I Became a Malicious Streamer

Life is unpredictable, not flowing like a river set in its course.

That’s why the elders often say it’s what makes life interesting.

Having not lived long enough to truly resonate with that sentiment, I could firmly say one thing about games.

Unlike life, when a game unfolds just as anticipated, the thrill is unbeatable.

Especially when that outcome arises purely because of my efforts, a wave of fulfillment rises within me.

Is it the sense of achievement? Perhaps it’s this feeling that keeps me hooked on gaming.

Naturally predicting when the opponent will strike.

Dodging at the perfect moment to counterattack.

How to seize control of the game and gain the upper hand.

Thoughts that once only floated in my mind began to unfold step by step.

Designing a game in real-time and executing it flawlessly.

What was impossible for the original me was effortlessly achieved by Ji-eun.

There isn’t a gamer who wouldn’t be thrilled to see a mad movie repeat.

And with viewers sharing in my gameplay live, the joy was multiplied.

“I won!”

Victorious in the game, I received the honor, a symbol of being carried by my teammates.

It’s a tangible proof showing who led this game.

As the best player stepped down proudly, the chat room sped up even more.

[Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru! Mollru!]

[Are you the only one typing in the chat, you little sh*t?]

[Unnie… you’re so sexy]

[The Master is right in front of us now lol]

[You did that so cleanly]

[Wasn’t I the vicious sniper turned into a big-time streamer?]

Viewers were throwing a mix of comments.

I’ve heard that the chats from viewers can be described as collective soliloquies.

And indeed, it was true to that statement.

Each viewer was yakking away about their own topics with no one listening to anyone else.

Then suddenly, some of those comments caught the streamer’s eye.

Most of the current chat was filled with praise for me.

Not having set any restrictions led to some rough comments, but it was within tolerable limits.

After all, real men express themselves a bit gruffly, don’t they?

Sometimes that tone invites misunderstandings, but I wasn’t oblivious to the affection behind the roughness.

Rather, spamming was the problem.

With a few individuals dominating the chat, other comments easily got drowned out.

To avoid being obscured, others started spamming too.

It was truly a vicious cycle.

I could clearly see that those trying to chat normally were feeling uncomfortable.

I, too, was feeling quite troubled.

“You can’t spam…”

Click—

I forcibly removed a few identifiable offenders as examples.

The spamming noticeably decreased afterward.

[Quick execution ㄷㄷ]

[The blood purge is on]

[Please hang me too ㅠㅠ]

[Extreme endowment]

Viewers seemed satisfied as spamming ceased.

But this was just a temporary fix.

When I was busy gaming, I had no capacity to manage the chat room.

I’d need to hire a professional chat manager.

Someone like a manager, eventually.

That was something to think about as I continued my broadcasts.

I never would have imagined having such thoughts during my first stream.

Chat management issues typically arose in rooms with many viewers.

800.

That was the number of viewers in my stream at the moment.

For some unknown reason, a few hundred more had joined.

Eight hundred.

Somehow an ungraspable number.

I recalled that during high school, there were a little over a thousand students.

I thought about how crowded it must have been, yet it didn’t feel personal.

Maybe it’s because a lot of time has passed since I graduated?

Without a sense of reality, I felt no pressure from the number.

“You all came in droves… but there’s probably not much to see.”

Every broadcast has its unique atmosphere and characteristics.

Streamers attract viewers with their charm or engaging content.

Usually, viewers are drawn to those elements to watch a stream.

But my broadcast had nothing particularly appealing.

Given my focus on the game, the audio would inevitably be quiet.

Actually, it might have been quiet regardless of whether I played.

I couldn’t imagine myself filling the air with constant chatter.

<Romantic Swordsman donated 50,000 won!>

– Sister, you’re so good! Thanks for streaming! You look so sexy while sword-fighting. I wanna be a great swordsman like you! Your voice is so nice!

Yet, a donation unexpectedly flew in, almost disproving that notion.

It enclosed quite a lengthy heartfelt message about why they found my stream appealing.

50,000 won… that’s quite an amount.

“Suddenly giving such a large gift… Thank you.”

[Thank you. That’s it.]

[Is this all for a reaction? That’s lame.]

[Is it enough just to have a nice voice? lol Why don’t you throw in some more donations, you barely talk.]

