Genius’s Godlike Game Broadcast-Chapter 98 : Escape Depends on Talent (1)

Escape Depends on Talent (1)
Genome was more surprised by Lee Gyeongbok's reaction than he had expected, and so were the viewers.
― Does this mean his logic is perfect too?
― Purple's confidence ON!
― Purple withdrawal fully replenished, right?
― I mean;;; no matter what, room escape has nothing to do with physical skills
― Seriously lol. Even if he's physically strong, it's a different genre
― Is he just gonna break open the locks by force or what?
― Nope, the system doesn't let you do that
― But still, there's the Perfect Bug, right?
― Ha, lol, I'm curious how this'll turn out
Most viewers were surprised but still pleased. However, genome felt differently.
'Wait, is he just accepting this?'
He said it as a recommendation, but he hadn't meant it seriously. He had only thrown it out as a joke to create a laugh in the broadcast flow.
'I was planning to tell a story and cover for him if he looked troubled...!'
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
An impromptu, unscripted interview like this always came with its own issues.
'What if Gyeongbok's image is damaged by this?'
He's a genius and a perfect streamer. But what if, on his recommendation, Gyeongbok started this game and failed?
Just the thought sent chills through him. Genome tried to keep his expression as neutral as possible and spoke.
"You're not making it official right now, are you?"
"Sorry? Oh, no, of course not. No matter what, I can't decide without discussing it with my friends."
Whether he understood Genome's intention or not, Lee Gyeongbok just smiled pleasantly and answered. Genome was grateful for even that.
"As expected, you're Purple! No matter how close friends are, things can get tense if business gets involved. Even your manners are perfect!"
He needed to redirect attention now. Genome started talking rapidly to draw the viewers' focus away.
"Mmm! Well said! Truly the demeanor of a knight! When I see Sir Eclipse and Purple, I find many things to reflect on myself."
Thankfully, Eclipse contributed as well. Of course, his exclamation was sincere rather than for Genome's purposes, but it helped nonetheless.
― Perfect manners, Lol
― Ah lol, our hyung is addicted to the word "perfect" now
― But isn't it kind of addictive?
― Perfect-gentleman, Lol
― Genome is actually stating facts, Lol
― Seriously, if you treat close friends carelessly, it's a disaster
― Now I see why even managers and editors stay at a Black Company
― But LOL, if you say that, people will think it's a real Black Company!
As the chat window's attention shifted, genome made the most of the chance.
"Well then, let's wrap up! Huge thanks to our guests today, sir Eclipse and Purple!"
"No, thanks to you, I had a great time."
"Me too. I always feel relaxed when I do a joint broadcast with Genome."
Eclipse and Lee Gyeongbok exchanged warm words. Genome turned a bright smile to the viewers.
"Yes, that was Genome, Eclipse, and Purple! Trba!"
"May all ye retainers be well!"
"See you in the next broadcast! Trba!"
With their farewells, the broadcast concluded peacefully.
* * *
The next day.
The three friends gathered for Team Perfect's meeting. But this time, they met at Lee Gyeongbok's home instead of the usual place.
"Hey, here, take this."
"Oh? What is it?"
"My mom made some side dishes for you."
A big smile bloomed on Lee Gyeongbok's face as Park Juho handed him the bag.
"Your mom did?"
"Yeah. You know my mom likes you a lot."
Choi Byeonghun then joked,
"Of course she does. Her son, who used to be a full-on punk, finally came to his senses. It still amazes me—how did that gangster turn into such a model student?"
"I wasn't exactly a gangster."
"Yeah right, man, you..."
Before Choi Byeonghun could finish, Park Juho turned away sharply.
"She just wanted to take care of you since you'll be working with me. Besides, neither of us is the type to cook for ourselves."
"I'm honestly just thankful. Feels good to have some homemade food for once."
Lee Gyeongbok cheerfully stored the side dish containers in the fridge. Choi Byeonghun glanced at the empty bag with a slight pout.
"So, she didn't make anything for me?"
But Park Juho ignored him with ease.
"Let's solve the most urgent thing first. What game are we playing today?"
"Aren't we going with Escapers?"
The three sat in the living room and started the meeting. Park Juho displayed the Escapers logo via smart link as a hologram.
"I've looked into it. Turns out it's more popular than I thought."
"Really? This is my first time hearing about it."
Lee Gyeongbok asked curiously. Park Juho manipulated the hologram, making the Escapers logo switch to a screen that looked like a CCTV feed.
"Have you at least heard of the 'Black Room' series, which was a mobile game before VR?"
"Oh, I think I've seen this. Weren't there lots of kids who got their phones confiscated playing that in school?"
Park Juho nodded.
"Yeah. It's famous enough that most people who like room escape games would know it. The studio that made that put out Escapers as a VR title."
"But it's a bit different from Black Room,"
Choi Byeonghun interjected. Park Juho switched the hologram back to Escapers.
"That's right. Black Room focused on story, but this is more of a sandbox game."
"Sandbox?"
"Basically, there are rooms made by the devs, but users can also create their own."
"Like the old user maps?"
