The Divine Genius’s Game Broadcasting Chapter 127

Episode 127 – Humanity in the Barn (2)

After a sumptuous meal, dessert and coffee were served.

After finishing our dessert and light conversation, it was time to get up from our seats.

“Oh my, thanks to our Kyungbok, I was able to live comfortably, I was able to live comfortably.”

“That’s great. If you want some food, just call me.”

Yang Gyu-ri said with a satisfied expression. Lee Gyeong-bok also answered with a smile.

But he had no intention of coming here often.

'I should come here to eat here sometimes on my cheat days.'

The taste was truly superb, but it wasn't good for your health. After finishing the meal, the two of them got on the elevator going down.

“Kyungbok-ah.”

“Yes, Aunt.”

“Even though we can see through people like you, we can never know exactly what’s inside the human heart.”

Lee Kyung-bok looked back at her with a puzzled look.

“What about ordinary people? If you don’t express your feelings, you won’t know.”

Why are you suddenly talking about something like this? Lee Kyung-bok listened to the words in silence.

“And sometimes, there is no opportunity to convey that feeling.”

“Aunt… … ?”

“That bothered me so much. I never got to tell my stepmother, your grandmother, how grateful I am.”

Yang Gyu-ri looked back at Lee Gyeong-bok with a faint smile.

“I feel confident today. I did well in telling you. Gyeongbok, don’t be as wrong as I was.”

The heart should be conveyed when it can be conveyed.

"yes."

This was a fact that Lee Kyung-bok already knew well.

“Don't worry.”

Partings don't always come when you're prepared. He also couldn't express his gratitude and love to his parents.

“Oh my, I’m getting older. How foolish of you, isn’t it? Where are you going now, Kyungbok?”

Yang Gyu-ri asked with a self-deprecating smile, as if trying to change the mood.

Lee Kyung-bok answered with a smile.

“I want to buy some gifts.”

I was thinking of preparing gifts for the people I am grateful for.

* * *

Late afternoon.

Lee Kyung-bok visited his regular cafe with his friends for the first time in a long time.

“No, I told you to take a break, why are you having a meeting again?”

He looked back and forth between his two friends with a weary expression. Choi Byung-hoon frowned and gave Park Joo-ho a look.

“I was going to rest after seeing the notice, but this kid told me to come out.”

“Since it’s a break anyway, I have a lot of time to rest.”

Park Joo-ho immediately rejected the complaint. Lee Kyung-bok laughed in vain and manipulated the smart link.

“Yeah, that’s good. Now that you’ve seen my face, write this down.”

With a small vibration, a holographic document popped up in front of each of the two friends.

“Huh?”

“What is this?”

Lee Kyung-bok gave a short cough and spoke to his bewildered friends.

“What is it, children? It’s a gift prepared by this generous boss.”

The document that Lee Kyung-bok delivered was a delivery order form for a robot vacuum cleaner.

“I bought it while I was buying mine.”

“Why a gift all of a sudden?”

“Is that a robot vacuum cleaner too?”

The two friends' expressions were complicated.

A face that is absurd, yet at the same time filled with gratitude.

“Hey, last time I looked, there wasn’t a separate pigsty in your house.”

Lee Kyung-bok said playfully, worried that his friends might feel burdened.

“This is just this kid’s story. I’m different.”

“No, what! Is that a problem? Even if that’s the case, why did you buy two?”

The delivery order form that Lee Kyung-bok handed over was not just one. Each of his friends received two.

“While I was at it, I bought one for your parents too.”

“Even your parents’ things?”

“Well, it wasn’t that expensive.”

Choi Byung-hoon's eyes lit up, but Park Joo-ho's reaction was different.

“Thank you, but give me my money back.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a bit excessive to take care of your parents’ things too.”

Despite his rejection, Lee Kyung-bok kept smiling.

“I knew this would happen, so I decided to pay in cash. I tore up the receipt right then and there.”

Both friends glared.

Why did you do that?

Lee Kyung-bok answered the question with an awkward expression.

“To be honest, what I give to your parents is also a form of vicarious satisfaction on my part.”

“Vicarious satisfaction… … ”

Lee Kyung-bok felt embarrassed, but soon remembered what Aunt Yang Gyu-ri had said.

It's best to express your feelings honestly.

“You guys are really good friends, and although it may be burdensome, I think of you as family. Your parents are similar to my parents.”

The two friends quickly stopped laughing at his serious words.

Both of them knew well that Lee Gyeong-bok had lost his parents at an early age.

“… … Thank you so much. My father would really like it.”

Choi Byeong-hun answered first.

How could he refuse such a gift? He was truly grateful for his friend's consideration.

“Let’s just touch on one thing.”

But Park Joo-ho's gaze was still sharp.

“If that’s your intention, I’ll gratefully accept the gift. But from now on, make sure to get a receipt.”

"receipt?"

“If it’s a gift to employees, it will be treated as an expense. Keep that in mind.”

His two friends burst into laughter at his answer.

“You are so consistent, so consistent.”

