Sorim Grapes is Wronged

28.

[General/MinoIsMine: Hyung? lol Isn’t Gakjong’s youngest sibling twenty years old,,,]

[General/Gakjong: Shh]

[General/Gchang: I heard rumors that Beombiga got a girlfriend recently]

[General/Gchang: They say he hides the chat window while playing ㅇㅅㅇ lol]

[General/MinoIsMine: I heard he occasionally hid it before too lol]

[General/MinoIsMine: Because idiots send weird messages]

[General/MinoIsMine: If profanity appears on screen during a live stream, GemTube gives a warning]

[General/Gchang: Ah, is that so]

[General/Gakjong: There are so many people who rage at Beombiga]

[General/Gakjong: He blew up as soon as he started on GemTube and was recruited by Cat&Tiger in just 3 months lol]

[General/Gchang: I guess people’s inferiority complexes exploded when a kid joined a big agency]

[General/Gakjong: Honestly, for a game streamer, who cares if they have a girlfriend as long as they’re good at games? I really don’t understand these ragers]

[General/MinoIsMine: The Blood Demon guild master rages so hard at Beombi lol]

[General/Gchang: No no, the Blood Demon guild master is just putting on a cute act, it’s the vice guild master who’s the real rager]

[General/Gakjong: Is it okay to talk about this in general chat?]

[General/Gchang: Who cares, everyone knows about it anyway ㅇㅅㅇ]

[General/Gakjong: Well, it’s too late to be careful now, we’ve already talked about fees and stuff lol]

[General/Gchang: But what’s Cat&Tiger? I’ve heard it a lot somewhere]

[General/MinoIsMine: Ah, it’s a GemTube company lol]

[General/Gakjong: If a game streamer is famous, they’re likely with Cat&Tiger]

[General/Gchang: Ah, I remember now. Wasn’t the parent company Gosung? The one with Gosipal ㅇㅅㅇ]

[General/MinoIsMine: Yeah, that’s right]

[General/Gakjong: Beombiga has been with them since he was 15, so his career is longer than Gosung 8 lol]

[General/Gakjong: Even pro players have to call Beombiga sunbae]

[General/MinoIsMine: That’s right lol In terms of streaming career, he’s way ahead]

[General/MinoIsMine: Since he won the international friendly, it’s fair to consider him a pro]

[General/Gakjong: For real, he really boosted our national prestige]

[General/MinoIsMine: When he won the Korea-Japan match last year, he earned a lifetime pass from criticism lol]

[General/Gakjong: At that time, I really wanted to wear a Korean badge on my chest]

[General/Gchang: Yeah, he even put a handicap on himself by only using the mouse. It was amazing]

[General/Gakjong: And then a month later, Kwon Je-beom crushed the Japanese in the All-Star match lol]

[General/Gakjong: I seriously considered changing my name to include “Beom”]

[General/Gchang: Ah, Kwon Je-beom was seriously so cool then ㅇㅅㅇ lol]

[General/Gchang: I’m someone who picked up MMORPG as a hobby, but Beom’s play was so cool that I tried LT for the first time ㅇㅅㅇ lol]

Is this Kwon Je-beom the same one?

[General/MinoIsMine: There’s a theory that Beombiga and Kwon Je-beom are the same person]

What…?

I was so surprised that I dropped my fishing rod again. The three laughed heartily and continued their conversation.

[General/Gakjong: The Beom-Beom theory lol]

[General/Gakjong: It’s spread like it’s confirmed, but it’s just a theory lol]

[General/Gakjong: If they were the same person, it would’ve been revealed already]

[General/MinoIsMine: I guess you’re right lol]

[General/Gakjong: Among Beombiga candidates, there’s also Lee Yeon-ho and Striker lol]

[General/MinoIsMine: Charmingma too]

[General/Gakjong: Charmingma recently proved it wasn’t him by doing a simultaneous live stream with Beombi]

[General/Gakjong: I think the Beom-Beom theory is wrong]

[General/MinoIsMine: Oh?]

[General/Gakjong: I just can’t think of them as the same person; their personalities are too different]

Ah. I didn’t need to be surprised. It seems it’s just a rumor.

[General/MinoIsMine: I heard a recent rumor that Beombiga actually became a pro gamer?? Not sure which game though]

[General/Gakjong: I heard he was a pro gamer first and then started streaming anonymously]

[General/MinoIsMine: There’s so little known about him that rumors are rampant lol]

[General/Gchang: Wow, either way ㅇㅅㅠ I’m so jealous of making money playing games at such a young age]

As I was in the middle of a whisper conversation with Beombiga, I immediately asked him for confirmation.

[Whisper/To Beombiga: Do you by any chance do game streaming?]

[Whisper/Beombiga: Hmm]

There was a brief silence, then a few minutes later, a message appeared.

