The bird hatches by breaking the egg. The egg is the bird’s world.
One who wishes to be born must destroy a world.
I am now trying to move toward a new world.
Like ripples spreading on still water, this is but a small step, but it will bring immense change to my world.
The whitish, flashing monitor flickered, illuminating my face.
The mouse cursor hovered above the live broadcast start button in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
That’s right, all preparations are complete.
I had devoted considerable effort into setting everything up for the broadcast.
Miss Ji-eun’s computer specs weren’t bad. Rather, they were good.
As it was designed with professional tasks in mind — things like Photoshop and 3D modeling — her computer was far more powerful than an average household computer.
While preparing for this broadcast, I gained some understanding of the challenges professional broadcasters face, even though I had taken them for granted.
Broadcasting isn’t as effortless as it may seem. Far from it.
Unlike public broadcasting, which relies on trained professionals, in solo streaming, you have to handle all aspects of it yourself.
Of course, it’s true that solo broadcasting is on a much smaller scale and that anyone can try it, but it’s not exactly easy.
First and foremost, the basic preparation is essential.
You need a high-spec system for a smooth, uninterrupted stream.
A monitor good enough not to alienate viewers is necessary.
Also needed are a webcam to show the streamer and a microphone to let the viewers hear their voice.
I decided to buy another monitor specifically to separate gaming from broadcasting.
It was because I had read online opinions suggesting that doing both on a single monitor can hinder a full gaming experience.
Of course, I found this information online too.
Especially for a broadcast refuting hacking claims, I wanted to eliminate all possible interruptions.
Although the need for monitors is a bit special, the rest of the equipment — at least to this extent — is essential for broadcasting.
And I heard that as you become a professional, you might even need a soundproof booth, although that was not relevant to me at this moment.
“…”
The reason I hesitated despite finishing all the preparation was due to a sense of unexplainable tension.
I never intended to prepare and host an unplanned broadcast like this.
It has always been my nature not to like appearing before others.
I’ve watched broadcasts, but I never imagined I’d host one myself.
Even though it wasn’t something that suited my personality, what could I do?
There wasn’t another way.
People cannot live doing only what they like.
And then, I noticed my face reflected on the screen.
The typically emotionless woman wore an ambiguous expression.
Next was the small hand gripping the mouse, delicate wrists,
And the chest that stood out against the thin frame.
All of this now belonged to “me.”
I chuckled slightly to myself.
The thought of being afraid of such a trivial broadcast after experiencing a transformative upheaval in life was ironic.
“Mollru Hack Clarification Broadcast.”
The title didn’t really matter. Content was more important than titles, after all.
— Live broadcast begins.
After checking if the broadcast was working properly, I immediately dived into the game.
*
Would you believe that there are people who spend all day online?
Some might dismiss this as nonsense.
Surprisingly, it is reality.
Internet spirits who lead trends and spread information across the web.
Among them, in the realm of internet broadcasting,
Within the myriad of online broadcasts stands a particular streaming platform—Switch.
And among the Switch broadcasters, there are hardcore fans who monitor the streamers’ every move around the clock.
Nicknamed “Switch Unemployed” or “Swu,” these are they.
The nickname “Commander of the Su Ah Knights No. 1.”
A hardcore fan of streamer Su Ah and also a self-proclaimed Swu.
He noticed an anomaly in the Switch ecosystem.
“Mollru Hack Clarification Broadcast.”
“Hmm?”
He had been idly hanging around on his usual Switch dashboard when an unfamiliar broadcast appeared on his recommended list.
3 viewers. Broadcast category: Eo War.
The algorithm?
He was about to dismiss it but paused, as something about the nickname felt familiar.
— Mollru is currently broadcasting.
Recognizing the username, he jumped to his feet.
There he was. It was really him broadcasting.
Commander Su Ah Knights No. 1 was both a devoted watcher of Su Ah’s shows and a fervent fan of Eo War.
