Chapter 49 Part 1: Killer Game

In the information age, news always spreads rapidly.

It wasn’t uncommon for a post, uploaded by a celebrity for just a few seconds, to instantly spread across the internet and throughout the world.

As such, it wasn’t particularly strange for a streamer’s story to spread throughout an entire online cafe.

 

#[No, this person is definitely Korean, I tell you!]

(Dokdo is Korean land)

=What kind of Japanese person says Dokdo is Korean land without a second thought?

-Ah, gotta suck up money from Korea.

-I bet she goes around saying Takeshima outside.

-They don’t even have bamboo there, what Takeshima are you talking about.

 

#[Just fight, seriously]

(Cheongha fleeing from enemy attack)

=Don’t f*cking run away!

-But people who originally played FPS games really are bad at this.

-Wasn’t the respawn area originally where you go when you die?

ㄴAh sh*t

-Agreed, it’s really hard to get used to.

-It’s so damn hard to tell what to buy from the shop.

-Just hit them lol

-Role players are going nuts lol

 

#[No, is she an M?]

(Chat window screenshot)

(Slightly smiling avatar)

=Why does she like it when she hears insults about her parents?

-I see… So SM play is her thing…

ㄴ Hey, go get a leash.

-But isn’t that just an unfilial child?

ㄴ Unfilial daughter, probably.

ㄴ Still think she’s a girl?

ㄴ Still think she’s a girl?

ㄴ Still see her as a girl?

ㄴStop spamming, you bastard.

-Her reactions are truly beyond imagination every time lol

-The V-Gallery guys who were worried she’d faint from parent-insults are speechless.

ㄴ Ah lol, right.

ㄴ She was that person, wasn’t she?

ㄴ Died without even screaming.

ㄴ Kim Cheongha’s escape from this life.

 

#[??? : Your ancestors were pro-Japanese collaborators]

=Says to a Japanese person.

-What is this lol

-It’s awkward to deny it, and awkward to confirm it…

-Could be buried by both sides… 

-So she immediately closed the chat lol

ㄴ Honestly, that’s the right move.

ㄴ If even one political comment pops up, the stream is ruined.

-Still, she said Dokdo is Korean land.

ㄴ Honestly, if she admits that, I can overlook anything else.

ㄴ Now she’s got an unblockable shield.

 

#[She has a lot of followers now]

=How long has she been streaming to already have over a thousand?

-Big streamer’s floating population definitely helps.

-But you still have to be good at capitalizing on it.

-No, I keep streaming but never get a single donation.

-Why do they keep pouring in for her?

-Is that normal…

ㄴ No, that’s actually really strange…

ㄴ If you’re salty, go to Thailand or something.

ㄴ Add an avatar and debut as a Vtuber, then it’s perfect.

ㄴHey, you crazy bastards lol

-But she made a pledge if she gets over 1500 followers.

ㄴ Ah really?

ㄴ Gotta go press it lol

ㄴ Ditch the avatar and do a cam girl stream.

ㄴ Is he crazy? lol

 

#[But seriously, what’s the deal with that Vtuber thing]

=Why is it suddenly all over the cafe?

=I’m asking because I genuinely don’t know.

-What? You still don’t know Korea’s best Vtuber, Kim Cheongha?

ㄴ Ah, V-Gallery trash, get lost.

ㄴ These guys abbreviate everything, seriously.

ㄴ And if she’s Japanese, why is she Korea’s first?

ㄴJust because no one else did it?

-Honestly, isn’t she an honorary Korean at this point?

-She already knows everything she needs to.

-Isn’t she just a Zainichi Korean?

---

[Follower Count: 3042]

A total of 3042 people.

That was Cheongha’s follower count, achieved just three days after that role-playing incident.

“….Um, uh. It went up faster than I thought.”

Somehow, I had achieved twice my original goal.

‘What kind of bait did the internet latch onto this time?’

-[Deleted chat]

-[Deleted chat]

-[Deleted cha-]

-[Deleted c—]

-Crazy trolls.

-So many gathered because of the role-playing.

-Streamer’s banning speed is insane.

-Looking at the avatar’s expression, she seems genuinely pissed.

Blocking the incoming chats with a hardened expression, Cheongha thought.

She had a rough idea of what it was about but decided not to delve into it.

Most of the people bringing it up here were just trying to bury the streamer anyway.

You know, like those people who try to get streamers banned by sending Nazi video donations or something.

Rather than letting them ruin the stream like that, it’s better to nip it in the bud.

You guys are permanently banned from now on.

“…..Yes, anyway, the goal has definitely been achieved.”

After all the trolls were banned, only the original viewers remained in the room.

Cheongha continued speaking.

-Alright, time to fulfill the pledge, right?

-You exceeded the goal by more than double, shouldn’t the intensity be increased too?

-Add an event and go for a half-cam?

“Ah, half-cam is a bit…?”

No, come to think of it, maybe half-cam is okay?

As long as I don’t make a mistake, my face won’t show.

And I can cover things like hands with gloves, can’t I?

“…..Hmm, I’ll think about it for now.”

-Ooh

-Is something big coming?

-Is this for real?

-A Vtuber half-cam?

-Ooh ooh ya

-Why can’t she do it right now?

-Will boobs be shown?

-What a crazy bastard lol

-Honestly, everyone wants to see it, right?

-Aren’t you??

-Waaaaaaaah

-Worship her!

The chat window started buzzing at my words.

…I’ve thought this for a while, but they’re really honest people at times like this.

These people are truly faithful to human desires.

I wonder if they’ll ask me to show my face later too.

“Alright then, I’ll buy a cake for the next stream and try a half-cam.”

