chapter_0140

140 – Why Does Someone Who Knows Broadcasting So Well

140 – Why Does Someone Who Knows Broadcasting So Well

There are four computers in the company’s broadcasting room, but it’s rare for even one to be running. Usually, it’s only when the members come to the company for work that they briefly broadcast announcements, or when Cheon Do-hee is so busy that she turns on the broadcast while living at the company.

However, recently, Majiya has been using them quite often, and today she is using two computers at the same time. One is the computer currently broadcasting, while the other had already entered the party but was for Majiya’s secondary account, which appears non-existent thanks to the ghost player mode.

If you’re confused about how it works, just think of it as having two computers on: one running the workspace and the other for broadcasting. So even if Majiya brilliantly completes the Jangsanbeom operation and returns, what people see is just Majiya “participating in the game after finishing a busy task.”

Majiya’s main account had actually gone out to the lobby and just re-entered.

[Majiya has joined the game]

As soon as they saw the message, the members, who had been floating like space debris after being fired for not meeting their performance, simultaneously pressed the start button for a new game.

The five people gathered on the newly launched spaceship. Four surrounded Majiya and began a collective monologue.

“Jia!!!!”

“Jia unni, why are you only just now?”

“Jia!! We’re dead. Already dead. This game is definitely a horror game.”

“Ugh, but it’s so funny…!!”

Jia pretended not to understand anything.

“I’m sorry. I had something urgent to take care of. I might be away again soon. But did you all get wiped out after doing so well? I thought we’d be at the mid-tier planet by now.”

As soon as she said that, Komari, who felt an instinctive suspicion, asked, “Unni, you installed more mods besides what you told us, didn’t you? Hurry up and tell us what it is.”

“Mods? No. What I told you is all there is.”

“Don’t lie! The Jangsanbeom we encountered last game couldn’t have appeared without a mod…!!”

— For real

— I’m scared ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

— It’s really not a mod?

— Come on, it must be a mod, haha

However, even if Majiya secretly used a mod, no one would know unless she revealed it herself. If the members wanted to know the truth, they shouldn’t have provoked Majiya by saying the game was easy.

“I really don’t know. I just got back from work.”

It was uncertain, but something had started, and it was likely that it was a prank by Majiya. Rather than waiting for Majiya’s uncertain answer, the members decided it was better to brace themselves and do their best for the remaining broadcast.

Once she started wearing her mask properly, there would be no way to distinguish between what was true and what was false. Even Trashit, who helped set up the mods, wouldn’t know which voice belonged to Majiya and which belonged to the members.

In other streamers’ collaborations, when a doppelgänger appeared, everyone would panic, shouting, “It’s Jangsanbeom!” But in Parallel, they would have to shout, “It’s Majiya!” instead.

There were many suspicious points, but Komari decided to step back for now.

“Ha… There’s definitely something…”

Continuously suspecting someone who came to collaborate while busy wasn’t great for the flow of the broadcast. Plus, it was them who had provoked her, insisting she was joking despite her denials.

“Let’s go again for now. Jia unni is here too. If the five of us work hard, we can reach the mid-tier planet quickly.”

They had become quite accustomed to the lower-tier planet, so everyone felt no pressure in starting again. Even the timid Dora and Maru were swinging their weapons much more bravely than before.

However, a peculiar atmosphere began to flow among the members.

After the appearance of the super Jangsanbeom, everyone started to suspect each other’s words one by one.

“Who are you?”

“Who else would I be? It’s me.”

“Why are you speaking Korean better than usual, unni Rain?”

“What the. Stop talking nonsense! No time!”

No matter how much they stuck together, they inevitably had to scatter briefly while picking up items and exploring the surroundings. Each time they briefly scattered and regrouped, they wasted time repeating identification checks.

“Let’s hurry up and check the next room. We need to earn a lot right now.”

“They say the one who pretends to mediate fights is the worst…”

“Why is that coming up now, unni Dora?”

“Unni, you were too smart just now! Are you the fake?”

“No, no…!”

