Chapter 74
I quickly turned off the broadcast and moved to the room with the curry.
“I’ll be borrowing your space for just one hour.”
I had anticipated a situation like this, so I had installed two computers in the curry’s room.
If this moment hadn’t arrived, I planned to use one for broadcasting and the other for gaming.
But alas, I ended up doing a different kind of collaboration stream much earlier than expected, making my decision to set up separate computers a stroke of genius.
Of course, there were many other plans I had prepared for our living together period, but it was still too soon to pull those out. I wanted to savor this delightful time as slowly as possible since I didn’t know when it might come again.
“…No wonder there was an extra computer.”
Maybe I was too stunned to react, but the curry gazed blankly at the set-up computer.
After booting up the computer, I immediately turned on the broadcast, but then I realized I had forgotten to bring my camera.
It was a minor oversight that I hadn’t thought of, but I decided to turn this mistake into an opportunity.
I slid my chair close enough to the curry so we were nearly touching, then cautiously leaned forward.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have a camera… can I borrow yours?”
“You could just grab it from upstairs.”
“No way. We need to do a ‘collab’ for one hour, right? I can’t just leave.”
“…I don’t remember us setting that rule.”
“I also don’t recall us banning that rule.”
The curry, looking utterly flabbergasted, sighed softly enough to avoid drawing attention.
Watching that, the mischievous thoughts I had a moment ago started to swell again.
“Curry.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve got about six million points.”
“Did I hear you wrong?”
“I’m saying that I have around six million points in your channel.”
Maybe it was too shocking to accept. The curry stared at me with a baffled expression.
Before long, she seemed to grasp what I meant and looked at me with horror.
“Wait… you burned a million points for a collab.”
“Right?”
“Then that means you originally had seven million points…”
“I’m really looking forward to the stick game.”
The curry tried to redirect the conversation, attempting to deny the reality of the situation, but once I confirmed how few points remained before the stick game, she fell silent.
There was a prolonged silence in the room, and I smiled leisurely as I whispered,
“Shall we start a solo queue now? I need to earn some points.”
“…”
Was she really unable to bring herself to hit the match button?
Though the curry hesitated, I knew that if we continued like this, only frustrations from the viewers would grow.
Reluctantly, I placed my hand over the mouse the curry was holding.
“What are you…”
Before the curry could finish, I quickly pressed the match start button.
This was purely an action born from a concern for the curry’s viewer ratings—nothing selfish about it, I assure you!
[Beep beep beep]
[Hey girl… that’s too intense]
[Why are you frozen? lol]
[Curry’s going wild… huff…]
[That kind of girl even holds hands? Damn]
[Those moments of panic are just pure inferiority complex]
[If you’re envious, you lose… envious… lose…]
[Why is this happening in my life?]
[Host! Open the door!]
Enjoying the reactions of both the adoring and jealous viewers, I opened the betting table.
The game was found, and the betting ratio was set at 70/30 as the picks were made.
“Host! Open the door!”
“Seriously, this is ridiculous.”
When I read one of the messages popping up in the chat right next to the curry, she laughed.
It was just a playful attempt to lighten the mood, but it seemed to be working better than I expected—I felt a sense of accomplishment.
A new game and betting table opened, and the mindless gambling continued uninterrupted.
After an hour of tormenting the curry, I returned to my room to do my solo queue broadcast.
Even if I had received permission to gamble, I couldn’t spend the entire day just betting on the curry’s stream.
Still, I didn’t forget to sneak into her broadcast during breaks to place my bets.
Ending my broadcast after eight hours, I had quite a satisfactory profit to show for it.
*
Three days passed since the gambling was initiated.
The content within content—our ‘relationship gambling’—had ushered in an unprecedented boom.
Even when first introduced, it was hard to find a streamer who wasn’t into betting points, solidifying its popularity.
Moreover, the unique collaboration streaming of the barcode and curry made this a cheat code for success, making it no surprise that they had so many fans.
While these two contents once stirred up a sensation, over time their heat began to fade.
However, the gambling allowed viewers to purchase items to script their desired scenes, helping immerse them further into the stream.
Some viewers tossed out subscriptions left and right just to earn channel points.
Others used macros to effortlessly mine points.
And in one community linked to the streamers, discussions about both of them were buzzing actively.
It was a fairly large community, justifiably filled with talks about various streamers,
Yet the only titles refreshing focused solely on the collaborative gambling between the barcode and curry.
Title: So how many points have you all collected?
Content: I have 1.2 million from curry and 400k from barcode.
Title: By now, has barcode ambushed curry?
Content: With those lustful gazes barcode shot yesterday, it’s a done deal!
Title: Revisiting a legend.avi
Content: (A clip of curry using cat-like expressions)
Title: Huh? What’s this in curry’s channel product list?
Content: An eye-tracking challenge for 3 million points? LOL I can’t resist this!
Title: Why isn’t there an eye-tracking challenge in barcode’s product list?
Content: Seems pretty evident that the ‘CEO’ influence is strong here LOL.
Title: Whoa, curry doing an eye-tracking challenge next to barcode?
Content: If someone pays 3 million points, that day will be curry’s funeral, right?
Title: Host, open the door!!!
Content: Why aren’t they broadcasting if they’re living together but can’t meet?!
Once the product ‘Eye-Tracking Challenge Next to the Relationship Target’ was added to the channel product list, chatter about the eye-tracking challenge erupted.
