Genius’s Godlike Game Broadcast

Not Just Black-Haired Foreigners, but a Golden-Haired One (2)

Late evening.

A man with blue eyes was staring at his monitor. Even as the screen was filled with dense English text, his eyes darted quickly.

"Tsk, no news about Godple."

The man, Jo Daehan, clicked his tongue briefly and scrolled down.

As usual, he was browsing through foreign communities, namely Reddit. At that moment, he was skimming through a board dedicated to the Mystic League.

'Well, it's just an opening match interview, so it probably won't get that much attention.'

In the domestic community, it was a hot topic that Purple's name had been mentioned in Elephant's interview.

Though the Mystic League was also popular in North America, stories about it passed by only fleetingly.

'As expected, there's more talk about MCS.'

Besides, with both Korea's MCK and North America's MCS leagues underway, it was natural local attention would focus more on their own league.

'Even the MCK posts are mostly just news reports.'

Posts regarding the MCK were mostly statistics summarizing match results and content.

Finding a post about the opening day interview was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

'It would be nice if TierOne won so they'd mention it again.'

Thinking that, Jo Daehan glanced at Smart Link. They had said they'd notify him of the interview result, pass or fail.

But there had been no contact so far.

'Guess I didn't make it.'

Though he had spoken confidently at the interview, thinking rationally, it wouldn't be surprising if he'd failed.

The other interviewees were just that formidable.

He double-checked his account in case there might be an email, but new messages were only spam.

'Still, getting to meet them face-to-face is something.'

Just as Jo Daehan was bracing himself, his phone buzzed.

"Ah..."

After checking the caller, he sighed softly and answered.

"Yes, CEO."

〈Hey, daehan. Is this a good time?〉

"Sadly, I'm quite free."

〈That's good to hear. Do you have any plans next week?〉

"Next week?"

〈Yeah, there's a photo shoot lined up, and I think the concept would suit you.〉

The caller was the CEO of the modeling agency where he worked part-time—a connection he had built steadily since he was a student, right up until after his military discharge.

"Well, for me..."

Jo Daehan almost said he was available but bit back the words.

[Unread – 1]

A new notification had appeared in his inbox.

But it wasn't just a number.

"CEO..."

〈Hmm?〉

"I'm sorry. I won't be able to do photo shoots for a while."

〈What?〉

"No, I mean, it'll be difficult for me to do shoots from now on."

His voice trembled.

Jo Daehan stared, wide-eyed, at the email's subject line.

[(Team Perfect) Congratulations on Passing the Final Stage.]

He had no need to check the contents.

He wanted to shout for joy, but since he was on the phone, he held back.

〈Daehan? What do you mean?! Why all of a sudden?〉

"Ah, it's..."

Jo Daehan explained the situation.

Even if it was just a part-time gig, they had a connection built up over the years.

It wasn't a relationship to end so coldly.

〈Ah...〉

After hearing the explanation, the CEO sighed. But soon, in apparent understanding, he spoke again.

〈Well, if it's what you want to do, I can't hold you back.〉

"There are other guys besides me, right?"

〈That's not it. You're really unique in this industry, you know?〉

"What's so unique about being short?"

Most models were tall. But Jo Daehan was not only below the modeling average, but also shorter than the average person.

〈How many times have I said it? For models, proportions are key. How many short people have great proportions like you?〉

"You'd have to have seen a model as short as me to say that."

〈That's my point. Tall models are everywhere in this industry. That makes it less competitive.〉

The CEO calmed down and continued.

〈Anyway, congratulations on your new job. If you ever change your mind, call me anytime.〉

"Thanks, I appreciate you thinking of me."

〈I'm not just saying that. Man... I should've signed you on contract as soon as you finished your military service.〉

"Ha-ha, I'll stop by from time to time."

Ending the call that way, Jo Daehan let out a smile.

'I'm with Team Perfect...!'

A different life awaited him from here on.

* * *

The next day, early afternoon.

Jo Daehan arrived at a barbecue restaurant in a bustling downtown area.

'Let's not make any mistakes.'

He recalled the contents of the email he'd checked the day before.

His first task upon getting the job: a team dinner.

'At least I don't have to worry about being late.'

He arrived more than 20 minutes ahead of the scheduled meeting time. He planned to prep the table and greet the others.

However, as he entered the private room guided by the staff, he had to revise his plan completely.

"Oh, you're here early."

A man adjusting his glasses looked at him.

Park Juho had arrived first.

"Ah, hello!"

Jo Daehan immediately bowed and quickly took the seat across, setting out chopsticks and spoons.

An awkward silence fell.

Park Juho was the first to break it.

"You must like samgyeopsal?"

Jo Daehan had chosen the menu for the team dinner. Since it was also to celebrate the new employee, he picked what he liked.

"At company dinners, it's usually samgyeopsal and Sozhou. Oh, not that I'm planning to drink—it's still early in the day."

Something in his tone felt off to Park Juho.

'He's definitely Korean, but maybe it's the looks.'

It was not easy to get used to a blonde foreigner talking so casually about "samso" (pork belly and Sozhou).

