The next day.
[Zodiac Streaming]
[Streamer Nickname: Park Sohee]
[Broadcast Title: Day 3 of Streaming – Short Session]
After preparing, she started her broadcast.
The viewer count, which had hovered around twenty, quickly rose to fifty.
–WheelchairBestDriver: Hi hi
–MjolnirTooHeavy: Hi hi
–PrimateGOAT: Sohee-ha~ (TL Note: A portmanteau of Park Sohee’s name and ‘hi’.)
–FeelGoodPotion: So, are you really a virgin?
Even before she could utter her first words, the chat window was already overflowing with lively comments.
‘It’s only my second day of streaming, yet I’m already used to this,’ she mused.
–MomLooksLikeAWoman: Based on how you screamed last time, I’d say you’re definitely a virgin, lol.
–BedInEnglish: I’m a connoisseur of virgins myself, and I’m sure you are. Please.
“Get out, you bastards.”
[FeelGoodPotion has been banned.]
[MomLooksLikeAWoman has been banned.]
[BedInEnglish has been banned.]
By now, banning Constellations had become second nature to her.
“Anyway, as I mentioned in the broadcast title, I’ll be keeping today’s stream short. I mainly turned it on to show you my growth through Coins.”
While she planned to tackle a Gate raid later, that would take some time. She needed to submit an application to the Association and wait for approval.
Joining a guild was another option, but she hadn’t given it much thought yet. First, she intended to experience a Gate for herself, then she would decide.
–ThinkAboutIt: Oh, growth is definitely something to respect, haha.
–NoBellyButton: Right, you haven’t even started growing yet, have you?
–MercilessDumplingSlayer: So, yesterday’s broadcast was just you on raw power alone?
–WhyMyHometown: True, haha. You took down an Orc without any growth?
–PrimateGOAT: You genuinely have Hunter talent. Keep up the good work.
“Thank you. In any case, I’ve looked into growth items, and there are so many types. I’d appreciate it if you could tell me what I should buy first, as I’m not sure.”
As the Constellations’ recommendations began to fill the chat window, one particular message caught her eye.
–WolfMommy: Show me a reaction.
It was a Constellation with a nickname she hadn’t seen before. This bastard’s nickname was also a bit unsettling. Most of the Constellations in Hanna Mi’s (TL Note: Hanna Mi is another streamer mentioned in the story.) broadcasts had rather dignified nicknames.
First, she had to respond to the chat.
“That requires a donation, and my house isn’t soundproof right now, so it would be difficult.”
–WolfMommy: No, if I ask you to do it, just do it. Why are you talking so much?
‘What is this jerk’s problem?’
“Hey, do I have to do whatever you ask? At the very least, you should be sending Coins for something like that.”
[WolfMommy has been banned.]
With that, she continued her broadcast. Since it was just a one-minute ban, like in WWE (TL Note: A common Korean internet slang referring to a temporary ban, often 1 minute, as if in a wrestling match where a fighter is temporarily out of the ring.), he would eventually return and quiet down.
“Anyway, if I have over a thousand Coins, you’re saying I should drink a diluted elixir instead of a growth scroll, right? What exactly does it do? The description just says ‘overall growth.'”
–IDontCare: It’s exactly as it says. Think of it as all growth scrolls combined into one, but it’s more efficient, so if you’re going to buy them all anyway, that’s better.
–DontCurse: To put it simply, growth scroll < diluted elixir. It’s the most cost-effective when you’re weak.
–FeelGoodPotion: I recommend drinking the diluted elixir about three times, then buying diluted nectar. It tastes good and is good for your body.
–PulledOutAMountain: If you’re going to keep using a club, I recommend ‘Gongcheongseokyu’ (TL Note: A fictional item, possibly an enchanted oil for weapons.) over nectar.
“Oh, really? But magic also seems appealing. I’ve always wanted to try using magic.”
Perhaps because the topic revolved around growth, everyone refrained from joking around and took it seriously.
It was almost as if experienced players (TL Note: ‘Goinmul’ is a Korean term for highly experienced players in a game.) were patiently teaching a newcomer the ropes.
‘It feels a bit empty without any troublemakers,’ she thought.
Just then, WolfMommy, whose ban had expired, sent a message.
–WolfMommy: Wow, you banned me?
–WolfMommy: Don’t you know who I am?
–WolfMommy: Answer.
“I don’t know who you are, I have no intention of finding out, and I guess I know your mother is a wolf.”
[WolfMommy has been banned.]
She banned him again.
–DontCurse: LOLOLOLOL your mom’s a wolf.
–PlantLoveSquad: LOLOLOL.
–PulledOutAMountain: Wolf milk, haha.
–MomLooksLikeAWoman: Oh, that’s kinda hot.
“All of you, get out.”
[PulledOutAMountain has been banned.]
[MomLooksLikeAWoman has been banned.]
–NoBellyButton: Hey, but that guy is pretty famous. You might want to be careful.
“Huh? Who? WolfMommy?”
–NoBellyButton: Yeah. He goes into any room, makes strange demands, and if they’re not met, he unleashes divine retribution.
–MjolnirTooHeavy: That’s a real troublemaker, haha.
–FeelGoodPotion: Hmm… This is a playground for gentlemen, you know.
“What kind of gentleman asks where you live and how old you are as a first greeting?”
–PlantLoveSquad: LOLOLOL.
–DontCurse: LOLOLOLOL.
–FeelGoodPotion: It’s customary for a gentleman to ask for personal details first, you know.
[FeelGoodPotion has been banned.]
“Get out, you bastard.”
As soon as FeelGoodPotion was banned, WolfMommy’s chat message appeared.
