Genius’s Godlike Game Broadcast-Chapter 90 : Didn't I Definitely Request AS? (2)

Didn't I Definitely Request AS? (2)
Early lunchtime, at a quaint brunch cafe.
In a venue usually filled with couples and women, three men had taken a seat.
"Is it just me, or does it feel like people are staring at us?"
In the middle, the burly man, Choi Byeonghun, glanced around furtively. It wasn't very crowded since it was a weekday, but he could still feel people's gazes.
"What gazes?"
"Phew... This is the kind of place you come with your girlfriend to take photos for Stellagram."
When Park Juho asked gruffly, Choi Byeonghun wrinkled his nose. Lee Gyeongbok chuckled at the response.
"Hey, it's all experience. Isn't this better than coming here with your girlfriend for the first time and getting all awkward?"
It was Lee Gyeongbok who had picked this place as Team White's meeting spot.
In the past, he wouldn't have even considered coming into a place like this, but now that he was financially more comfortable, his mindset had changed.
Now, if he wanted to try something just once, he could do so without worrying.
"That's true. Honestly, it doesn't make sense for a piece of bread and salad to cost twenty-thousand won. If I'd come here with a girlfriend for the first time, I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face."
As Choi Byeonghun exaggeratedly clicked his tongue, Lee Gyeongbok smiled wryly.
"But you don't have a girlfriend."
"... Don't hit where it hurts, man. You don't have one either!"
"Don't worry, we'll charge it to the company card. Plus, there's the Reality contract this time."
At Park Juho's words, Choi Byeonghun grumbled.
"Ah, this guy. Slipping in business talk as smoothly as a snake. We just finished eating, and now you're going to make us talk about work? I'll get indigestion!"
"You say that after drinking brunch like it's water?"
"Hey, everyone just do what you want. You can listen while you drink your coffee."
With Lee Gyeongbok's attempt to mediate, the two friends nodded.
"So, we just got an email from Fromme."
"Huh? Fromme? Why? Did they watch our broadcast?"
Choi Byeonghun, who had been halfhearted until now, immediately put his coffee down and started bombarding him with questions. Park Juho glanced at him, then shook his head.
"Well, the details are confidential, so they said they'll tell us after the ending. But, for now, they asked if they could make a character inspired by Gyeongbok."
"Me?"
"Yeah, I think this is similar to that case with Ecl-nim."
Said Choi Byeonghun in an excited voice. Park Juho nodded in agreement.
"I think so too. Except with Ecl-nim, it was a victory commemoration, but with Gyeongbok, I'm not sure what the reason is."
"Whatever the reason, it's a good thing. We definitely have to go for it."
Lee Gyeongbok nodded at their words. He didn't feel any apprehension, and it felt good to be acknowledged by the production company.
"Of course. But the problem right now is that the capsule is broken, right?"
"Ah, I was going to talk about that too."
Park Juho began explaining the response he had gotten from Reality.
"So, they said it's not something that can be fixed through a simple A/S, and because you're a streamer, not just a regular customer, they want to sponsor you with an unboxing broadcast contract."
"But isn't this for an offline broadcast? What about revealing your face?"
"Reality has already considered that. They're fine as long as it's only your voice."
Lee Gyeongbok nodded at that explanation. But Choi Byeonghun's expression darkened.
"Tsk, I don't like this."
"Why?"
"Hey, think about just your voice being on camera. Only the capsule will be shown, right?"
"Yeah."
"But viewers aren't coming to see the capsule. To be precise, they want to see your 'reaction' to that capsule."
Park Juho agreed as well.
"That's true. Our channel isn't a tech review channel."
"Right, the viewers' needs are different. Plus, if it's a custom, it's a model made only for you, right? It's not even something you can just buy."
If it were a purchasable product, people would at least be interested in the specs. But the custom model was only for Lee Gyeongbok.
"Hmm..."
Lee Gyeongbok let out a soft hum.
The two friends calmly waited for his thoughts to settle. They would give advice, but the decision was his.
"Honestly, I'm still reluctant to reveal my face."
"Then..."
"And you guys make a good point. Even if it's sponsored, I should film the kind of videos viewers want."
He didn't take his friends' advice lightly. Lee Gyeongbok smiled gently and continued.
"So, what if we do this?"
Did he have a sharp solution?
The two friends couldn't hide their curiosity.
* * *
Reality, the capsule manufacturer's headquarters.
Lee Gyeongbok and his two friends arrived for the contract meeting.