— What are you doing, haha

— It’s a mess, haha

— Just like usual, it’s another day, haha

— The doppelgänger hasn’t even appeared, but they’re already turning on each other, haha

But this was a pattern that hadn’t appeared in today’s broadcast. It was one of the new fun things people were looking for.

Before they got wiped out, the members had been encouraging each other and cheering each other on, so it was no surprise that they suddenly turned against each other.

Meanwhile, the chronic issues of Rain’s mine deaths and Dora’s slips were happening frequently.

There was even an incident where Maru killed Komari, thinking she was a doppelgänger.

Since the super Jangsanbeom didn’t reappear, the members were increasingly self-destructing while suspecting each other, creating a much more entertaining scenario for the broadcast.

In the end, the first generation members were fired without making any money, acknowledging their arrogance, and showing a renewed spirit, which brought waves of support from fans.

They successfully started the first week and managed to purchase the mid-tier planet license within a week by rescuing fan characters.

“Finally got it, Hatchlings!”

— Mamaaan

— We survived

— Get us out of this hellish place

— We’re not doing this anymore!

— Mid-tier planet, here we go!

Although they had gone through quite a bit to reach the mid-tier planet, the common opinion among the members was to experience as much as possible before dying.

“Anyway, if monsters we don’t know come out, we’ll inevitably get wrecked. So let’s at least witness as much as we can. That way, we’ll know how to deal with them.”

That way, when they returned to the mid-tier planet, they wouldn’t die in vain.

Of course, they had confirmed in the lower-tier that splitting up to witness more wasn’t the answer, so this time they decided to split into two parties to balance exploration efficiency and survival.

— We’re going to die anyway, so why worry so much?

— For real, haha

— Actually, preparing this hard makes me look forward to dying even more, haha

— Let it be a futile death, let it be a futile death

— Boombox Springhead Jangsanbeom, let’s go!!!

However, the outcome of a futile death was unavoidable for the members.

Contrary to the first generation’s wish to survive as long as possible on the mid-tier planet, the goddess of fate sent the most dangerous creature on the mid-tier planet to fulfill the viewers’ wishes.

Maru and Rain, who had set out on an adventure as a team, encountered today’s key monster.

The Boombox.

— It’s here

— It’s come

— That bastard has appeared, haha

The Boombox is a game destroyer and a newbie annihilator.

It is invulnerable to physical attacks, so no matter how much you hit it with a barbell or a shovel, it won’t die. And if you try to run away, it will chase you to the ends of the Earth and explode with the player.

There’s only one way to deal with it.

You have to keep a safe distance so it doesn’t recognize the player and start playing music.

And once the music starts playing, you have to run out of the ruins to survive.

If you stay inside the ruins, it will chase you down and explode, no matter where you are.

However, even knowing such a creature exists, facing it for the first time was a different story.

The members had no idea how far was safe.

Especially Maru, who had gained confidence and attempted to defeat most of the monsters they had encountered until now.

It wasn’t a hideous spider-like creature. It was just a cassette player with limbs, so she approached without hesitation and hit it with a shovel.

— Hahaha

— This is bad

— Goodbye, haha

As the chorus of Parallel’s first anniversary song “One Others” began to play, everyone who had been chuckling at Maru’s newbie behavior burst out laughing.

[Running to find the light——]

— Is this it? Haha

— Hahahahahaha

— I thought she did something with a mod, haha

— They put their song as a funeral song, these crazy people, haha

It’s rare to put a song they worked hard to create into a monster that explodes while playing music.

Most companies avoid such situations due to the superstition that it brings bad luck.

However, it was clear that Parallel was deliberately trying to create laughter, making it both absurd and funny.

Moreover, at the time they needed to run, Rain began to passionately sing her part.

“Let me find the light!”

[The dream I hid in the darkness]

“We will rise, we will shine!”

“Unni, this isn’t the time to sing?!”

— What are you doing, haha

— Just run away, haha

— This is not the time for professionalism, haha

— This unni is starting again, haha

It’s a wonderful professional spirit to sing whenever her song comes on, no matter when or where.

