It’s not that kind of malicious broadcast

Chapter 67 – Because There Are No Innocent Civilians

Upper-mid Master tier. Commonly referred to as the “Ghost Village”.

In the heyday of KoK during seasons 1 and 2, most average players were in Bronze, silver, or Gold. Even those with rare exceptional talent typically remained in Platinum.

The exponential increase in skill required starting from Platinum was a factor, but there was also a lower incentive to climb higher. Being in Platinum meant you could claim to be good at KoK anywhere.

In high school terms, Platinum was a tier you could proudly enter tournaments for where PC cafe fees and hamburgers were at stake. Yet, those who climbed to Diamond were a bit peculiar.

It’s rare to encounter them in real life. Not just because they are few in number, but for other reasons as well. In short, if Diamond is that elite, what about Master? They fall into two categories:

Those aspiring to be professional gamers, or those already in the process of making their way to Challenger, and those who spend more time in KoK than in real life, but have come to realize they can never reach Challenger no matter how many games they play—these are the ghosts.

The vast majority of Masters are the latter—ghosts who float around the lower ranks where they meet Diamonds and occasionally mid-tier where professionals appear.

Knowing their limits precisely, they don’t obsess over points. Their sole motivation for winning is the joy of victory—in some sense, they might be the purest gamers.

The problem is, they’re also the quickest to start trolling the moment winning pleasantly seems impossible.

They troll if they don’t like the team composition, if they die early, if they don’t like their items, if a teammate’s ID reminds them of a particular site…

Naturally, this is the tier where people start trolling simply because someone picked a rogue again—

『ReformedGwangjil(Holy Knight): Rogues are good, right?』

『SecondArtilleryTiger(Mage): Rogues are good!』

『It’sImmune(Priest): The best!』

Surprisingly congenial reactions came from the pick phase. It was incredibly suspicious for them to type such suspicious messages.

『Gwangjil, you bastard…』

『Look at how quickly that bastard changes his stance』

『Gwangjil, did you delete all those swearing posts in the forum?』

『Look how they aren’t even trying to hide being actors LOLLOLOL LOLOLOL』

『How many snipers are in this game』

It’s only natural that not all trying viewers would end up on the opposing team. In a way, doesn’t that mean the climbing difficulty has actually lowered?

At least the proportion of deliberate trolling or teammates blaming each other and fighting should decrease.

But… wait a minute.

Sniping, viewer participation, all that’s fine…

How will we verify the results of the Rogue Revival Movement…?

The reason these people are cheering for the rogue is because they’re excited to appear on the broadcast. In a queue without the broadcaster, they likely wouldn’t be as friendly towards another rogue.

This needs some thought.

Maybe I can recruit some spies around…

Should I ask Ark or Build-Shaving Revan?

I added “figure out a survey method” to my mental to-do list, and then checked our team composition.

Holy Knight, Holy Knight, mage, archer, Priest, rogue.

A standard… pick, but…

If everyone really is an actor—

There is something I’d like to practice before participating in the tournament.

“Is there any innocent bystander on our team right now?”

『It’sImmune(Priest): Innocent actor here』

『SecondArtilleryTiger(Mage): What’s an actor, teacher?』

『ChocoChipIsMoist(Holy Knight): Hello, passing by… oh my, innocent… innocent!』

『It’sImmune(Priest): We have many innocent childless actors』

『ForSnipingAccount(Archer): I often get misunderstood』

『ForSnipingAccount(Archer): But I’m not sniping』

『ReformedGwangjil(Holy Knight): Not easy;』

… Honest, that’s nice.

“Okay, I got it. Since everyone is already participating in illegal viewer sniping, trust me and lend me one Holy Knight for the underground.”

『SecondArtilleryTiger(Mage): Lend what?』

『ReformedGwangjil(Holy Knight): Me』

『ChocoChipIsMoist(Holy Knight): No way, don’t go』

『ReformedGwangjil(Holy Knight): Too late』

“Geez, why… Anyway, since it’s a bit much to remove the bot Holy Knight, ReformedGwangjil, please come. We’re going double underground this game. Everyone else, maintain a safe distance from mid fights… Also, if possible, turn off the broadcast and join voice chat.”

Excited, my heart began to thump slightly at the thought of a team game after so long.

What makes a team game special?

If there is an order and people to follow it, that’s a team game.

