Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Reluctant Streaming Debut
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Then give it a shot?
A 'personal broadcast' centered around a streamer is best seen as a participatory community.
In this small society that forms, the streamer—the central figure—isn't treated as the leader of the pack or held in reverence.
Which community in the world truly worships the guy with the armband?
That'd be insane.
Thus, a streamer is more primal... a producer supplying emotional entertainment to consumers fits better.
Of course, some viewers might develop a one-sided sense of intimacy from this dynamic,
but they're still fundamentally driven by personal satisfaction.
That's why viewers empathize and get hyped over the big and small troubles streamers face.
Unless it's a crisis big enough to shatter their little shared bubble, they treat it as just another event.
In that sense, I existed safely within their acceptable boundaries.
Let me reflect on my usual behavior.
Did I ever go around causing typical chaos?
Besides, my tone just now was deliberately laced with humor, so even the skeptical viewers could relax and chalk it up to WWE antics.
With safety belts fastened, they could just enjoy the stimulation carefree.
This inevitably amplified the fallout from the situation: Im Chan-ho getting tangled in my dark past.
"Congrats on the new nickname. It's a bit long, but it fits like a glove."
- ...Woof!!
"Chan-ho! You were having a blast bossing me around, right? But surprise—there's this backstory to why I get timid after all that teasing. People raised right naturally turn shy."
- I'm really sorry...!!
"Pardon? How's a dog speaking human? Ugh, somehow my emotional scars feel bigger..."
- Woof woof!! Woof!! Arrrgh!!
Beasts need their pecking order firmly imprinted.
My backstory was tragic enough to make anyone nod sympathetically, but the truly wise turn even misfortune to their advantage.
This was my chance to seal away all my vulnerabilities for good.
"But Seo-ha... when are you putting that down?"
"Huh?"
"You know, the chopsticks. You've been holding them for nearly 10 minutes. Hand hurt?"
"Oh. Trying to hold out till the bottle cap drops. And it's exactly 8 minutes 23 seconds."
"You were timing it...?"
"Boss! This one's 10,000 won! Ban quick!!"
"...Banning's too much after the 50k, just a 1-hour mute."
"Tsk."
In the end, I only allowed Chan-ho to speak human again after I dropped the bottle cap.
12 minutes 18 seconds. Gotta try again at home.
Twice isn't hard, so soon I'll wield chopsticks like a pro.
- Thank you for forgiving me... Seo-ha...
"Of course. Everyone makes mistakes. Orphan Exploiter."
- D-Do you have to call me that? I have a precious name from my mom...
"I've never had parents, so I wouldn't know. Jealous?"
- Haha! No way! Hi everyone! Orphan Exploiter, Im Chan-ho here!
I made a silent vow.
Honestly, I was a tad worried if I'd been too harsh on Chan-ho just now.
Once the stream ends, he'd probably panic and crave an apology.
But not today—I absolutely wouldn't.
As I steeled my face with resolve,
the boss lady gently grabbed my arm and led me out.
"Master, hold on a sec. Everyone! Be right back, grabbing some water! Seo-ha, come with."
"Huh? What water all of a sudden? It's right there..."
"Argh, just come!"
I meekly followed the boss out of the room.
Honestly, a bit bewildering.
Going to the bathroom with someone else didn't come to mind easily.
But the boss wasn't heading for the bathroom—she turned to me with a worried look.
"Seo-ha, you really okay?"
"Huh? With what?"
"Revealing your past to the viewers. You know, the... mental struggles you're dealing with. Isn't that the trigger?"
My social avoidance is limited to women.
Direct cause: forced confession by school delinquents,
which also led to my first cigarette.
Of course, I couldn't tell the boss, 'I got forcibly confessed to by a girl in school, got rejected, now women make me uncomfortable.'
I'm a woman now, right?
It'd sound like some bizarre mismatch.
Helping with her streams never triggered it before.
First, it's online...