"Welcome!"
In the assigned meeting room, the marketing director was waiting. She quickly scanned the three men and widened her eyes.
'Wow... Purple is really this handsome?'
Only one of the three matched the figure revealed in broadcasts. Seeing Lee Gyeongbok's real-life appearance, she couldn't hide her surprise.
'This kind of mask is really rare...'
Capsules weren't just used by regular folks. With even celebrities enjoying virtual reality these days, the marketing director had met many with outstanding looks.
But even compared to them, she felt Lee Gyeongbok's appearance didn't fall short.
'Still, I shouldn't try anything today. If I do well now, we can build an even better relationship later.'
Her marketing sense, built up through her career, made her covet Lee Gyeongbok. However, suddenly changing the proposal wouldn't be wise.
She greeted them warmly and began explaining the main contract.
"As we shared via email, you just need to do an unboxing livestream and give a spec rundown. The edited video will be uploaded to both Purple's channel and ours. It's different from an advertisement contract—there aren't any additional restrictions."
"Does that mean we can mention downsides too?"
"Yes. But there probably won't be any. In fact, if you do find any, we'd be grateful. It would help us improve."
The clear answer matched the confidence and responsibility expected from a market-leading firm.
"Now, let me explain our offer. The contract fee is 15 million won, and we'll provide the high-end custom model for free. The amount is set based on Purple's recognition."
Choi Byeonghun and Park Juho nodded at her words.
'Didn't they say around 13 million won was the going rate for 600,000 subscribers?'
This was what Lee Gyeongbok had heard from his friends. So, the additional 2 million must have been added based on recognition, just as she said.
'And the high-end model is 15 million, right?'
He'd been more than satisfied using his current capsule, a premium grade model costing 8 million won.
But the new high-end model would cost 15 million alone, making for a total value of 30 million won with the fee.
Yet the marketing director wasn't finished.
"Since this custom version is made specifically for Purple, it's different from our usual high-end models. We've attached an extra computation processor, so the unit cost is a bit higher."
"About how high?"
"20 million won."
The two friends' eyes went wide.
That brought the total value up to 35 million won.
But Lee Gyeongbok was calm.
Whatever the price, his real concern was elsewhere.
"If I use the custom model, will I avoid the sort of problem I had before?"
His aim from the start wasn't just securing the contract, but safety. His friends noticed this and composed their expressions accordingly.
The marketing director smiled even more brightly.
"Yes, absolutely. This custom model has five times the computational limit of the previous model. It can accommodate up to fifty times the average customer's load."
"Fifty times..."
Choi Byeonghun unconsciously opened his mouth in awe. The number was impressive, and even more so knowing it was necessary because of his friend.
"Yes. It's already been validated with simulations in our development lab."
"Simulations?"
"We tested for computational overload to determine the limit. We put it under even heavier strain than actual use, so there shouldn't be any issues."
Her explanation triggered a thought in Lee Gyeongbok's mind.
'Wait, strain?'
That word was directly relevant to him and the backlash he felt when using spiritual energy.
'In virtual reality, there's no backlash. Could it be that the capsule was absorbing it in my stead?'
Dizziness, vertigo, even occasional nosebleeds—all of them had to do with his head, now that he thought about it.
'If that's true, and now the limit has increased fivefold...'
With the new fivefold limit, maybe he could manifest his spiritual energy even more powerfully.
Perhaps his sensing range or the specificity of the information he gathered would expand as well.
Lost in these thoughts, Lee Gyeongbok's hardened expression made him look like a dissatisfied customer to the marketing director.
She quickly added further explanation.
"If the same problem occurs, we take full responsibility and will replace it with an even better custom model."
"Huh? Oh, yes, okay."
Her voice snapped him out of his reverie, and Lee Gyeongbok nodded. For now, he shelved his thoughts about spiritual energy and considered the offer.
'It doesn't seem like there'll be a problem.'
There were no bad omens; even the marketing director projected a positive aura.
"Ah, but I do have one suggestion."
"A suggestion?"
"Yes. You said it's fine if only my voice is in the video—but how about this?"
Lee Gyeongbok turned toward Park Juho. Taking the hint, he projected a hologram with an image.
"This is..."
"It's an emote I use on my broadcast. Subscriber-only."
An emoticon created in the image of a 'viewer' character. Lee Gyeongbok pointed to its head.
"If we change the 'T' to a 'P' and make it into a mask, would that work?"
"A mask?"
She looked surprised but soon examined the design closely, her eyes shining.
