The Divine Genius’s Game Broadcasting Chapter 458

Episode 458 – Crew Meeting (1)

I'll go directly to the Purple Office.

All the team members blinked at Lee Kyung-bok's declaration.

“The boss?”

“Uh… So you’re talking about during business hours?”

“Well, but then your face might be exposed…”

“Suddenly? Why?”

“Is there any reason to take such a risk?”

Surprise, concern, and questions poured in simultaneously.

Lee Kyung-bok wasn't flustered. He had already expected that kind of reaction.

"Of course, if you think about it rationally, it's right not to go. Well, I got to see the inside a lot while filming the commercial, and I saw the audience's reaction while watching the broadcast."

He readily acknowledged the reasons his teammates were puzzled. But knowing so well, he also had a clear reason for wanting to go.

“So, this is purely my greed.”

“Greed?”

“Yeah. I felt something while broadcasting with Genom hyung.”

Lee Kyung-bok briefly explained the conversation he had with Genome after finishing the offline broadcast.

“I think it’s the same for any streamer: their on-air persona is different from their real-life persona.”

"Hmm, that's right. How can someone maintain the energy of a 24-hour broadcast? Even celebrities can't do that."

“But doesn’t this have anything to do with the visit?”

The team members understood, but their doubts remained. Lee Kyung-bok smiled and nodded.

“This isn’t just about streamers.”

Viewers see streamers on their broadcasts. Conversely, streamers see viewers on their broadcasts.

“Viewers also see things differently on TV than in real life.”

“That’s… right?”

“Oh, it was even worse.”

“Well, there were people who used to make a fuss on Yattaman broadcasts.”

“Oh, right. I remember that.”

Viewers are also human, and there's a disconnect between what's on TV and what's real. Of course, Lee Kyung-bok wasn't suggesting a negative spin.

"No, I'm not trying to confirm the discrepancy. Actually, the fun part about broadcasting is that the viewers' reactions play a part."

At first, I could only feel their emotions through chat, but at the Metal Punch competition, I was able to feel more diverse emotions through avatars.

But that too had a filter called ‘virtual reality’ in it.

"It's a shame to only see this on TV. I want to experience firsthand how much fun they're having."

But this pop-up store was different. Fans were laughing, having fun, and sometimes even shedding tears of joy.

It was an opportunity to feel that emotion firsthand.

“Besides, this is the ‘first’.”

The first time is always special.

There will be another opportunity to open a pop-up store, but it will feel different this time.

The team members all nodded at that explanation. While they understood his "greed," concerns remained.

“I’ve noticed that while doing this job, there are two types of regrets.”

Among them, Choi Byeong-hun spoke first. His expression was serious, not his usual playful one.

"There are things you regret doing, and there are things you regret not doing. But streamers usually regret doing something."

At those words, the other team members looked around.

'After all, the team leader knows the risks the best.'

'He saw everything Purple went through up close…'

‘Is PD Gom against it after all…?’

Everyone had heard about Lee Kyung-bok's past at the workshop. If anyone was worried, it was Choi Byeong-hun who was most likely to be concerned.

“But that’s because those gentlemen did something ‘wrong.’”

But he smiled and added:

“There’s nothing particularly wrong with this, so I think it’s okay.”

“Oh, I think so too. It’s not like it’s illegal or anything.”

“It’s only natural for the boss to go to his own store.”

“Uh, I think the fans would be happy if they found out…”

This reassured the team members and they voiced their opinions. Meanwhile, Park Joo-ho, who had remained silent until the very end, was different.

"Ultimately, you're the one who makes the decisions. In other words, you're the one who takes responsibility. Don't forget that."

“Of course.”

Lee Kyung-bok responded to Park Joo-ho's warning without a moment's hesitation.

“As a manager, I don’t judge whether that decision is right or wrong.”

At this, Park Joo-ho also smiled faintly.

"It's my job to support your decision as much as possible. If you want to go, I'll find a safe way."

“Oh, right. This is correct.”

“The most important thing is that Purple is happy.”

“I’m sure it’ll be okay!”

Park Joo-ho and Choi Byung-hoon exchanged glances at their teammates' agreement. Soon, they turned to Lee Kyung-bok and asked.

“In the end, isn’t it okay if you don’t get caught?”

