Doll-Masked Savior at Eterna Mall
The famous streamer Ro Hoon, boasting 1 million subscribers and the cheeky title "World's Strongest Doll-Masked Part-Timer," had come to visit the newly opened Eterna Mall. Barely after turning on his stream, viewers flooded in.
"Hey everyone! Today, we're at the one and only newly opened Eterna Mall!"
Ro Hoon grinned warmly at the viewers' reactions. With poor promotion, lingering reluctance for outdoor activities, and Sertina's intimidating image all stacking up, the place was surprisingly quiet for an opening day. Even if Sertina was known to be benevolent, stepping into her territory carried heavy weight.
"Yep, it's exactly what you're thinking. The Eterna Mall, founded by none other than Eterna Guild leader and the strongest world boss, Sertina!"
Glancing at the chat, Ro Hoon leaned into the camera with a mischievous smirk. "Come on, you think I'm crazy enough to cause a scene here? I've got plenty of days ahead to live."
'AssassinationExpertSquadMember' donated 10,000 gold!
Sing the national anthem verse 1 in the middle of the 1st floor for 100k gold.
"You're telling me to die right now, huh?"
Despite the antics, Ro Hoon was a fairly cultured streamer. His fun-loving style never crossed lines that would offend, earning him massive popularity. Viewers knew that well.
"Alright, shall we head that way first?" Like a seasoned pro, he smoothly shifted topics and stepped deeper into the grand building.
A bit later.
Ro Hoon's jaw dropped, reduced to mechanical gasps of awe. Viewers were the same.
It wasn't just flashy. The majestic, orderly artistry and harmony evoked a dreamlike trance, like stepping into another world. Passing themed zones left him entranced, soaking in the scenery. The endless scale silenced him.
An hour into exploring Eterna Mall, something heartwarming caught his camera.
"Yuri!"
"Mommyyyy!"
A spotless little girl rushed into her mother's arms. The one who'd reunited them? A doll-masked part-timer working there.
"Thank you so much. When she went missing, I thought the world went dark..."
"Oh, no big deal. Just doing my job."
As the mother bowed in gratitude, Ro Hoon and the viewers smiled warmly.
The reactions were overwhelmingly positive. Stories of selfless good Samaritans always stirred a quiet sense of emotion in society.
Got a great moment on camera. Ro Hoon nodded unconsciously, a mix of warmth and satisfaction bubbling inside. Netizens thirsting for kindness would track down that sweet girl and shower her with gifts. Wishing her a bright future, he moved on.
"Alright, let's check out more spots. This place is so huge, might not finish in one day..."
About an hour after the doll-masked part-timer left and exploration continued. Ro Hoon heard an angry shout from the far end of the 3rd-floor corridor.
"What's that noise? Wanna check it out?"
Viewers buzzed with questions as Ro Hoon headed straight to the source. What he witnessed was...
"Huh?"
A middle-aged woman mid-swing at a uniformed employee, with a doll-masked part-timer wedged between them. A crowd had gathered, murmuring.
"Ugh, what's with this doll-mask part-timer now?"
The woman's sneering tone enraged viewers and Ro Hoon alike. Fresh off seeing her good deed, they couldn't stomach this kind soul being mocked.
"...I'll watch for now." Ro Hoon sensed the gravity but figured it was a mall-customer issue. He'd step in if it escalated.
Just as he gauged the moment to intervene.
"You little bitch, talking back like that?!"
Thwack!
The woman's hard slap struck the part-timer's mask. Something snapped inside Ro Hoon. He rolled up his sleeves.
"...Can't stand by. This is getting too serious—I need to help that lady out."
Fueled by rage, he took three steps forward.
Boom!
"Guh?!"
An unimaginable pressure crushed him. Skin tingling, cold sweat down his spine. Muscles spasming, senses numbing—he froze, trembling. Onlookers scattered in panic. Viewers online were baffled.
Then, a chilling girl's voice pierced his ear.
"If you have something to say, say it to me."
With that.
The doll mask came off, her image broadcasting live in full glory.
Judging right or wrong was pointless. The middle-aged woman had already committed an unforgivable rudeness against the mall's owner, Sertina herself. It was self-evident proof of her crime.
But Sertina seemed angrier about something else than being struck.
"You throw your weight around fine against my staff, but suddenly at a loss for words?"
Her words unleashed a killing intent that rippled like a living beast, beyond human comprehension. Seeing Sertina in person was on another level. Face iced over, she stepped forward.
"What was it, 'get the manager'?"
"N-no, that's not... I mean..."
The woman's face drained pale. Hands clasped, sweating bullets, she groveled. Despite the height difference, it felt like Sertina loomed over her. Cosmic pressure crushed muscles and veins.
Sertina glanced at the crowd and reined in her mana.
"Hah..."
Gasps erupted everywhere. Her eerily serene voice dominated the space.
"No disturbances in the store. You broke the rules. I'd have stopped at ejection... but."
The woman's heart plummeted. Legs buckled; she collapsed to the floor.
"Assault? Can't let that slide."
"I-I'm so sorryyy... Please, just once, spare me... I didn't know, I swear."
She knelt, rubbing hands together pleadingly.
"Didn't know what?"
"I-I didn't know it was you, Lady Sertina... I won't do it again, p-please, just once!"
Her desperate excuse was a fatal mistake.
Didn't know it was me and tried to hit me? So if you'd known it was another staff member... you'd have hit them anyway?