[Whisper/Beombiga: I guess I’ve been found out… I thought this day would come eventually]

[Whisper/Beombiga: How did you know?]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: Changmigak was talking about you]

[Whisper/Beombiga: Changmigak?]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: Gchang, MinoIsMine, Gakjong]

[Whisper/Beombiga: Ah..]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: You have a good reputation. They say you’re good at games and it’s nice that you don’t reveal your face or private life. But they hope you don’t get a girlfriend]

[Whisper/Beombiga: I don’t have a girlfriend.]

[Whisper/Beombiga: I’ve been hiding the chat window while streaming because if it gets out that I’m whispering with you, it’ll only cause trouble for you, Angryy]

[Whisper/Beombiga: But my subscribers keep spreading such rumors]

Cause trouble to that extent? It’s not like he’s a celebrity…

I thought that far before remembering Kwon Je-beom and understanding. Gazes followed him wherever he went…

I guess streamers are like pro gamers too.

Come to think of it, Beombiga had mentioned streamers before.

‘Game streaming is really popular. Just in Korea, there are dozens of streamers per server who only play POI, and many people watch from abroad too.’

‘POI streams are so popular that streamers even hold their own tournaments. Even though it’s not an official tournament, last year’s prize money was 20 million won.’

So back then, he realized I didn’t watch game streams because I didn’t recognize the name “Beombiga”.

And the reason he logs in during weekday afternoons isn’t because he’s unemployed, but because it’s his job.

Beombiga wasn’t just playing around, he was working…!

I had been looking at things with a narrow perspective all this time.

Kwon Je-beom, who I thought was a physical education student, was actually a pro gamer, and Beombiga, who I thought was unemployed, was a proper game streamer…

It occurred to me that Changmigak might not be unemployed either.

[Whisper/Beombiga: You want to play the game quietly, right Angryy?]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: Yeah]

[Whisper/Beombiga: I see.. It’s best not to reveal to Changmigak that you know me]

[Whisper/Beombiga: You’re already a bit… known on channel 5]

[Whisper/Beombiga: If you get involved with someone famous like me, you won’t be able to play peacefully…]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: I get that you’re famous, but]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: Exactly how famous are you?]

[Whisper/Beombiga: Among POI streamers]

[Whisper/Beombiga: Well]

[Whisper/Beombiga: For example, if my team won the LT Mos World Championship]

[Whisper/Beombiga: Let’s say we won a Korea-Japan soccer match 3:0, and I scored all 3 goals]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: I see]

With this perfect explanation for a game novice, I resolved never to reveal that we know each other. There’s a reason Changmigak praises him for boosting national prestige.

[Whisper/To Beombiga: Do you know Kwon Je-beom by any chance?]

The reply, which had been coming quickly until now, was a bit delayed.

[Whisper/Beombiga: Ah, yes, I do lol]

[Whisper/Beombiga: He’s a very famous pro gamer]

[Whisper/Beombiga: He’s one of the candidates for my identity]

Saying he’s one of the candidates for his identity means he’s not actually him, right?

[Whisper/Beombiga: Why? Do you know Kwon Je-beom? Are you acquainted?]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: Not really]

[Whisper/Beombiga: He’s a really diligent and capable pro gamer]

[Whisper/Beombiga: I heard rumors that he’s handsome and has a good personality. They say he has excellent character]

[Whisper/Beombiga: What do you think about Kwon Je-beom, Angryy?]

[Whisper/To Beombiga: I have no thoughts]

[Whisper/Beombiga: I see…]

I’ve only talked to Kwon Je-beom once, but… I had the impression he was a bit strange. If Kwon Je-beom were Beombiga, he’d be praising himself right now… He didn’t seem like the type to do that.

They must be different people.

Anyway, the important thing is that Beombiga isn’t unemployed, but a popular streamer. Why on earth did such a famous person send me whispers in the first place?

Changmigak continued to talk about Beombiga after that, and the tone was almost reverent. Well, it’s natural if he’s a hero of the Korea-Japan match victory. Most people would probably not only reveal that they know such a historical figure, but even try to change their character name to “FriendsWithBeombiga”, but not me.

I don’t like getting involved with people… don’t like mixing words… don’t like being in the spotlight, so I’ll hide the fact that we know each other until I quit the game.

How did Beombiga know I was this type of person? How did someone as famous as Beombiga end up sending me whispers?

When I asked before, Beombiga smoothly changed the subject, so I didn’t ask again, but the question remained in my mind.

Blood Demon Guild

I have something more important than solving the mystery about Beombiga.

That is, finding the jade seal.

The evil forces have already seized two jade seals, so I must find at least one somehow.

After focusing on the main quest for several days, I finally reached the location of the jade seal on the map.

The reason for the delay was largely because I couldn’t play on Monday. Jin and Da-bin, who had finished their major exams in the morning, said they would study for exams at home and made a fuss setting up in the living room, but instead of studying, we ended up watching three movies together.

I briefly regretted telling Jin that he didn’t need to study hard for exams… I should have let Jin study and played the game myself.