“You must be saying that because you are confident in that.”

Lee Kyung-bok smiled confidently.

The two friends knew more about themselves than their teammates, so they immediately understood the question's meaning.

"then."

I had already finished assessing the situation with a new device. There was no ominous feeling at all.

“It’ll be fine.”

Lee Gyeong-bok was confident that he would enjoy it safely.

* * *

Late at night, Decibel's broadcast.

“Eww! Please just die!”

She was replaying Exit The Bulletower, a bullet hell game she had been playing for a Metagamer feature article.

-Oh? Got it? Finally got it?

-Really!?

-Did you get a clear angle?!

-Please hold your breath!

After a fierce battle against the final boss, she emerged victorious.

“Wow! Wow! It’s over!? It’s cleared!? There’s no next phase, right?!”

The door opened behind the vanished final boss. Decibel's expression was one of disbelief, and even his hands trembled slightly.

-Decibel win! Decibel win!

-No, if you go in there, a hidden boss will appear.

-Right, lol. You can't let your guard down right now.

-Steamed mak! Steamed steamed mak!

Her face turned pale as the chatter came up.

“Oh, really! What’s the hidden boss again…!

She looked like she was about to cry at any moment, but she trudged through the door.

Along with that, a message appeared before his eyes.

[Congratulations!]

[You Just Exited Bulletower!]

Her eyes widened at the clear message.

-Ugh haha …

-Does it come out right away?

-Immediately. Science.

-Yeah~ There's no hidden boss~ Clear~

-The Sibeloms congratulated each other and then immediately fished them out together lol

Decibel's face quickly brightened at the chat that was coming up.

“What!? Are you serious?! Did I wake up?! Isn’t this a double trap!?”

The credits rolled before the viewers could even respond. Only then could Decibel relax and rejoice.

“Wow! Awesome! Seriously awesome! Super awesome! Am I awake!? I’m really awake!”

She pulled the trigger of the gun she was holding and jumped around, causing the viewers to burst into laughter.

-Denunna finally becomes a Buddha lol

-???: Reporter? Please correct the article!

-The special article is already out, what's the point of editing it? lol

-But I've become really good at shooting lol

-Ah haha who did you get coaching from?

-This is all thanks to Persabu, Imari

Decibel immediately responded to the chat response.

"Oh, of course! Just like our Master taught! I tapped my shoulder like this! Did you see that? I held my breath and gasped!"

She immediately took a shooting stance and held her breath, which once again delighted the viewers.

Decibel, who had finally finished the game, returned to the studio.

“Does this make sense!?”

The long-awaited Demusae greeted her. Decibel, delighted, stroked Demusae's head and commented.

"Well, that infamous Bullet Tower! I've cleared it. Ah, even I think it's a huge improvement. I'd like to officially thank you, Master Persabu."

-The blood of the stork is different, Imari.

-Are you a student who went from a master's degree to a doctorate?

-Shouldn't I go to Purple Office and DJ at this point?

-What the hell are you talking about lol

-But you don't plan on going to the Purple Office?

-Right, lol. All the people I know who are god players have already gone!

-No ㅋㅋ It's a place where even a god knows how to go, so what ㅋㅋ

Lee Kyung-bok's mention brought up the Purple Office topic. Decibel responded with an awkward expression.

"Oh, I was trying to make time for this, but I've been a bit busy lately. Of course, I'll definitely go before it's over."

Decibel explained and quickly ended the broadcast. As soon as the chat window disappeared, she took a deep breath.

“Huh… I want to go too. I want to go…”

“Does this make sense…?”

Decibel slumped down in her chair. Demusae tilted her head from side to side, as if worried about her.

[>Sister, should I just go?]

Meanwhile, a message flew into my eyes. It was from Decibel's YouTube channel, the editor of DeTube.

"No, but the content selection for the Purge Day merger isn't finished yet. We need to do that first. We even talked about it with Genom last time during the merger…"

She muttered with a sullen expression, as if muttering aloud. The editor immediately replied.

It wasn't comforting.

[>(photo)]

[>Is this place really that cool?]

[>Sister, if you miss this, you'll regret it for the rest of your life]

[>If I really lived in Seoul, I would take you there even if it meant forcibly]

The editor showed his certification shot and pushed the decibel.