–WolfMommy: Ugh, I really tried to hold back, but I can’t anymore. You’re going to get some divine retribution.
At that moment, an ominous feeling washed over her.
–MomLooksLikeAWoman: ?
–IDontCare: ?
–DontCurse: He’s actually using divine retribution?
–WhyMyHometown: No, this crazy bastard!
A deep rumble echoed. The sky roared.
‘Shit, hold on a second.’
‘Divine retribution, for real? He’s casting divine retribution just because I didn’t give him a reaction? Is he even allowed to do that?’
‘This is confusing.’
‘They’re Constellations, aren’t they? Constellations who help raise Hunters to stop Gates.’
‘They’re going to unleash divine retribution on me, when I haven’t done anything wrong?’
–WolfMommy: I was originally going to give you a light divine retribution, but because you cursed, you’ll be punished even more.
In an instant, about ten viewers vanished.
The chat, too, was now filled only with unfamiliar nicknames; the usual ones remained silent.
The entire situation was bewildering.
“This goddamn b*tch keeps blaming me.”
Despite her bewilderment, curses still spilled from her lips.
“Did you do this in other rooms too? Aren’t you ashamed to go into some easygoing Hunter’s stream and threaten them like this?”
She didn’t know if he’d done this to other Hunters, but it certainly seemed likely.
He was a prime example of what’s called ‘Jwiheun’ (TL Note: A Korean slang term for someone who manipulates or causes trouble in an online community, literally ‘to grab and shake.’), a troublemaker who loves to exert control.
Bastards like him, both in this world and her previous one, were never helpful.
“A bastard with nothing better to do than not donate and ruin other people’s broadcasts. Divine retribution? Fine, go ahead, you idiot.”
Suddenly. A deep rumble echoed…
The sky, which had seemed on the verge of unleashing a lightning bolt, cleared up as if nothing had happened.
–MomLooksLikeAWoman: There was a bastard who couldn’t read the room, huh.
–DontCurse: Even if he’s malicious, he shouldn’t completely spoil the atmosphere.
–IDontCare: You go to paradise, lol.
–FeelGoodPotion: If she’s not here, I’ve got no one to watch, haha.
Suddenly, the chat messages started pouring in rapidly.
“What? Where did everyone go?”
The viewer count had returned to its original number.
–PulledOutAMountain: Nah, nothing happened.
–PlantLoveSquad: It seems the divine retribution stopped.
–NotAnOctopus: I. Shall. Protect. Thee. Forever.
“Ugh, I keep telling you not to use that ‘old man’ talk.”
[NotAnOctopus has been banned.]
“Anyway… just a moment.”
As the tension eased, tears suddenly welled up.
–WhyMyHometown: Hey, is she crying, haha?
–WheelchairBestDriver: Hey, she’s crying, haha.
–SeasonalMillionaire: You mustn’t cry~ You mustn’t cry~ To children who cry~ No~ gifts will be given~
[WhyMyHometown has been banned.]
[WheelchairBestDriver has been banned.]
[SeasonalMillionaire has been banned.]
“Hiccup, you guys get out.”
Ever since she became a woman, there were times she couldn’t hold back her tears like this.
When she was a man, she never cried over such things. This was all because she had become a woman.
Crying was one thing, but she still had to do what needed to be done.
She split her broadcast screen into three.
“…Hiccup.”
After all, it was common practice (TL Note: ‘Gungmul’ or ‘Guk-rule’ is a Korean internet slang term for an unwritten rule or widely accepted standard.) to cry in a three-panel split.
****
Unbeknownst to Park Sohee, this was what transpired just before WolfMommy unleashed his divine retribution.
MomLooksLikeAWoman, whose true name was Zeus, instantly transformed from his languid, reclining posture into a state of readiness to depart.
A single flash was all it took for him to shift from a form that others might have mistaken for a NEET (TL Note: A person Not in Education, Employment, or Training.) lounging in their room, to the majestic appearance one would associate with a god.
‘This madman is finally going to cause trouble!’
WolfMommy’s true identity was Romulus, the first king of Greece, a man who had indeed been suckled by a wolf.
Though Zeus, a Roman god, and Romulus, a Greek king, weren’t closely related, they knew each other through several exchanges as Constellations.
‘I thought he would stop with his vulgar pranks eventually.’
Yet, he had forced Zeus himself to make an appearance. The plan was to first prevent him from casting divine retribution, and then personally teach him a harsh lesson.
The moment he resolved to move to Romulus’s abode, his body transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot forth.
‘If he’s already used divine retribution, he’s dead.’
Kicking open the entrance, he stepped inside, only to see…
“Hah hah, Namu Amida Buddha (TL Note: A Buddhist chant, often used as an exclamation of surprise or resignation.) to you.”
“Father, you’ve come as well.”
“It is not yet your turn, so please wait in line.”
“Ho ho, long time no see, Zeus. Is Helios doing well? His lively spirit is always a pleasure to see.”
“Here, stand in line and wait your turn. I also have business with that bastard.”
These were Constellations of similar stature to himself.
Excluding the last Constellation, the others possessed a similar stature to Zeus.
‘Then, all these guys here…’
‘…were watching Park Sohee?’
The moment he realized what was happening.
KWA-A-A-ANG—!
[CRACKLE— Ahh. Hey, WolfMommy, you son of a bi— What, why are there so many Constellations here? Huh? Father?]
:: Sohee. Do. Not. Separate. The. Lamb. And. Me. ::
Even a Constellation riding a giant robot that landed from the sky, and a colossal octopus that ripped through the heavens, were present.
‘What a mess.’
:: If. You. Understand. Answer. Over. ::