"Um, by the way..."

"Yes?"

"How should I address you? Should I call you manager, or...?"

Park Juho rolled his eyes at the question.

"Come to think of it, we never settled job titles."

"Ah, yes. I understand you three are all friends."

"That's right, though the final decision-maker is Purple. The other two should be here soon."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the door slid open.

"Oh? What, I thought I was first?"

Choi Byeonghun opened his eyes wide and then gave Jo Daehan a beaming smile.

"Wow, you're really early! We hired the right guy. Hm? We really picked the best one!"

"Enough chatter—just sit down."

"Aw, so prickly. He's got a bit of a sharp personality, but don't mind him."

Sitting down, he reached out to Jo Daehan.

"Editor, Choi Byeonghun. I'll be working with you the most."

"Yes! I'll do my best!"

Jo Daehan shook hands politely, showing his enthusiasm. Choi Byeonghun grinned with satisfaction.

"Most work is WFH, so we might not see each other often. For script translation, just meet the deadlines and quality checks, and that's it! Once you finish quickly, you're done for the day—the rest is free time."

"Ah..."

Jo Daehan nodded as if in a daze, then rolled his eyes.

'This... isn't it similar to the conditions mentioned during the PerG-Day audition?'

Viewers had joked that those were Black Company-like requirements.

Jo Daehan himself had been among the jesters—until now.

"You're bringing up work before we eat?"

"Come on, talking shop while eating is even worse. Thanks to you, I almost got indigestion so many times."

Checking Smart Link, Park Juho replied,

"He says he'll be here soon."

"Getting ignored again..."

At the exchange, Jo Daehan tensed up. It wasn't because the two superiors were bickering.

'Don't tell me he's going to come here still wearing the mask.'

Purple was about to arrive. Since this was a dinner meeting, surely there'd be no mask. In other words, Jo Daehan would finally see Purple's real face.

'Better be careful—if I accidentally react to his complex...'

Jo Daehan steeled himself.

Like many viewers, he believed Lee Gyeongbok had a complex about his face, which was why he never revealed it.

He did his best to control his expressions so that he wouldn't be rude if caught off-guard.

At last, with the sound of the door sliding, all three turned their heads in unison.

"Oh? I'm last?"

With an awkward smile, Lee Gyeongbok entered.

Seeing his face, all of Jo Daehan's mental preparedness melted away—he literally dropped his jaw.

'What in the world...?'

Countless faces flashed through his mind—all the models he'd worked with.

'He's on a different level.'

No matter how he thought about it, no one he'd met looked better. Not just the face—the proportions were practically criminal.

'Just stepping into a studio would result in a whole photobook's worth of shots.'

He wouldn't even need to strike a pose. Whatever posture he took, he'd instantly secure the A-cut.

'This is actual Deceit!'

Jo Daehan was stunned at the real-life Purple confidence(?).

"Nice to meet you. I tried to come early, but turned out I'm late."

But Lee Gyeongbok's words snapped Jo Daehan out of it. He sprang up and bowed.

"N-no, not at all. Please look after me!"

As Lee Gyeongbok settled down, Park Juho spoke up.

"First, let's get titles sorted."

"Titles?"

"I'm not sure how to address you—boss? Or CEO?"

"Ah, right. That could be confusing."

Lee Gyeongbok chuckled at that.

"Just call me whatever's comfortable. Boss, CEO—either is fine. We're not that formal."

"I'll go with 'boss.' That's what I'm used to typing in chat."

After settling on how to address each other, the dinner began. Once everyone had eaten a bit, Choi Byeonghun asked,

"So, why did you become a Purple fan instead of any other streamer?"

"Ah, well..."

Jo Daehan answered with a sheepish smile.

"To be honest, I'm a bit of a Korea-boo."

"... Korea-boo?"

Choi Byeonghun and the other two widened their eyes at the unexpected term.

"I mentioned this at my interview, but my parents really love Korea. So much so, in fact, that they live in Gyeongbok just to be near cultural heritage sites."

"Oh..."

"They even celebrate every holiday, including charye and ancestral rites."

"Really?"

Amused by their reactions, Jo Daehan added,

"Oh, it's only our family since all our relatives live abroad. It makes sense for Mom's side at least, but my dad's ancestors are Americans, right? Still, even after naturalizing, he insists we shouldn't forget our roots."

"That's... pretty impressive."

After mulling it over, Choi Byeonghun replied. Jo Daehan nodded as if to say he understood.

"It's okay. That's how everyone reacts. Why else do you think my name is 'Daehan'?"

"Oh, because of your parents' love of Korea?"

"Yeah. If I had a younger brother, he'd definitely have been 'Minguk.'"

With a smile, he perked up again, starting to talk,

"Anyway, as to why I became a fan of the boss... Growing up in a family like that, I naturally picked up some of it. But the moment I saw the boss' stream, I got this gut feeling."

"Gut feeling?"

"Yes. Like, 'Ah, this guy is truly world-class.'"

At those words, Choi Byeonghun burst out laughing. Jo Daehan, getting even more into it, raised his voice.

