Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Strategy Video Sensation
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The Players community had been turned upside down.
The reason was a single strategy video.
A short video, just over five minutes long.
The reason it went viral was none other than the results.
Pak Soo-hyuk had proven it.
The frontrunner of non-skilled players had pulled it off, so anyone could think, I can do it too.
That strategy video gave hope to players stuck at the 4th floor, unable to advance.
Some people weren't satisfied with watching it once—they looped it dozens of times.
The explosive surge in views was thanks to that.
And the result...
In just half a day, a single video had generated an enormous profit.
Soo-hyuk, who had slept soundly at the dorm after the afterparty, nearly burst out laughing when he saw the settlement amount.
Sipping her coffee, Unhyang explained the earnings to him.
"The collab donation revenue was split 5-5, so 280,000 points each. Then ad revenue from the video, additional fees based on view rates, minus management commission..."
The words weren't really sinking in.
With the massive points rolling in, Soo-hyuk was half-dazed.
No.
More precisely, his mind kept wandering to other thoughts.
'Where should I spend it first?'
The points needed for the next Selfish Sacrifice skill level-up were 320,000.
Even after that, nearly 200,000 points would be left.
'Selfish Sacrifice is worth every point invested. It's a burden, but no harm in upgrading.'
As he pondered deeply, the furrow between his brows deepened.
'But still...'
"Soo-hyuk?"
It was then.
Unhyang leaned in close, calling out to him.
"Yes?"
"You listening?"
"Yes. I heard you."
He had heard. His ears were open, after all.
His attention was just elsewhere.
"Anyway, this collab was a total hit. Honestly, I didn't expect the impact to be this big."
Unhyang was just as excited as Soo-hyuk. She'd been gushing nonstop about the collab's success.
"What's next?"
"There's more. Something even bigger than the immediate earnings."
"Even bigger?"
Was that possible?
The collab alone had netted over 500,000 points. Even Pak Soo-hyuk had gone wild calling it a jackpot.
But unlike Soo-hyuk, who needed points right now, the manager was looking further ahead.
"The subscriber growth this time."
She showed him the kit screen she'd been staring at.
130,000.
Nearly double the previous number.
"That's... a lot."
"Too early to be surprised. The video channel's subscribers are almost at 500,000. That's over 5x growth there."
"5x?"
Soo-hyuk's eyes widened.
5 times. That was beyond anything he'd imagined.
"Jackpot. Super jackpot. Do you know how many new viewers learned about you from this?"
Now he understood why she said it was bigger than the immediate cash.
For a streamer, subscriber count was like a player's level or stats. More subs meant more fixed viewers, higher video views, better ad rates.
But gaining subscribers was never easy.
Attracting new ones was hard; getting them to return was ten times harder.
It really hit home.
'That video must've been a monster.'
Real-time #1.
The power of that video.
Even now, subscribers kept climbing. Views had already broken 5 million.
Unhyang's eyes sparkled as she said,
"Real-time 50,000... might even be possible."
Soo-hyuk's next stop after the collab was the 5th floor.
"Murim?"
Unhyang asked, sounding flustered.
Soo-hyuk nodded with a slightly puzzled look.
"Yeah. Just staying a bit."
"Of course I'll stick with you, but why there of all places..."
"Got business. Faster than expected."
Jinun's procedure was expensive. Insanely so.
1 million points was more than most rankers could scrape together.
But thanks to the collab, Soo-hyuk was closer to his goal sooner than planned.
"How long?"
"Not sure. Shortest two days, maybe up to five."
Procedures varied wildly in time. Not quick, but necessary.
The trial's rewards depended on results. Especially with Asgard as the backdrop—plenty to do there.
Full prep was key. Thunder heart gloves, the procedure. Every method.
And also.
'Contact could come anytime.'
He glanced at the silent kit, thinking of Greg.
The player he'd met in the dark map branch on the 4th floor. Soo-hyuk had tasked him with digging into Blue Zone.
Results later, but if power was needed now...
'Better boost current stats.'
For that, Jinun's procedure was best.
