Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: The Proper Use of Horror Coins
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I immediately turned on the broadcast.
By now, I had some idea.
Within this Horror Gallery.
I might be a somewhat popular figure.
Whenever I checked in occasionally, there would be bait posts or threads mentioning my name.
Some comments referenced videos related to me, and I'd even seen a few praises.
At this level, I could be considered somewhat well-known.
Of course, I didn't click on those posts to read them directly.
...At least, not often.
The one time I gave in to curiosity, my face turned bright red.
After seeing the level of adulation that bordered on worship.
But...
...strangely.
I didn't hate the anticipation or the fuss.
Those words they chattered about.
Those gazes.
It felt like they were quietly affirming that I wasn't wrong.
Supporting and validating me.
So.
I wanted to do even better.
I wanted to become just a little more like the me they expected.
Within my limits.
The newbie cutoff(?) is higher than I thought.
I might not even meet my own standards at this rate.
The important thing is.
For now.
The attention from those Horror Gallery souls was helpful.
Thanks to that, I could use this method.
***
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[Horror Broadcast: Code 120053]
[Broadcast Time 21:01:12]
[Broadcast ending soon.]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
My phone screen showed my own broadcast.
I'd learned it last time while watching someone else's stream.
That I could watch my own broadcast.
If things continued like this, in a few seconds.
The broadcast would end automatically.
—I had no intention of letting that happen.
I immediately hit the donation button.
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
For a moment, the rapidly scrolling chat stopped at the donation alert.
First, silence.
Then, stirring.
Finally—confusion.
[Pa Cheonhwang]: ?
[Flounder]: ?
[Narita]: Are you insane?
[Happy Storage]: ?
It must have looked like a fool donating to their own stream.
At the last message, I smirked for a second and moved.
If this bought even a few seconds—
I could endure that level of misunderstanding.
I didn't care about my image anyway.
The system delay from the donation.
That delay was crucial for me.
Confirming the extended broadcast time, I immediately closed the stream.
Then, without hesitation, I entered the Horror Shop.
No second thoughts.
Like someone who'd already decided on their purchase.
My finger tapped one item right away.
[Voice of the Dead] (300 coins)
Summon the voice of one previous victim.
(※ Active for 5 minutes)
(※ Limitations:
1. Ineffective if the target refuses.
2. Target must be in the same space.)
I had no idea if this was truly necessary.
I poured in half my coins on a hunch.
A bundle of paper appeared above my hand in a glow.
I tore it immediately.
Rip—
[Would you like to use the 'Voice of the Dead' item?]
[Please designate a target.]
In the system window before me, I thought of the target without hesitation.
There was only one.
'Kim Myung-hoon.'
[Searching........]
It was money I'd get back anyway.
30% would be taken as fees.
Still—
Not a bit of regret.
[Target 'Kim Myung-hoon' confirmed.]
If anything, it was a relief.
That I could 'return' it this way.
Even if I couldn't get it back—
I would have made the same choice.
[Processing...]
Thinking about it.
Half the coins I'd earned.
Were born from the 'goodwill' of Horror Gallery users.
So.
Returning that goodwill—
As someone who'd received it.
Might just be the natural thing to do.
I re-entered the broadcast.
Pouring in all remaining coins.
Coins could be earned again.
But.
For her, this chance might be the last.
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Time extended.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Time extended.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Time extended.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Time extended.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Time extended.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Time extended.]
...
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Time extended.]
Endless repeating lines piled up on the screen.
[Insufficient funds. Donation impossible.]
"The debt... won't be fully paid with this."
Looking at the system.
I said quietly.
"I'll pay it back slowly... from now on."
I clasped my hands briefly in prayer.
13 trillion.
The words at the end of the contract.
That voice requesting an addition to the rules then.
I couldn't not know.
That he was helping me.
With this, my mind felt a little lighter.
Even though a huge debt remained.
The shop door opened, and I followed her inside.
Seeing Han Su-ryeon flustered at the counter, I paid for her.
Now that I'd saved one person.
Time to save the other one I couldn't before.
I figured we had enough time ahead.
To continue the unfinished conversation...
I looked out the window.
The rest was left to the Horror Gallery users.
Even using all my coins, their time was limited.
How much time they could buy.
Now.
Even I didn't know.
***
At first, she was just puzzled.
She couldn't understand the newbie's actions.
The broadcast was about to end.
If it continued like that.
Like last time, the newbie could have received tons of coins.
The other Horror Gallery users would keep donating on their own.
But—
'...Why?'
No matter how she thought about it, it was irrational.
She stared at the screen, hesitating for a moment.
'Should I... stop him now?'
She worried the newbie might suffer a loss.
Then.
A donation window filled her view.
That single line.
Forcibly cut off her ongoing thoughts.
