Chapter 20. Is This a Strategy Stream or a Camping Stream...?
Chapter 20. Is This a Strategy Stream or a Camping Stream...?
[Whoa, look at that shield emblem, so pretty]
[A guy who looks like he'd drive a sports car is in an SUV?]
The brand was originally famous for luxury sports cars, but I got an SUV.
"Laila prefers SUVs."
[Then that's the right choice, yeah]
[The Saintess wanted it!!]
Laila, sitting in the passenger seat, smiled as she buckled her seatbelt.
"They say newlyweds who are expecting often buy SUVs, you know?"
[???]
[He looks like he'd worship demons...]
[What are you saying, Saintess...]
"It's a joke. Actually, we went with a bigger vehicle because we have equipment and all."
She skillfully toyed with the viewers.
And the arrows of blame flew straight at me for no reason.
"Anyway, I'm broke now after buying this."
[I saw you get a billion won, and you're broke?]
[What kind of flex is this]
---
The day before I turned on the stream.
I had dinner with my parents, who'd been busy lately.
When I handed them the gifts I'd picked out while shopping with Laila, they were overjoyed.
"But Mom, isn't this the kind of thing you could just buy on your own?"
"It's different when your son and daughter pick it out and give it to you personally."
"Is it different?"
"It is."
I brought a bag from my room, fished out a bankbook, put it on the table, and then handed it straight to Laila.
"Laila, you use this."
"Why are you giving this to me...?"
"Stop asking me every time and just use it to buy whatever you want. I didn't earn it alone—we earned it together, didn't we?"
At that, my mother's expression shifted in a strange way.
And then she chimed in, urging Laila.
"That's right, put it away. In a household, the wife is the one who manages the finances frugally, you know?"
"Wife..."
Oh, look at her face turning red.
That's because my mother said something weird.
'Tsk... I was being weird too.'
"I understand! Hehe, actually, I used to be in charge of managing our party's funds!"
Laila pounded her chest with confidence.
So I gave the bankbook to Laila and went around carrying only a single linked card.
---
[If it were me, I'd just let the Saintess drain me dry and live with it lol]
[For real, where do you get a wife like that?]
[Pretty, kind, devoted lol]
"Anyway, since I'm broke, please send lots of donations."
I started the car and drove off.
As expected of good equipment, the drone kept up with the car without any delay.
"Huh? Why are there so many people over there?"
A large crowd had gathered at the border leading into the former North Korean territory.
Just as I got out to ask them to move aside, people approached me with cameras.
"Hunter Song Hoon! There is criticism that this expedition is simply a 'show' for your stream. Please give us a comment on that!"
"The Baekdu Mountain Gate has been designated 'Unclearable' even by the government. What do you think about the criticism that this is a reckless challenge?"
"Currently, there is strong opposition from China. They claim that a 'Korean hunter is arbitrarily eyeing Baekdu Mountain.' What is your stance on..."
It was the same as always.
They deliberately provoked with sensational questions, trying to create an issue.
I gestured for silence with my index finger and pointed at the drone flying around me.
"Everyone, please be quiet and confirm the results through my stream. No matter how much you chatter here, it's meaningless, isn't it?"
[Well, that's true]
[It's disgusting how they just run their mouths without doing anything]
"So everyone, please don't block the road and step aside."
I smiled politely and spoke, so the kind reporters stepped aside.
I put my sunglasses back on, started the car, and drove off.
[Where are you traveling?]
[Yeah, he's going mountain climbing]
[Lololololol mountain climbing]
[So is this a mountaineering stream, not a raid?]
I interacted with the viewers, stopped along the way to eat, and passed the time.
After just under 15 hours, we arrived.
"It's late today, so I'll sleep here for the night and turn on the stream tomorrow."
I set up the tent and various camping gear, then sat there spacing out.
"Hero, doesn't this feel like old times?"
"Yeah..."
As I stared quietly at the campfire, memories of adventuring with my old comrades came back.
"I wonder what they're all up to now."
"They're all doing well, I'm sure."
Laila said that and quietly came closer to my side.
Then she leaned her head against my shoulder and closed her eyes.
'Shampoo scent...'
Like that, we leaned against each other and fell asleep until morning came.
---
[ World's Strongest Hero : Let's wrap this up quickly and go eat ]
[Hmm~ As arrogant as ever today]
[Wrap it up quickly (in an Unclearable gate)]
I started the stream amid overwhelming praise.
As expected, countless countries including Korea were watching my stream.
Occasionally, someone made arrogant provocations through donations, but I ignored them as always.
'As the stream grows, I had to endure the increasing number of haters.'
The more famous you become, the more malicious haters and blind stans run rampant.