“Did Joo-ho do it?”

The three friends laughed at the same time. After the light gift-giving ceremony(?), the real meeting began.

“This is why I called you even though it’s a holiday.”

Park Joo-ho immediately showed me the email.

“Metagamer asked me to be a co-host for ‘V-STAR’.”

“Oh, that’s it? A game show?”

Lee Kyung-bok pretended not to know.

This was a story that came up briefly when I heard the explanation about the previous metagamer.

“Wow! Seriously, like every time, this is crazy, crazy.”

Choi Byeong-hun said with a broad smile.

“Hey, this is a really good opportunity.”

“Do you like it that much?”

“Of course! Inma, a game show is a game show for no reason. I mean, all the games of all genres are gathered here.”

“I guess so.”

Lee Kyung-bok nodded his head.

It's only natural that games would gather at a game show.

“Yes, this is the place where gamers who prefer that genre gather!”

“It seems like it’s an opportunity to expand awareness not only in the mainstream but also in the non-mainstream sector.”

“That’s right! If it’s Jonggems, then this is an opportunity you can’t miss!”

Lee Gyeong-bok let out a small sigh at the words of his two friends.

'Come to think of it, the Escapers players didn't know me very well.'

He chewed over his previous experiences.

Although streamer Purple's reputation was rising, there were still many people who didn't know about him.

“I also see it positively. This isn’t the only merit.”

“Are there any other benefits?”

“As I said before, Metagamer is a very credible gaming webzine. Metagamer is very sensitive to accidents. That’s probably why the co-hosts of game shows have been long-running influencers.”

He adjusted his glasses and brought up a new hologram. It was a table listing the co-hosts that Metagamer had recruited over the years.

When was this prepared?

Before the two friends could even comment on their admiration, Park Joo-ho continued his explanation.

“From the most famous D’Artagnan to Genome, this process has been followed, and it is a pretty good suggestion considering the timing.”

"period?"

“I heard from Genome. There was a problem with Serengeti BJ. It hasn’t been revealed yet, but since the parties involved are taking a long break, viewers will soon realize that there’s a problem.”

This was the reason why Gunnerground's 'Time Warfare' event match was postponed.

“These incidents have an impact on the market, whether they are known or unknown. Viewers may become suspicious or worried, wondering, ‘Could the streamer I’m watching have been involved in an accident?’”

“Oh, that’s true. Whenever a problem arises, posts like ‘Hyung, you wouldn’t do that, would you?’ appear.”

Choi Byeong-hun actively agreed to this.

Because personal broadcasting allows for real-time communication, when a problem occurs, the repercussions spread quickly.

“Of course, I am sure that the probability of you causing an accident is zero. However, the viewers’ perception is different. If you show up in this situation and this place, you can ease their worries.”

“Oh, this is great. It has the Metagamer Guaranteed Check attached to it.”

The trust that Metagamer had built up was more than enough to act as a breakwater to block the aftermath.

Lee Kyung-bok nodded and then slightly wrinkled the tip of his nose.

“Okay, I understand the merits. But if it’s a game show, isn’t it supposed to be held offline? It’s a bit much to keep wearing a mask.”

At those words, the two friends stared blankly at Lee Gyeong-bok, then met each other's eyes and nodded.

“What? What is it?”

The two people burst into laughter at Lee Gyeong-bok's question.

“No, I just realized that you’ve been in virtual reality for two months.” “Hmm, maybe, maybe you don’t know.”

Before he could say anything, Park Joo-ho brought up a new hologram.

[V-STAR Online Ticket Sales Guide]

What he showed me was the official homepage of 'V-STAR'.

“Online tickets?”

Lee Kyung-bok's eyes widened.

It was not simply an explanation of online purchases, but rather an explanation of entry through virtual reality.

“Children. In this day and age, online and offline parallel work is a given!”

“I didn’t know about metagamers until I started researching them. I heard that the virtual reality side is mostly B2C, while the offline side is mostly B2B.”

“Standing in line to play a demo is a thing of the past. Why would anyone stand in line when you can experience it right away by connecting to a capsule?”

Since the development of virtual reality technology, various exhibitions and fairs have also moved to that area. It goes without saying that there are game shows that apply cutting-edge virtual reality technology.

“I know that metagamers are also sensitive about revealing their faces. The progress they want is towards virtual reality.”

“Aha, then I don’t have to go there myself?”

“Yes. You can just connect from the comfort of your home.”

Lee Kyung-bok smiled brightly at this.

“That would be fun.”

If there were no such restrictions, there would be no reason to refuse.

“Let’s go ahead.”

“What kind of management is this?”

All of Lee Kyung-bok's friends laughed at his playful answer.

That's how I decided to participate in the game show.

* * *

Late evening.

Most of the lights in the building were turned off, as if to indicate that the office workers had left work. However, things were different in places that were not visible from the outside, in the basement.

A space surrounded by mirrors that fill the walls.

“Don’t lose tempo! Focus!”

A sharp voice that did not match the brisk accompaniment. Among them, many people were dancing and sweating.

