Chapter 5: Empty Fridges and Lost Kids

The stream went wild.

In FPS games, users with illegal programs—hacks—are like natural disasters.
When you spot a hacker, you think, “Is that even fun?” report them, and move on.
In other words, hackers are usually unstoppable by normal means.
Usually.

What’s an FPS game? A game about killing opponents.
So, what do hacks focus on? Knowing enemy positions or auto-aiming.

“Wow, Hazy-nim, that was insane.”
“What was that just now?”
“Just pulled the pin on a potato and didn’t throw it.”

Four seconds after pulling the pin, it blows up even if you don’t throw it. Used that.

My explanation silenced the voice chat. Only gasps followed.

• Wow, suicide clone is wild
• Bet those hackers never saw the Nongae tactic
• You from Hokcheon? That was nuts lolol
• This is what it takes for an EJE strat…
• Says “carry” so tastily
• This is real carry
• How’d you catch the hacker?
• Peeling a potato and charging in, what a maniac

Event stream chat and my own were equally hyped over my play.

Like hiding orbs in turret rubble as a mech champ in that legendary game, I figured they’d dodge a thrown grenade, so I hugged it and rushed in. Felt like a massive performance somehow.

“Anyway! First place secured!”
“Wow~ Thanks for the mission prize. Five million won!”
“Five million won~”
“But MVP should be Hazy-nim, right?”

Maybe? Sure, why not? We didn’t do much anyway.

Celebrating the win and five million won was short-lived as they suddenly pushed me for MVP.

“Me?”
“Yeah, Hazy-nim.”
“Without you taking out that hacker, no way we’d have won.”
“Exactly. Mission needed the win, and you made it happen by catching the hacker.”

But without you guys, I’d have died in the starting village…

Couldn’t say it out loud, but I felt guilty taking it.

Like a soccer game where a slacking striker who ignores defense scores a last-second counterattack goal, stealing the Player of the Match from the goalkeeper who carried the team.

Still, the three of them insisted I’m MVP. What to do?
Fine, let’s do this.

“Then, let’s split the five million four ways?”
“Four ways?”
“Yeah. Sia-nim played too.”

Sure, I’ll get paid for the event appearance, but Sia’s part of the squad and the mission. Shouldn’t she get a share?

“And from the 1.25 million each, I’ll take only one million.”
“Huh?”
“The leftover 250,000, draw lots during the event stream for chicken or burgers.”

• What about us?
• Yo, what do we get?
• Nothing for us?
• Streamer, what about us?
• We wanna eat too

“My stream viewers, I’ll hook you up separately.”

• Big Hazy
• Best streamer
• True leader
• No greed for cash

“But when’s the payment coming?”

Realized I was tossing promises without knowing when the money hits. Asked, and they said it’s coming via donation now.

[“Official Watch” donated 6,250,000 won!]

Good, money’s in, time for the draw… 6.25 million?

“Huh?”
“Hazy-nim, what’s up?”
“Just got the full amount, no 250,000 cut. Sia-nim, can you check with the staff?”
“No, that’s correct.”

Huh? Not the answer I expected. Sia continued.

“The boss covered it.”
“…What boss?”
“Watch’s boss. Said to draw ten people per stream, forty total.”

• Big Jongsu
• Boss Jongsu
• Ten per stream, forty total, at least 80? Damn
• Chicken’s not 20k anymore, it’s 25k, so at least a million
• Boss saw the stream pop off and went big
• He’s on-site? Doubled down and crushed it

“So this is legit?”
“Yup. Draw ten now, send the list, they’ll confirm on-site, pay, and deliver.”
“Wow, insane. First time this happened on a Watch stream.”
“Same.”

The situation ballooned, and I was stunned. What’s going on?

So, the boss watching the event stream got hyped and went all out?

“Thanks, boss! I’ll give my all!”
“Pfft. Boss just gave a thumbs-up on-site. He loved that.”

Wrapped up quick goodbyes and left the voice chat.

“Wow, no clue what just happened. My head’s spinning.”

• Only thing I remember is Sia-nim’s voice being fire
• Fr, Sia-nim’s voice was legendary
• So when’s the draw?
• Draw
• When’s the draw? Any restrictions?

“Oh, gotta draw now. They said to do it immediately.

Restrictions? Not sure how long, so I set 24 hours for now.
Feels better if loyal viewers win, not some fresh follower sniping it. Neither viewers nor I’d vibe with that.”

“Alright, just type any chat now.”

• Hand
• Sssssss
• Bbbbbbb
• Ssssssss
• S
• Chat blocked by CleanAI.
• Sssssssss
• Damn, streamer doing draws too

Yeah, never thought I’d see this day. Hope it’s not a one-off flash.

“Anyway, congrats to the winners…”

[Mission Success!] – 1,000,000 won
[Mission Success!] – 100,000 won
[Mission Success!] – 77,777 won
[Mission Success!] – 50,000 won

“Huh?”

Sudden mission success payments.
Now that I think, besides the 0-kill mission, there were other win missions tied.
But didn’t I fail the 0-kill one?

“Thanks for the mission triggers! But why the 0-kill too…?”

• ? You got 0 kills
• It’s 0 kills, right?
• She won with 0 kills and doesn’t even know lolol
• What’s she on about

“My potato killed the hacker, no?”

• You died before that, so it’s not your kill
• Newbie doesn’t know lolol

“Oh, really?”

That works?

Post-event stream on-site.

Despite the mid-event chaos, it was well-managed, surpassing expected viewership.
Watch Korea’s boss, Kim Jongsu, was thrilled with the results.

“Good work.”
“Lucia-nim, great job! You worked hard today!”
“Nice work!”
“Thanks, good work.”

As Lucia greeted staff packing gear, someone approached.
Maybe the stellar stream results had Kim Jongsu’s grin ear-to-ear.

“Great job today.”
“No, Lucia-nim worked harder. Thanks for your effort.”

Kim Jongsu handed Lucia some documents.
Silently taking them, she saw a breakdown of gift card costs for the viewer lottery.
After checking the amount and count, she slipped them back into the envelope.

“Thanks for the hassle.”
“Nah, for our platform’s star, this is nothing.”
“Still.”
“Then can I ask something?”

Why’d you do it? That thing earlier.

Lucia paused, thinking. Why?
She couldn’t pinpoint it. Just felt like it.
Yeah, just wanted to.

“Then, let’s split the five million four ways?”
“Four ways?”
“Yeah. Sia-nim played too.”

Pure? Or just fair?
Even after someone earning way more said it’s fine, she split it evenly.
Same as in-game.

“Sia-nim, got a potato?”

Expected her to angle a grenade and shoot together, but she pulled the pin and charged for a double suicide.

“No telling them apart…”
“Huh?”
“Oh, talking to myself.”

Oh, right, his question. Why’d she do it?

Why…?

“She’s cute, no?”
“Cute…?”

Kim Jongsu burst out laughing at Lucia’s answer.

“Wow, didn’t see that coming.”
“Same. I didn’t either.”
“Lucia calling someone cute? Viewers would’ve eaten that up.”
“They’d tease me. Not like it’s new…”
“Why not do a ‘We Got Married’ then?”

Right now, Watch was big on fake romance “We Got Married” content.
A female and male streamer with good chemistry act like a couple to meet viewer demands.
Naturally, Lucia got tons of offers, but she turned them all down.
Said it wouldn’t be fun.

“Should I?”
“Huh? For real?”
“I’ll think about it.”

Could be fun.

In Lucia’s head, one word from post-game echoed.

“Carry”