18. Odin.
[Odin] has donated 1,000 won.
……Is this for real?
"Of course it's real. That's our on-site rule."
Odin or whatever, the viewers lost their minds in excitement the moment he declared we'd do a proper interview.
Why wouldn't I be nervous? How many years had it been since I'd binged Odin's YouTube vids before bed? My algorithm was flooded with Odin and his crew's kill bet matches. The guy worshipped as the god of Battlelands was in my room, begging for a day labor gig. If I said it didn't make my heart race, I'd be lying like a total normie.
But if I went, "Aigoo, Odin hyungnim! No questions asked, you're hired!" it'd just be some lame, dime-a-dozen bootlicker streamer sucking up to a big corp. I'm Lee Jua. My stream's identity is the gritty banter of an 8-year construction vet.
Clunk—rrrrrr— I yanked the mic closer. Felt like I needed that high-energy vibe from a giveaway draw or quiz show.
"Alright, had plenty of time to think? Question 1: Breathing technique for hauling cement bags. What's your answer, Odin?!"
Buried in the middle was "diaphragmatic breathing"—that was Odin's chat. I clicked my tongue and shook my head. No way they could see it, but it was instinct.
"Diaphragmatic breathing... not wrong per se... but let's put it on hold for now? Man, it got buried in the general chat so fast I almost missed it. Making you manager first."
From my few days of research, when streamers meet like this, the newcomer donates, they confirm via the message, then appoint manager. Manager rights make the nick blue and stand out in chat.
Flinging 1,000-won punches every time he speaks? Even Odin might find that wasteful.
"Alright, how do I give manager to Odin...? How do you even do manager...? I'm only on day 3...."
But I had no clue how to appoint a manager. Cold sweat trickled down my back. Felt like chats calling me worthless for not knowing basics were incoming.
Luckily, the "day 2" excuse flew, and everyone let it slide.
"Ah... thanks."
Hit permissions management, manager appointment window popped up. Enter chat admin name: [Odin].
Prism doesn't allow duplicate nicks... so just 'Odin' should work, right?
Hit add, confirmed Odin as chat manager. Smug grin as I returned to the stream.
The viewers had watched the whole fiasco and were roasting me.
"...F-First time, this is pretty good, why kill my vibe? Anyway, Odin, you're manager now."
"The answer's simple. Who gives a shit about breathing? Use that time to haul more bags."
I scanned Odin and the viewers' reactions, a satisfied smile creeping on. Vibe was good. Trading barbs with a big corp streamer like this? Even trolling the audience into a hook spam storm.
Remembered that VTuber yesterday who, seeing a flood of question marks, replied, [Hooks piling up? Means you're dying of curiosity. Right? You guys only have eyes for me~]. Hooks are praise for streamers.
I'm a streaming genius, no doubt.
"Next question! 2: Precautions for form cleanup! Your answer, Odin?"
"...Huh?"
I flinched. That sounded like a real site vet's answer. Tons of part-timers slice their feet on scattered pins during form cleanup. Pinched fingers were routine too. Was gonna pass anything like "wear safety boots, watch hands/feet."
Odin nailed it.
"How'd you know? You a construction guy too, Odin?"
"...Ah, Google."
Calling himself crown prince aside. Googling my sacred interview quiz.... Made me wanna distance myself right off the bat.
"...Q3 answer?"
"...Zero realism there, crown prince. Don't know the commoner's life?"
Odin's viewers were a riot. Mine too.
Viewer Count: 3,450
Couldn't tell whose was whose, but. Mine are the funnier ones anyway.
Firepower and chat tempo you don't see in bootlick streams. Had to grip this flow tight.
"Alright, calm down... Odin, you can't switch lunch spots on site. Contracts ain't that simple. Site management's got their cut... kickbacks too...."
Seemed to be drifting into deep waters. Cold sweat again. Why take this seriously when everything else is jokes?
Before I could respond, Odin jumped in quick.
Odin's chat buried rebar skimming, kickbacks. Big corp class. But chat veering off, time to reel back to interview.
"Answer: Ask for a spoonful of daekki for gukbap, mix into rice. That daekki's magic. Top with pork bbq, two bowls gone in a flash."
"Skip pork bbq at lunch? That's illegal...."
"Good. But guys, 30 mins in and still interviewing? Feels draggy, right? Odin's got no stream sense."
"Feels that way, so hiring day labor applicant Odin today."
[Odin] has donated 10,000 won.
"This is your day labor hiring fee. Sending Discord link via DM, check and join."
Donation exploded on screen with Prism DM ping. My heart pounded wild again.
Not cuz of the donation.
...Probably.
No idea how I'd kept yapping through the stream. ...This real?
Discord with Odin for Battlelands duo?? Trembling hands steadied as I checked his link.
"...Uh, gotta install this?"