“Oh, I want to go too!”

[>So go lol]

[>It's not something that can be solved by just wrapping your head around it]

[>If you go and refresh yourself a bit, you'll be fine]

Decibel rolled his eyes at the editor's persuasion.

"Hmm… I guess so? Well, there's only two days left. And you're even giving me coaching, so I can't not go. I really want to go on a personal level, too…"

[>My sister knows everything too lol]

[>I know it's hard to prepare for the merger]

[>To be honest, there's no deadline, right?]

[>I already chose the content candidates, so it's not like I'm arguing]

There were many reasons to go, and no reason not to go.

And there was a reason why I had to go.

[>No, and think about it.]

[>You want to be recognized by the fans of Purge Day?]

[>You said you wanted to join the crew, but you're not going to the Purple Office? Isn't that really annoying?]

[>If you look at the priority, this is actually higher]

“Oh… really?”

Decibel stood up with his eyes wide open.

“Then let’s go quietly without making a fuss!”

“This makes sense!”

Demusae raised his voice in support of her decision.

* * *

The next day, early afternoon.

Lee Kyung-bok visited the Aurora Department Store Gangnam branch.

'Okay, I guess that's fine.'

He wore a baseball cap over a perfect hoodie, his face covered by a mask, and even non-prescription glasses.

If you want to hide a tree, hide it in the forest.

It was a disguise, following the advice of my teammates. I came prepared in the most common attire seen around Purple Office. As a disguise, I even prepared a shopping bag, as if I'd already purchased some merchandise.

In fact, wherever you looked, you could see fans dressed similarly to Lee Kyung-bok.

'It feels different after all.'

Nevertheless, Lee Kyung-bok took an open seat outside the cafe near the movie theater to avoid contact with fans.

To someone who didn't know, it would have looked like I was a fan who had finally succeeded in purchasing goods after a long wait and was taking a break.

He looked at his fans with a relaxed mind and enjoyed the energy that was transmitted to him through the air.

'Density? Should I say concentration? It definitely feels thick.'

If the sheer volume of the competition was overwhelming, the intensity in reality was different. The corners of Lee Kyung-bok's mouth, hidden behind his mask, showed no sign of lowering.

“You seem quite satisfied.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Lee Kyung-bok gently pushed his chair aside to make room for him. Park Joo-ho, who had brought coffee, took his seat next to him.

“It’s nice to just watch.”

“The viewers will be surprised, but I think they’ll like it.”

“Is that so? It’s nothing special for a behind-the-scenes scene, right?”

"It's the editor's job to make it fun. They came up with the idea, so they'll take responsibility for it."

On the table was not only coffee but also a handycam. Choi Byeong-hun figured he could use Lee Gyeong-bok's visit as a video source.

There were many fans who brought their own handycams, so it didn't stand out.

“Yeah, that’s your specialty… um?”

"what's the matter?"

Lee Kyung-bok stopped talking and opened his eyes wide. Park Joo-ho followed his gaze, puzzled.

'Do you know him?'

It was a female fan, walking briskly, her hat pulled low over her mask. She seemed to have just emerged from the Purple Office, carrying shopping bags in both hands.

“Should I say hello to this?”

“Greetings?”

What do you mean, greeting me all of a sudden?

Lee Kyung-bok asked Park Joo-ho, who was looking bewildered, as if he was puzzled.

“No, it’s Decibel.”

"…what?"

At Lee Kyung-bok's answer, Park Joo-ho looked at the woman again. But he was still bewildered.

Where on earth did you get the word "decibels" from? We've never even met offline in the first place.

"Oh, you don't know because you haven't seen it. I saw the video of Genom and Decibel's artisan anatomy during the first merger. There was also a scene from when they came out to the arcade competition."

“Remember that… No, you would do it.”

While Park Joo-ho was trying to convince himself, Lee Kyung-bok sent a quick message. Their contact information was already known through preparations for the Metal Punch competition.

“Ah, you’re right.”

The female fan, Decibel, lowered her head, then flinched and turned her head from side to side.

When Lee Kyung-bok gave her a light wave, she stopped dead in her tracks and then quickly walked towards the cafe.

“I, really…”

It was a moment when she opened her mouth in surprise, only a few steps away.