But the one who started singing was the monster, and it was a bomb that could explode at any moment.

However, since Rain had been enjoying the game freely from earlier, her actions became not trolling but a funny brain fart.

The brain fart turned into art when Rain, who was circling around the Boombox, stepped on a mine and exploded.

“Unni. There’s a mine there!”

“Ah, shit———.”

Boom!!

Who said that comedy is repetition?

Rain had just been running around thoughtlessly and exploded after stepping on a mine, and now she was dying again?

This time, she didn’t just explode from running around; she exploded because she was singing and didn’t watch her feet.

— Hahahahahaha

— Hahahahahaha

— Hahahahahaha

— Ah, hahaha

As Rain exploded, the Boombox’s aggro shifted to Maru this time.

“Uh? Me? Is it me? Are you following me? Oh crap, this is bad.”

Maru started to run away in a panic.

Soon, hearing her scream for help while running, the other three joined her.

“Run! Run, run!”

But behind Maru was the Boombox?

“What’s going on? What is it? …Ah, the Boombox!”

“W-What? Should we run?”

“If you stay still, you’ll explode! Run, unni!”

However, the path they all took to escape was a narrow metal bridge without railings.

Today, whenever Dora panicked while running away, she slipped and died in this section…

“Ahhh———…”

Sure enough, she slipped again.

— Hahaha, what the hell, hahahahaha

— Ah, hahahahaha

— You crazy people, haha

— Ah, I just spit out my food, haha

— It’s not like they’re recovering foreshadowing in order, haha

Meanwhile, the remaining three scattered.

Maru, who had created this chaos by thoughtlessly hitting the Boombox, found herself lost at a dead end, so there was no narrative arc to follow.

Did she instinctively sense that she couldn’t survive?

Trapped on a one-way street, Maru sang the last line of the chorus as if she had given up on life.

“I will complete our story———!!”

Soon, a massive explosion shook the ruins.

Bang——!!!

— Hahaha

— Hahahahaha

— That’s refreshing

— Hahahahahaha

— Ah, hahahaha

–

From Majiya’s appearance to the chaos caused by the Boombox.

Cheon Do-hee, who had been watching the flow, nodded with a satisfied expression.

“Clean cut.”

The progression of the content was incredibly smooth.

It felt like a stock graph that, while going through a slight adjustment period, was generally trending upwards.

Tutorial, earning not a single penny, zero won.

In the first proper game, they fell back to the primordial village after being interrupted by Majiya right before reaching the mid-tier planet, thinking the game was easy.

In the second game, they quickly obtained the mid-tier planet license and showed growth once again, but they led to stimulating situations by suspecting and turning against each other, raising the focus…

And then, after much hardship, they created the exact scene they had been looking forward to on the mid-tier planet.

“Jia’s intervention was a good judgment.”

Even if they had passed without Majiya’s input earlier, it wouldn’t have been a big problem.

However, it wouldn’t have made the viewers, who were immersed in watching, recognize the value of the “mid-tier planet license.”

Those who were experiencing the black warning for the first time through today’s broadcast might not know, but those who had watched several broadcasts would certainly feel that way.

Especially this crazy scene that just unfolded wouldn’t have been as entertaining if they had arrived at the mid-tier planet smoothly.

With the comment that Majiya was getting through too easily, her timely intervention combined with the members’ desire for broadcast success created the best outcome.

It was perfect for use as shorts or edited videos.

And as today’s case, Cheon Do-hee and Team Leader Ra Seung-hyun, who gathered in the boss’s office to watch the broadcast, could come to a definite conclusion.

“I’ve clearly understood why Majiya is the cheat key for collaborations. She knows exactly when the broadcast gets loose and actively steps in to fill that gap.”

“Right? I’ve always thought that, but I needed about half a year to confirm whether it was luck or real skill.”

“It seems like an appropriate period. I also think that since she has talent and a great sense, I was worried she might be overly reliant on her improvisation. But now I think I’ve watched enough. I don’t think I need to worry.”

