The Divine Genius’s Game Broadcasting Chapter 43

Episode 43 – Should we merge already?

Genome stretched slightly.

“Oh, I finally beat this fu*king game. No, I thought this kind of thing only came out in the PC era, but is this something that comes out in the VR era?”

He rubbed his stiff shoulders, threw down the iron hammer, and got out of the kimchi jar.

-Oh my gosh, it's so much fun for us to watch

-Let's go to Taecho Village one more time.

-There are so many people who burst into tears while doing this ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-When I was on PC, I only played with Keymaro, but it got more difficult, right?

-What age group are these guys?

-Really lol, is this a gathering place for old men?

Games that cause suffering to players are great content for streamers.

Genie shook his head and pretended to frown.

“We really need to make a law that requires developers to certify games like this before they can be released. Ah, let’s take a break for now.”

He grumbled and quit the game, returning to the studio. But it was only a break, not a real break.

“Should I have a snack? Anna, I need to go on a diet.”

-Huh? Why are you making a fuss here?

-Even so, it's not like you're really eating it!

-Really lol. It doesn't matter what you eat here.

Eating food was possible in virtual reality. To be exact, it was just a way to stimulate the sense of taste, so it had nothing to do with dieting.

“Guys, there are limits though, right? Even in virtual reality, you have to be careful about what you eat.”

Genome said, looking over the menu.

If unlimited food consumption is allowed in virtual reality, people may forget to eat in real life. In fact, in the early days when there were no restrictions, many patients ended up in the emergency room because they forgot to eat.

“Ha, I should eat a king crab cake.”

Genome brought over a cup of ramen and sat down.

-Hyung… … Are you having a hard time these days?

-A lot of jobs have disappeared since the transfer of positions?

-You should at least keep your posture properly… …

-I feel so sad ㅠㅠ

-You guys lol I hate that you only worry and don't support me

In the midst of all this commotion, someone submitted a video sponsorship.

['Why not merge?' sponsored the video for '5,000' won.]

The genie turned his eyes to the sound of the alarm and tilted his head.

“Huh? What, you’re Purple? Oh, guys. I don’t know about the ones who came late, but did I keep my promise? I gave you 100 subscriptions.”

-Promise? Wasn't that a loser's tribute?

-Really lol I got it wrapped

-Did you get beat up badly after nagging?

– Since it was dedicated to God, it should be called a tribute.

Genome burst into laughter while looking at the chat window, then ate cup ramen while playing the video.

The moment the warm soup is about to go down your throat.

<I talked to you about merging Gunner Ground with Genome before, right? But I think it would be rude to merge without knowing anything, so I'm going to practice a bit today.>

“Phew!”

Jinom was startled by the sound of Lee Kyung-bok's voice.

-Ah! Brother Jinomi!

-What do you keep losing as you get older?

-Our old and sick jinomyuㅠ

-Don't eat it! Use it on your skin^^

-Ah, this is after I gave you the subscription as a gift lol

-Oh lol merge lol

Viewers who watched the broadcast from the beginning quickly guessed why he did that.

“No, no…! You did it right away?”

Genome had given away a subscription and appeared on Purple's broadcast. He also had a broadcast schedule and the subscription greeting had been quite long.

“Ah… … If I had known this would happen, I would have waited and made plans.”

When he expressed his sincere regret, laughter spread throughout the chat window.

-Can we just wait and then decide to merge?

-Really lol I'm just going around and around again

-The bus passed^^

-It's hard to catch a zero-back bus, I guess. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-I can't stand it tsk tsk

When viewers playfully teased him, Genome waved his hands.

“Hey, but you can’t just change the broadcast schedule. Then there’s no reason for me to announce it. You guys came to see me play the Jangdokdae game today, right?”

Viewers come to the show with high expectations based on the broadcast schedule and content. However, suddenly changing the broadcast could be a huge mistake.

“Isn’t this a promise between you and me? I’m also fulfilling my duty. Besides, this kind of impromptu merger could be rude to Purple-sama.”

-Here, take out the Godple shield?

-Ah haha you're just being sarcastic

-As expected, my brother is a good singer.

-Really ㅋㅋ I came here to eat jajangmyeon, but I get annoyed when they take out pasta.

-But the combination with Gotple is Hanwoo Lobster Truffle Pasta?

