Chapter 13

Star Stream system—the star stream broadcasting was designed to relay its contents to the entire universe . The subscribers were constellations at the top of the distant galaxies, the actors were humans like me, and the storyteller that connected the two sides was the dokkaebi before me .

[Ha, hahahahat! You are crazy! A crazy human! I should’ve known it when you refused the sponsoring of the other constellations!] Bihyung laughed for a long time before opening his mouth again . [I don’t know how you know about Star Stream Broadcasting but I can’t accept the offer . I’m a dokkaebi, not a constellation . I can’t be your sponsor . ]

“You seem to have misunderstood . I never told you to sponsor me . ”

[Huh?]

“I am well aware that you are a weak dokkaebi . I don’t need your strength . I need your channel . ”

[My channel?]

“Since you can’t seem to understand me, is there a problem with your Korean language patch?”

[No, what is this?]

“I will explain it simply . I want to sign an exclusive contract with your channel . ”

Bihyung made a blank expression before belatedly regained his spirit . [Wait a minute . Do you want to make a ‘stream contract’ with me now?]

“Yes . ”

A stream contract was originally a contract between dokkaebi and constellations . The constellation’s incarnation would appear on a particular channel, and the dokkaebi would receive a portion of the coins earned by the incarnation of the constellation as a commission . Originally, the person who was the incarnation wouldn’t be able to intervene in this contract . It was called sponsorship, but the contracted incarnation was nothing but a slave .

[Hahat, this is a hit . ] Bihyung laughed behind his small fingers . The surrounding atmosphere was changing . [I don’t know how you know about such things, but to think that some human dares to mention the stream contract? Moreover, it is a trivial bug with no sponsor?] As his tone changed, the surrounding air was filled with killing intent . Indeed, even a low-level dokkaebi was strong compared to humans . However, it wasn’t enough to make me back off .

“It is worth signing a contract because I have no sponsor . ”

[…What?]

“What do you think the purpose of a constellation is to enter a channel?” At the sudden question, Bihyung looked like a bad student . From now on, it was a special lecture time for the low-level dokkaebi . “You don’t have to be so nervous . You already know this information . But let’s review it again to see what it means . ”

Bihyung was caught in my pace and nodded despite himself .

“The Star Stream subscribers can be largely divided into two groups . One group is the ‘fun seekers’ who seek to relieve their boredom with the channel . The other group consist of the ‘incarnation searchers’ who want to find an incarnation to contract with them . Isn’t that right?”

[Yes . That’s right . ]

“For this reason, you must be able to satisfy one of the two groups in order to become a famous channel in Star Stream . In other words, either stick to the fun seekers or the incarnation seekers . You have to attract one of them properly . ”

[You are moderately well informed . But so what? What does this contract have to do with why constellations subscribe?]

“I don’t know how many more hints I have to give you . This is why your number of subscribers still isn’t over three digits . ”

[…Shut up . Say it quickly . ]

Seeing Bihyung thrust his small horns at me cutely, it was hard to believe the dokkaebi had blown up people’s head a while ago . Now it was time to stop making fun of him and take a chance .

“What if there is a channel that can satisfy both the fun seekers and the incarnation searchers?”

[What are you saying? Such a thing is impossible . Even if it is possible, it is only for a while . ]

Bihyung’s words were correct . The reason why it was impossible to satisfy all the constellations was due to the characteristics of the ‘incarnation searchers’ group . The purpose of these constellations was to ‘discover an incarnation . ‘ They changed channels as soon as the Sponsor Selection was over . Due to this, the incarnation searchers group were just temporary customers . However…

“That is a story for when the Sponsor Selection proceeds normally . ”

[What?]

“What if there is an incarnation who doesn’t sign a contract with any constellation? In addition, what if that incarnation shows an ability that transcends all over incarnations with sponsors?”

The existence of a strong incarnation would attract the eyes of the constellations . If this incarnation continued to reject selecting a sponsor, the ‘incarnation searchers’ group would also continue to subscribe without leaving the channel .

[W-Wait a minute! You— Is this why you didn’t select a sponsor… . ?]

