Genius’s Godlike Game Broadcast

Money Reigns Supreme, Caution (2)

The true value of a gemstone comes more from its 'beauty' than its rarity.

That was why even stones of the same kind were priced differently depending on their color and uniformity.

― Kya lol Beautiful, just beautiful!

― But really, it's pretty lol

― This is a scene you'd never see in real life lololol

The viewers' joy also stemmed from that "aesthetic value."

However, the nature of the beauty here was a bit different from usual.

With a ripping burst, the body of a Gem minion exploded outwards. The shattered jewel shards scattered, radiating colorful lights.

― Insane, lol, now he's just stomping them midair

― What's up with Gemminion Meteor?

― The collision angle was perfect, wasn't it?

Lee Gyeongbok advanced toward the Golden Castle.

Gem minions appeared to block his way, but only for a very short time.

Every one he saw was dispatched(?) immediately, as if literally "lighting up" the stage before vanishing.

As a result, it didn't take long to reach his destination, the Golden Castle.

― Wow, lol, it'd take anyone else hours at this rate

― For Godple, this is just jogging, huh?

― Turned hell into a strict no-kids zone~

― Insane, lol, why's "no kids" even coming up!

― Misunderstanding x No, it's 'Gem' minions^^

― Right lol, anyway, it's Gemminion!

― But shouldn't hell be naturally 'no kids allowed' anyway?

The viewers happily chatted about his performance. Meanwhile, Lee Gyeongbok arrived at the Golden Castle and glanced around.

'Usually, there's some kind of gatekeeper mob, isn't there?'

But in front of the massive golden doors, there was nothing.

He wondered if something might be hiding, but nothing caught on his divine energy either. So, as he stepped forward to the doors, a cutscene began.

Durante, without hesitation, kicked the giant door with his foot. With a loud bang, the golden doors slid open to either side.

― He's just barging in, lololol

― Lol, only cowards sneak in quietly

― Is this the true spirit of the alpha male?

― Ah yes, this is what you call an alpha male's knock.

Despite his loud entrance, there was no real reaction from within. Durante entered silently, scanning the surroundings.

The first thing he saw was the royal garden. But everything, from the fountain at its center to the plants encircling it, had turned to gold.

― This place has a different vibe from outside

― Lol, outside just looked like a warehouse with gold piled everywhere

― Guess Midas was running around touching everything all the time, lol

― It's hilarious to imagine him touching each and every thing

Lee Gyeongbok smirked as he watched the chat. He still didn't feel any threat.

Apparently, durante felt the same, crossing the garden without hesitation.

He stepped inside the castle, and still, the silence persisted. The scene hadn't changed much.

Just like outside, all kinds of artworks, and even fabrics like carpets and curtains, had turned gold.

― Why is it so quiet?

― Lol, this definitely means something's coming

― Quiet = Something's about to appear

― Lol, everyone knows this cliché!

― Spoiler) Midas moves around through the gold and pops out

― The hint was obvious in the cutscene, wasn't it?

The viewers weren't letting their guard down.

They all expected something to happen. Lee Gyeongbok thought the same, logically, but—

'... Wait, there really is nothing?'

His sense remained calm.

There really didn't seem to be anything there.

In that stillness, only footsteps echoed. Durante began to move deeper inside.

'Hm?'

Not long after, his sense responded. But Lee Gyeongbok frowned.

'What is this? It's not an enemy...'

It didn't feel like the threat from devils. But he couldn't call it a positive feeling, either.

It was like the sensation you get from the smell when it rains. Unpleasant, but some might find it appealing.

"So you were hiding there."

Durante seemed to sense the presence as well and stepped forward without hesitation.

Just as he had done with the main gate, he kicked open a door in front of him.

With another resounding bang, a golden carpet stretched out inside the doorway.

― Oh? Is this the audience chamber?

― Midas is 100% here

― Lol, it's boss fight time!

As the scene approached the end of that golden carpet, the viewers immediately predicted what was next.

For there, seated upright on the golden throne, was Midas.

As expected, durante drew his pistol immediately. But he didn't pull the trigger.

