Chapter 26: The Deception

I searched for “broadcasting microphone” on a portal site and checked the price range as “over 1 million won” on the shopping page.

<?>

<Isn’t this person a broadcasting newbie?>

<From a headset mic to a 1 million-won mic, that’s quite a dramatic evolution ᄏᄏ>

<I was about to make a cost-effective microphone recommendation lineup… I guess I have to scrap it>

<Let’s go for an ASMR mic>

<Wouldn’t it be better to start with a 100,000-won mic?>

<They must have a lot of money, right?>

<Isn’t it better to avoid sunk costs and just stick with broadcasting?>

<We need to broadcast healthily and for a long time~>

<The headset of the broadcaster probably costs a lot too, doesn’t it?>

I only did two actions—searching and checking the box—but the chat went wild.

The trolling, cost-effectiveness is really strong.

I am actually going to buy a mic, but…

“Wouldn’t it be more cost-effective to just buy a good one all at once, rather than going through the middle and buying twice?”

<Seems like you don’t really understand the meaning of cost-effectiveness…>

<Pre-legendary cost-effectiveness>

<Does this person sit with a napkin around their neck and eat steak every day?>

<You should do the rich-kid boasting on YouTube>

<Probably living in the best luxury apartment in Seoul>

I flinched.

Since there are so many people, there are words here and there that hit the mark.

It made me flinch.

“This is just a regular game broadcast. Please don’t add any weird concepts.”

<Why is this person being so pushy after getting 500,000 cash in Infinity?>

<A woman who is seriously into being pushy>

<What’s wrong with a woman being seriously into a magical girl game?>

<I watched it because it’s a healing series, but the protagonist’s friends and companions die— is this right?>

<It was considered a harmful item, apparently>

<Asfo ᄉᄇ>

<How serious must this person be to watch that? ᄏᄏ>

“Did you watch Maegulk? Who’s your favorite?”

<The reaction is coming?>

<The broadcaster successfully completed the strategy>

<I like Venus>

<Look at how the voice tone changed ᄏᄏ>

<The overly excited legendary person is so cute>

<I also like Venus>

<LCLC>

These people probably didn’t watch Maegulk.

“Aren’t you just saying you like Venus because I said I like Venus?”

<Ah, you caught me>

<Memo: Doesn’t fall for things easily>

<Visually, Saturn is nice, but I liked Earth more for the story>

That person must have really watched it.

I’m so proud that one more person watched Maegulk because of me!

This masterpiece must be known by many people!

Those who haven’t watched it are missing out on life!

“Earth is great. I can’t spoil the details, but! So, everyone, you must watch Maegulk right now!”

[Magical Girl Question donated 1,000 won.]

“I have a heart closer to Nox vs Venus.”

<ᄆᄎ>

<Oh, sexual harassment alert>

<Get out of here>

<Can a broadcaster ask if someone’s a big-boobed or small-chested fan?>

<Do you think you’re the same as a 2D character?>

<Do they not realize this is a crime?>

“My chest is probably about a Z-cup? It touches the ground, and I walk on it.”

<ᄆᄎ ᄏᄏ>

<I imagined it, and it’s really horrifying>

<Stop asking weird questions, you losers>

<Z-cup… this works…>

<What works, you crazy bastard?>

I’m not particularly hurt, but I wish people would focus more on my actions rather than the fact that I’m a woman.

Is that so hard? To think about a person as a whole and separate certain aspects?

If I weren’t a woman, I don’t think this many people would have come to watch.

Before I knew it, the viewers exceeded 800.

And it kept increasing in real time.

Perhaps there were a lot of unresolved curiosities because I had revealed I was a woman and then ran away.

<Did Big Tory and Wild know the broadcaster is a woman?>

What kind of question is that?

“I know it’s not easy, but I’d prefer if you just see me as a broadcaster rather than a female broadcaster. Gender doesn’t matter when gaming, right?”

Think a little.

If I were proud to be a woman and wanted attention, I would have broadcasted with a female voice from the start.

<Even if you say that with that voice…>

<Are you so naive? ᄏᄏ Do you trust those guys who say you seem like a friend?>

<No? I watch because you’re good at the game, not because you’re a woman.>

I can’t do this anymore. I’ll just turn off my female voice.

I directly used a voice effect on my broadcast.

<Ah, no!>

<It’s because of that guy who asked about the mid-size ᄉᄇ>

<Don’t leave, ᅲᅲ>

<Don’t even turn off the voice modulator>

Yeah, it’s too late.

I lowered the pitch a lot and made it a lower tone.

I changed my vocal technique to reduce the discomfort.

“Ah, ah, ah.”

<Give us back our broadcaster! This monster!>

<Kyaaah>

<Yeah, ᄏᄏ Doesn’t matter ᄏᄏ I can still hear it in my real voice ᄏᄏ>

<It’s ‘do’ not ‘돼’ you idiot>

<? It is ‘do’, though>

<Stop trolling, stop trying to get attention, haven’t you been watching the broadcast for a while?>

“This mic seems to be recommended a lot. Should I buy it?”

I feel like I’ve researched enough.

I don’t have connections with anyone who’s an expert on sound equipment.

<1.56 million, wow>

<Why buy an expensive mic if you’re just going to modulate your voice? ᄏᄏ>

<If you buy a good mic, you’ll feel guilty not using it enough, right?>

<This person probably doesn’t even care about the price?>

<Is this person rich?>

<Doesn’t even seem grateful for the 10,000 won donation ᄏᄏ>

<Already at level 4??>

“What’s level 4?”

