Chapter 41: Dr. Strategy Gate (5)
The atmosphere was heated as the lobby scandal unfolded in real-time. Dojun was about to continue his broadcast, but he couldn’t.
[Dr. Strategy’s broadcast has been suspended by the operator.]
“They said there were no on-call staff, but that wasn’t true either.”
Anyway, the harvest was plentiful. Dojun gathered all the USBs. Then he looked at Dr. Strategy, who lay on the floor.
“It’s over for me…”
His face was completely blank with despair. Not only would he be socially ostracized, but he would never be able to set foot in this industry again. Yet, Dojun felt not a shred of pity for him.
“Be grateful I let you live. No… perhaps living will be more painful for you.”
Dojun slowly left the scene. Faintly, but from a distance, he heard siren sounds.
Looks like the police are coming.
The broadcast had been interrupted, and he had immediately contacted the police. Of course, he left no traces. Dojun returned home at once. When he accessed his broadcast channel again, the suspension had been lifted.
“They’re quick to act.”
With the video spread so widely and explicitly on SwitchTV, public opinion would have certainly worsened had they not intervened.
The current time was 6 AM. He opened his broadcast list and saw familiar streamer names.
[BJ Allari]
[BJ Game Genius]
[BJ Machung]
They were all streamers who had been suspended. It seemed they were making their comeback broadcasts, gathering viewers at the very top.
In this current, active environment, Dojun naturally couldn’t rest. It was time to ride the surging wave and move forward.
[Phantom’s Game Broadcast]
▶▶I Have Something to Say◀◀
Even at this early hour, 30,000 viewers gathered as soon as he started the broadcast. People continued to flock in, quickly surpassing 50,000. Dojun confirmed the viewer count and immediately switched the screen to his game.
“Hello, everyone. I’ve returned, having overcome an unbelievable injustice.”
The viewers immediately responded to Dojun’s words.
You worked hard, Phantom.
He really came back from the dead, lol.
Isn’t this a complete blessing in disguise?
You’re right. He’ll probably soar even higher now that he’s a hot topic.
His growth rate just pierced the atmosphere and went to space.
I wonder if there’s ever been a rookie streamer like him before, lolololol.
He even has luck on his side. It really is “the strong get stronger,” huh…
★★’Dagger’s Breath’ has sponsored ₩5,000,000.★★
[The lunch money skyrocketed lol]
Dojun was startled by the 5 million won sponsorship and shouted, “Whoa! Dagger Hyung-nim!! Thank you so much for the 5 million won. You’re skyrocketing too, Hyung-nim. You’re my #1 loyal fan, after all.”
Dojun praised the big spender, and the broadcast began to liven up. The atmosphere mellowed as he communicated with his viewers about everything that had happened.
★★’Dagger’s Breath’ has sponsored ₩1,000,000.★★
[Now that you’ve aired your grievances, time to beat Lost Land, right?]
Just at the opportune moment, the topic was brought up, and Dojun smiled faintly. “Of course, Hyung-nim. This time, I’m really going for the full clear in one sitting. Though, if the broadcast gets suspended again, there’s nothing I can do.”
Ah~ Can’t do anything about that lololol
Stop messing with SwitchTV lol. They’re probably trembling right now.
For real, they’re probably thinking they’re totally screwed.
And so, he launched [Lost Land] once more to see it through to the end. It was time to reclaim his 100 million won.
The Shocking Reality of Internet Broadcasting Platforms!!
SwitchTV Team Leaders’ Lobbying Scandal!!
What about compensation for the suspended victim streamers?
Internet broadcast operations must be transparent…
Cutting off the tail? Headquarters claims ignorance…
Overnight, SwitchTV headquarters became a chaotic mess. Despite it being Saturday, all employees were forced to come to work. They responded with full force to the continuous inquiries regarding the allegations and the onslaught of questions from reporters.
Michael Jo, the branch manager of SwitchTV Korea. He now looked at the two men standing before him, enduring a throbbing headache. They were Team Leader Byun Woo-seok and Team Leader Joo Young-jae.
“Do you two realize what you’ve done?”
“We apologize.”
“We apologize.”
“Lobbying? Of course, it’s acceptable. I knew you two were receiving bribes. But you should have picked your targets more carefully!”
“What do you mean…?”
Byun Woo-seok and Joo Young-jae looked utterly bewildered, not understanding what Michael was talking about.
Last night, Michael was surprised by an unexpected call. It was from the Seong Group, out of the blue. Not just any random person, but the secretary of the Seong Group’s third-generation heir. And what they asked was:
“—Why was a streamer named Phantom suddenly suspended from broadcasting?”
It was truly out of the blue. A chaebol, one of the top few in South Korea, suddenly asking about a mere streamer? Michael, naturally, couldn’t understand. Then came the next line.
“—If you cannot explain properly, the Seong Group will no longer place advertisements with SwitchTV.”
It was a bolt from the blue. Michael hastily grasped the entire situation. In the process, he discovered Byun Woo-seok and Joo Young-jae’s involvement in bribery. He was about to take immediate action. If it had just been that, Michael could have somehow handled it. But the problem was that ‘Dr. Strategy’ had been targeted by some strange individual, and the lobbying video had spread everywhere.
“This is driving me crazy.”
It was incredibly difficult to salvage the situation. Furthermore, SwitchTV headquarters had recently been putting pressure on him. Compared to other countries, the ratio of operating profit to investment in Korea wasn’t high. The increasing network usage fees and the gradual departure of so-called ‘big spenders’ from SwitchTV also played a part. The situation was filled with headaches just thinking about it.
Michael couldn’t stand the sight of the two men in front of him.