"It's not giving off any scent... Is it just a statue?"

His monologue left question marks all over the chat. But Lee Gyeongbok thought differently than Durante.

'No, that's alive.'

That strange sense originated from that thing. If it was just a golden statue, his sense wouldn't have picked it up.

Durante walked up the carpet, stopping before the throne.

"It's not just a simple statue, then."

With those words, durante touched the statue with his gauntlet. The gold melted away, as if dissolving, and part of the face inside regained life.

― Huh?

― It was a person?

― Not Midas? But the face looks exactly the same?

Just as the confused viewers wondered, midas rolled his eyes frantically.

Once the gold over his jaw melted off—

"Please! Please, kill me!"

He cried out urgently.

But his plea made Durante frown.

"What?"

"I beg you, please! Please, kill me and end this punishment!"

"Punishment?"

Just like the chat, now filled with question marks, durante looked puzzled.

Only then did Midas's eyes scan Durante up and down.

"You... You aren't a devil. It doesn't matter. I'll confess my sin. Just, please, kill me...!"

A single tear rolled down his dry cheek. The scene zoomed in on that tear.

Inside the magnified teardrop, it was raining.

"O God! Please have mercy!"

A man prayed in the rain. It was Midas, undaunted by the pouring storm.

"No matter—whatever the cost, I will pay it! Please, look after this land, look after humankind!"

Lightning flashed, turning the dark sky brilliant white, and the screen faded out. When it returned, midas was filled with happiness.

"Looks like he gained the power to create gold."

Lee Gyeongbok commented while observing the scene. Inside the royal castle, gold was everywhere, with soldiers distributing it to the people.

― That's like disaster relief money, holy moly

― Disaster relief, lololol

― Are they seriously giving out gold?

― What? I want a gold bar too!

― He was literally God-das back then, lol

The city transformed rapidly, as if on fast-forward. The message was obvious: everything flourished thanks to Midas's gold.

But the situation changed suddenly.

With unlimited gold, people felt no need to work. They bought whatever goods they needed from merchants using the gold they'd been given.

― Uh? Prices are rising fast?

― Damn, lol, inflation much?

― Suddenly, it's like an economics lecture

― So this was an educational game all along, lol

Relying on imports, prices soared in an instant. People competed, pushing their lumps of gold for limited goods.

But it didn't matter.

Gold was something Midas could create whenever he wanted.

"Oh my god..."

Only Midas, who produced the gold, realized the coming danger. He belatedly tried to stop production and reverse the situation.

But that effort was just another mistake.

"The king betrayed us!"

"Gold! Give us more gold!"

"He's obviously keeping it all to himself!"

The people rioted. Blinded by greed, they stormed the castle.

The soldiers, who were supposed to protect the palace—

"Get lost! This is mine!"

"Give it up!"

They ransacked the vaults for their own share.

It was only natural.

"At this rate, there will be no proper pay."

"The only option is to grab what I can and get out."

They were mercenaries, not natives of the country. As chaos worsened, blood splattered atop the gold bars.

"No, no...!"

Hell on earth.

From his high place in the castle, midas watched hell unfold.

"I, I only...! For the sake of my kingdom...!"

Those blinded by greed no longer looked human. As the mania peaked, the crowd found a solution.

"Find the king! Find King Midas!"

"Yeah! Just make him create more gold!"

"Hurry, find the king!"

Midas could hardly breathe. The scattered madness united and bore down solely on him.

Trembling uncontrollably, he returned to his throne.

"So it was a devil, it really was a devil all along!"

Despairing, he collapsed into the throne.

"How foolish. I should never have made that contract..."

His eyes grew empty.

Beyond the luxurious carpet, the audience chamber's doors were shut tight.

Countless footsteps echoed from outside. The crazed crowd was after him.

"So this is the price. Myself, my people, all have been toyed with by the devil..."

Soon, the doors began to shake as if they would break. In fact, the mob was trying to break them down.

"What I thought was salvation brought all of us to hell."

Midas let out a deep sigh and shut his eyes. At the same time, his body began to turn gold.

― Holy, so he died and ended up in hell like this

― What's this background story?