"Exactly. It's almost more of a platform than a game—think of it as a program that collects tons of room escape games."
He flipped through the hologram, now showing a menu with various choices from the game.
"It supports solo escape and co-op. There's also a competitive mode where you try to get out before others. The difficulty varies widely depending on each room's theme."
"Oh, so if it matches your taste, you could play it for a long time?"
Lee Gyeongbok was impressed. Choi Byeonghun shook his head.
"But still, not always. User-made rooms usually feel amateurish."
"Really?"
"You might solve a puzzle and it won't work, or you could get disconnected suddenly. Bugs and errors are inevitable. So, the rooms made by devs are the most stable."
"User-made rooms aren't great for broadcasts, then."
Park Juho deleted the hologram and turned his gaze to Lee Gyeongbok.
"Back to the point. This game does worry me."
"Worry?"
"Purple's image right now is 'genius' and 'perfect.' This is the kind of genre that could damage that image. You can cover other genres with physical skills, but not this one."
Choi Byeonghun smirked at Park Juho's serious face.
"You're not underestimating him just because he's a bookworm, right?"
"Puzzle games aren't about being a bookworm—they need flexible thinking. I'm not underestimating Gyeongbok. I'm just concerned about worst-case scenarios. Don't joke around, and think seriously."
"Well... What about you?"
Lee Gyeongbok turned to Choi Byeonghun, who lounged on the sofa.
"Honestly, I think you're overreacting."
"Overreacting?"
"Maybe if it was the early days of the broadcast. But now Gyeongbok already has lots of fans. With such a loyal core, image damage isn't a real risk—unless some trolls really try to stir up trouble."
"That's exactly what I'm worried about,"
Park Juho jumped in.
"The bigger the name, the more antis follow. This is the kind of game that can give them ammo. Fail just once, and they'll be coming for the 'perfect' image."
"Those types will find a way to complain no matter what. If you react to every single thing, you can't stream. Ever heard of 'Don't feed the trolls'?"
Choi Byeonghun shot back confidently.
Before things could get heated, Lee Gyeongbok stepped in to mediate.
"It's actually simple to solve."
The two friends looked at him as he smiled wryly.
"In the end, I just have to not fail, right?"
Lee Gyeongbok was confident.
Ever since Genome's stream, he'd wanted to try this game.
'I haven't felt any ominous signs.'
His spiritual energy didn't give him any warning. If that was the case, then he wasn't on the 'wrong' path, at least.
'I might even find a new way to use it with this chance.'
Hearing his answer, Park Juho nodded quietly.
"Knew it'd end up like this. It really is hard to imagine you failing."
"What? Then why the hesitation?"
Choi Byeonghun wrinkled his nose.
"Every group needs someone to play the brakes, like me."
Park Juho began working his smart link again. An email showed up before them.
"What's that?"
"The reply to send to Escapers' devs. I wrote it last night."
"Dev team? Why are they involved?"
The other two looked confused. Park Juho adjusted his glasses.
"I guess they found out from the broadcast or community. To summarize, they sent us a code asking us to try out the game."
"A code? So, they gifted us the game?"
"Yeah. Including this."
He brought up the attached material.
[Escapers 'Ultimate Season Pass']
The two friends' eyes widened.
"With this, you can play all rooms made by the devs, plus everything coming in the future."
Escapers wasn't a one-time purchase—you normally had to buy new rooms as they launched.
"That's worth about three hundred thousand won."
But with a season pass, it was a whole different story.
* * *
That night, during broadcast time.
"Trha!"
Lee Gyeongbok greeted the viewers cheerfully.
-(Perha-con)(Perha-con)
― Perha!
― A streamer who broadcasts on their day off, welcome!
― You said you'd be resting! You tricked us!
― Ha, Lol, so are you not gonna watch then?
― You're the best, Purple! Thank you!
Messages flooded in the chat window.
And donations poured in, too.
['Endure the Purple Withdrawal' has donated 10,000 won.]
[Hyung! You're not overdoing it, right? I want to watch your streams for a long time!]
['Bark President's Chief Secretary' has donated 100,000 won.]
[Sir! The baboons are rejoicing after yesterday's broadcast!]
['Perfect Brain' has donated 30,000 won.]
[So, it's Escapers tonight, right? Gonna show us that perfect brain?]
With all the support, Lee Gyeongbok bowed his head.
"Thank you for the donations! I'm in perfect condition, so don't worry. I'm glad you enjoyed the previous stream. I'll talk about the game in a bit."
Once the flurry of donations subsided, he continued.
"I always appreciate your support. Since it's time to stream, I'll turn off donations for now."
― When's the always-on donation coming?
― That's why he's the broadcast genius, Lol
― Seriously, makes me want to donate even more because I can't
― Godple's donations are one-day-only!
― This is the real deal, Lol, ends up being bigger amounts at once
― Gold-water doctor, impressive
― So he's awakened to the power of capitalism
― So, what's today's game!
― Tell us already!
Lee Gyeongbok laughed at the chat window. Then he clapped to gather attention.
"As most of you expected, today's game is Escapers! But let me explain something first."
