The Search for the Uncut Gem
Anxious that someone else might cut in line ahead of them, the players erupted in a frenzy of rage. Even if Silved was a hotshot rising ranker, in the end, he was just a solo player. In Pangaea Online, solo players were always at a disadvantage when a fight broke out. Except for a tiny handful of anomalies, this was an absolute truth!
While the community was burning up with passionate reactions, Tae-hyun calmly explained the situation.
"Since I don't even know where this island is right now, I'm not sure if I'll need someone from the outside to help us escape."
Tae-hyun hadn't explicitly said anything of the sort, but the viewers watching him perfectly understood his unspoken message. Why else would he say something like that? He was clearly asking for help!
Prosdas. While it was a famous fashion brand in the real world, it held a slightly different meaning for those involved in Pan-On.
Indeed. Back when Tae-hyun first founded Team KL, many corporations had hesitated, thinking, "Sure, sponsoring an esports team is great, but a tiny, low-profile team like this is a bit..." Prosdas, however, had stepped up aggressively. That bond endured even after Team KL made their spectacular debut. Even when other brands offered astronomical sums to take over the uniform sponsorship, Tae-hyun remained loyal to Prosdas.
From Prosdas's perspective, it was like a golden goose had rolled right into their laps.
Kim Team Leader, who had driven the deal, was now a legend within Prosdas. Starting as a mere team leader, he had risen to oversee the entire Korean branch!
Kim Team Leader broke out in a cold sweat. In truth, rather than being absolutely certain of Team KL's future, he had pushed for the sponsorship simply because he was a massive fan of Tae-hyun as an individual player.
'If you think about Kim Tae-hyun's popularity, even if the team fails and he only plays solo, we'll still make a profit in the long run, won't we?'
...But when Team KL became insanely successful, the Team Leader's foresight was highly praised. Within Prosdas, he was treated as a man with the eyes of a god!
Regardless, Tae-hyun and Team KL were a massive jackpot for Prosdas. It was no wonder they had been steadily expanding their Pan-On-related brand lineup ever since.
As a result, one of the primary duties of Prosdas's planning team was scouting players—specifically, discovering unrevealed Pan-On players ahead of time!
"How about we recruit the LK Galaxy players for an ad campaign this time?"
"Aren't they a second-division team? Might not fit our brand image."
"They might be in the second division now, but they're a team that will soon rise to the first division. Investing in them early isn't a bad idea."
"What about ST Five? They're a Korean team in the first division."
"But ST Five isn't very popular. They have too many scandals, and their playstyle is quite boring..."
It was true. The Pan-On league had only just completed its first year, and there were still countless opportunities ahead, starting from the World Cup to the second season. No one knew how many talented players would emerge in the second season. They needed to invest in good players early.
"This player isn't a pro, but they've been quite popular lately. They stream often and have a lot of fans."
"What does this player usually do? Do they clear rare quests?"
"No. They mostly do Sky Island races."
"What kind of unheard-of content is that...? Can they really sustain themselves with that?"
"No, you say that because you haven't watched the Sky Island races, but it's really..."
Listening to his team's conversation with a pleased smile, Kim Team Leader prepared to head out.
"Team Leader, do you have a schedule today?"
"We have a photoshoot with Team KL today."
"The staff is already at the studio, though? There's no need for you to go personally, is there?"
"No, I should still go and oversee it myself."
This was a task that his subordinates could easily handle. The professional photography staff at the venue was fully prepared. But when it came to Team KL, it was a different story. The team held a very special meaning for Kim Team Leader.
'If it's Team KL, I have to take care of them personally.'
"As expected of the Team Leader... Even after rising so high, he hasn't lost his rookie mindset. It's truly admirable."
"Wait, didn't he say he was too busy to go when the KG Wizard players had their shoot last time?"
"...That was then, and this is now!"
'Every time I get these, I can't help but think how fascinating it is.'
After finishing his light makeup (especially around his eyes), Tae-hyun looked at the new lineup prepared by Prosdas with a puzzled expression. Why on earth were they dressing the Team KL players in these? He could understand the uniforms. Even if the players weren't natural models, they still had to wear the uniforms and pose. But did they really need to call in Team KL to model other new arrivals that weren't even uniforms?
"Don't you think so?"
"Pardon?"
Lee Da-bi, who had been taking deep breaths with a nervous expression after finishing her preparations, looked at Tae-hyun as if he had said something completely out of the blue. Why bring this up now of all times...?
"But the response is great, isn't it?"