Leveling Selfish Sacrifice was an option, but procedure stats were more reliable.
"Two to five days..."
Unhyang mumbled it to herself.
After some thought, she nodded.
"Got it. I'll wait."
"Something up?"
"Nah, nothing."
She waved it off awkwardly.
"Nothing at all."
The new dorm on the 5th floor was in a different spot than before.
A modest inn on the quiet outskirts. The pavilion with a small pond garden was simple but well-kept.
After Soo-hyuk left.
Unhyang and Cheongryang waited for him at the dorm.
Slurp.
Sipping hot tea, Cheongryang gazed at the pond.
Home to two goldfish.
In the serene atmosphere, her chest felt tight for some reason.
"Thought he wouldn't come back down."
"Ended up like this somehow."
Crunch.
Unhyang bit into a candy, looking up at the sky.
Murim's sky.
Familiar since childhood. But a world she never wanted to return to.
Especially after learning recently...
They'd found her.
"He'll come again? Right?"
"Yeah."
Unhyang nodded, turning her gaze.
"He's already here."
"What?"
Creeeak.
The dorm door opened right then.
A group entered the yard amid creaking hinges.
Cheongryang shot to her feet. The leader had a familiar face.
"Here again?"
"Greetings once more, senior sister."
A woman with half her face veiled in black cloth, her figure stunning.
Muhwi had come for Unhyang again.
"Brought more kids this time?"
Unhyang popped the last candy in her mouth and chewed.
"Doesn't matter. Still just punks."
No tension at all.
Muhwi didn't find Unhyang's attitude strange.
She had the qualifications and power for it.
But.
"This time, I may have to be rude."
"Fight me?"
"Not right now, but..."
Muhwi glanced at her followers.
"It won't be long."
Unhyang's eyes narrowed.
So that's why the extra punks.
"A warning?"
"...Yes."
Their numbers were the warning.
Five or ten now, but soon more. Enough force to drag her back.
"Forgive us."
"Sure, whatever."
Unhyang nodded.
She didn't doubt Muhwi's sincerity. Unhyang knew she truly felt sorry.
That made her angrier.
"That's why they sent you, huh."
The reason Murim sent Muhwi.
Unhyang couldn't kill her. Knowing her genuine remorse, her hand wouldn't move.
Their bond had always been like that since childhood.
Muhwi admired Unhyang.
And felt sorry.
"No thoughts of coming back?"
"Back there?"
Unhyang gave a bitter smile.
"Is my life there?"
"......"
Muhwi bowed her head.
Nothing to say. She knew it wasn't.
Murim—no, Uncheongeuk's vision for Unhyang's life was far from what she wanted.
"Listen, Hwi-ya."
Unhyang cooed like soothing a child.
"I'm not going back. I don't want to."
Her answer was firm.
"Even if I die fighting. Never..."
"Will you be okay?"
Muhwi's gaze shifted to Cheongryang.
"Haven't told her yet, I see."
Cheongryang flinched.
"W-what?"
"If you don't return—"
"Ah, ahh, aaaaah—."
Cheongryang rushed over, making weird noises to cut her off.
Clamping her mouth roughly, she gritted her teeth in distress.
"Hey, come on. You gotta say that here?"
Muhwi brushed off Cheongryang's hand, annoyed.
Unhyang frowned, eyeing them both.
What the hell.
"Anyway, I'll handle that. You stay out of it, okay?"
"Understood."
"Hey, what're you two talking about?"
Cheongryang waved it off.
"Nothing."
"Not telling?"
"Senior sister."
Muhwi spoke to the glaring Unhyang, who looked ready to grab her collar.
"Sorry it's come to this. I wish I could take your place... but no one can replace you."
"Whatever. Sorry my ass."
From her words, Unhyang sensed the near future.
"Coming again?"
"Yes. Soon, probably."
Yeah. It wouldn't end here. Uncheongeuk's grace period wasn't long.
"Figures. Then..."
Unhyang addressed Muhwi and her men behind.
"Next time, come ready to die."