― Huh? So are the gem minions also citizens who fell to hell?

― From the dialogue, seems like it?

The scene soon returned to the audience chamber where Durante stood.

"... So, in the end, I fell to hell, doomed to watch over the sin of greed as punishment."

As if he'd made a confession, midas wept tears.

― So the first Midas we met really was a devil, huh

― Yeah, looks like an embodiment of Greed

― But isn't this a bit weird?

― Isn't Midas supposed to be the lord of Greed? Why did a lord make a contract with a devil?

― Oh, lol, that bugged me too

― Is this some hint for later?

― Feels like a final boss hint, lol

― King-logic kicking in!

As the viewers were busy theorizing in chat about the cutscene—

Suddenly, midas's body was again covered in gold.

'It's here.'

The sense he felt was the same as when he'd first encountered golden Midas.

"Damn...!"

A beat late, durante clicked his tongue and stepped back, frowning at the throne.

"I smell something foul."

Demon Midas stood from the throne, scowling.

"If you'd just become this body's wealth, this would have ended quickly."

He quickly sneered.

"But this body is merciful. I'll personally turn you into something worthwhile."

As he raised his hand, golden human Midases sprang up from everywhere.

― Now it's the real boss fight, lol

― Clone technique!

― Wow, showing off in front of K-hokage, huh!

― How are you supposed to win? Do you just beat them all up like Gem minions?

This time, the viewers' guess was right. As the cutscene ended, Lee Gyeongbok regained control.

"First, let me check if the Gem minion strategy works here, too."

He responded to the chat's curiosity. Dodging the attacks from all directions, he lashed out with his transformed whip and ensnared one of the Midases.

― EEJ let's go!

― Go, midas! Body slam!

― Das! Das!

-lol why does Das Das sound so natural

Unlike the light-hearted chat, things weren't so smooth in-game.

Instead of the expected smashing or bursting sound, he heard an unexpected squelching.

"Hmm, so it's like this."

The two Midases, upon impact, turned into liquid and merged. The fused Midas returned in an even larger form.

― What's with the fusion!

― Those Gaekkeom bastards lol, never make things easy!

― But honestly, a boss should be tougher than Gem minions, lol

― How are you supposed to beat this now?

― Ah! There was a hint in the cutscene!

― Hint?

― Right! Neutralize them with the gauntlet!

A surprised viewer suggested a new approach. When touched with the gauntlet in the cutscene, the gold melted away, didn't it?

"There are a lot of hints hidden in the cutscenes in this Demerc, actually."

Even with all the Midases pressing in from every direction, Lee Gyeongbok checked the chat.

There was a simple reason for his composure.

"As you can see, for a boss, the pattern is pretty monotonous. It's the type that attacks in numbers, but it's not hard to dodge."

He could evade every attack from the army of Midases without being hit once.

― Midas getting trolled, lol

― Who said you can't beat numbers? Lol

― Lol, it's only bad for merchants; gods don't care

― Exactly, merchants are just strong humans

Lee Gyeongbok escaped the encirclement, caught a stray with his gauntlet, and as he expected, its body began to melt.

― Loool, called it, didn't we?

― See, the cutscene was the key

― If you focus on the hints, the strategy is all there

But the viewers' relief faded quickly.

― Wait, do you have to remove each one by contact?

― There are way too many for that!

― Normal players are gonna hate this, lol

― Finish off the Gem minions and now you have to do this?

― If I had to, I'd get completely burned out

Looking at the other clones swarming in, the chat became skeptical.

Lee Gyeongbok could wrap things up quickly with his physical skill, but average players would find this exhausting.

And that wasn't the end.

― Huh?

― What the heck

― Lol, why does another one pop up!

― Is this unlimited spawn?

― Midas barbecue was unlimited, holy

― Are we supposed to enjoy this forever!?

Because the Golden Castle was made of gold, gold was everywhere. As soon as one disappeared, a new clone sprang up.

The chat became even more exasperated.

― How are you even supposed to clear this, then?

― Those Gaekkeom devs crossed the line, lol

― If this wasn't a test build, people would quit instantly

― Did they just make this to artificially pad playtime?