– Really? I absolutely will not interfere!

-Ah lol. It's better to have a God-like merger than a Genie solo play.

Genome burst into laughter at the viewers' reaction.

“What are these guys talking about even if you think about it? Anyway, I’ll set a schedule soon, so just wait. Manager? You understand?”

-In the end, it's the manager who does the work.

-Ah haha, hyung, you just talk.

-Is this a black company too?

Genome started the second part of the broadcast with a smile, not caring about the viewers' reaction.

* * *

Lee Kyung-bok finished first in all five games even though it was only the first day. The video was uploaded to YouTube as soon as the broadcast ended.

This was the highlight video of the first game that Choi Byung-hoon worked on.

[-Oh my gosh lol there are still those who are teaming up.]

[Gotple's real education is crazy lol]

[-Wow… I saw it in the anatomy class too, but his movements are no joke.]

[ㄴHe is Korean Hokake]

[What the hell is this, f*ck, lol]

[-(1:21) What is enemy shield lol]

[Right away, he takes the gun and starts counterattacking]

[Ninhuman level reflexes ㄷㄷ]

[-(1:43) What the heck? Two people with guns attacked you, so what's the point of rushing in with an axe?]

[Getting headshot with a fist lol]

[They said he did boxing, it seems like it's true]

[-Wow! Full parts Empo from the first farming?]

[The one who receives God's favor… … ]

[Does that mean you have strong narcissism?]

[Nah lol, a little annoying lol]

[God is purple!]

Everyone hates the abusive behavior of forming teams in solo games.

That's why most people responded that it was refreshing to see Lee Kyung-bok deal with three players in the early military base.

[Ah, f*ck, I should have watched the original broadcast]

[You can just look at it as a King's view, lol]

[I can't chat!]

[It has been a recognized truth since the days of Bark that one shot kills another.]

[ㄴ …

[If you play as N-Gotple, you probably won't know how to die lol]

[(3:01)Bang! (3:03)Bang! (3:23)Bang!]

[It's even crazier when you look at the time ㅋㅋㅋ]

[At least the ending was a bit wiser lol]

[I hid right away and lived a little longer.]

[Long (20 seconds)]

[Is this kind of play possible? Is it really that big?]

[Nah lol Purin, come quickly]

[It's possible lol.]

[Only purple is available.]

There were also new people who came in through algorithms or searches. They responded that they simply could not believe that Lee Kyung-bok's play was real.

After that, comments continued to come in. Among them, there was a section that received the most comments.

[-This is really crazy.]

[I admit it]

[ㄹㅇㅋㅋ Everything I saw before is flying out of my head]

[That's just a little bit;;]

[-You hit a grenade pin with a bullet from that distance?]

[Just looking at the text, it sounds crazy lol]

[It sounds crazy even just saying it, not just writing it lol]

[If there was no video, I would have blocked you right away ㅋㅋㅋ]

[-Wow… I was wondering what it was, but it’s accurate when I look at it with the bullet camera]

[The editing was also well done lol]

[ㄹㅇㅋㅋ It's so cool how it slows down when it changes to a bullet camera]

[This is really ㅋㅋㅋ It's creepy how they killed all the sound of the bullet and pin hitting each other and only kept the tingling sound]

[Wow lol I'm not the only one]

[Nsmerdo is pretty awesome, but the editor knows a thing or two lol]

The very last scene was when Lee Kyung-bok hit the pin of an opponent's grenade hiding behind a tree.

[-Is this possible?]

[Nah haha I should try it at the shooting range.]

[Do you think it'll be easy if you just stop?]

[I can't move it right away lol]

[-Ah haha I'm going to the bullet pin challenge]

[No way;; I couldn't even finish the Yami Challenge]

[N-Crazyㅋㅋㅋ Are you a challenge maker!]

[ㄴ???: Why can't I do this?]

[ㄴ???: Doesn't challenge mean challenge? Is this a challenge?]

[Nah lol I really think you'd think that]

If you like something, you will end up following it.

Purple's fans wanted to follow the Yami Challenge and do this too. As a result, the number of challenges based on Lee Kyung-bok's original work began to increase, contrary to his wishes.

The number of views for the video quickly rose and surpassed 200,000. Is it because of that momentum?

