The dim sum had undeniably been delicious.
Yet, only the lingering memory of its deliciousness remained; its precise flavor, despite having just consumed it, eluded her.
Although Sori Hwa had intended to at least treat Jung Min-ju to coffee, given that he had come all the way to Xi’an for her, she had no choice but to send him off as he claimed an immediate return to Beijing was necessary to redraft the contract.
“Ugh.”
Once Jung Min-ju had departed, Sori Hwa exhaled a deep sigh.
The meeting, lasting barely an hour, had been more than enough to completely drain the introverted Sori Hwa.
Especially at the end, when he had clasped his hands together, his eyes gleaming with the earnest plea to secure the contract, she had felt overwhelmed to the point of suffocation.
“Wow. Hey, hey. Look at her. She’s absolutely stunning, like a doll.”
“Where? Wow, you’re right.”
One unfortunate side effect of her martial arts training was an overly developed sense of hearing, allowing her to catch even words not meant for her ears.
Though they likely assumed their whispers, exchanged from a distance of thirty meters, would go unheard, Sori Hwa caught every syllable.
‘I should head home.’
‘Jung Min-ju was one thing, but for some reason, the constant stares from people felt like a continuous stream of damage over time (TL Note: ‘Dot딜’ or ‘damage over time’ in gaming refers to gradual, continuous damage), leaving me at critical health (TL Note: ‘딸피’ or ‘ddalpi’ is gaming slang for being at very low health, usually indicated by a red health bar, literally ‘daughter’s blood’ but used to mean critically low).’
“…Let’s go home.”
With her shoulders slumped, Sori Hwa slowly made her way from Xi’an’s bustling downtown towards the Sinseong-gu district.
Still, she wondered what time she should stream today.
Jo Meo-hyeop had advised her to experiment with different time slots to find what suited her best, and for now, she planned to continue trying new times.
****
“Are you out of your mind?”
The Content Team 3 Leader stared at PD Jung Min-ju, who had returned from Xi’an with uncharacteristic punctuality, a look of utter bewilderment etched upon his face.
It was a natural reaction, considering Jung Min-ju was proposing a ludicrous 8:2 contract for a streamer who had only broadcasted for a single day.
While Jung Min-ju typically handled matters with a fiery efficiency, his actions had always remained within reasonable bounds.
In fact, his aggressive approach had yielded significant results, making him an employee the team leader kept a close eye on.
Now, this valued subordinate was suddenly, inexplicably, advocating for an unprecedented contract, as if he had fallen under some enchantment in Xi’an.
“I’m telling you, it’s true. She’s just… insane.”
“What’s insane? You, right now?”
“No! Ri Hwa-nim, no, Wadeulwadeul-nim is truly insane.”
“Wadeulwadeul’s name is Ri Hwa? That’s a pretty name.”
“Haa. You think her name is pretty?”
Jung Min-ju thumped his chest in exasperation.
“Her name is nothing. Her visuals are just out of this world. She could debut as a female cam streamer right now.”
“Huh?”
Only then did the team leader’s ears perk up.
Naturally, as streaming was a public profession, the better one’s appearance, the better.
Of course, it wasn’t a strict requirement, as many streamers concealed their faces, created avatars, or used virtual characters, especially in the world of Ogogok.
“No, you should have mentioned that first.”
“Didn’t I?”
“No, you didn’t.”
“I think I’m in a state of diminished capacity right now.”
“Yes. You certainly look it.”
The team leader clicked his tongue.
Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder.
What could she possibly look like to make Jung Min-ju so utterly flustered?
Having been in the industry for five years, Jung Min-ju had met countless female cam streamers renowned for their beauty.
However, he had never, unequivocally, witnessed such an intense reaction from him before.
“First, calm down.”
“Yes, yes. Phew.”
Jung Min-ju took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
His irregular, ragged breathing gradually returned to normal.
“Alright, let’s start from the beginning. So, you’re saying you want Wadeulwadeul-nim to do a cam broadcast?”
“Absolutely. It would be a loss if she didn’t reveal her face on camera. Her visuals would be even more successful on Ogogok.”
“So, more cute than sexy, I presume?”
“She’s quite far from sexy, actually. But it’s not just ordinary cuteness; it’s a kind of dignified charm, I tell you.”
Once again, Jung Min-ju’s breathing quickened.
The team leader couldn’t fathom what Wadeulwadeul looked like to provoke such a reaction.
Clearing his throat, the team leader glanced around to ensure no one was listening before asking, almost casually,
“…You didn’t happen to take any photos, did you?”
“Company regulations prohibit taking photos with streamers who haven’t revealed their faces on camera, don’t they?”
“Ahem, that’s true.”
“And she’s not even our company’s streamer yet.”
The prohibition against secretly photographing streamers was truly an unwritten rule among unwritten rules in this industry.
If a streamer’s real face were exposed, the situation could escalate beyond imagination.