― This really needs a fix

― Hyung! Speak up on our behalf!

As an advertisement showcase, this was improper. So Lee Gyeongbok pulled out the actual solution.

"There's another way to clear this, actually."

But it wasn't what the viewers expected. When a flood of question marks filled the chat, Lee Gyeongbok smiled and said:

"The hint in the cutscene wasn't just about that. There's a real Midas hiding inside here, not these gold lumps. You need to go after the true body."

He liquefied another clone with the gauntlet, dodging attacks as he replied with ease.

Yet even while pulling off such moves, he responded coolly to chat, earning laughter.

― Makes sense, now I think about it lol

― He was asking to be killed for a reason

― Right, if the true body dies, the clones should all die too

― So the gauntlet is used to find the true one, huh

― But how do you find the real one among so many?

― Anyway, still feels like playtime padding, lol

The new solution eased the mood a little, but concerns remained.

Finding the true one among so many clones would still take a lot of time.

'Of course, I already know where he is...'

But that didn't apply to Lee Gyeongbok.

From the moment he entered the boss fight, he'd already used divine energy to pinpoint the true body.

'Still, I can't just go straight for it.'

If it were a solo game, it wouldn't matter, but this was a livestream meant to provide viewers with experience and strategies.

He needed to show methods that others could use to find the true one too.

'In this situation, this is the most efficient method.'

Fortunately, Lee Gyeongbok quickly thought of a method viewers could emulate.

"So, this boss fight is like a game of 'spot the difference' mixed with action. If you use the pistol, you can get through it easily."

― Spot the difference?

― What is he hinting at?

― And did he just say "easy"?

― Officer says it's easy = actually super hard

― What exactly isn't easy for you!

― Purple confidence ON!

― But yeah, for Godple, it actually is easy, lol

But it definitely wasn't a simple method. The viewers already knew that.

Lee Gyeongbok chuckled, then got to work.

"Watch carefully."

He gripped his pistols in both hands. Firing at the approaching clones in close combat, he let bullets rain.

Gunshots rang out, bullets struck the bodies, producing metallic clangs.

The clones charged at Lee Gyeongbok, attacking relentlessly.

Lee Gyeongbok dodged, then planted a boot on one and vaulted into the air.

"All you need to do is shoot each one once."

In a smooth motion, Lee Gyeongbok twisted his hips in midair.

Spinning 360 degrees, his pistols flared. The scattered bullets flew toward distant Midases.

"Did you see?"

He asked as he landed, prompting a flood of chat comments.

― Lol what is easy about that!

― It's not just about pistols... you need insane physical skills!

― Lol, this isn't what the curriculum promised!

― Turns out "physical skill" is a required class, lol

― Professor, please cancel my enrollment or just give me an F

― And you want us to "watch" this? For what?

― There's no difference in the result!

Despite the difficulty and lack of visible changes, the viewers were understandably confused.

Lee Gyeongbok slipped out of the encirclement again, now aiming his pistol at a single target.

He pulled the trigger, firing one shot.

"Now, did you see?"

Only then did the viewers realize the difference.

― What? Why did that one dodge?

― Lol, because it had the true body inside!

― When the true body is inside, even if the outside looks fine, hitting it actually hurts the real Midas

― Right, lol

― Wow, are you really supposed to find it like this?

― It is easier if you can tell with the pistol, but still...

― Lol, is it really easier to do a 360 airborne shot and spot the right one?

― So you already pinpointed the true body's location with that move?

― Required: Perfect vision

― Lol, impossible from the start!

Unlike the clones, the true body didn't simply take the attack.

"You've learned well! Now that you know the trick, I'll finish this quickly."

He'd taught everything they needed.

Lee Gyeongbok smiled at the chat.

― Perfect teacher always giving you just the hints you need, ㅠㅠ

― Great lessons, but the practice is impossible, lol

― Easy guide (if you can do it)

― Lol, I'm just gonna watch since I can't do it!

― Murderous smile ON!

― When he smiles, it's over!

― Haha! Justice party time!

Most viewers preferred watching to actually trying it themselves.