[Today's trending video #4]

YouTube has tagged the video at the bottom. It has been selected by the so-called 'algorithm'.

With that, the upward trend gained more momentum and many people commented.

And among those numerous comments, there was one that quickly gained recommendations and rose in popularity.

[(4:31) Wow… … This person’s shooting stance is perfect. Not only is his muscle balance perfect, but his breathing control is also perfect. I think he could easily do 3v500.]

It was a comment on Lee Kyung-bok's lead shot, not the grenade safety pin shot, which was the most popular section.

The tone of the content was too bland and the content itself didn't have any parts that could draw 'aggro'.

Still, there was one reason why people pressed the recommend button.

[Muscle Gallery]

It was because of the poster of that very comment.

[you????????]

[You're so cute!]

[Put it up! Put it up!]

[Mr. N, why are you here!?]

[Wow~ guys! It's the bald old man!]

[N-No lol The rise of the big business]

[Mr. Mindungsan?]

Muscle Gallery was the name of a channel run by 'Mindungsan', a health information YouTuber who was a former special forces soldier.

He gained popularity by humorously delivering accurate and useful information and by collaborating with other streamers and broadcasters to create content.

With over 3 million subscribers already, it seems like a giant among giants has emerged.

[Wow lol If Mindungsan is praising it so much, then it's really awesome]

[This guy is also a crazy monster lol]

[A monster knows another monster!]

[What the heck?]

[Isn't this by any chance a bait for a recruitment?]

[Oh lol that could be possible]

Some people suspected that Mindungsan was trying to create content like Purple.

In fact, it was because he used to leave encouraging comments on the channel's videos before merging with other YouTubers.

However, since there were no comments on the Muscle Gallery after that, the truth could not be known.

* * *

The next day, Team Perfect held a meeting.

But unlike usual, the location was not a cafe, but Choi Byeong-hun’s officetel.

“Oh… I’m sorry. I clearly set the alarm… … .”

It was because Choi Byeong-hun couldn't make it on time while working on video editing late into the night.

“Thanks to you, we wasted 15 minutes. Time commitment is a basic part of social life.”

Park Joo-ho said, glancing at his half-asleep friend. But he wasn't simply reprimanding him.

“If you can’t even keep to those basics, then your lifestyle is broken. You have to take care of your own body.”

“Yeah, I appreciate your hard work, but aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”

Lee Kyung-bok also added a word to the words filled with concern. He soon smiled to change the mood and continued speaking.

“I’m not saying that giving you insurance is a way to get rid of your body.”

“I’m really sorry. No, but uploading videos is all about time.”

Choi Byeong-hun scratched his head and apologized.

“I admit it. This video got a particularly good response. It even rose to number 3 on the most popular videos.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Hey, and honestly, it’s not just my fault. You’re responsible too, Inma.”

"I?"

Lee Kyung-bok opened his eyes wide when he was suddenly pointed out.

“Yeah, kid. Wow, I told you this is the first time I’ve had such a hard time choosing while working as an editor. There are too many to include, and it’s a waste to choose just a few. I spent more time thinking than editing.”

I was confident in my experience and skills as an editor. What was important was the selection of the footage.

Just as a chef, no matter how good his skills are, can ruin a dish if his ingredients are messed up, selecting video sources was the most important process for an editor.

However, the problem was not that there was not enough sources extracted from Lee Kyung-bok's play videos, but that there were too many.

“That’s true, but it’s true that you’re currently facing a lot of workload.”

“No, what, you’re busy too.”

“I’m not saying this to just listen to empty words. I was thinking that maybe we need it anyway. How about hiring another assistant editor?”

Choi Byeong-hun, who had been feeling awkward at Park Joo-ho's suggestion, frowned.

“What? Why do I need an assistant? I don’t think I can handle it all.”

“That’s not what I meant. Your skills have been sufficiently proven. The problem is your stamina.”

“Hey, that’s just for today. I told you that if you get used to it, you’ll get used to it quickly.”

“I can’t deny the possibility that you’ll get hurt before then. Not just for you, but for all of us.”

When the two friends were about to raise their voices at each other, Lee Gyeong-bok intervened.

“Then let’s do it like this.”

"……hmm?"

"how?"

“I think it would be right to hire an assistant editor.”

