Chapter 19: Assassination Mission (1)

Chapter 19: Assassination Mission (1)

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Manager Oh worked for the country’s biggest video game distributor,?Punk,?and he was facing a predicament. However, it wasn’t one of the typical concerns of his age like hair loss or his child's grades.

“Why did I bring this damn American fantasy game from overseas?”

He felt concerned about the sales of a certain game imported from North America called Kingdom Age. It had excellent critic and user reviews, but strangely couldn’t sustain itself. He had predicted that the game wouldn’t do amazing, but he had never expected this.

“This is too little.”

The game sold less than expected and they couldn’t do much about it. The executives would disapprove even if he proposed new promotions or events for the struggling game. He needed a good reason to promote it again.

‘If only there was a new star player...’

The game didn’t even have an esports scene. One simply bought and played it. A star player rising from this game was something unimaginable.

Hmph.

Manager Oh laughed at himself.

‘Well, this is sad.’

His heart ached as he sat and watched the game plummet in sales.

“...?”

While he was thus wallowing in despair, a video that seemed like a blessing caught his eye.

“What’s this?”

It showed a user attempting the bow challenge. The editing exaggerated the plays, but the plays had really happened.

‘And this is a beginner?’

The comments said that this user had just recently started playing. He looked charming, too.

‘Why is this guy streaming instead of working as a model? Actually, thank you for streaming!’

This player looked like a piece of unrefined ore, full of possibilities. His advertisement rate would be cheaper than that of major streamers. Plus, he had huge potential.

‘If he gets the right support...’

Slam!

Manager Oh slammed his keyboard without thinking.

“This is it!”

His coworkers looked at him strangely, but he didn’t care. He clicked the link to Almond’s broadcasts and watched the previous clips.

‘This... this will definitely work!’

The viewers’ reactions, the trending videos, gameplay, and streaming capabilities... This player had it all. He looked handsome in the interview, too.

Ding—?

A follower-only notification appeared.

[Almond is starting his stream!]

Manager Oh’s jaws dropped.

‘How lucky!’

Almond didn’t have a particular schedule, but he coincidentally began streaming as Manager Oh was checking his channel. Manager Oh quickly went to the stream and stared at the black screen waiting for Almond.

‘Huh?’

He found something unexpected.

‘Were there this many viewers?’

Almond’s other videos didn’t have this many viewers. When did he attract so many?

***

‘What is going on?’?Sang-Hyeon thought to himself as he adjusted his mic.

No, why did this happen?

‘Was it the stream with Acorn Jelly, his perfect shots, or the montage?’

It didn’t make sense, whatever the reason.

[Current viewers: 1003]

Over a thousand people had come to watch from the start. The number kept increasing as the stream ran. He knew that he shouldn’t mention the viewer count, but his lips quivered.

‘One thousand people.’

Reaching one thousand live viewers marked a significant milestone. One could make streaming a full-time career with this number. Of course, such a feat took considerable time and effort.

However, more viewers kept pouring in.

[Current viewers: 1120]

It was rising by the hundreds.

‘Do I say something or not?’

Sang-Hyeon turned silent from the dilemma, while the chat clamor continued to rise.

— AlHa!

— AlHa!

— AlHa hi!

— What the? Why isn’t he saying anything?

— Turn the stream on! Almond turn the stream on! Almond turn the stream on! Almond turn the stream on! Almond turn the stream on! Almond turn the stream on! Almond...

— It’s on dumbass.

— Please ban the spam.

— He just turned it on. What do you mean ban him LOL

— Does Almond have a manager? Last time there was someone with him...

The chat’s previous speed couldn’t be compared to what it was now. Some viewers even seemed a little crazy.

‘It wasn’t too bad during Acorn Jelly’s stream.’

Acorn Jelly’s stream had over fifty thousand viewers, but the chat seemed manageable because a pro streamer and manager supported them from the sidelines.

‘They took really good care of me.’

The realization of all this attention and having to care for the viewers sent a chill down his spine.

Sang-Hyeon gulped and thought.

‘This is awesome!’

He had always chased feelings like tension and expectations as an athlete. A feeling of pleasure swept through his body and his inner engine rumbled. His hands trembled from the tension and excitement.

“Ahem.”

He excitedly greeted them after clearing his throat.

“Hey, Treevy! What a welcome from the start!”

The chat suddenly picked up just as it slowed. The rhythm matched Sang-Hyeon's heartbeat.

— Muhahahaha!

— Ahahahaha!

— Hey Almond hyung!

— Ooo Almond!

— Oppa, show us your face! Show us your face!

— Almond’s stream doesn’t show his face now that I think about it.

— Oh no! He doesn’t show his face? :(

— Why is only his voice coming out?

— A lot of newcomers here.

— He originally streams with no facecam.

— He held back his potential.

— Show us your face :((

Many came from watching his interview and requested to see his face.