Especially if it became known that such a leak originated from a specific company, what streamer would ever trust that MCN and sign a contract?
“Anyway, honestly, I can’t just give her an 8:2 contract based solely on your word, can I? It wouldn’t be fair to other streamers, and there’s no precedent.”
“Oh, but that would obviously be a secret!”
“That’s… that’s true. Haa. Can you take responsibility for this?”
“Yes. Absolutely.”
A resolute certainty gleamed in Jung Min-ju’s eyes.
The team leader knew Jung Min-ju had excellent instincts.
Jung Min-ju had never been wrong when he was this confident.
“Okay. But this stays between our team. I’ll report it to the Director-General discreetly.”
“Thank you, Team Leader!”
“Since we’re doing this, do it properly. Ask Jo Meo-hyeop-nim to give her a push, too.”
“Of course.”
The team leader ultimately gave his unofficial approval.
He felt like a tsundere detective chief covering for a maverick detective in some crime film.
****
[ Title: Wadeul Noona, are you streaming today? ]
[ Content: Any announcement about what time she’s starting? ]
– How could someone without a fan community have something like that?
– When’s Sinseong-gu Noir Part 2 coming out, lol?
– Yesterday was her first stream, buddy.
—
“Oh…”
For the first time, Sori Hwa ventured into the Ogogok gallery.
She figured that since a considerable number of people had watched her stream yesterday, there might be some discussions about her.
And sure enough, discussions about Wadeulwadeul appeared right on the main screen.
When she specifically searched using the keyword ‘Wadeulwadeul,’ numerous posts surfaced.
It was a peculiar, almost ticklish sensation, to have complete strangers discussing her.
Of course, many of them might have started as malicious viewers, but then again, hadn’t Sori Hwa herself been a ‘concept troll’ (TL Note: A ‘concept troll’ or ‘컨셉충’ refers to someone who consistently sticks to a specific persona or repetitive phrase for comedic or trolling effect) who merely repeated the same words on Jo Meo-hyeop’s stream?
“Ugh. I should stop looking.”
Just as she decided to stop, fearing it might become an addiction, a sudden attack of her Nine Yin Severed Meridians (TL Note: ‘구음절맥’ or ‘Gu Eum Jeol Maek’ is a fictional martial arts condition where the body’s meridians are severed, causing extreme cold and pain) struck, as if to aid her decision.
“Ughhh…”
Sori Hwa’s lips trembled as she took her medicine.
Closing her eyes and remaining still, the chaotic chill attack subsided.
Glancing at the pill bottle, she saw that little medicine remained, necessitating a new purchase.
Given that cases of Nine Yin Severed Meridians progressing to such an extent were exceedingly rare even in this Central Plains, the medicine was unlisted and exorbitantly expensive.
She had to earn money quickly, if only for the sake of her medicine.
Checking the time, she saw it was 8 PM.
This was prime time for internet broadcasting.
It was the perfect window for viewers to relax after work, showering, and dinner.
Sori Hwa, too, had showered after her outing and taken a short nap, only to find herself at this hour.
“Should I do it now?”
Truthfully, even for a broadcasting novice like Sori Hwa, streaming now wasn’t a good option.
As it was prime time, nearly all major streamers were broadcasting.
“…Or not?”
A faint thought of resting and starting around 11 PM flickered through her mind, but suddenly, a surge of resolve bloomed within Sori Hwa.
Nothing would change by continuously avoiding it.
The time had come to face the challenge, at least once.
“Good.”
With a determined expression etched on her face, Sori Hwa entered the capsule.
As her entire body was scanned, she entered the virtual reality and adjusted her broadcast settings.
Having decided to do things properly, she had no desire to appear as amateurish as she had yesterday.
[ Wadeulwadeul Live On ]
This time, unlike yesterday, people flooded in as soon as she started the broadcast.
Many had clearly enabled notifications for Wadeulwadeul’s stream after yesterday’s broadcast.
– My drug is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
– hihihihihi
– Wadeul the Female Heroine keeps her word dd
The chat window immediately became lively.
Thankfully, it wasn’t a chat filled with provocateurs like yesterday, but rather messages genuinely welcoming Wadeulwadeul.
“Hello…”
She wanted to project a confident image, but the rapidly scrolling chat seemed to reveal her true self instantly.
Indeed, resolutions made without facing the actual situation were meaningless.
– Why is this noona a loser again? Didn’t she just scold people yesterday?
– Female Heroine Mode OFF, Wadeulwadeul Mode ON
– I’ve been watching her live for two days straight, what exactly is her concept??
“First, I’ll play a game. Come to think of it, I was going to play a different character today.”
Sori Hwa hastily launched Royal Commando.
Typically, streamers would engage in ‘just chatting’ (TL Note: ‘저스트 채팅’ or ‘jeoseuteu chaeting’ refers to a segment where streamers simply talk with their viewers without playing a game, often used to build rapport or for donation time) for 30 minutes to an hour after starting their broadcast before transitioning to a game, but Sori Hwa, unsure how to make small talk (TL Note: ‘노가리 까다’ or ‘nogari kkada’ is a slang term meaning to chitchat or engage in casual conversation), simply started the game.