"No, I mean it! I didn't become part of Translation Wagon for nothing, right? Having someone like this from Korea—how can you not be proud? The world acknowledges them. That's how I felt!"

His sincerity showed in his face and tone. It was the kind of moment that would fit perfectly with the Korean national anthem as background music.

"And then to get to work with Purple? There's no way I'd pass that up."

"Geez, my stomach hurts..."

Choi Byeonghun giggled in pain. The others, Lee Gyeongbok and Park Juho, couldn't stop laughing either.

"Wow, what a close call if we hadn't hired you."

"We made the right choice."

With a much more relaxed atmosphere, Jo Daehan also smiled brightly.

"Oh! There's something else I wanted to ask. Am I allowed to continue Translation Wagon activities?"

"As I said, your time outside of work is yours. As long as it doesn't hurt the stream, it's fine."

Park Juho answered with a soft smile. Posting translation reaction summaries in the community was basically free marketing.

No reason to stop someone from doing that voluntarily.

"Ah, if only this were dinner, we could have a drink."

"We have to stream, so it can't be helped. We can arrange another get-together next time."

Smiling at Choi Byeonghun's disappointment, Lee Gyeongbok replied. The lunch meeting was scheduled for the afternoon to accommodate the planned evening stream.

"Do we start tournament practice today?"

"No."

To Jo Daehan's question, he waved his hand.

"First, we need team bonding time. Genome hyung has something prepared."

* * *

That night, at PerG-Day's collab time.

Not just the existing three, but with Skullkim and Bakjapcho and even Golcho joining, they started the stream with all five members.

After everyone greeted one another, Genome began,

"So, do we just jump right into work? No way! Our company isn't that harsh! Orientation time for the new interns! A chance for staff to build camaraderie!"

He quickly raised the energy in his voice. The chat responded instantly.

– Black Company OT?

– Are you making the interns show off their talents, lol!

– Training center, corporate rules, talent shows... ugh... my head...

– It's not too late! Run for your lives!

– Seriously, shouldn't mentors be the ones doing things right? LOL

– For real LOL. Chu's just planning an OT because he hates working, huh?

– ???: Please don't contact me outside work!

– After the audition, golcho still going live, true?

– There's already proof!

The viewers found any chance to tease as usual. Genome playfully feigned injustice,

"Come on, what do you mean off-hour contact? The sub gift was for interview expenses! Skullkim, bakjapcho—you're interns, right?"

Feigning dark expressions, the two played along.

"Yes, but even just the gift would have been enough—you didn't have to make a show of it... I'll stop here."

"I made a silent vow to never end up like that."

Their answers set off laughter in chat.

"Ahem, anyway! Why would we do something as useless as a talent show? Today's about having fun and fostering teamwork among staff! We've prepared a game!"

With that, Genome wiggled his fingers. Instantly, a game logo appeared on screen.

A sprawling mansion, four translucent earthbound spirits, and a black-robed exorcist stood with his back to the camera.

[Dead By Exorcist]

Below it, the game's name was written out.

Dead By Exorcist, also called "Davaec" by fans, was the content for tonight's stream.

– LOL this game appears after all

– Haha, for five players Davaec is perfect

– Do you know Davaec? It's honestly so good^^

– Nothing better than Davaec for building teamwork, haha

– Isn't it about learning how to be toxic?

– Normally it's a game of innocent ghosts playing tag with a wicked exorcist lol

– But in real play, it's the cursed spirits who are the mean ones and the poor exorcist who suffers, right?

– Bullying simulator, wow

At first, the exorcist (the tagger) had the advantage, but as players got better, that dynamic reversed.

As a result, even though the earthbound spirits had no direct attack abilities, they found all sorts of ways to torment the exorcist.

Pleased with chat's reaction, Genome continued,

"Our wonderful CEO volunteered to play the villain!"

In this game, Lee Gyeongbok would play the exorcist. The reason was simple.

"Executives versus staff—let the games begin!"

Since, by concept, only Lee Gyeongbok was the 'boss,' the 'executive.'

– There's a game where you escape the Black Company CEO's demonic beast?!

– If it's Godple, he wouldn't exorcise spirits—he'd probably try to keep them in the company

– Wait, are these earthbound spirits the people who haunt offices?

– ???: Trying to go home?

– ???: Does this guy have common sense or not?

– ???: Finish this by tomorrow morning (30 minutes before quitting time)

– 30 minutes is generous! %$#@ – For real LOL. Sometimes you're called back after already leaving

– Joke, right? This is just a joke... right?

– LOL, this is why I never get a job!

– gasp

– Don't cry, just say it

– Why's there only extremes in this chat LOL

As the screen switched over, the viewers' joy was evident.

Most of all, the anticipation—

– Imagine Godple's physicality as the exorcist, it'll be epic haha

– Seriously, how could you not catch people?

– Aren't the staff actually planning to run away from him?

– LOL was this just a test to see if anyone can escape?

– Team-chasing simulator, lol

It was because Lee Gyeongbok was in the role of the pursuer.