It’s not that kind of malicious broadcast

Chapter 9 – Can you hear me?

It didn’t take long to make the decision to help salvage the broadcast in any way possible. Even if I didn’t do anything wrong, I don’t want to indirectly cause the breakdown of a broadcast I love.

The part that troubled me was ‘how’ to do it, but soon, a surprisingly simple method came to mind. I logged into the Discourse and created a new ID. Checking the email I received yesterday, Ark’s Discourse account was currently idle.

I rapidly clicked the friend request button and checked the broadcast screen. No notifications popped up.

If I send a message, chances are it won’t show up on the broadcast screen. I logged out and sent a message using the Discourse ID I used yesterday.

****

Current viewership: approximately 8,200 people.

Seeing the dream-like number, Ark felt like she was losing her mind. By now, the troublemakers on Tw*tter had gathered in force to the broadcast. Viewers were increasing in real-time.

At this point, even if she succeeds in explaining herself, there may still be damage.

She couldn’t muster the courage to check, but the excited troublemakers were undoubtedly live-streaming this broadcast on the forum, bombarding with boyfriend rumors.

Those who only saw the forum without watching the broadcast directly would remember, ‘Ah, Ark? The broadcaster whose boyfriend rumors exploded, right?’

As Ark’s eyes glazed over, discord notifications began flashing on her dual screen. Friend requests pouring in from unknown accounts.

‘… Has Discourse been leaked?’

‘Let’s just die. Let’s just bite our tongues and die.’

‘Do you think it’s better to just end it all now?’

‘Will tomorrow’s me somehow resolve this?’

With trembling hands, Ark slowly moved the mouse towards the broadcast button.

『A message from CravingWarmAmericano has arrived』

Seeing the new notification pop up on the screen, Ark clicked on the message as if possessed.

『CravingWarmAmericano: My talk ID is the same as my donation ID』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Please voice chat. I’ll help with explanations.』

Well, well.

The culprit (or not) behind all this had reached out offering help with explanations.

Ark, a 3-year veteran broadcaster, possessed a certain level of crisis management skills. In fact, she had experienced detecting and avoiding downfall crises many times before.

However, this time, she simply couldn’t see a way out. The danger of trusting and using a vicious sniper she had never met face-to-face in such a dire situation was palpable.

But whether rotten or not, a lifeline was a lifeline—this was a lifeline she had to grab.

‘Even if that bastard says “Hello, I’m Ark’s boyfriend” on voice chat, the situation would still be better than now…!’

If cooperative, she could possibly provide a convincing explanation that she wasn’t really her boyfriend. If uncooperative, she could probe about personal information she hadn’t disclosed yet, making the viewers doubt, ‘Could a boyfriend not know about these things?’

‘… But what if they just act crazy?’

Despite the headache-inducing predicament, she pondered while nibbling on her lower lip, but—

—Baikon has subscribed for a monthly membership!

『They really like it! Please broadcast more often』

—RadishTV has subscribed for a monthly membership!

『Are you a newbie? Welcome! We also like couple broadcasts, hehe』

Even crazy people subscribing just to avoid chat restrictions appeared, along with repetitive flood chats:

『Explain, explain, explain, explain, explain』

『Why isn’t this person talking? Why isn’t this person talking? Why isn’t this person talking? Why isn’t this person talking?』

『A message to the boyfriend? A message to the boyfriend? A message to the boyfriend? A message to the boyfriend?…』

『Got caught, got caught, got caught, got caught…』

Every chat turned into spam chats, and—

—Unicorn has donated 1,000 won!

『Woo…! Woo, woo! Kweeeeek!』

– User ‘GetDevoured Broadcast’ has donated 1,000 won!

『”Oh my goodness… sweetheart…why that expression? What’s wrong?”』

– User ‘Aksokmaeum’ has donated 1,000 won!

『”Oh dear… I need to buy a watch for my boyfriend, why are the donation alerts so loud?”』

In a situation where insults rained down endlessly, there was no other choice. Even knowing that it was poison, it had to be swallowed.

There was only one way to prove one’s existence. It was a direct breakthrough.

『Let the insults have their fun amongst themselves. I must appeal to my fans with sincerity.』

Closing her eyes tightly and taking a deep breath, Ark turned off the donation sound, unlocked the chat, and brought the Discourse chat window to the screen.

『Everyone, I will temporarily mute the donation sound. In exchange, I will lift the chat restrictions, so please listen to me for a moment.』

Of course, instead of calming down, the chat went even more berserk.

『I can swear that I truly have no connection with GetDevoured. GetDevoured is someone who has been targeting me whenever I appear on broadcasts, and we have never communicated privately, not even once.』

As Ark continued speaking with a trembling voice, a desperate number indicating over 10,200 viewers crossed the screen.