<Weird stuff pushed by these losers>

<Don’t even bother watching that, it’ll just make you feel worse>

<They only teach garbage ᄏᄏ Chat is a mess>

<Never search for ‘female streamer level 4’ on the search bar>

The “level 4 streamer” meme was a cartoon depicting a female streamer in four stages.

At stage 1, the streamer was very grateful for the viewers, but as she grew, she became rude and dismissive to her audience.

The transformation from a sweet girl character to a tanned, blonde gal was striking.

“Well.”

But I feel like I’m probably at level 5?

“Wouldn’t it be fine if the useless people left and only the real game fans stayed?”

I just want those who wouldn’t pay attention to the fact that I’m a woman.

<No hand cam today?>

<Please turn off the voice modulation ᅲᅲ>

Hmm, this seems like a really difficult task.

<Hey, have you given up on the undefeated max-level content?>

“I haven’t given up, I just… don’t know yet.”

I’ve lost contact with Wild, or more precisely, I’m ignoring their messages.

I’ve sent an apology, but they should accept it, right? Hmm.

Since I’m broadcasting as a hawk today, let’s start with that!

“I’ve ordered the mic, now let’s start the hawk lecture broadcast!”

<You actually bought it?>

<When did you secretly make the purchase?>

<You probably did it off-screen since your personal info would show>

<Another hawk?>

<Ugh, disgusting smell of a bad game>

<Everything is fine, just turn off the voice modulation>

<Don’t be fooled, it’s just a scam!>

<Yeah, I’m never leaving ᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏ I’ll be here until the broadcast ends ᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏ>

“I don’t need viewers who dislike hawks on my broadcast.”

<So ruthless ᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏ>

<I’m not joking, I think they’re serious, it’s scary>

<Is this real?>

Of course, it’s real.

Would I lie?

[Author: ᄋᄋ] [Title: Something’s really off with this streamer…]

[Isn’t broadcasting itself a sign that someone wants attention and popularity?
But this person doesn’t seem like that, they have all these killer broadcast techniques but don’t use them.
If they were a Team A streamer, their stream would be huge, and if they achieved the unique female challenger rank, it’d just be a viewer duplication bug.
But instead, they play these weird, bad games and keep modulating their voice.
Their hands could show some nice movements, but they don’t do that either.
I don’t understand what they want to do.]

─[Don’t be fooled, it’s just a scam!]

-[Yeah, don’t watch, I’m only watching, I’ll make them my little personal streamer]

[No hope, dude ᄏᄏ Didn’t you see they hit 3,000 viewers today?]

[Didn’t they do a male voice modulation and hawk lecture broadcast? Why are over 3,000 people watching this kind of broadcast?]

[There are rare people who try to shrink their streams when they get too big because it’s overwhelming]

[Hawk is a bad game??? I won’t stand for this insult against hawks]

[Already got a fan club?]

[The game has bad graphics, clumsy controls, and a complicated, pointless system. I won’t take this insult lightly.]

[No one said that though?]

[Acting like a shield, but just slapping with it, ᄏᄏ]

[Author: White Lily Fantasy] [Title: I really understand the psychology of this streamer ᄏᄏ]

[The streamer seems suspiciously obsessed with magical girl anime and Venus.
What’s a common trait of magical girl anime?
The yuri subtext works really well.
In “Magical Girl Chronicles,” there are more than three major yuri storylines.
So, this streamer is a yuri fan.
The reason they don’t want to get involved with men is that they’re a misandrist yuri fan!]

─[Well, I listened to your delusions]

-[You really know how to live up to your nickname]

-[How to get close to this yuri fan: Appeal that you’re also a harmless yuri fan. Try it. YURI FOREVER! Men, stay out! Hetero-drift must die!]

[Hetero??? Are you a gay… did you come from that site?]

[The words they use are really suspicious]

[They say women prefer boob jobs more, right?]

[Please use ‘yuri’ instead of those inappropriate terms like bobiim, thanks]

[Author: Rational Analyst] [Title: Here’s the psychology of this streamer]

[Before getting banned, they streamed with a male voice.
It seems they’ve been modulating their voice steadily for 3 years, even before Big Tory and Wild became pros.
This person just hates men hitting on them…
Do you know what the extreme attention-seeking female streamers have in common?
They’re so unattractive that they don’t get attention in real life.
But this streamer clearly dislikes attention, meaning they’re getting a lot of attention in real life.
They’re definitely an ultra-beautiful girl, with a face that rivals or even exceeds their voice.]

─[Does that make sense? Their voice and hands are beautiful, and they’re good at games, but you’re saying they’re also beautiful?]

[Plus, they’re rich and friends with Wild and Big Tory ᄏᄏ]

[Are they really friends? I heard Wild didn’t even know they were a woman ᄏᄏᄏ]

[But even the perfect streamer doesn’t have everything, like me, Seongjin from Ansan, Gyeonggi]

[That’s yours to have]

-[Oh… That’s persuasive…]

[Persuasion requires making sense, not nonsense]

[Isn’t this viral marketing for the streamer? Like a behind-the-scenes ad]

─[Are you implying our sick Ari-noona is ugly?]

[ᄏ]

[If you don’t want attention, why stream???]

[They want to show their gaming skills but don’t want attention for being a woman, is that it?]

[Whoa, doesn’t this explain everything???]

They say if you tell someone not to think of an elephant, they’ll think of it.

The streamer’s “ant attack” tactic is only backfiring.

See what happens next.