Just look at any clean, controversy-free famous pro gamer—haters still run wild.
"Hello everyone~ It's cold outside, but it's quite hot in here!"
As expected, when Laila, the face of our stream(?), fanned herself with her hand and greeted everyone, they all cheered.
[Come on in! Come on in!]
[Whoa... sweat...]
[Are you planning to collect that and sell it?]
└ This comment had been temporarily blocked.
[Bye, don't go far lol]
We pushed through the lava fields, toxic gases, and terrain collapses, moving forward.
As we went a bit deeper, a different landscape unfolded.
A forest of red appeared.
[Kyah... never thought I'd see an Unclearable gate from my room lol]
[The world's getting better, they said...]
Judging by the monster's presence felt from a distance, we'd encounter it in about an hour of walking.
"It's not far. Let's eat lunch here first, then head out."
Laila and I diligently set up the tent.
We needed to collect donations and interact with the viewers before going.
Once the tent was up, Laila clasped her hands and chanted a spell.
Then a hemispherical barrier formed around the tent.
[What did you just do?]
[There really are so many techniques on a completely different level from existing hunters]
"I used a protective spell so the tent wouldn't melt."
[Ah, I see;;]
[Sure, whatever you say]
While saying that, she picked a few suitable fruits(?) from the forest inside the gate.
[You're not seriously planning to eat that, are you?]
[No matter how reckless he is, would he eat that? WTF]
I rolled the fruit in my hand, testing the waters.
Just as I felt I'd waited enough, a donation message rang out.
[ Saintess's Foot Wiper has donated 50,000 Watts! ]
- I'll give you 500k won if you eat that lol
"Just that?"
A viewer who consistently donated and was now also a manager had donated.
To be precise, they opened a mission fundraising pool.
Before long, over 5 million won had piled up in the pool.
─ Crunch! Nom nom...
[Did you really eat it?]
The first taste as I chewed the fruit was tartness.
Then a sharp, stinging spiciness kicked in.
'Hmm... if an ordinary person ate this as was, they'd die.'
Their stomach would probably melt.
Depending on the person, not only would their stomach melt, but all their blood would vaporize.
I told the viewers about the dangers if they ever consumed it.
[But why are you fine?]
[Thought you were tough outside but soft inside, but you've got a solid stomach too, you bastard]
[Wow! Next time I go into an Unclearable gate and find one, I'll eat it carefully!]
"Want to see something cool?"
─ Whoo... Fwoooosh!!!
I pursed my lips and blew.
My breath gathered and formed a huge flame.
I chuckled to myself and picked as many of the fruits as I could grab.
[Lololololololololol]
[Are you a dragon?]
[But can you actually use weird fruits like that?]
[ Resignation Letter Always in My Pocket has donated 10,000 Watts! ]
- Unless you're a fire-handling hunter, couldn't it be used as medicine?
"Well, I don't know about that. I just grabbed them to eat one whenever I'm bored."
There were many plants and animals.
A fire-breathing lizard straight out of some anime.
A butterfly that flitted around scattering sparks.
"Hero, this isn't a gate, it's like a theme park."
"Right?"
[Yeah, right lol]
[It's amazing that his clothes aren't burning]
[Lol they said it was a functional tee, and the functionality is real]
I placed them into a special case designed for collecting organisms and plants encountered inside gates.
[Did you come here to shop?]
[I heard those special cases are crazy expensive too]
[Lol you're just tossing them in like a shopping cart]
I remembered Nova Group's request to scan anything unless it was sensitive information.
Since I was openly raiding on stream, there was no reason to be sensitive.
I looked closely at the rather large fire lizard inside the case.
"Can't I raise something like this?"
[First time seeing a bastard who says he'll raise a monster, for real lololol]
[Well, there are people who summon them, right?]
[Yeah, there are people who tame them too]
Oh, so it's not absolutely impossible?
We climbed to the summit, where the world lay clearly visible.
Looking down, there was a massive lava lake, and something was crouched in the lake.
[Whoa... look at the size of that;;]
[If it just swings its hand, you'd go flying, wouldn't you?]
A monster was visible, only its head poking out of the vast lava lake.
"Whoa..."
As Laila and I descended, the monster seemed to notice us and raised its upper body.
Given its size, just raising itself caused the lava to surge like a wave.
"Hero, shall I help you?"
This was my first gate raid stream as a hunter streamer.
Naturally, Laila's performance had to be seen too.
"Can you help me just a little?"
"Sure~"
It was a leisurely exchange, hard to believe we were inside a gate.
The monster strode forward, splashing lava.
The moment I saw the monster, my eyelid twitched.
"Whoa... this is seriously hardcore..."