together~ Can we meet? Friend add at least. Right? Ahahaha."

"Right..."

"Homework...? Chat keeps saying homework..."

"Huh? No no. Really wanna. Huh? No, been interested forever~"

Truth hits. Viewers smarter, broader view than me.

"Ah... got it."

"Hey no. Who said? Who? Nooo~ I like it! Really like it~ Know Leo~"

Jealous tho. I just play. Moteok gets paid.

"Jealous... wish I got homework too..."

How nice? Splash cash on fave game, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠get paid. Dream job! I could do it packed, fun, useful. Real deal. Not like fakers. Real.

Hurt's hurt, but work's work. Streaming. Pro mode on! Hustle for my shot. Someday ads too!!