“Yes, that’s right . ”

[Ha… This is interesting . ] Bihyung grinned at me . [Becoming the strongest incarnation without a sponsor… If there is such a thing, it certainly wouldn’t be a dream to become the best Star Stream channel . But such an incarnation can’t exist . ]

“Do you really think so?”

[…I admit that you aren’t normal . You have attracted the attention of constellations from the beginning, and thanks to it, I have also been having fun . However, there is a limit to your delusions . Haven’t you noticed it after going through that? An ordinary human can never beat an incarnation . That is the law of the world . ]

“I don’t know that . ”

[You have already missed the opportunity . Look around you . This isn’t a main scenario . You failed a sub-scenario, and now your life is at risk . There are no constellations watching you―]

“Really?”

[ . . . ?]

“By now, the constellations must be in an uproar . Aren’t they? Isn’t everybody clamoring for the channel to quickly be opened?” Bihyung was silent . “Aren’t they all going crazy with curiosity right now? Who is that crazy person who went against the regressor? Is he really a prophet? Can he really see the future? If he can see the future, why did he get eaten by the ichthyosaur?”

[S-Stop! You are…]

“From now on, I’m going to show it . So shut up and do what I tell you . Do you want to become the king of dokkaebis?”

The gaze with which Bihyung was using to look at me was changing, and I could hear the sound of him gulping . Bihyung was worried . However, in any case, there was nothing to lose if he believed me here . In that case…? Bihyung’s pupils moved quickly . [Then let’s settle the scenario failure first . Give me 5,100 coins…]

“What are you saying? I didn’t fail . ”

[…Eh?]

“Maybe I’ve met the conditions by now…” I loosened my body and got up from my seat . My cold body was stiff . Bihyung still had a stupid expression on his face . “Open the channel . It will start soon . ”

[Start, what will―]

Then a message rang out in the air .

[The hidden scenario has arrived!]

+

[Hidden Scenario – Commander Slayer]

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A+

Clear Conditions: Kill the ichthyosaur ‘sea commander’ and escape from its stomach .

Time Limit: 10 days

Compensation: 9,000 coins

Failure: Death

+

“Look, didn’t I tell you to be prepared?”

There were three types of scenarios in Ways of Survival . The main scenario was in charge of progressing the main story, the sub-scenarios were responsible for minor events, and the hidden scenarios were only opened through special conditions .

[How on earth…?] Bihyung’s lips were shaking with shock . Unlike the main scenarios and sub-scenarios that a dokkaebi was in charge of, the hidden scenarios were characterized by their automatic appearance when certain conditions were met .

“You didn’t even know . You low-grade dokkaebi . ”

[You… What on earth?]

“Anyway, if I can clear this, I will prove that I have the ability for the contract, right?”

Bihyung watched the scenario screen with gloomy eyes . He looked at me with a careful gaze and asked, [This scenario, the difficulty is A+ . Do you really believe you can clear it?]

“Yes . ”

There was a small wave as the Han River water crashed against the wall of the ichthyosaur’s stomach . Bihyung was silent for a moment before opening his mouth, […Okay . If you succeed in clearing this scenario then I will accept the contract . ]

“The terms of the contract will be negotiated after the scenario is cleared . ”

[So arrogant… Then I will open the channel again . Please try hard . ]

“Ah, wait a minute . ” It would be difficult if he left so soon . I had something to check . “You have something left to do . ”

[…What is it now?] Bihyung’s mocking tone was somewhat annoying .

“Fix a system error for me . ”

[System error?]

“My attributes window isn’t opening . ”

[No way . The system can’t have an error . The scenario system is perfect . ]

“Take a look yourself . ”

Bihyung looked at me with suspicious eyes and started to mutter something .

[The dokkaebi ‘Bihyung’ has used ‘System Interference’ on you . ]

System interference—it was an absolute interference skill that could only be used by dokkaebis with the right to interfere in the scenario . In fact, it was unclear if the reason why I couldn’t see the attributes window was an error or not . However, at least the dokkaebi would be able to find out something . That said, if he couldn’t figure it out, that was also a profit for me .

[The exclusive skill, ‘Fourth Wall’ is activated!]

In the next moment, sparks flew in the air and struck Bihyung .