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[I suck at words, so not sure if this gets through.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[There's someone who's helped me a lot lately.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[I wanted to repay the favor, but had no way to reach them.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[This time, the chance came, so I'm staying.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Kim Boram. If you haven't left the broadcast yet, keep waiting.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Someone's waiting for you right now.]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Promise...? No, a contract. You made a contract, right?]
['Newb120053' has donated 100 coins.]
[Pinky swear. I'm going to fulfill that contract now.]
The donation messages ended there.
But with that alone, the Horror Gallery users understood what conversation had taken place.
The chat was silent.
They knew the newbie wasn't doing this to earn coins.
They knew him well.
If there had been a chance, there had been far more opportunities for him.
So now, the newbie.
Was pouring coins into something else again.
And that something—
Was surely something good.
The newbie hadn't said anything specific to them.
No pleas for coins.
No begging for donations.
They could probably just ignore it.
No one would blame them if they left.
But.
Each of his words carried meaning.
They could tell.
He needed coins.
A lot, just by looking.
Reaching that conclusion, everyone's minds strangely cleared.
'He needs coins.'
Enough that everyone had to pitch in.
In the silent chat.
The first message rose quietly.
Like breaking the ice.
[Crazy Woman]: ..Damn—really no coins this time.
['Crazy Woman' has donated 500 coins.]
[Crazy Woman]: Can't be helped. He's like a little brother. Sis goes first.
['Crazy Woman' has left the chat.]
[Pa Cheonhwang]: All my assets, 363 coins. Dirt dirt
['Pa Cheonhwang' has donated 300 coins.]
[Pa Cheonhwang]: Next horror: talisman two-sheet challenge! Come to my stream!!
['Pa Cheonhwang' has left the chat.]
[Flounder]: Ah. Want to give more, but because of that damn human-faced dragon.
['Flounder' has donated 100 coins.]
[Flounder]: Have a good time.
['Flounder' has left the chat.]
Donations continued.
From small to large.
People vacated their seats.
...
Numbers dwindled rapidly.
And finally.
Now only two remained in the chat.
The ones who'd bickered throughout the broadcast.
[Narita]: Next time, I win!
[Narita]: So.. hehe
[Narita]: Have a good time!!
['Narita' has donated 500 coins.]
[Narita]: Fighting!
['Narita' has left the chat.]
Now the chat was completely silent.
Only one remained in the chat window.
Then, the people in the conference room stood up.
"Come to think of it. After that incident."
"Me too... now that you mention it."
Chairs scraped across the table here and there.
People left.
Finally.
Before the door closed, the Information Junkie bowed his head.
"Sunbae. From now on, no one enters the conference room!"
"Probably... the room will stay empty from here on!"
"Me too!"
"I'll help."
"Even if the lab director comes, we'll block with our bodies!"
Before the flustered her could say anything, the door shut.
Now, only she remained in the conference room.
The still-dark screen.
She didn't understand why the newbie told her to 'stay.'
Even suddenly mentioning a promise.
...She couldn't understand at all.
The broadcast was nearly over.
The seats left by users were now empty.
Only she and the unextinguished screen remained.
Even so—
The reason she didn't move.
Was simply not wanting to betray their expectations.
'Yeah.'
That was it.
Staying here.
There were no other reasons.
She no longer had misunderstandings or delusions.
Crying alone at the sports day.
Was just dust in her eye.
Crying when she mistook and hugged on the way home.
Was just unfamiliarity.
Watching other kids hold hands and walk from behind.
...Just that.
Just that, nothing more.
And then it was.
Piercing the quiet hum of silence, a faint breath leaked from the speaker beyond.
Her eyes trembled faintly.
It was familiar.
An echo she could never forget.
— ...Boram.
The breath became a voice.
With that one word, all suppressed emotions.
Began flowing down like a snapped thread.
The moment she heard it, she realized.
She raised her hand.
On the back.
It was wet.
Without reason, droplets trailed down her cheek.
The drop gathered at her chin finally fell to the floor.
Her throat choked, no sound came.
Forcing it down, she opened her mouth.
Time was limited.
"...Ah."
She didn't want to waste this time like this.
...Not.
Not with tears again.
"..Dad."
The breath resounded.
And soon, a reply came.
For the first time.
She was rewarded for her expectation.
Unlike her childhood.
—I'm really late, huh.
"...Late."
Maybe it was good the screen was off.
So they didn't have to see each other.
So their crumbled faces wouldn't be exposed.
"..Contract violation."
***
Horror Gallery.
Once the broadcast ended, the souls poured into the gallery.
In an instant, the gal became a festival.
As always, the post-broadcast yearly feast.
But this time, one thing was different.
The gal had split into two factions.
It started as nothing big.
Just a light question.
[Title: Kyaa— Thought I was high.]
—Author: Beat Beat
As expected, Newb120053.
Always seemed talented?
But this time, confirmed exceptional talent.
Should come to the Godly Suppression Squad side?
Soon, comments exploded on the post.
Unity lasted only a moment.
Investi(gator) VS Suppre(ession Squad) showdown.