Eye-tracking was a challenge that could create a massive trend, initially alongside relationship content and points betting.
The Eye-Tracking Challenge.
Streamers use eye-tracking technology while broadcasting to receive video donations from viewers.
Of course, they are not ordinary video donations; they come in the form of tantalizing videos where the viewer cannot help but stare at either the male or female’s alluring aspects.
If at any moment the streamer’s gaze drifts to the enticing areas, it would be deemed a failure, and typically, there would be a penalty to perform for that failure.
Title: What’s the penalty for failing the eye-tracking challenge?
Content: Is there any separate penalty for failing?
[Comments]
111: Isn’t failing itself scarier than any penalty?
222: Failing next to barcode? Just imagining it is horrifying.
333: Even a fleeting glance could be a kill-shot—what’s a penalty even needed for? LOL
Thus, many people eagerly awaited the day’s broadcast, their expectations high.
Title: Burning my saved 3 million points today!
Content: (Image of 3 million points) Will this make today’s broadcast legendary?
[Comments]
111: That’s insane!
222: How did you even manage to collect all that?
333: Why are there so many hidden wealthies?
444: You will adorn a page in history!
As one community user posted a verification shot of his 3 million points, the inflated anticipation was on the verge of bursting.
The heated atmosphere only grew stronger and before long, both barcode and curry turned on their broadcasts simultaneously.
The rapid-refreshing community posts slowed to a halt.
*
Having completed all preparations to go live, the curry hesitated to press the start button.
After negotiating with barcode, they’d added the product ‘Eye-Tracking Challenge Next to the Relationship Target’ to the list.
When the suggestion for the eye-tracking challenge first came from barcode, she had made her refusal perfectly clear.
But to curry, barcode was more than just a relationship target; barcode was a fellow streamer, and before that, her CEO.
With the polite and respectful way he had presented his proposal, the thought of rejecting it made her feel like she would be betraying the flower shop owner.
Reluctantly, she had accepted the offer and now she found herself regretting that decision.
“I should have just declined…”
In retrospect, the one who truly betrayed first was barcode.
After years of tormenting her as Nayun Queen, it would have been enough, so why did he persist in making her suffer this way?
In their relationship, curry was the thorough subordinate, while barcode held the thorough upper hand, regardless of curry’s feelings.
“Maybe they won’t buy anything? Everyone seems to be eyeing the stick game instead… it should be fine…”
Reassuring herself, curry steeled her nerves and clicked the broadcast start button.
As the broadcast went live, notifications began reaching the followers.
Watching the viewer count rise rapidly, the curry wore a face that was a mix of laughter and tears.
As the song came to a close and the chat quieted down a bit, the curry opened her mic.
“Ah… everyone…”
[YouHereForRamen has purchased the ‘Eye-Tracking Challenge Next to the Relationship Target’ product.]
“…What the hell.”
[YouHereForRamen: Curry, just give up.]
Barely had she started her opening monologue when a viewer purchased the eye-tracking challenge, and as this nightmarish scenario started becoming a reality, the curry barely managed to suppress a scream.
[See you later, Curry.]
[Hurry and turn off the stream and get upstairs. LOL]
[Is barcode live-streaming from upstairs?]
[Curry’s real despair is hilarious! LOL]
[With this kind of acting skill, you could definitely win an acting award!]
[??: It’s not acting; it’s real despair!]
“Wait, I haven’t even gotten through my opening remarks!”
Curry really did not want to go upstairs to barcode’s room, and tried to prolong the moment as much as she could, but…
[Flower Shop Owner: Curry, come upstairs.]
With that one chat from the Flower Shop Owner, she had no choice but to get up.
“Everyone, I’m going up.”
[Curry, no!]
[Ramen man, enjoy your meal!]
[Is there a festival happening?]
[Nope, it’s a funeral.]
[You evil little devils! LOL]
With a mindset of facing the music, she quickly ended her broadcast and walked out, heading up to the second floor.
Stopping in front of barcode’s room, a place she had never entered during their time living together, she swallowed the spit pooling in her mouth and knocked on the door.
Tap tap tap-
Screech…
After knocking, she slowly turned the doorknob, stepping inside the room.
“You’ve arrived? Please start the broadcast before putting this on.”
“…”
Feeling like a condemned prisoner awaiting execution, curry sat down in her seat and turned on the broadcast.
Then she wore the eye-tracking equipment that barcode handed her.
Barcode stood by, assisting curry with the settings for the challenge. A short while later, all preparations were completed.
“Ready when you are, Curry.”
“Yes…”
Curry went into the broadcast settings and unlocked the video donation option.
Just as expected, a video donation arrived as if it had been lying in wait.
Praying silently that it would be a video she could withstand, curry played the video.
The screen lit up with a famous female solo singer performing at a summer festival.
It was a performance that her favorite solo artist had done at the summer festival, and she wore an outfit appropriate for the event, exuding cool vibes.
Curry’s gaze began to tremble precariously, but surprisingly she managed to keep her focus for a while.
Just when it seemed she might get through unscathed, the singer ended her performance with arms raised.
At that moment, curry’s eyes flickered toward the woman.
It landed slightly above her abdomen.
“…”
The video came to an abrupt end.
“Where are you looking?”
A cold voice pierced through the air beside her.