Rejecting the Golden Cage
“That’s……” Juyeonu poked at his uneaten pork cutlet, glancing around nervously. Kang Hanbit sighed at the transparent display.
“Spit it out, whatever it is. We’re close enough for that, right? Or are you seriously telling me to join Yeonhwa Gaming?”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying it. Even for a big corporation, a starting salary like this is rare.”
Juyeonu meant every word. Hanbit knew how obsessed he’d been with jobs even in the army, always singing that tune. Especially when it came to high pay.
“Hold on.”
Hanbit, who understood all too well, pulled out his smartphone. He scrolled through the community forums and placed one post on the table.
“I saw this yesterday.”
“What’s this?”
“Internal exposé.”
“Huh?”
Juyeonu looked puzzled and turned to the screen. There was a post that seemed copied from an office workers’ community.
Conclusion first. Unless you want to do real slave labor, stay away.
Here are some basic rules:
1. The company’s scouting team is the king. Don’t question them—just memorize. Scouting team is royalty, their lackeys are nobles. Bow your head to them at least until department head level.
2. All gold, items, and info you get belong to the scouting team. More precisely, it goes into the pockets of the team or their lackeys. Incentives? Even if you find a hidden skill, it gets recorded as their achievement. Oh, and even if you log in from home, everything’s monitored, so no funny business.
3. Sync between game and reality. Including the crap in rule 2, you’ll live as their slave in real life too. From errands to emotional punching bag—perfect slave material. Note: emotional punching bag is the most important duty.
…….
-What the hell is this?
-Is this real?
-No proof, no belief.
└Gotta have an employee ID to join.
-There’s way more bullshit than what’s listed.
└For real lol
└No words.
└Scared?
└Explicit defamation is scary, yeah.
-That’s why they pay so much.
-Isn’t this personality destruction?
-But too much money to run away from.
“……”
Juyeonu read in silence, unable to speak. He already knew, but relaying it to Hanbit felt tough.
“What do you think? Seems legit?”
“…There are companies like that, sure, but Yeonhwa Gaming is different. Their scouting team isn’t authoritarian. Especially since you were scouted.”
“Still, I can’t just replace the scouting team right away, right? Or should I try being a lackey first?”
“Hyung!”
Hanbit teased with a grin, and Juyeonu raised his voice in protest. Watching amused, Hanbit voiced his settled decision.
“I’m not going to a big corp. Don’t want the game meddling.”
“What? It’s 100 million won a year!”
“I don’t care. If I say no, it’s no.”
Juyeonu stared at the stubborn pushback, then nodded to himself.
“As expected, hyung’s the otaku role model.”
“What bullshit is that now?”
“Choosing fantasy dreams over a stable job. If you die, I’ll write your autobiography. The Legend of the RP Otaku.”
“Want me to kill you right now?”
Hanbit raised his pork cutlet-speared fork. Amid the banter, he thought to himself.
‘Consumables? No way in hell.’
A life shackled by corporate restrictions, everything gained stripped away. No matter how many offers, he’d never accept. Just thinking of internship life twisted his gut with disgust.
‘Plus, it’s not the right time yet.’
The 3 million won from game and streams wasn’t trivial. Unable to decide instantly meant the expected value of pondering was huge. With untapped experience and knowledge, its worth was incalculable. Better to delay major life decisions.
‘Gotta move fast for that.’
High-value items and info come with progress. But he couldn’t be sure they’d manifest identically here. Best bet: reach there and check himself. For now, use what he had to advance quickly.
Goal: places unreachable in his isekai days. Goal: enrich life for mother and self. All part of the process.
“So, what about you? Wanna start a company?”
“…How’d you know?”
Juyeonu’s eyes widened at the casual guess. Hanbit chewed his pork cutlet nonchalantly.
“You said in the army. Wanted to go independent and start one.”
“That one time during training? Just once?”
“Does the number matter?”
“Well……”
Juyeonu recalled his private first class days. The harsh winter outpost with Hanbit—lots of chit-chat, mostly nonsense, company talk barely a blip.
“How’s your memory that good?”
“Dunno. Anyway, what kind of company?”
“Hm.”
Juyeonu set down his utensils, straightened up, cleared his throat lightly.
“I’m building a streamer-based group. Not a stiff company—more like a guild blending reality and game.”
“What’s that?”
Hanbit was puzzled. He hadn’t pictured a normal company, but this was alien.
“Didn’t you like game streaming? How’ll you juggle company ops?”
“Love it, but I prefer watching over playing. Never meshed with players anyway.”
Juyeonu had felt the friction playing. More thrill from other scouts or eccentric streamers. Bringing Hanbit was for the fun play expectation. Yesterday was a different thrill.
“Still planning, but family vibe’s the dream.”
“Sounds exactly like black company motto.”
“C’mon, you think I’d bully? Good if newbies don’t fall for it.”
“Fair.”
“…Don’t agree so quick!”
Juyeonu shot back incredulously. But Hanbit couldn’t imagine this brother running a black company.
“So, what do you do in this ‘family vibe’?”
“Stream together, game together. Sponsors and in-game revenue all theirs. Share info first, though.”
“Your money then? Ancestors footing the bill? Company ops?”
“Got plans for that.”
Grinning, Juyeonu tapped the screen. Something popped up.
“Video?”
The streaming platform Recorder’s main site. Below, edited streamer clips galore.
“This the revenue?”
“Feature’s new, but ad money’s solid. Company handles editing, uploads, splits revenue with streamers. Coordinates collabs too.”
“Huh.”
Felt like old XTube, but all RP content. Top views: Frontlines, Massive Mob Hunt. Shorts, long hours—plenty.
“Grow a channel steady, seems decent, right?”
“Dunno. If you think so, probably.”
“Ooh, infinite trust? Not bad.”
Despite looks, Juyeonu was sharp—studies, wits, broad vision, deep thoughts. After mom, most trusted was this brother.
“Start the company, tell me. I’ll help however. I’ll be on your streams anyway.”
“You gotta stream soon yourself. Oh, not tying you with a job. Co-CEO maybe.”
“Co-what. Whatever, just say if you need. You got investments.”
RP gear at bed foot flashed—500k won, pricier than his home appliances.
“C’mon, investment? Real gift.”
“I know, man.”
Juyeonu’s lies were obvious—voice awkwardness gave it away. So his next words rang true.
“Anyway, think it over more. Don’t diss big corps too hard.”
“Why? Said I hate ’em.”
“Few more streams, terms might get nuts. Life’s unpredictable.”
He stated firmly. That tone meant no budging. Hanbit sighed.
“Fine, fine. Nothing changes tomorrow anyway.”
“Right?”
They chuckled, resuming meal.
Vrrr—
Juyeonu’s phone buzzed on the table. Eyes met instantly.
“Perfect timing. I’ll pass it—hear ’em out.”
“Sure.”
Hanbit waved it off; Juyeonu answered. Back to pork cutlet.
But.
“Yes?”
Juyeonu’s reaction was off.
“What?”
Hanbit whispered. His face was shock-struck.
“Absolutely not! If that were the case, I wouldn’t have streamed in the first……”
Raised voice cut short, face baffled. Call ended.
“What? What’s up?”
“…Hyung, remember Rainzer from the scouting team?”
“Yeah. Golden bow guy?”
Nodding, Juyeonu said incredulously.
“Atsbel quest. Their corp declared monopoly.”