“By any chance… Decibel!?”

“Huh?”

A female fan wearing a perfect hoodie ran up behind him and asked cautiously. Decibel let out another groan, and the fan waved her hand.

"Uh, uh! Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you. I wasn't trying to sneak a peek, but your ID was on that stock…"

“Uh, um. Yes? What, what’s going on?”

Decibel stood between the fan and Lee Kyung-bok, visibly flustered. Park Joo-ho also turned to Lee Kyung-bok, his expression hardening for a moment.

'Should I leave now?'

What other reason could there be for Decibel to act like this? But Lee Kyung-bok, the person involved, calmly shook the straw in his coffee cup.

"I'm a huge fan of yours, too! If you don't mind, could you please sign the back of this stock certificate? Oh, and if you're busy, I'll just go."

Meanwhile, the fan cautiously revealed his business. Just as I was wondering what the decibel level would be like, a voice came from behind.

“It’ll be okay since we met by chance.”

This was Lee Kyung-bok's answer.

Decibel unconsciously turned his head and quickly snatched the securities the fan offered him.

“Hey, come this way!”

“Huh? Oh, yes…!”

Decibel returned immediately after signing the securities. She spoke in a low voice.

“No, Master…!?”

“Isn’t that right?”

Lee Kyung-bok shrugged with a faint smile. Park Joo-ho, standing next to him, took a deep breath and shook his head.

“Huh, please think about what other people might be surprised about.”

“Then this is Pupago-nim…?”

“Um… yes, that’s right.”

Park Joo-ho tried to correct himself, but then nodded. He'd been quite absorbed in the situation just a moment ago.

On the other hand, Lee Kyung-bok smiled and pointed to the empty seat.

“If you’re not busy, please sit down for a moment.”

“No, that’s not the problem. Is it okay for you to walk around with your eyes exposed like that?”

“You didn’t know until I called you, did you?”

“…That’s true, but!”

Decibel was speechless. Soon, like Park Joo-ho a moment ago, she exhaled deeply.

"It really feels like my lifespan has been shortened by ten years. No, how did I get there…"

"are you okay."

“But what are you going to do if your face is revealed…!”

“That’s something I’ve been thinking about lately.”

At his words, Decibel's eyes widened, as did Park Joo-ho's. Even as his manager, this was the first time he'd heard of it.

“No, it’s not like I’ve made a decision or anything. I guess I’m just in the process of thinking it over.”

Lee Kyung-bok waved his hand and immediately changed the subject.

“This is my first time meeting Decibel offline. You don’t seem that different from your avatar.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s right!?”

Decibel finally faced reality. Then, belatedly, he averted his gaze from Lee Kyung-bok.

“…Why are you like that?”

“No, I heard Master hasn’t made a decision yet…”

Lee Kyung-bok, of course, and Park Joo-ho also laughed at him. They cleared their throats and tried to control their expressions, but they couldn't contain the laughter.

"No, Decibel, it's fine. Our crew all knows each other's real faces."

“…Crew?”

“Yes, you said you were coming in?”

Decibel gaped at him.

Up until now, I hadn't really felt the need to prepare for the merger. Even if I had joined, I was prepared to voluntarily leave if I didn't receive the fans' approval.

She still didn't think she belonged in the Purge Day crew.

'I'm really done for.'

It finally felt real.

Doesn't Lee Kyung-bok treat you like a natural member of the crew?

“Are the preparations for the merger going well?”

She came to her senses when Lee Gyeong-bok returned with a question.

‘No, not yet…!’

He had set his own standards. Decibel spoke, his heart pounding.

“Uh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not… I’ve already chosen a candidate, but it’s not confirmed yet…”

"Oh? That's great. Then let's all decide together and set a schedule. I'll invite you to the group chat."

"Huh? No, no! There's no point in testing unless I prepare!"

Decibel shook his head quickly. Lee Kyung-bok looked puzzled.

"You're all set, right? All you have to do is decide."

She's already followed his feedback. She's even conceived the content herself.

“No, but I still have to do it all…”

“Hey, no. Then there’s no reason to do it as a crew.”

For Lee Kyung-bok, the crew was not led by one person.

“Let’s choose something that everyone can enjoy.”

It exists to create an enjoyable broadcast together.