“My first contact with GetDevoured was yesterday. GetDevoured disclosed her email and KoK account to me, and I attempted to have a conversation via Discourse with the intention of creating content on educating the vile sniper.”

Drips of messages that were impossible to read began to fill the chat. They mainly revolved around what they wanted to educate, asking what tools to use for educating purposes.

Whether they had come from a festival or not, there were even lunatics starting to spam giant phallic symbols in the chat. Looking at that madness, Ark somehow began to feel oddly calm in reverse.

“If you’ve been watching my broadcasts, you would know that I tend to look away when GetDevoured’s account is shown. GetDevoured’s account disclosure seemed like a clear signal for me.”

“As you can see here, my conversation with GetDevoured is only from yesterday. And a while ago, GetDevoured offered to help me explain by requesting a voice talk.”

“We didn’t arrange this beforehand. However, because I am honest, I am thinking of turning on my microphone here and trying a voice call.”

More interesting than mere boyfriend jokes and sexual innuendos. As the chat buzzed with anticipation for the phone call with the controversial figure, question marks and excited expressions started to fill the chat.

Amidst the rushing waves of the chat, sporadic messages trying to dissuade what was about to happen could be seen. Familiar usernames. Fans who had watched her broadcast for a long time.

“Rationally speaking, it’s a risky decision. Even I’ll try to talk some sense into myself.”However, now it was truly irreversible.

Just closing my eyes tightly, uttering a prayer, turning on the speakerphone, and making a VoIP call.

-“Ddadda ddan.”

『Please, please, please, Jammin. Surely, if it’s Jammin’s voice, anyone would burst out laughing and it could be over.』

-“Ddandadn ddanddan.”

『Or maybe just type away as a keyboard warrior. If you stutter and blabber nonsense, then somehow you can drag it out.』

-“Ddanddan ddan.”

‘Please, spare me from your pointless sweet voice. You’re a jobless gamer sniper. You don’t even have a microphone. Please don’t use some voice actor voice. Please. Please. Please!’

-“Ddanddan ddan ddan.”

The continuous beeping of the VoIP call.

“… Is this idiot really trying to lead me on like this, expecting I won’t answer the phone…?”

At the end of the desperate prayer, a moment overwhelmed by sheer despair –

The sound of the other person answering the call cut off the music.

And, “Hello. Uh, can you hear me?”

Soft, whisper-like, the gentle soprano voice of the VoIP call could not be muffled even with its low quality sound.

***

『???』

『??』

『?』

『?? A woman?』

『A woman??』

『What is this? Who is this?』

『A woman?』

『A woman??』

『Are you teasing me?』

『??? A woman, you say?』

『Not distorted?』

“I can hear you now. I’ll mute the broadcast.”

Confirming that my voice was coming through the broadcast, Ark clicked the mute button.

Even hearing my voice through a different medium was still awkward, let alone hearing my own voice. In the midst of the chaotic chat window flooded with question marks, the scene seemed quite a spectacle. It was time to start clarifying things with perfect timing.

Watching the chat window, no matter how long Ark waited, the screen only showed her blankly staring with slightly parted lips, endlessly fixated on her phone.

Although she didn’t explicitly offer to help clarify or provide substitute explanations, feeling a bit obliged, I decided to offer some service.

“Um… First of all, I’m not Ark’s boyfriend.”

“Ah, I don’t even use hacks.”

The chat and donations poured in like a deluge.

Reading such things while playing games, I was once again amazed by how extraordinary broadcasters are.

“If I had used hacks, um… Well, who knows? Maybe I would have gotten first place in Challenger or a permanent ban?”

“Wall hacks? For the opponent… Wall locations. Oh! Are you referring to map reading like that?”

It would be nice if there was at least some way to distinguish the chat.

“Ah, can Diamond 1 players chat in English? Just a little… You know, using the same characters?”

“Um~ For those who have complaints, shall we meet in custom? Just a moment.”

As I continued the conversation, trying to create a custom room, a frantic voice came from the phone.

“A-Ark-nim?”

“Yes, Ark-nim.”

“Is… Is it really GetDevoured-nim?”

“Yes, you verified my account, didn’t you?”

“Um, so, that. Uh, well, I mean…”

Just as she seemed to regain her composure, Ark broke down again.

Oh, it shouldn’t break.

“W-were you… a woman?”

What should I say in response?

For a moment, I looked down at my own body as if scanning it. Transparent and smooth skin, the sensuous curves of a woman’s body.

If I lowered my head while sitting, not only was my stomach barely visible beneath my chest, but my thighs weren’t even in sight.

Suppressing various thoughts that came to mind and slightly smiling, I answered, “It’s a secret.”

TL’s Corner:

Sorry guys, this will be it for today. I was supposed to do only one chapter today, but the cliffhanger from chapter 8 was unbearable. This chapter is a bit bearable.