* * * *

《Holy Knight, take the goblin pack and block pathway 3. Don’t engage.》

『ReformedGwangjil(Holy Knight): Okay』

『ReformedGwangjil(Holy Knight): But why am I the only one called Holy Knight?』

《The enemy Warrior will head towards mid-bot. Priest and Archer, rotate to top.》

《Report your tickets as soon as you hit level 6. Start with the Mage.》

《Apply ground pressure 10 seconds before the next wave arrives. We’re going to force the enemy Priest out of the battlefield.》

《Archer, I can see you didn’t turn off the broadcast. Turn it off.》

《Holy Knight, check and take the skeleton pack if it’s there.》

『ReformedGwangjil(Holy Knight): It’s not there』

『ReformedGwangjil(Holy Knight): But I’m confused, just call me Knight or Gwangjil』

《If there’s no skeletons, it’s a fallback route. Mage, get ready for a forward position, and move to the next spot when called. Holy Knight, run with me.》

The broadcast was more packed with audio than ever before. Given that Lee Yena’s broadcast has a fanbase gathered just to hear her voice, it was not unusual for everyone to talk only about her voice—

The chat was busy marveling at the orders, both in a good and bad sense.

『A rogue giving orders』

『Why use hawk vision? Just read everything yourself』

『Archer heading to tears』

『Said they’re pressuring top but heading elsewhere LOL』

『Archer and order alone are enough to carry』

『Why so much nonsense in between, though』

『For real, how does she know everything, map hack?』

In a soft voice, Lee Yena gave detailed tactical instructions. Her team members moved according to her commands, and the gradual dominance of the battlefield resembled an RTS (Real-Time Strategy) game’s broadcast.

For viewers who had only seen her dominate opponents with pure physical skill, this was a refreshing and interesting display.

Her map reading, which had always been inexplicable due to her usual bizarre and lacking explanations, became somewhat clearer when seen in the context of her overall orders.

Of course,

《Going to assassinate the Mage. Provide cover fire.》

Saying this while going to open a chest,

《Press top. Act like you’re retreating while pulling them in.》

Giving this order, and then shortly after,

《Leave top and regroup at center.》

With contradictory orders like “Raise the blue flag, lower the white flag” the chat was confused about what she was doing—

Yet the team members moved flawlessly without any issues, and viewers began to gradually understand the situation.

-ㅇㅇ has donated 1,000 won!-

【Is she mixing orders with voice control?】

『She’s probably muting the voice, talking nonsense, unmuting, and giving orders repeatedly』

『Is that even possible?』

『Why wouldn’t it be…』

『Is she creating fake orders one by one?』

『My brain would get fried from the confusion』

『So, this is what “Naakghost” is…』

For teammates who are only listening to voice chat, all they had to do was follow the orders they heard.

However, for those listening to the broadcast and trying to broadcast snipe, there was no way to figure out what the real orders were.

Moreover, though viewers couldn’t know—

Lee Yena would mute her broadcast’s microphone and only give critical orders through voice chat.

Broadcaast sniping was becoming more of a hindrance than a help. Thus, as the damage from falling for false orders accumulated one by one, the game slowly but surely began to favor her team.

=The Blue Team has captured the central point!=

-ㅇㅇ has donated 1,000 won!-

【???: Why is sniping an issue? Just handle it like I do】

『For real LOL』

『Oh, “It’s bad because you got caught~ I just handle it~”』

『???: If you’re upset, handle it like I do when I snipe』

And starting from the moment the central point was captured, strange orders began to mix in.

《Mage, archer, use emotes. The laughing ones. Ah, that’s nice.》

《From now, just maintain your position… Priest, heal the enemy bot Holy Knight. Yes. It’s okay. They’re almost full HP anyway.》

《Bot Holy Knight, drop your sword now. Yes, it’s okay. I’ll pick it up for you later. How to drop it… hmm… do you know bat flips? Like in baseball.》

《Anyone here who can dance well… no? Ah, too bad. I’ll go up and dance then.》

『Those orders are fake too, right…?』

『GetDevoured/KoK/Controversy』

『Why are emote orders real』

『GetDevoured/Controversy』

『Is this… an order?』

《That person got excited. Lure them in and take them down.》

《Ah… please refrain from all-chat. It’s cheap to mess with people outside of the game.》

《Yes, you can dance. It’s an in-game motion. Oh, you dance well. Why did you say you couldn’t? Go and do it again.》

Endless taunts and teabagging, utilizing even that for ambushes and sudden attacks.

More than 5,000 viewers were watching these antics live.

For those who broadcast-sniped with the intention of bothering a female broadcaster lightly, this was a truly excruciating trial to maintain their composure—

Naturally, multiple surrender votes likely went up on the Red Team.

Of course,

《Ah. Ah. Red Team, are you still listening? You participated as viewers… If you surrender quickly or something, I’d be… really disappointed.》

Lee Yena had no intention of letting them go.

《If I get disappointed… well, I might resort to music for healing. The ocarina is very calming for the mind and body.》

-ㅇㅇ has donated 1,000 won!-

【If you surrender, you’re dead, you sons of b**es】

『Hold the line』

『5000 times friend request』

『You better not surrender, damn it』

『I memorized your IDs』