A girl into Triachia and even watching personal streams? One in a thousand maybe.
Most of those viewers are guys.
That was the biggest reason.
"Mm. I do have mental issues, but not triggered by this situation, so I'm fine."
"Ah. So the cause is elsewhere?"
"Well... similar."
I vaguely nodded in affirmation.
Thankfully, she didn't pry, just nodded solemnly and let it go.
With that settled, we returned to the room.
"Everyone! Were you good?"
"...What did you guys do."
Scroll scroll—the vulgar chats from her absence all got muted.
The paused stream resumed.
- Sigh. Two days till break left... wanna rest!
"You chose to stream, Master."
- Yeah. I wanna kill past me. If I'd just rested properly, none of this 'that stuff' would've happened...
"That stuff..."
"Orphan Exploiter. Wanna squeeze some juice?"
- Joke's over, calm down. Seo-ha.
I'd given solo advice, but I'd seen plenty of her games already.
Todays content goal achieved.
Still awkwardly time till her usual end, so fill with chit-chat.
- Oh yeah, on my break days, what about you Nari? I'm off four straight.
"Just learn from Seo-ha. You ignored me before, why care now?"
- Ehe. Why so harsh? But seriously, feels bad taking lesson fees like this...
"Lesson fees?"
- Huh. You didn't know? Apprentices only get prize money for CK, but masters get separate fees from SOFT. They're all current or ex-pros, high value.
"What?! Master, aren't you sucking honey too hard?!"
- That's why I'm worried. One or two days fine, but half the content's no-shows. Might cause issues...
SOFT-hosted Apprentice CK.
Masters get performance bonuses for high-ranking apprentices,
plus base lesson fees apparently.
And Im Chan-ho's just coasting on it.
Jealous... wanna slack and earn like that.
- Hm, split half with Seo-ha? Less controversy.
"Huh? With me?"
- Time-wise, you've handled half my lessons.
"True but..."
- Watched you teach—solid. Instead of unofficial master, go official?
"Sudden much."
- SOFT fee's 200. Split 100 each. Really no?"
"I'll do it."
Easy 1 mil? Can't pass.
Not extra work—just normal routine straight to pocket.
No one refuses that.
- Great! But... a teeeeeny problem.
"What?"
- Skill controversy settled with account auth, but it's SOFT tourney? Purpose is growing Triachia streamer scene.
"...No way."
- You're civilian, so splitting my way kills the premise? Need SOFT pre-approval at least...
"High rejection chance 'cause I'm not a streamer?"
- Yep! So, during my breaks, fancy turning on a personal stream? Then all good, easy 1 mil.
Felt like I was ensnared.
Like a spider web spun just for me.
The vile Orphan Exploiter tempting me with 1 mil in my mouth.
Instinct screamed: Accept, grab the cash.
That money means chill life awhile, no daily grind.
Then reason whispered cautiously.
Just don't turn on cam, right? Streaming's no biggie? Take it.
"Sure."
- What?! For real?!
"Already half-dipped in personal streams, no reason to balk now... Four days? Fine."
- Yes!!
"Why's Chan-ho so happy...?"
- Stripping your civilian shield satisfies me!!
"...But four days only feels like hiding eyes and crossing hands? Will SOFT buy it..."
- My fault basically, so I'll persuade.
"Aha."
- If streaming suits you, keep going; if flops, quit for livelihood. SOFT can't force quit.
"Like if your stream tanks today, sudden quit tomorrow?"
- Bad example...
Anyway, my personal stream in two days confirmed.
Only during co-streams with boss, so change is just my monitor feed.
Limited to four days.
Seems no big deal...
But viewers, unlike nonchalant me, were hyped.
Is this that huge?
I slowly eyed the chats, memorizing IDs violating my standards.
Ban first before streaming.
Liked that my stream bans were my call, separate from boss's.
These fools, oblivious to my thoughts, diligently added themselves to my Death Note.
Should be fun watching them cry bloody tears later.