‘A facecam...’

Sang-Hyeon searched for the facecam feature when he received a message from Ju-Hyeok.

Ding—?

He could see the DM from inside his capsule.

[Ju-Hyeok: Hey, take a look. Makes me kinda jealous.]

The message came with a photo and he understood why so many requested to see his face now.

Ju-Hyeok sent him a screenshot of a popular internet community that girls liked to use. It had a collection of Sang-Hyeon’s photos as he played, dried himself with a towel, did the interview, etc. Any shots of Sang-Hyeon’s face had been captured and uploaded.

‘Woah.’

He found the comments too embarrassing to read, but his heart thumped. It felt ecstatic to be loved by so many.

[Sang-Hyeon: Hey, I think I might be an attention whore.]

[Ju-Hyeok: ???]

[Sang-Hyeon: It feels so good.]

[Ju-Hyeok: LOL you’re built for this. Turn your facecam on. It’s annoying to ban the spammers.]

[Sang-Hyeon: Okie]

Sang-Hyeon smiled and turned on his camera. A small box appeared at the corner of the screen.

“Hey, Treevy!”

— Wow!

— Are you turning facecam on starting today?!

— OMG he’s so good looking.

— :’(

— Kya!

— He looks that good in a capsule?

— Crazy!

— Hyung! Let’s get married!

As expected, the chat rose even faster. Donations came in even before he started playing.

[Ooryuryu has donated 1,000 won.]

[Good looking af.]

[DoReMi has donated 2,000 won.]

[Hyung, your perfect shot was insane. I couldn’t donate then, so I’m donating now.]

Some donations claimed they missed their chance last time as if they owed him. He couldn’t possibly read all of them.

‘I want to be a game streamer.’

He seemed built for this as he told Acorn Jelly last time.

“Thank you for all the donations. I’ll start playing, we’re a little behind.”

[Starting Kingdom Age.]

***

The character Almond returned to Kingdom Age.

Swoosh—?

A warm spring wind blew.

“Almond.”

Emilia’s voice sounded soft as the wind. She called him from up the hill.

Sang-Hyeon and Acorn Jelly had played two or three more hours last time and eradicated the goblin cave.

Emilia looked at the aftermath.

“I’ve heard about your skills.”

“It’s an honor, my lady.”

Her blonde hair with a floral scent brushed past Almond’s face along with the wind.

Emilia turned around. She helped Almond up and looked him in the eye.

“To eliminate the goblins so easily... They were giving us so much trouble.”

“I didn’t do it alone.”

“No, I heard everything from Roman.”

Emilia grabbed his hand. She acted quite direct for a heroine candidate, which made the viewers excited.

— What the?

— How much rapport did you build with her already?

— Almond didn’t even start the rapport quest yet!

— It’s because of his looks...

— Wait, that’s not even his real face LOL

— It’s probably the energy he’s giving off.

— You think she has a sixth sense?

Almond couldn’t predict this progression, but he understood after her next words.

“There is another mission I want to ask of you.”

“...”

She just wanted to assign him another mission.

— LOL

— I’m so grateful, so give me your life too.

— Of course.

— Why isn’t she telling Roman directly? Is it supposed to be like this?

— I think his gameplay changed the progression.

“A mission? You should ask Roman regarding missions...”

Almond told her.

“No, I want you to do this alone. This is not my decision alone. My lord thinks it is for the best as well.”

He wondered what this solo mission could be. It had to be simple if it only required one person.

“Do you see the castle over there?”

“Yes.”

“Please kill the lord of that castle.”

“!?”

Almond made a similar expression to Sang-Hyeon.

‘What is she saying?’

Sang-Hyeon hadn’t played this game for long, but he knew that didn’t quite make sense.

— Noona, am I really going to die!?

— LOL she’s actually killing him.

— Isn’t she basically telling him to die?

— Noona I’m going to die! Noona I’m going to die! Noona I’m going to die!

— E-Emilia... Why! Why did you turn out like this!

— She’s normally not like this LOL

— Maybe her power radar is malfunctioning.

The chat thought the same.

“Uh... Does the castle lord come out often?”

“No, you must sneak in.”

“...?”

“?”

Emilia tilted her head and wondered if she had said something wrong.

“You won't have any problems with your skills.”

She grabbed Almond’s hands again and looked at him with her bright, innocent eyes. She truly believed in him.

[NewNoble has donated 2,000 won.]

[(translated) You can definitely take down the castle lord with an arrow!]

[Emilia has donated 10,000 won.]

[Noona, I died because you told me to. Any problems?]

[Emilia Antoinette has donated 10,000 won.]

[(translated) Die civilian.]

Donations poured in for Almond’s difficult situation. They sympathized with him.

[1. Accept]

[2. Decline]

Almond only hesitated for a second before moving his hand.

“Everyone, let’s go.”

Click—?He chose number one.