He stumbled into Su Ah’s content while exploring Eo War-themed streams.
Upon reconfirming Mollru’s streaming username, he quickly turned on his phone.
The chat group “Su Ah Knights.”
It’s a group chat dedicated to Su Ah, named for her self-proclaimed “Knights.”
He immediately joined and informed the group.
Like-minded community members quickly followed him.
All of these were people who became followers of Su Ah — a female player and high-tier gamer — after developing an interest in Eo War.
Mollru had always garnered attention.
This far-ranging player, although suspected of using hacks, was ultimately just suspected.
Most Eo War players believed that his incredible performances wouldn’t be possible without cheats, but he didn’t think so.
After all, if it were a game that allowed such exploits unchecked, wouldn’t Watchy have squashed it when it first appeared?
Why, after days, had there been no action?
“Maybe he’s legit.”
Commander Su Ah’s Knights No. 1 thought and joined the broadcast.
[MolHa]
[This is real? LOL]
[I recognize that sniper rifle.]
[Familiar screen, familiar weapon… where have you been, teacher?]
[What the… he’s high-tier again? LOL. What’s with this guy?]
[He’s in the top ranks of diamond yet still wipes them out effortlessly.]
Perhaps thanks to the link Commander Su Ah Knights shared in the chat group, the number of viewers surged, and the chat grew lively.
However, whether aware or not, Mollru simply kept eliminating enemies in silence.
Sniping had almost become his trademark.
Something very common.
It’s not unusual for streamers deeply focused on their games to ignore their chat.
This was especially true for newcomers — those not yet accustomed to multitasking between gameplay and chat.
Low-view streams often don’t see as much chat movement, worsening the issue.
The seasoned Swu quickly understood and patiently watched the broadcast.
[Busy with the game, huh?]
[People usually don’t check chats on their first stream.]
[Watching the screen alone makes my head spin.]
[Our Su Ah always read chat right from her first stream.]
[She is good at multitasking.]
One pull of the trigger… and another.
A sniper on the top of a bustling city’s building, peering through his scope, ruthlessly picked off his opponents with precision.
Before the audience even finished marveling at the fallen enemies,
An on-screen message appeared.
<Mr. Sobo Rudubap has donated 1000 won!>
[You play well but is this really a hack-clarifying stream? Aren’t you showing your hands?]
Growing impatient over Mollru’s silence, the viewer sent a donation to get his attention.
Only now did the stoic sniper realize the situation and pause.
A soft clicking sound followed, and something finally appeared on the broadcast screen.
It was a hand.
A petite, porcelain-white hand tightly gripping a large black mouse, moving it continuously.
With each flick of the hand, the aim on the screen danced wildly.
Every click from the mouse took down another opponent.
This demonstration silenced any hack accusations momentarily.
But it was short-lived.
The audience turned their gaze elsewhere.
To the webcam feed showing that delicate, petite white hand.
Not the rough, hairy male hand they had probably expected, but a smooth, untouched hand.
The chat window buzzed with speculation.
[What is this hand? Why so pale?]
[If you stay indoors, your skin gets that pale.]
[It’s lighting effects, probably.]
[What lighting? There’s no light on the desk.]
[Why are the fingers so thin? Is this even a guy?]
[If not, is it a girl?]
[What? Don’t make up stories.]
[Haha, sardines, do some pushups, will ya?]
[Wait, could this be a girl’s hand?]
[Is it a girl?]
[These people are at it again, what girl this time?]
Perhaps disturbed by the noisy chat,
The sniper paused again.
Then, a faint rustling sound, followed by this.
“Ah, I had the mic muted. My apologies.”
The voice spoke.
[?]
The chat froze for a second, with only one question mark appearing.
For several seconds, no further comments popped up.
Until,
“…Can’t you hear me? Is there anything wrong with the mic?”
When the streamer Mollru finally spoke,
The chat exploded.