Reactions. Ah, I needed reactions.

Like someone recalling something they had forgotten, clarity struck me.

Yes, reactions are absolutely necessary.

After being given money, I couldn’t just do nothing.

Living in a capitalist society, I was all too aware of the power of money.

Go outside and dig a hole. Would you even find 500 won?

If 500 won is that hard to come by, I could feel the weight of 50,000 won even more.

“Since you’ve given 50,000 won, what should I do for you…”

[Sing?]

[Please turn on the cam]

[Just a simple thank you should suffice.]

Typically, when receiving donations from viewers, one would engage in an action corresponding to the amount.

Dance, sing, or scream while pouring soy sauce…

Viewers’ comments were not so different.

They followed the conventional spectrum of reactions.

But, unfortunately, I couldn’t do any of those right now.

I had no intentions of turning on the cam, and even my own voice felt unfamiliar for singing.

Even if I got used to my voice, singing for someone else?

That embarrassing action was still beyond me.

Acting in a socially unacceptable way was out of the question either.

In the end, there was only one reaction I could resort to.

Though I intended to save it for later, it couldn’t be helped.

“Romantic Swordsman, do you know what waterfall elderly people love?”

It might be premature to overuse a gag, leaving me without material later, but without this, I had nothing else to offer.

Despite being quite similar to jokes I had made twice already, the viewers’ reactions were as fervent as primitive people seeing fire for the first time.

It felt a tad embarrassing to receive such enthusiasm.

[Is this… a reaction?]

[Why do we all have to suffer for this?]

[She’s even mentioning usernames… This is an amazing reaction.]

[But the deal is being brought up too.]

[If she enjoys it, I enjoy it too.]

[Park Bo-gum~~~ I’m laughing.]

– Romantic Swordsman: What’s the answer?

A few viewers seemed to know the answer, but fortunately, the donor appeared clueless.

However, others hesitated to spill the answer.

Typically, when someone gives away the punchline early, the joke falls flat.

I was glad I ended up thinking the viewers had decent sense as I excitedly opened my mouth.

“The answer is ‘Nagoya’ waterfall. Elderly folks who get sorrowful seeing their increasing age adore this waterfall the most. Got it?”

[Nagoya is actually ‘Naiagara’, teacher.]

[With an explanation after the punchline… it’s perfect.]

[Is this guy doing this on purpose? Why so serious?]

[LOL]

[-Wrong-]

[It’s a 40’s middle-aged woman concept, please understand.]

[Only mountain-club guys would use this humor;]

[Not typical of young girls nowadays… You have a good sense of humor, though. ^^@@]

The rapidly rising responses on the chat made me quite satisfied.

By the fiery reaction of the chat alone, it was apparent my reaction had succeeded.

I should pull that out from time to time.

Feeling content that I had grasped the needs of my viewers, I also realized how unprepared I was.

As this was a stream I stumbled upon, my preparation was lacking.

I had to think about how to react to donations, and how to direct my future broadcasts.

I couldn’t just conduct a game stream without any topic.

That’s right, I had unintentionally begun pondering my next broadcast so seamlessly.

Having undergone such changes without anyone I knew, the only connection with my previous self was through gaming.

It’s enjoyable to play games with the new talents I had acquired.

And having an audience watching that play is a different delight altogether.

Just as I sincerely wished to become a streamer, I resolved to prepare myself right away.

To prepare, I naturally had to end the current broadcast.

I couldn’t conduct such a clumsy stream as someone who had decided to be a professional!

“Thank you all for your support. I’m a bit at a loss as to how to express my gratitude. So, I’ll wrap up today’s stream here. Thank you all for coming, and I’ll see you in the next broadcast.”

[???]

[Excuse?]

[What’s up with this sudden end?]

[You make some lame dad jokes and now you’re calling it quits?]

“Just wait for me to turn it back on.”

I ended the stream, leaving behind the hands reaching for me.

The screen faded to black, but the viewers’ comments didn’t halt.

Looking at that, I pondered if I should have streamed a bit longer; nevertheless, I believed leaving while the leaving was good would benefit the next time.

As the saying goes: leave a little disappointment to make the next encounter better.

So, as I reflected on my two-hour stream, considering what I lacked, I promptly dozed off.

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