Team KL boasted overwhelming advertising effects not just for their uniforms, but for other apparel as well. The company wasn't stupid. There was a reason they called in the Team KL players to take photos and post videos every time a new seasonal line came out!
"Yeah, I thought about that too."
"?"
"Since you look good in whatever you wear, Da-bi, people see you and get tempted to buy it. That's why the ads work, but the company is misunderstanding and thinking it's because of the rest of us."
"......"
What a completely unexpected and novel theory! Da-bi felt a complex mix of emotions—she was flattered, but also slightly dumbfounded.
"Tae-hyun, you look really good in these clothes too."
She wasn't saying this because she was wearing rose-tinted glasses; it was an objective fact. He was tall and had lean, toned muscles, so clothes fit him perfectly. Besides, his sharp eyes could easily be softened with makeup...
It was easy to forget because his character was always running wild like a madman on stream, but Tae-hyun was actually someone who wouldn't look out of place in an advertisement.
"You overestimate me too much, Da-bi."
"You're the one who's being weird, Tae-hyun..."
'What kind of useless conversation are those two having?' Choi Sang-yun thought to himself as he walked past them.
Tae-hyun turned to a nearby staff member and asked, "This outfit looks really nice. Can I take it with me after the shoot?"
"Yes! Of course. I'm so glad you like it, Kim Tae-hyun! Which outfit in particular caught your eye?"
"Uh..."
Seeing the staff member's sparkling eyes, Tae-hyun realized they must have been part of the design team. He found himself in a bit of a tight spot.
'I was talking about the outfit Da-bi is wearing...'
These kinds of sponsorship and promotional events brought in good income, but they also had one major perk: the players got to keep the sponsored clothes.
It wasn't that Tae-hyun, who already had plenty of clothes, was greedy for Prosdas apparel. It was mostly because of Da-bi.
Even though Da-bi was one of the highest-earning players in Korea thanks to her income from Team KL and Power Warrior...
People's spending habits didn't change so easily. Even when he told her to buy some clothes for herself instead of just her younger sisters, she wouldn't. When he tried to buy them for her, she would jump up and refuse. Even when he told her to eat premium ramen instead of the budget brand, she still stuck to the budget brand...
Since he couldn't force things on someone who clearly refused, this was the best Tae-hyun could do.
"I thought the outfit Da-bi is wearing looked nice, so I wanted her to have it. Is that alright?"
"Ah~"
The staff member winked knowingly. Tae-hyun blinked, completely missing the implication. What was that look for?
Perhaps feeling a bit embarrassed, the staff member cleared their throat.
"Ahem. I'm truly delighted that Lee Da-bi likes it. It's a revolutionary piece of sportswear that satisfies both functionality and design..."
"...Do you walk around memorizing that slogan?"
"Of course, it's for promotion. I'd be absolutely thrilled if Lee Da-bi wore it around. If it's not too much trouble, we'd be incredibly grateful if you two could post some videos or photos on social media when you're out and about."
"Mmm!"
When Da-bi usually wore those clothes... it would probably be when she threw on some slip-on shoes, tied her hair back, and went grocery shopping...
'Is it really okay to post that?'
"I'll try. But are you sure we can really take this? It's for the shoot..."
"If it's for you, Kim Tae-hyun, you can take even the things you're not supposed to."
Tae-hyun was slightly overwhelmed by the staff member's dead-serious intensity.
"You can't enter here."
"No, I'm here for the photoshoot today. I'm one of the players!"
"Stop talking nonsense."
"No, really..."
Cain stared at the security guard with a flustered expression. He had only stepped out during preparations to grab some drinks and snacks from the convenience store, so it was absurd to be blocked like this. His phone was still inside, too!
"I... I'm Cain."
"...Look here, buddy. Who do you think you're fooling? I'm a huge fan of Cain!"
"Th-thank you. Then you should let me in..."
"Cain doesn't look like you!"
"How can you confuse the game with reality?! Of course we look different!"
The guard snorted and turned his head away. Cain seriously began to contemplate whether he should start walking around in real life with his in-game face.
"What are you doing, Cain?"
Getting out of his car, Kim Team Leader looked at Cain, who was arguing with the guard, with a puzzled expression. Cain felt tears welling up in his eyes.
"...Waaah! This guy won't let me in!"
"Pardon? What happened..."
After hearing the explanation, Kim Team Leader was utterly appalled. Team KL was currently the VIP of VIPs for Prosdas. To treat such a player so rudely!
"I will take action immediately."
"Ah, no. He said he's my fan, so please don't be too harsh on him. He's my fan, after all."
"...!"
Kim Team Leader was deeply moved. What a heartwarming player!