Maybe I can just buy a simple whipped cream cake and write on it with strawberry cream?

I have an old streaming camera anyway, so half-cam won’t cost extra for a new camera.

-So what’s the schedule for today?

-Don’t tell me you just came on to make that announcement?

“Of course not, I have everything planned.”

It’s not a surprise daytime stream; it’s a regularly scheduled broadcast.

Do you think I’d be crazy enough to just come on without a plan?

“Alright then….”

Just as I was about to start the originally planned content.

Tiring-

A message arrived on Discord with its distinctive notification sound.

“Ah, just a moment. I need to check a message…”

-??? What’s this?

-Is it a guy?

-What guy, that’s the Discord sound lol

-Really?

-Then Solnamu dies first.

-Why is that guy dying again lol

Accessing Discord, a profile picture with a cute white bird character came into view.

It was Baekro, with whom I had become friendly during the 5-hour collab the other day.

I didn’t expect her to contact me first like this, though.

What’s up?

=[Cheongha? Are you free right now by any chance?]

ㄴ[Uh, what’s wrong?]

=[Well, could you possibly play a game with us….?]

Honestly, I didn’t have any particular schedule today other than just chatting, so I agreed to Baekro’s suggestion.

=[What game is it?]

ㄴ[Ah, it’s called Dead Knight The Game. We’re short on people….]

“….This isn’t something scary, right?”

The name itself sounded ominous.

Cheongha muttered as she searched for the game Baekro mentioned in the Step game store.

In the gameplay video explaining the game, a large man wearing a white mask was chasing survivors with a huge weapon.

What is this, it’s brutal.

It’s scary.

=[Ah, it’s not that brutal!]

=[It’s mostly obscured by the rain anyway….]

ㄴ[Really?]

Well, this isn’t a horror game anyway, so there’s no need for an overly surprised reaction.

I can just close my eyes when something too gruesome appears.

=[But is it okay for me to join in like that?]

This looks like an 8-player game, is it okay for me to join?

Won’t it just make things awkward?

While I was contemplating, a reply arrived from Baekro.

=[Ah, it’s fine. Everyone usually gets ‘kidnapped’ like this.]

ㄴ[Ah, really?]

The word ‘kidnapped’ bothered me a bit, but it probably doesn’t matter anyway.

Once the deal was struck, Cheongha quickly returned to the stream screen.

“Yes, everyone. I have an urgent announcement.”

-??? What’s this?

-It’s not an abrupt stream end or anything, right?

-Are you really going to meet a guy?

-My horn hurts…

“It’s Discord, of course not. It’s just Baekro.”

I delivered the collab news to the quietly waiting viewers.

-Oh, are you joining the big leagues?

-It’s not a joke anymore, she really is a medium-sized company now.

-You’ve been appearing on the top of the Live Stream page a lot lately.

“Ah, the download is complete.”

Once the game download finished, I joined the Discord room Baekro had provided.

“Ah ah, hello?”

“Ah, Cheongha! Thank you for coming!”

Perhaps there was an external collab scheduled for this day; most of the people in the voice channel were unfamiliar.

Hmm, Solnamu isn’t here today.

I guess the genre doesn’t quite fit him.

Of course, there were a few recognizable people among them.

“Hello? This is Bubooki. Just call me Bugi.”

“Ah, hello. I’m Kim Cheongha.”

A deep male voice, like a cave, was heard.

A streamer from the Byeongpung Crew who had been on the same team as Baekro during the Golden Watch tournament.

His official nickname was Bubooki.

Commonly called Bubugi.

“What’s with this oppa…. Why is he suddenly acting like this?”

At Bugi’s reaction, voices of criticism came from fellow streamers.

Hmm, he’s not usually like this, I see.

I get it now.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Baekro.”

“Ah, have you?”

“Ah, I told you not to talk about that!”

This is a bit surprising.

To think that Baekro would talk about me so much.

A cute scene automatically came to mind.

---

Dead Knight The Game.

Based on a famous movie, it was a chase game between one killer in a white mask and seven survivors.

The survivors use various elements present on the map.

They win if they ultimately escape the killer.

The killer wins by using skills to kill all seven survivors.

“Alright, since one person is new, shall we go easy for the first round and pick Baekro as the killer?”

“Eh, me?”

At the news that Baekro would be the killer, a lively atmosphere spread among the streamers.

Because their opponent was Baekro, the epitome of someone bad at games.

Since the killer in this game can’t even shoot a gun, her improved FPS skills are completely useless.

In other words, if the situation allows, it’s even possible for the survivors to gang up on the killer.

Deep in a forest where rain poured down relentlessly.

Towards the people gathered inside a mountain cabin, a man approached.

「What’s that sound?」

「Ugh, uwaaak!!!」

“Eeeeek! Dieee—!”

Thwack-!

As Baekro quickly burst out from the forest and killed one person, the remaining survivors began to scatter, screaming.

One of them is probably me.

“Ah, it’s started.”

In the forest where the survivors fled.

I could finally move my character.

The game’s controls were simple, so there was no particular need to learn them.

“Alright, let’s go looting first then.”

Various tools were needed to find escape routes or survive against the killer.

And most such things were located in human living areas.

After walking for some time like that.

“Oh, I found a house quickly.”

A wooden house of moderate size came into view.

‘Born near a house, I’m lucky.’

Since even the strongest killer couldn’t destroy an entire house, this place was also convenient for hiding.

Spotting a nearby house, Cheongha quickly opened the door.

And.

“Waaak, sh*t!”

“Eh?”

Along with some incredibly impactful swearing.

A crowbar swung by someone struck Cheongha’s head.