chapter_0097

97 – There Are No Eternal Allies or Eternal Enemies (2)

97 – There Are No Eternal Allies or Eternal Enemies (2)

1:4 was manageable if I used my leg sweeps well.

Once it became 2:2, the game got significantly easier.

I rarely lose in 1:1 matches.

In fact, KraeMang would often slip and fall into the water while chasing me, so I didn’t even need to throw punches.

At least Kamik and Young-gun tried to use their physicality to come at me.

But this isn’t a brawl; I’m good at FPS games, not this kind of chaos.

Whenever I excitedly ran away, there were often moments where they tried to do something but ended up getting tangled up.

Thus, my team, the Bajubi team, scored three consecutive victories.

If we win just one more round, we would take the victory for this match.

– Mid-ranking –

–
Bajubi Team – 3 Wins

–
Umme Team – 1 Win

–
Yaong Team – 0 Wins

— How can you waste this opportunity like this?

— Do better, please!

— Make Majiya sing!

— Lose, lose, please, please lose, lose, please lose, lose, please lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose.

— Are we winning?

— “No.”

Of course, this situation couldn’t last forever.

[Serena, let’s have a brief strategy time. Let’s think about it this way. Even if Jia imposes a penalty, the guys can just refuse, right? How about that? It’s fine if it’s the girls.]

[… Well, that’s true.]

[So, does that mean you’ll be on our side? Good?]

[Yes. Sounds good.]

[Dramatic negotiation concluded! Give me this!]

Young-gun was quite clever.

No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t single out someone who said “Honey, I love you” to protect them, and I couldn’t insist that the male streamers had to listen if they refused.

It could be problematic even if I asked a Virtual Youtuber from Parallel, let alone a competitor’s Virtual Youtuber.

Contrary to how friendly we were on the Wicker Server, it was perfect for a fiery conflict.

I didn’t emphasize randomness for nothing.

So, the strategy of temporarily recruiting Serena to our side ended here.

… Now, who should I recruit next?

If I had to pick the most gullible among the five people excluding me, it would definitely be Young-gun, right?

The next round began.

Once again, I threw Bajubi into the sea and spoke to Young-gun, who was slowly closing in on me.

“Young-gun, please wait a moment.”

[Cunning Majiya! I won’t listen to you!]

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

— You are cunning.

— What are you going to say this time? Haha.

— Let’s just hear it first. Haha.

[Go ahead and say something. I’ll listen as if it’s your final argument.]

“If I don’t come in last this round, I’ll attend a Competitive Civil War when I’m not busy.”

[… What?]

— Haha!

— Unbelievable! Haha!

— Don’t throw around empty promises! Haha!

— You won’t participate after saying this, right? Haha!

:: An anonymous supporter donated 1,000 Clouds! ::

:: ???: Competitive is a terrible game. ::

— That’s slander! Haha!

— I didn’t say that!

— Haha!

The viewers were telling me not to throw around empty promises.

I just didn’t say when I would participate; I never said I wouldn’t at all.

I would just attend once next time.

To put it metaphorically, it was like saying, “Let’s have a meal together sometime.”

However, that possibility alone could be enough to recruit Young-gun.

He was the one who had been suggesting the Civil War during our team dinners.

[Hmph. If you thought I would fall for this… it’s a huge “Oh Yeah!”]

[No, you’re betraying us here—.]

[Haha, die!]

As expected, Young-gun immediately broke the alliance and threw Kamik into the water.

Looking back now, how did our team win with such unity?

I really don’t know.

Similar situations continued afterward.

The next to come over after Young-gun was KraeMang.

“If I come in last, from then on, I will seriously and solemnly call you KraeMang.”

[You guys!! How dare you attack our nephew!!]

[Ugh. Ugh.]

[No, brother. Ah!]

Next was Bajubi.

“Bajubi, would you like to do the Parallel World Cup with me?”

[………!!]

[Ah, wait a second. I got hit on the head.]

[What’s with this person? Why is he suddenly so good!]

The reason I didn’t pull in Kamik was that he was so stable that I couldn’t find a way to shake him.

People like Kamik are the hardest opponents for me.

As we took turns becoming allies and then enemies, we had already played over ten rounds without me coming in last even once.

— Wow, seriously?

— You haven’t lost even once?

— No, the collaboration time is running out…

— Until when today?