"Hmm, the character design is cute and nice. What format are you planning?"
"We plan to have it made at a 3D printing company."
At Park Juho's answer, her eyes flickered with calculation.
'It's a design that could endear the audience. More of an issue than just broadcasting with voice alone.'
As she'd only anticipated a voice appearance, there was no reason to refuse. Rather, it was something she should actively support.
"That sounds good."
"Then..."
"If you don't mind, could we handle manufacturing the mask for you?"
All three of them looked surprised.
"We actually have a 3D printer too. We're proud of its top-of-the-line quality. You don't need to worry about that. And we'll handle the cost as well."
The three friends glanced at one another.
They didn't even have to discuss it; the answer was clear.
"Then please handle it."
"Thank you for letting us."
So, the contract was sealed in a friendly atmosphere. The marketing director beamed as she spoke.
"The custom model should ship out tomorrow."
"What?"
"Tomorrow?"
"That fast?"
All three asked at once, and she smiled even more brightly, apparently pleased with their reaction.
"Our company, reality, places great value on the content that Purple's broadcasts create. We understand that the longer the capsule is delayed, the greater the loss."
It might seem like just a day or two, but the longer the downtime, the further viewers drift away.
Reality, constantly watching over influencers, knew this very well.
"We began production on the custom model as soon as you requested A/S. It was intended for you regardless of the sponsorship contract."
All three friends exclaimed in surprise. There was a smile on Lee Gyeongbok's face.
"I can see why Reality is number one in market share."
* * *
That evening, on Purple's Tnight fan page.
It was crowded with viewers waiting for the broadcast.
[What's going on with the capsule error?]
[Can't find anything on capsule overload even when I search.]
[It's not a day off today, is it? Right?]
[Perfect waiting ON]
[Trying to avoid Purple withdrawal by endlessly replaying old episodes]
Due to the warnings in the last broadcast, the viewers' concerns were hard to hide.
[Here's a button.]
[(Button photo)
If you press the button, Purple's broadcast time increases by one minute.
But five minutes of your own life disappear.
Will you press it?]
[-Obviously you have to press it, lol]
[-Ah, lol, I'd do a tap dance on that button]
[-Hey! Somebody bring me a sewing machine!]
[-You really think my 5 minutes are worth more than Godple's 1 minute?]
[-Technically, if one minute goes to Godple, isn't it just four minutes lost? lol]
[-I watch the live, watch on Purple channel, watch on the branch channel, and chat on the community. Doesn't seem like a loss.]
[-Ah, Purple, this whole community is for wasting time anyway, what's there to decide?]
A flood of random posts as if to forget their worries.
In the midst of it all, the long-awaited notice appeared.
[〈Notice〉 There will be no broadcast today.]
At the same time, the tone of posts on the fan page changed rapidly.
[Lie! It's a lie!]
[Reality guys, how could you make a capsule like this!?]
[Can't the manager do the broadcast and Godple just do the commentary?]
[I skipped dinner because I thought it'd be a story broadcast tonight...]
[If there was a warning, it must be serious. Nothing we can do.]
[Isn't this like the five stages of accepting death?]
[Denial〉Anger〉Bargaining〉Depression〉Acceptance, totally fits, lol]
[What lol? Is a day off really equivalent to death?]
Numerous posts expressing disappointment sprang up. But after a moment, the mood shifted again.
[Read the notice again, you guys]
[WA! Something big is coming!]
[Big Thing is coming! Big Thing is coming! Big Thing is coming! Big Thing is coming!]
[Get ready to bow down, everyone who doubted Reality, lol]
[If it's this kind of break, all the better, lol]
Viewers who checked the notice started posting excitedly, and others quickly caught on.
[Unboxing of the custom model?]
[Crazy, lol, it's tomorrow already]
[How is Reality so fast at handling things?]
[Corporate level, lol]
[Is now the time to buy Reality stock?]
[Ah, lol, going all in without thinking]
[Offline Purple is coming!]
[But didn't Godple just ask for A/S? What's with the sudden sponsorship contract, lol]
[This is what you call 'Perfect' A/S, isn't it?]
A chance to see Purple offline, not just in virtual reality.
[No choice but to watch the live this time]
[Never thought I'd wait for an unboxing as a main broadcast]
[That's what it means to be a unique grade streamer!]
[Really, lol, what other show does this?]
[Absolute broadcast genius, seriously!]
The viewers couldn't hide their excitement.
***
**New Name/Location/Skill List**