“Both of you are fired. And the company will fully deny all legal responsibility for this incident.”
“What do you mean…?”
“When the investigation comes, say everything you did was on your own initiative.”
“Otherwise, we will calculate all the damages the company incurred and sue you.”
Byun Woo-seok and Joo Young-jae had no other choice. If they didn’t do as Michael said, they would not only face prison time but also have their futures ruined forever.
“It would be better to quietly serve a few years. Now, you may go.”
At Michael’s dismissal, both men left the room. Then, he took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
“Hmph…”
White cigarette smoke filled the office, making it hazy.
“This is as far as it goes…”
Michael looked into the void, his expression resolute, as if he had made a firm decision.
Pshook.
Dojun’s dagger finally silenced Nergal.
– Congratulations. You are the first to defeat Nergal.
– The path to the Mortal Realm is open.
– All players can now set the Mortal Realm as their starting point.
– As a first clear reward, you receive the title [First Pathfinder].
◎ Global Announcement ◎
Chapter 1 has been cleared.
The server will open in 24 hours for Chapter 2 pre-check.
We extend our infinite gratitude to ‘Phantom’ for opening the path to Chapter 2.
Regarding the prize money, TL Games will contact you separately.
After defeating Nergal and with the server finally closing, Dojun let out a loud shout.
“It’s finally over!!!”
It had been over 10 hours of non-stop broadcasting. The accumulated stress and frustrations felt like they were flying away all at once.
★★’Lost Land Uncle’ has sponsored ₩100,000.★★
[Thank you, Phantom.]
★★’National Lost Land Association’ has sponsored ₩300,000.★★
[Hah-hah, so excited for Chapter 2.]
…
★★’Dagger’s Breath’ has sponsored ₩5,000,000.★★
[Good job. Congrats on the 100 million.]
Countless sponsorships poured in after clearing the game.
“To my Lost Land brothers and Dagger Hyung-nim. Thank you so much!! Your sponsorships throughout really gave me strength. Thank you again!”
Dojun bowed his head deeply in gratitude.
★★’Dagger’s Breath’ has sponsored ₩100,000.★★
[Are you going to continue Lost Land? Or another game??]
Won’t he play another game? With the 100 million gone, his viewer count will probably drop.
100 million, so jealous.
To keep the new viewers, he should probably play a major game.
He’ll probably play [Knight of Legends]?
Good. Given Phantom’s physical skill, he’d do well.
He’ll do better than you at anything.
For real, lol.
Dojun figured the big spender’s question was inevitable. Viewers also seemed curious about Dojun’s next move.
“Hmm. Well, I’ll tell you after I take a break. I’m still thinking about it.”
A break?!
No!! You should strike while the iron’s hot!!!
But it is low tide right now.
So, ride the low tide and follow the flow, lol.
“I’d like to, but I’m starting filming for an entertainment show for 12 days, starting Monday.”
Dojun’s sudden bombshell announcement surprised everyone.
Whoa, awesome!!
Isn’t that something only celebrities do?!
Phantom… how much bigger are you going to get??
He’s like a national-power-level rookie, lololol.
What show is it? I’m curious!!
“I can’t tell you the details. It’s a survival program. I’ll let you know when the broadcast starts. I’ll just say it was a pretty popular program.”
Celebrity streamer is insane…
Phantom coin just skyrocketed. No one’s a dumb whale who doesn’t believe it now, right~?
He’s currently being pushed by the cosmic energy.
How can I wait 12 days, ㅜㅜ.
I just hope he picks a good game when he comes back from his break.
Viewers were sharing their opinions in the chat, already looking forward to Phantom’s next broadcast. Dojun felt the atmosphere was ripe and quickly prepared to end the broadcast.
“I’ll post the details in an announcement. There were a lot of big and small things today, but I want to sincerely thank all of you who trusted and waited until the end. I’ll prepare an even more enriching broadcast when I return. See you next time~”
With a slightly embarrassing closing remark, Dojun’s broadcast ended.
As soon as he exited the capsule, Dojun went to the living room and gulped down a glass of cold water.
“Phew~”
As the cool water went down, all the tension he had felt dissipated. After calming himself for a moment, Dojun began to calculate his earnings for the day.
[Real-time peak viewers = 97,217]
[Total sponsored amount ₩37,138,000]
A staggering amount exceeding 37 million won. While he earned more than usual due to the long broadcast hours, this sum was also accumulated from numerous small comfort sponsorships due to the major incident that day.
In just about two weeks since Dojun started broadcasting, he had earned over 50 million won. Plus, the 100 million won for the first clear prize. Having truly tasted money, Dojun had no intention of giving up this profession.
I must grow even more and live without worrying about money!!
He was lucky, indeed. Although he had earned a lot now, he still had a long way to go to cover his mother’s ongoing medical expenses and clear their debts. There was no guarantee he would always earn this much.
That’s why he decided to appear on the entertainment program, hoping to earn a significant amount in one go.
Genius’s Game Season 2. A whopping maximum prize of 300 million won.
Since Season 1 was a massive hit, Season 2 will definitely be successful too.
Dojun had no doubts. The lineup had become even more spectacular than Season 1. Dojun’s goal in appearing on this entertainment program was not just the prize money. He aimed to build a good image and consistently appear in the broadcasting industry.
I heard popular programs pay a minimum of 3 million won and up to 20 million won per episode, right?
Dojun needed a steady source of income. Broadcasting had a very wide fluctuation in profits depending on the content. While it was true that he earned a lot, Dojun had realized something on Earth.
The more money, the better.
Dojun envisioned his future, running his “happiness circuit.”
For his family’s new beginning, he had to get the first button right. And the essential element of that first button was “victory.”
