Chapter 42: Bidding Competition

[So, what are we doing today?]

[Hurry up and turn on Abyss.]

[Turn on the cam, turn on the cam, turn on the cam, turn on the cam, turn on the cam, turn on the cam.]

[I just watched the tournament, but isn’t there a rule for the chat in this room? Why isn’t anyone getting banned for spamming?]

[The owner is pretty lenient.]

[Can you at least turn on the hand cam? ᅲᅲ]

It’s the collective monologue of the viewers.

Since it’s made up of different people, it’s natural, but it’s odd how they all speak only their own words.

Still, among them, I could find a common topic, a common question.

That topic was: What is the main theme of today’s broadcast? What will today’s broadcast be about?

“Today, well, I didn’t plan anything specifically. I just turned it on because I was bored and wanted to hang out with you guys.”

[Yeah.]

[The hardworking streamer Kayak ᄃᄃᄃᄃ You can’t stop this.]

[You guys really wanted to see us.]

[You could just honestly say you wanted to see us ᄒᄒ.]

[Has the concentration of sweet broth increased rapidly these days, or is it just my imagination, teacher?]

[Someone like Kayak, who’s a 1st tier Dullahan in Abyss, is bound to have a lot of broth. ᄋ]

[You’re even subtly training the viewers, huh, damn…]

[Broth is bubbling…]

[Please turn on Abyss, go to the Grandmaster.]

[Please chat, communicate, do a Q&A.]

[Why isn’t Abyss turned on? Why isn’t Abyss turned on? Why isn’t Abyss turned on?]

Most of the chat was demanding that Abyss be turned on, which was understandable.

From the beginning, Abyss was the foundation of my stream, and most of the viewers, totaling around 2300 now, probably found my stream through Abyss.

But today, I didn’t want to turn it on.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been playing Abyss day and night lately, or maybe it’s because I’ve been playing it nonstop for so long.

Anyway, since there’s no team practice today, I didn’t want to turn it on. I wasn’t at the skill level where I needed to practice.

[Disappointed, teacher….]

[How can love change?]

[Kayak, who used to promote Abyss even when the viewership was 3000, is now…]

[How can you only eat home-cooked meals? ᄏᄏ You need to eat other things too.]

[Abyss players, leave the room ᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏ.]

[Let’s rewatch the 4th round of Kayak’s point?]

[Then are you going to play another game?]

[Here comes the unstoppable Kayak, the game streamer. ᄃᄃᄃ.]

[Chat, chat, chat, chat, chat, chat.]

[Why don’t you go to a female streamer’s room where they talk for hours with the cam on all day and watch the chat there?]

[20==]

“Do we really need to rewatch the 4th round? I already watched it with the commentary yesterday, and it was more fun with the commentators. Chat… I’m not really good at talking. Yeah. Isn’t chatting like this the real communication? We’re talking right now, aren’t we?”

When we’re not playing games, talking is communication. In that sense, both the rewatch and the chat are dismissed. What’s left is to play another game.

I’ve always had some interest in other games.

While Abyss is the main game I play and my favourite, I generally enjoy games in general.

I occasionally play games that are highly praised by users as must-plays in the industry.

Now that I think about it, it’s been 3 years since I started.

During that time, there have been significant changes in Abyss, and many new games that I don’t know about have definitely been released.

“Is there any game with an appropriate playtime that I can finish in one day…?”

But I couldn’t play games with too large of a scale.

I had to return to Abyss for the team practice scheduled for tomorrow.

I had to skip games that are masterpieces but have long stories that extend the playtime. I’ll save those for later when I have more free time.

Today, I needed a game with a playtime of 6 to 8 hours, or even less would be fine.

[Abyss <<< A legendary game that transcends eras, truly the GOAT.]

[Teacher, is playing nerdy games okay?]

[The Car <<< It’s on sale right now, and it’s fun, a racing game.]

As soon as I declared that I would play a variety of games, the viewers started raising their hands and offering suggestions one by one.

It was like a marketplace.

Perhaps because the number of viewers had jumped up significantly compared to before, the speed at which they commented was incredible.