— 30 minutes left.

— We’re in trouble.

The viewers seemed to have given up as they hadn’t been urging others to do well for a while.

As they said, the collaboration time was running out.

If I could just hold on a little longer, I might get through without singing.

I had thrown around a few empty promises.

But the level I threw at Young-gun earlier, “Let’s do it together sometime,” meant that if I really got busy, I couldn’t help it.

In reality, after the family competition ends during the Lunar New Year holiday, the second-generation interviews and debut preparations would begin right away, and from then on, no one knew how the schedule would turn out.

Whenever there were group collaborations, competitions, or large servers, the situation room would open every time.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean there would be free time.

… But hasn’t it been a while since the game started?

Why is no one moving?

While I was spinning in the spawned spot, Bajubi, who had returned to my side, pointed toward the two other teams standing together.

[……Look at me.]

Hearing that they seemed to be planning something, I noticed their movements were indeed suspicious.

There were no separate chats in the Talk Code, and the in-game voice wasn’t turned on either.

However, the four of them were forming a solid square formation and were stepping closer to me one step at a time.

They hadn’t opened another person’s stream on a second monitor, and the approaching characters were plush dolls with no expressions, yet I somehow felt their emotions.

They were very angry.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down. Just because you approach like that doesn’t mean you can win.”

[Honestly, if we all grab and hold on together, we can’t lose.]

“What about Young-gun? The possibility of a Competitive Civil War is still open.”

[I’m not falling for that anymore, so stop throwing around empty promises. At this rate, I’ll fill an A4 sheet with empty promises.]

“Hm. Was it that much? What about Uncle KraeMang?”

[Nephew. I’m greatly disappointed. Just lose once!]

“I’m sorry. Even if you plead, I can’t listen.”

Finally, Kamik spoke up.

[Try persuading me once. I have potential.]

I had no idea how to persuade this guy, so I just passed.

Sorry, Kamik.

“Just come at me. 2:4 is worth a shot.”

At this point, there was no choice but to have a proper 2:4 fight.

In this round, I didn’t have to worry about my ally Bajubi.

Ever since she said she would do the Parallel World Cup with me, she had completely become my ally.

Even when she wasn’t on my side, she had always helped me with her weak strength, so I could trust her back.

If I got penalized, I would have to sing, but I was just holding out because I didn’t want to sing, and the fight was about to begin between me and the four people who were charging in without knowing that.

— Let’s win.

— Please.

— God, please let me not hear Majiya sing.

Now, with the chatroom that had completely become my enemy on my back.

I kept my gaze fixed on the direction of the first attack from Serena, who was charging in.

I dodged to the right, countered, grabbed her, threw her forward, and when we got tangled up, I turned sideways, tripped one, and tossed them into the sea.

Then———.

“Uh.”

However, my body, which was trying to dodge to the right, didn’t move.

Bajubi, who was standing next to me, was holding me tightly.

When streamers fight while teaming up, unless it’s an event like a Civil War with a prize on the line, betrayal happens as easily as eating rice.

And the biggest factor leading to such betrayals is mission sponsorship.

[… Let’s do it. … Since it’s a mission.]

It was clear that someone had placed a mission on Bajubi for over 100,000 won.

“Ah. I didn’t expect this.”

Serena’s fist came flying and struck my head.

I was knocked out and was thrown into the sea by the others who had rushed over.

Afterward, Bajubi was beaten and fell into the sea, marking our first loss in the round.

[Give me this!]

[I really didn’t want to use this method. Jia.]

[Nephew, I’m sorry!!]

… Wasn’t the one who sponsored us one of our viewers?

With a complete defeat, I still had three losses left to perform the singing penalty.

But since Bajubi had turned against me, the situation wasn’t good.

However, I didn’t plan to blame Bajubi; the way I had recruited others until now wasn’t much different from how the viewers had placed mission sponsorships on the broadcast.

The difference was whether it was simple instigation or if real money was spent.

“How much did you receive, Bajubi?”

[…… won.]

Holding on to my defeat for 500,000 won.

The cost-effectiveness was really bad, but it was enough money to break Bajubi’s belief.

Using the fact that I had trusted Bajubi against me felt a bit unpleasant.

But… it couldn’t be helped.

I had held out long enough.

However, I didn’t want Bajubi to be cursed by our fandom for betraying me, so I had to abandon ship first.