And it was impossible for the professional viewers to be unaware of Sori Hwa’s hurried state.
– Skipping just chat immediately because she’s not confident lolol
– Noona, just chat is donation time…
– Don’t even pro gamers chitchat for 30 minutes lollllllll
– Her usual way of speaking makes her seem like such a loser lol
– Look at them immediately throwing shade because hyung-nim isn’t on stream lol
When she had streamed outdoors yesterday, Sori Hwa was clearly in control, but now that she was showing her true self, the viewers had reverted to teasing her.
However, even Sori Hwa, watching other streams, knew that streamers often became subjects of playful teasing.
Quickly convincing herself that she was intentionally becoming a punching bag, Sori Hwa immediately started a normal game.
– No training ground?
– You said you were playing a new character
Everyone immediately criticized her for suddenly starting a normal game, but Sori Hwa had her reasons.
“Learning in actual combat is the fastest way. It’s just a normal game, so this is fine, right?”
– That’s true lol
– She’s a natural talent anyway, she’ll probably sweep through all the MMR here.
Viewers, now fully aware of Sori Hwa’s talent, accepted her reasoning.
Indeed, with her aim and movement being inherently overpowered, there was no one who could stand against her at such low MMRs.
[ Wadeulwadeul K Solaris ]
[ Wadeulwadeul K Zenith ]
[ Wadeulwadeul K Minseokdang ]
Sure enough, Sori Hwa continuously switched characters every time she died, showcasing incredible aim with each one.
However, Royal Commando was a hyper-FPS game, so aim wasn’t the only important factor.
Game intelligence, strategic execution, and positioning—in other words, ‘brain-skill’ (TL Note: ‘뇌지컬’ or ‘noe-ji-keol’ is a portmanteau of ‘brain’ and ‘physical,’ referring to strategic thinking, game sense, and decision-making in gaming, as opposed to purely mechanical skill) —were also significantly demanded by the game.
Consequently, Sori Hwa showed considerable awkwardness with tank characters or those using slow projectiles, where aim was less crucial.
Even so, she still performed at least twice as well as an average player at this MMR.
[ Wadeulwadeul K 21 A 23 D 7 ]
[ Damage Dealt: 18,338 ]
[ Healing Done: 6,638 ]
[ Level UP! ]
Perhaps because she consistently won games with such overwhelming stats, her leveling progressed at an astonishing pace.
– Is this even a game?
– I still can’t understand how her rating is 0 lolll
The chat window was filled with praise for Sori Hwa’s unfair aim and movement.
Unlike yesterday, where she only played the game, the chat was noticeably more orderly.
“…Ah, but it’s too boring. I want to play with some pros.”
Sori Hwa unconsciously voiced her thoughts on the game.
In her position, it was a natural reaction; slaughtering opponents was only fun at first, eventually becoming monotonous, wasn’t it?
However, regardless of that, her comment ignited the competitive spirit of countless viewers.
– Day 2 of gaming) So boring I’m playing while half-asleep.
– ???: There are only noobs here, it’s not fun.
– A certain streamer said: Royal Commando is full of idiots…
– Where have all the Royal Commando pros gone lol
“No, when did I ever say that…?”
The viewers, delighted, immediately began to distort and reproduce Sori Hwa’s comments.
As Sori Hwa’s voice grew increasingly timid, the viewers gleefully continued to tease her.
[ Sinseong-gu Wadeul Clan sponsored 1000 silver taels! ]
[ Noona, since your skill can’t be matched by playing normal games all day at your current MMR, gather some pros from among your viewers and do an internal match lol ]
Just then, a donation of 1000 silver taels came in.
While some viewers booed, complaining that the message was too long for a thousand-tael donation, the content of the donation itself seemed to pique considerable interest.
“Viewer participation?”
Sori Hwa murmured.
The current viewer count, less plagued by provocateurs than yesterday, stood at around 800.
Still, for a streamer on their second day, it was an impressive number of viewers.
Sori Hwa herself thought that this might be the best way to boost the broadcast’s energy, and she felt it could be fun for her too.
However, her concern was whether she could effectively control the participating viewers.
“What should I do…?”
[ twistedlogic sponsored 1000 silver taels! ]
[ Diamond 3 DPS twistedlogic#1128 applies to participate ]
While Sori Hwa was deep in thought, public opinion on the broadcast had already swayed towards viewer participation.
Immediately, hopeful participants began sending donations.
“No, wait. Wait. It’s too fast…”
As Sori Hwa flustered amidst the flood of participation requests, a bombshell exploded in the chat window.
[ God Jae-hyun sponsored 10000 silver taels! ]
[ Challenger 4 DPS SIN#4108 applies to participate ]
It was the unexpected entry of a professional player.