With a wave of his hand, an email appeared behind him.
"The devs sent me a code as a gift."
― What? Is this a sponsored stream?
― No, the sponsor message isn't up yet
― All aboard the Purple Coin! LOL
― Hyung! The email is too long!
To the viewers' questions, Lee Gyeongbok waved his hand.
"No, this isn't a sponsored stream. They really just sent the gift, with no requirements. That's why I'm showing you the email—to clear up anything you might wonder about. I'll be giving my honest impressions just as always."
― Ha, Lol, wasn't even a sponsorship
― They just want him to at least try it
― So this isn't homework, it's tribute, Lol
― K-game companies have finally gotten smart, Lol
― A chance to avoid an honorable death!
― But Escapers isn't a flop!
The chat window was filled with satisfaction.
"All right, let's jump right in!"
Lee Gyeongbok started the game.
The screen faded to black in an instant.
― Is his logic going to be perfect too!
― Come on, can even this be perfect?
― If it's Godple, anything is a perfect clear!
― LOL, it'll be hilarious either way
― If he needs help, there's the Purple viewers' collective intelligence!
― You trust the viewers' intelligence? Get them outta here!
As expectation built, the screen gradually grew brighter. Lee Gyeongbok looked around.
"This isn't a room select? Is this the tutorial?"
His question filled the chat with "ㅔ" and "ㅇㅇ."
Normally, you started by picking a room, but since this was the first game, it jumped straight into the tutorial.
'No windows. A basement?'
He could feel a hint of dampness and that dusty smell. A ceiling light flickered on and off, and underneath it, someone was lying on the floor.
"Huh?"
There were dried bloodstains around the person. As Lee Gyeongbok tried to get up, he saw a shackle on his ankle.
"Is this...?"
The situation was serious, but Lee Gyeongbok let out a chuckle. Before he could finish his sentence, a crackling static sounded and a voice played.
〈Let's begin the game.〉
That line made him laugh even harder.
― Ha LOL, who doesn't know this
― Is there anyone who hasn't seen this movie?
― Anyone into room escape or thrillers knows this one, Lol
― Let's be real, only the first movie was a masterpiece
― Right, because it was directed by James Wan, it's just different
― Ready for that corpse to get up now?
The viewers felt the same.
It was obvious to everyone that the room was themed after a famous thriller movie.
"Thought so. Of course, it'll be different from the film, though."
He glanced around, thinking first of a way to free himself from the shackle.
As he prepared to move in earnest—
[Welcome to Escapers!]
[Is this your first time escaping?]
[Why not use the 'Highlight' function?]
['Highlight' will make escape-related items stand out.]
[(You can turn this feature on or off in the options.)]
[Yes] [No]
A system message popped up in front of his eyes.
"Highlight?"
― Yeah, it's good to turn this on
― Without highlight, finding items takes way too long, Lol
― Even most hardcore gamers use this by default
― Unless a streamer really wants to make it hard, everyone uses it!
― Watching a stream with 'highlight' off is so boring, almost died, Lol
― Seriously, both streamers and viewers suffer without it
― We want to see the brains at work, not a cleaning simulator, Lol
Viewers exploded in chat. Lee Gyeongbok glanced at their reactions and grinned.
Then he calmly pressed No.
The chat filled with question marks.
"I'll turn it off first and only use it if I need to."
― But I said to turn it on!?
― The boldness of newbies, Lol
-??? : Everyone has a plan until they're stuck for an hour
― Why does this broadcast suddenly feel so spicy?
― Spicy-flavored Purple stream? Can't miss that, Lol
― Perfect Scoville ON!
― But what if he clears it easily without highlight, Lol
― That's impossible, Lol
― If it's Godple, you never know!
Amused by the chat's outcry, Lee Gyeongbok's smile only grew.
'At least for me, this function isn't necessary.'
The viewers didn't realize why.
'I've already got a rough idea of item locations.'
The moment the game started, his spiritual energy was already feeding him information. What was an optional function for others was always working for him.
As he moved to find the first clue—
A long-lost visitor popped up.
['Agent Q' suggests a quest!]
[Condition – No use of 'Highlight' until cleared]
[Success – 1,000,000 won]
[Failure – Beg to have highlight usage allowed]
Both Lee Gyeongbok and the viewers welcomed the message.
"Oh, qdari! Welcome back!"
― LMAO, qdari!
― So you're still alive!
― I thought you'd been destroyed by Godple!
― Seriously, you haven't shown up on other streams either
― Rumor has it you lost your paycheck and went broke after Godple beat you so hard
― Lol, back with salary topped up?
― Still trying even after getting wrecked?
― But since this game isn't physical, maybe he's got a chance, lol
― How do you clear this without Highlight, damn
― He should turn you down for this one
The viewers were happy to see him return, but hoped Lee Gyeongbok wouldn't take the challenge. They didn't want a boring stream because of a side quest.
"Thanks for the fun quest. Since you're back after a while, I'll work even harder."
But Lee Gyeongbok accepted the challenge without hesitation.
"All right, let's really get started."
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