I immediately punched Bajubi in the face and tossed her into the sea.

— Just like that, haha!

— If you’re anxious, it’s right to throw it away, haha!

— What is this scene? I feel like I’ve seen it before, haha!

Of course, I had excluded Bajubi, but winning in this brutal 1:4 fight that continued every round was impossible.

If it were a game with shotguns, it might be different, but in a game where I could only use my fists, being beaten by four people rotating around me was just too much.

[This is the end!]

[I’m sorry, Jia!]

In the end, we quickly accumulated four losses, confirming our last place.

The streamers who wanted to see me sing, of course, along with the viewers, were all excited.

[We won…!!]

[Sing! Sing! Sing! Sing!]

[Alright, nephew, grab the mic. You can’t run away now.]

:: An anonymous supporter donated 10,000 Clouds! ::

:: Majiya wins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ::

— Huh? Win.

— It’s not a win, haha!

— Anyway, I’m happy, let’s have a drink~

— Haha, so this is what it takes to hear it, haha!

— See you later!!

— Come here!

Bajubi seemed apologetic, mumbling, and her voice was quieter than usual.

[………yo.]

I smiled and comforted her.

“It’s okay. You can’t forget that we agreed to do the Parallel World Cup together, right?”

[………………yo?!]

“Come on. Just because you hit me in the game once. If you put it that way, I kept throwing you into the water.”

[…………de.]

“It’s okay. I just have to sing once. Singing won’t kill me.”

However, I wondered if that reaction might have made the others who had rushed in for my defeat feel very empty.

KraeMang asked.

[What? Does my nephew sing well?]

“I don’t know. I’ve never been evaluated by anyone.”

[Then why did you keep avoiding it? I thought you were tone-deaf or rhythmically challenged.]

“Wow, that’s the worst. Were you trying to embarrass me by making my tone-deaf or rhythmically challenged nephew sing?”

[No. It’s not about embarrassment. I just wanted to see my nephew’s talent show~ That’s it. Hehehe.]

Indeed, forming the great Majiya alliance meant that each person had put forth several conditions.

Unlike me, who had thrown around empty promises, they were focused on substantial matters.

To name a few, Young-gun decided to jump into the cold Han River this winter to take responsibility for a failed auction, and KraeMang promised to send a set of Hanwoo beef as a gift to everyone who formed the alliance.

Compared to these, singing one song was quite cheap.

“By the way, I’ve already decided on the penalty for the next round for Serena, you know?”

[What?]

“The person who comes in last has to shout ‘Moe Moe Kyu in the Master’s heart!’ Fighting!”

[What?!]

Leaving a flustered Serena behind, I tapped the mic and checked the echo.

“Um, um. Did I get an echo?”

— Eeeeeee

— Let’s goooooo

— Sing! Sing! Sing!

— Haha, this is hilarious!

So, what song should I sing?

It feels a bit off to have the members sing in a public setting.

I might inadvertently diminish the value of our kids’ songs, which I should be promoting.

So, it would be best to choose a song that none of our members would sing.

The only thing that comes to mind is this.

“Bajubi, do you know this song?”

I sent the song title through the Talk Code, and Bajubi nodded.

She even jumped up and down, indicating it was one of her favorite songs.

What’s this? Is Bajubi older than I thought?

This must be a popular song from our parents’ generation.

Anyway, if the agreement is done, I can just sing.

After a moment, I played the MR, and the viewers started throwing hooks everywhere.

— ?

— What is this?

— Is it a trot?

— Isn’t it trot?

However, our uncle and my relative, KraeMang, shouted as soon as he heard the intro.

[Wow! You know the Slow Train? What’s up with my nephew?!]

:: An anonymous supporter donated 1,000 Clouds! ::

:: Damn, Slow Train is the best, haha! ::

— Is there anyone who doesn’t know Slow Train?

— -Wrong-

— Who knows this nowadays? Haha!

— Old man…

KraeMang, who was excitedly shaking, had a reaction completely opposite to the chatroom.

I smiled and began to sing the first verse.

“On the rainy Yeongdong Line~ on the Slow Train~

Through the rattling window…”

Author’s Note (Author’s Postscript)

I received a push advertisement from Novelpia!!!!!

Debut imminent!! (Not debuting)

Hehehe!!

Thank you!!!