This is the basement practice room of Sweeties' agency's building.

Yoon Nara, the members, and the dancers were practicing hard, working in sync.

As soon as one song ended, the choreographer with sharp eyes opened his mouth.

“You have to keep checking your distance from the other members! If you stand out alone, your dance line will be ruined!”

“Arms at shoulder level! Don’t you know where your shoulders are?! At least show me!?”

“And Se-hee! You have to be more careful when you’re at the back! Don’t let your guard down just because you can’t see from the front! Don’t you know that fans are everywhere?!”

Although he was skilled, he was also a strict choreographer. The members didn't complain because his advice was very important to them.

Finally, it was the turn of the leader, Yun Nara.

“I told you so!”

But what came out of the choreographer's mouth was not criticism.

“If you think something is strange, look at the country! I told you that if you just follow the country, all problems will be solved.”

Yoon Nara's dancing was impeccable. Not only did she have natural athletic ability, but she also worked very hard, and she was truly the epitome of a leader.

The choreographer glanced at his watch and turned around.

“Keep the feedback in mind and take a 10-minute break!”

"yes!"

As the choreographer left with a very energetic answer, the members let out a sigh and relaxed.

“Ahhh… My arm hurts… ”

“Ugh, this is awkward… … If I had known this would happen, I would have just worn a tank top.”

“It’s really so hard… … ”

They immediately collapsed and grumbled. Yoon Nara, who still had some energy left, handed them towels.

“Thank you, Sister!”

“I wish I could finish it all in one go like my sister… … ”

The members wiped away sweat and tears with gratitude.

“Ha, other agencies practice in capsules, so why can’t we do the same?”

"capsule?"

“You don’t even sweat in virtual reality. You don’t feel tired, so you can practice for a long time.”

“Oh, I see. Why doesn’t our agency do that?”

Yoon Nara intervened in the members' complaints.

“That won’t do.”

“You say it’s not possible?”

“There’s a gap between virtual reality and reality. If you dance without feeling tired, you might not be able to adapt when you actually get on stage.”

At those words, the youngest member, Sehee, nodded.

“And if you practice with capsules anyway, you won’t be able to burn calories. You’ll have to take care of your body anyway, so you’ll have to exercise separately, right?”

“Oh, I guess so. It would just waste more time.”

“Yeah… … It’s not like we’re doing this to bother you.”

The members who were convinced by this got up from their tired bodies.

“Ugh! I should go wash my face!”

“Oh, me too, bathroom!”

“I need to drink some water. What about you, Sister?”

“Oh, I’m done.”

Yoon Na-ra waved her hand and laughed. While the other members left for a moment, she was reviewing the choreography in her head.

She turned her gaze at the sudden, loud vibration.

'uh?'

A notification suddenly occurred to her, causing her to pause for a moment.

[A message from 'P' has arrived.]

It was a notification from the secret messenger, Disconnector. She flinched and quickly looked around.

'Purple? What? Suddenly?'

In an instant, her head was filled with question marks. She looked around once more.

The dancers also seemed tired and uninterested in her.

Yoon Na-ra quickly checked the message.

[>P: Are you busy?]

[>P: Is there anything you are picky about among foods?]

[>P: Please reply after checking later]

I checked the message, but the doubts did not go away.

'What is this?'

Why was he suddenly asking about my food preferences? She thought about it for a moment.

[>P: You're not busy, are you?]

The message appeared again.

Her eyes widened.

'You haven't gone out yet?'

She must have seen that the message was marked as 'read'. She quickly replied.

[>NT: Why food?]

[>P: I told you, right?]

[>P : To continue]

[>P: You forgot already?]

At the following answer, she opened her mouth without realizing it.

'Aftermath? You found a way?'

I was hoping, but I wonder if it really wasn't just a formality.

I wondered what method he would find.

But the timing wasn't good.

“Huh? Did you drink water?”

“Wouldn’t it be more difficult if you drink water?”

“I’m okay?”

The voices of other members could be heard from afar. She moved her hands hastily.

[>NT: I'll tell you later]

After pressing send, I quickly restored the smart link to its original state.

When the other members arrived, she wiped away the sweat as if nothing had happened.

But such efforts were in vain.

“Sister, what’s wrong?”

The question was thrown with a puzzled expression. Yoon Na-ra felt a pang inside, but answered calmly.

“Huh? What’s going on?”

Sehee, the youngest, smiled bashfully at that answer.

“It’s nice to hear compliments all the time, isn’t it?”

"huh?"

“Sister, look in the mirror. The corners of your mouth are upturned. What’s wrong?”

When I looked in the mirror at those words, the corners of my mouth really did go up slightly.

The other members thought the reason was the choreographer's praise.

“Ahaha… … ”

Yoon Na-ra smiled awkwardly.

Was it really because of the compliment?

'No, that's not it.'

The smile soon became natural.

She had no choice but to admit it, recalling the hastily sent reply.

'You said you'd tell me later… … '

Because it clearly wasn't meant as a rejection.