Choi Byeong-hun's eyes fluttered at Lee Kyung-bok's words. However, he did not immediately refute them as he had with Park Joo-ho.

Even though they were friends, Lee Kyung-bok had the final decision-making authority.

“Instead, let’s do it on a per-unit contract as a freelancer, and let Choi Byeong-hun make the decisions.”

“Huh? Me?”

But Choi Byeong-hun's eyes opened wide at the following words.

“Yeah. Honestly, how much do we know about editing? I left it all up to you because I thought you’d be good at it. So I think you should decide whether or not to hire an assistant editor.”

“Hmm… … If that’s what you’re saying, at least you’ll be aware that you have more options, so you won’t make the worst choice.”

Park Joo-ho also agreed with the decision. Choi Byung-hoon also nodded with a slightly softened attitude.

“Then let’s move on to the next agenda. But what happened?”

“Let me tell you first. I got an email from Muscle Gallery yesterday.”

The two friends opened their mouths wide at Park Joo-ho's words.

“Muscle Gallery?!”

“Mindungsan?”

Muscle Gallery was a channel that Lee Kyung-bok was also familiar with. For him, who had been exercising consistently since he was young, Mindungsan was a YouTuber who helped him a lot in learning the correct way to exercise.

“No, why me?”

“It was a request for an outside appearance, but it was only a question of opinion. After all, Muscle Gallery is a real broadcast, not a virtual reality.”

"ah……."

Only then did Lee Gyeong-bok let out a short sigh.

“You’re saying I have to go on air without any privacy?”

The capsule, a virtual reality device, basically provided a ‘privacy’ function.

Privacy retouches the user's face to make it appear different from their actual face.

It was okay to show off your body, but it was quite risky to show your face online. Most of the regular users as well as streamers were using the 'privacy' function.

'I guess I'll have to reveal my face someday… … .'

Truly successful streamers often appear not only on their own broadcasts, but also on cable and terrestrial broadcasts.

Lee Kyung-bok also vaguely expected that if he became successful, he would reveal his face.

'But does it have to be now?'

It wasn't just a matter of having my face revealed. I also had to deal with personal attacks, such as people digging up my personal information behind my back or pointing out my appearance.

“Well, I guess it would be okay for someone like you to be honest and reveal your true colors.”

At Choi Byeong-hun's words, the other friends turned their attention to him.

“Why, don’t you remember? Even though this kid was considered a weirdo in school, he had a ton of chocolates in his locker on Valentine’s Day.”

“… … Well, it’s not urgent, so just think about it for now. It seems like you’re used to this kind of situation too.”

“Are you ignoring me!?”

“The following is a merger request from Genome.”

Park Joo-ho ignored Choi Byeong-hoon, who was getting angry, and immediately brought up the next agenda item.

“Merger? Already?”

“… … I guess you thought the skills you showed yesterday were enough.”

“Really, if you look at that and say it’s not enough, are you human?”

The other two friends looked back at Lee Gyeong-bok as if he found it ridiculous.

“No, but if we merge, aren’t we going to do it in ranked mode? I’m still unranked.”

Lee Kyung-bok did not start ranked games because he wanted to get used to the game. As a result, his rank was still undecided, or unranked.

“Oh, that doesn’t matter. Solo rank, duo rank, and squad rank are separate things.”

“That kid is right. He investigated the Genome side and sent me an email.”

“Really? Then it doesn’t matter.”

“One thing you need to think about.”

Park Joo-ho adjusted his glasses and spoke to the relieved Lee Kyung-bok.

“As you know, Genome-nim has been broadcasting for quite some time. He has a strong fandom, but he also has a lot of anti-fans.”

“Ah… … That’s right. I think you were sniping last time too.”

“There will probably be snipers when we merge. Is that okay?”

To that question, Lee Kyung-bok had a look on his face that said he couldn't understand at all.

“What’s okay?”

“The antis are after not only Genie, but you as well.”

“No, I know that too. But what’s the problem with that?”

Lee Kyung-bok shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

“Since it’s a battle royale anyway, shouldn’t we all kill them?”

In response, Park Joo-ho kept his mouth shut and Choi Byeong-hoon burst into laughter.

“This is the idea of genius. Only the likes of us kings worry.”

From the beginning, Lee Kyung-bok meant that he had not even imagined defeat.