“So, does that mean we can confidently deploy Jia in any broadcast, including member collaborations, without worry?”

“Yes. I believe she will definitely be helpful.”

Team Leader Ra Seung-hyun continued.

“The four first-generation members are doing well enough on their own, you know? For a broadcaster who has only been active for a year and a half, their adaptation speed is absurdly fast.

But if our members are well-cooked meat, Majiya is the one who adds the final touch of pepper, perfectly eliminating any unpleasant odor that might be off-putting to someone. There’s no reason not to include her.”

“Mm-mm.”

“It’s true that Majiya manages the members well. But let’s have someone like Seungyeon take on the usual management tasks, and from now on, let her be the control tower for live broadcasts.

Until now, we didn’t know and let it slide… Honestly, I think it’s a waste for such talent to be consumed on simple tasks.”

Majiya broadcasts for the Virtual Youtuber.

And that thought always creates unexpected scenarios and even leads to remarkable results.

Wasn’t Majiya the one who returned after making a huge hit in a broadcast with Bajubi that no one expected?

Ra Seung-hyun, who has been in the corporate marketing team for about ten years, knows.

It’s a luxury to expect to do only what you want in a company.

And capable people should be compensated for their abilities in monetary terms and should use that ability for the company.

“So, I think it’s right to determine Majiya’s position clearly after this broadcast, based on the short-form promotions that will follow.”

“I understand, but I oppose increasing Jia’s share in the broadcast any further.”

“Boss, this is a company. And you know we’re already short on manpower, right?”

“…Hmm.”

“You also know how valuable a talent like Jia is.”

“Yes.”

“However, most of the work Jia originally did can be replaced by someone else. While there aren’t many people like Seungyeon, we found one, didn’t we? Preparing for the debut of the second generation? That doesn’t necessarily have to be done by Jia. It’s replaceable.”

“That’s true. I agree.”

“I know you care about Majiya, boss. I also know you’re worried because she once overworked herself and collapsed.

But this is a company. To put it bluntly, even if we take care of her work-life balance, we should at least dress her in the most fitting outfit. If adequate compensation follows, Majiya will change her mind.”

However, Cheon Do-hee had avoided assigning Majiya any broadcasting-related tasks, even though she knew everything.

“I understand your thoughts, Team Leader. But there are two problems.

First, Jia likes watching broadcasts, but she doesn’t like doing them. And as you said, we can’t provide enough compensation.”

“Are you saying we can’t raise Majiya’s salary sufficiently?”

“No. Even if we raise it, it won’t mean anything. She’s not someone who can be motivated by money.”

“…Ah. So she’s the type who isn’t interested in money. That does seem to be the case.”

“That’s why we don’t force her into broadcasts unless she wants to. She does well if asked, but she doesn’t want proper compensation, and she pushes herself without considering her physical limits.”

However, Ra Seung-hyun wasn’t about to back down easily.

Parallel benefits as Majiya’s existence becomes more known.

Even though similar stories came up whenever the Team Leaders gathered, everyone had been putting off bringing it up, assuming that Cheon Do-hee, the Boss and Majiya’s direct supervisor, would bring it up first…

But no matter how long they waited, there was no sign of the topic coming up properly.

With too many things becoming regrettable if left as is, Ra Seung-hyun stepped forward as the representative of the Team Leaders.

Above all, Ra Seung-hyun was a talent from a major company’s marketing team, who had shone with the highest performance rating every year.

When it came to persuading people, he was an expert among experts.

“If I can change Majiya’s mind, would you allow it then?”

“No coercion or unreasonable persuasion is allowed.”

“Absolutely not. People like Majiya are more likely to go astray if you try to force them.”

Cheon Do-hee nodded slowly, and Ra Seung-hyun said confidently.

“In this case, a Nudge is the answer.”

One word from the author (Author’s Note)

What is a Nudge!

Simply put, a nudge is subtly encouraging a choice by saying something like, “Ah, if Mangkpang debuted as a Virtual Youtuber, they’d get 30,000 subscribers and 10 million views~”

Economics, so easy, right?