Despite the earlier objections, it seemed that there were few pure Abyss-only players in my stream, as many people were suggesting various other games.

I started searching for the names of the games coming up in the chat to see what kinds of games they were.

“Hmm, they all look fun. I’m torn.”

The fast-paced racing game that someone recommended, the game where you fight zombies, and the relaxing farming game all seemed fun.

As someone who has trouble making choices, I found it difficult to pick one.

This is the problem when there are too many options.

I was pondering what to play, like choosing food at a restaurant.

<The Racing Lover donated 10,000 won!>

• The Car. A racing game where you escape the stuffy room and race on a refreshing road. The controls are easy, and the game is user-friendly!

A donation from someone.

Even if I were to suddenly switch to Camille’s body, one thing would remain unchanged.

That was the fact that society is capitalist.

When money is involved… Well, how should I put it? It feels more sincere, like it has genuine intent behind it.

Naturally, I felt my attention leaning towards it. Since you should respond to sincerity with sincerity.

Moreover, unlike the chat where viewers have to compete to catch my eye, the donation window can convey the game’s content directly to me, making it even more appealing.

“Aha. The Car? Is that how it’s read? A racing game. Hmm, racing games aren’t bad either. My car races on the Autobahn. Vroom vroom.”

In this harsh world, how could I possibly ignore a request to play a game when someone hands me money?

Just as I was about to move the mouse to install the racing game after receiving 10,000 won,

<So. Freaking. Fun. donated 30,000 won!>

• A plate of roguelike? The playtime isn’t long, and I can pause in the middle. It’s a physical game, so the streamer would do well at it?

…30,000 won?

A roguelike game suddenly popped up.

The donation was a whopping 20,000 won more than the previous 10,000 won donation for the racing game.

Hmm. This doesn’t feel ordinary.

I instinctively sensed it. Something had opened up.

When the racing game donated 10,000 won and the roguelike followed with 30,000 won, it seemed like the spark had ignited.

It was as if it had become a signal, with people starting to donate one by one to promote their games.

<Bear Game donated 50,000 won!>

• I want to hear Kayak’s cute scream…

<One Shot Opportunity donated 60,000 won!>

• Never again, war! Never again, war!

<So. Freaking. Fun. donated 70,000 won!>

• Roguelike, Kieeeek!

Eventually, the donation messages no longer mattered.

The messages were just random comments, and people gradually raised their donation amounts like an auction.

“Hehe… heh…”

For me, it was all about agreeing with them, wondering whether this game or that game might be fun, and encouraging them.

But after a while, all that was left was laughter.

Had big companies been doing this all along, broadcasting in such an environment?

Every time they had to pick a game, did people throw money at them, begging them to play their game?

[No, lol. Is money growing on trees?]

[Strangely rich people who are seriously into games….]

[Actually, gaming is a bourgeois hobby, lol. Poor people can’t even afford games.]

[That’s why I can’t subscribe to Kayak’s stream and just watch for free. I’ll be vicariously satisfied today too.]

[Be thankful you can watch. People in real poverty can’t watch streams and work all day.]

[Why are we suddenly talking about depressing things;;]

[Anyway, it’s a good thing for the streamer.]

[As long as you’re happy, teacher, I’m happy too.]

[Kayak’s money-collecting stream, lol.]

[The sound of laughing, lol…]

[Just laugh out loud.]

[Why does this person keep blowing into the mic?]

[It’s an ASMR stream~]

[Ah, lol. It’s so satisfying when money keeps piling up, who wouldn’t feel good about that?]

Out of nowhere, a cyber auction unfolded. The topic was what game Kayak would play.

It didn’t take long for the winner to be decided.

<Bear Game donated 150,000 won!>

• I want to see Kayak play a horror game…

I clapped my hands and spoke again.

“Alright, today we’re playing a horror game. No complaints, right?”

Of course, I had poured money into it, but I also planned to eventually play the other games that hadn’t won the auction.

It would be too rude not to play them after such generous donations.

I’d play them when I had time… yes, when I had some free time.

Though when that might be, I wasn’t sure.