Let’s imagine I’m a firefighter.
Somewhere, a fire broke out, and I was working hard to extinguish it.
The flames weren’t easily dying down, so I made several attempts to put them out, nearly extinguishing the embers.
But then, some guy next to me was throwing firewood onto the dwindling embers.
Thanks to him, the dying flames flared back up fiercely, and the firefighter naturally had no choice but to be angry.
– It was an event carried out simultaneously by a large number of unidentified individuals.
It was the words of Si-young, who was the first to grasp the situation and initiated the investigation.
– It looks like someone did this intentionally.
It’s a kind of act of terrorism. Although there’s no concrete evidence to pinpoint the exact perpetrator of the crime, there are things you can tell without having to taste whether it’s poop or soybean paste.
Just like right now.
“It must be Titan Underlock. Anyone can see that.”
This was a result of holding a grudge after I rejected a contract.
It was clear that the team owner, whose name I could hardly remember, Park… something, had sent someone to do this.
He was someone I didn’t like at all in terms of impression or behavior, and for him to cause such an incident just because I rejected a contract was really petty.
I want to live quietly, but the world won’t leave me alone.
– The photo is so blurry, and there’s no clear evidence from over there, so it seems legally difficult to punish.
“It’s fine.”
They must have handled the aftermath of using extra manpower just to mess with one person.
However, saying it’s fine doesn’t mean I won’t do anything.
“We can win without having to go to court.”
– You mean…
I’ve heard that the team owner, Park something, is a businessman who owns several companies.
Naturally, there would also be a legal team, and even if he were to do such a thing, many experts would be involved to ensure he wouldn’t get caught.
Going through legal channels would only be tiring, and I wouldn’t have a high chance of gaining anything from it.
So, how should I respond to this situation? It was simple.
– Are you saying you’ll go for a public opinion war?
“Yes.”
I called it a public opinion war, but it wasn’t a big deal.
It simply meant enlisting the power of the people. The target would primarily be the viewers watching my broadcast.
People who often jokingly referred to themselves as ‘Mollster Calls’ or ‘Locust Swarms’ would be quite formidable.
Additionally, there were also cyber bullies lurking around, always on the lookout for prey, and community drifters were also planning to join me.
– But boss, if that happens…
Si-young trailed off.
I knew well what she wanted to say.
One prerequisite was needed for this plan.
“Yes, I’ll have to reveal my face. We need to create the public narrative that the team leaked my photo without permission.”
That meant my real face would be exposed.
I’m sure Si-young also thought of this option but probably hesitated to bring it up first because of it.
If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have considered taking on such risks.
But alas, the other side acted first.
I have no intention of shrinking back in a situation where I did nothing wrong.
If it were the past, I would have hidden myself somewhere no one could find me and locked myself away in my own world.
But not anymore.
‘I’ll pay you back for this.’
In a situation where I received a pre-emptive attack, I had no thought of just standing still.
Maybe I could even go in and hit back.
To do that, I would use everything at my disposal.
And this appearance would indeed be helpful once revealed.
– Huh…
A sigh mixed with concern escaped from Si-young.
“Don’t worry too much. After all, this was going to happen someday anyway.”
While broadcasting, I had a strange premonition that I would eventually reveal my face.
Every time the controversy about my face arose, it was uncomfortable to see those around me flustered.
I vaguely thought that when this discomfort reached its peak, when I truly felt burdened, I would reveal my face.
The fact that it wouldn’t happen purely by my own will was an unpleasant point.
But in terms of it being a predetermined future, it wasn’t much different.
“What’s the big deal about this face…”
– What do you mean this face!?
I could hear a startled voice from beyond the headset.
Well, it’s true that this face was too precious to simply deem ‘this.’
I looked into the mirror.
Now, a familiar white-faced woman greeted me.
Really, it was an excessive face. I agreed with part of what the team owner, Park something, had said.
It’s a face that met the wrong master.
There must have been someone who could have made better use of it.
But for now, let’s just work together on something. Because I need you.
“Hmm.”
I let out a small laugh.
Talking to my reflection in the mirror.
I suppose I could have nothing to say even if it sounded crazy.
The overly precious face in the mirror seemed to bloom at the thought of what was to come.
*
<So when is Mollu's broadcast?>
You’re the reason I haven’t turned on the gallery broadcast, ugh.
Normally, I would have turned it on by now, but ah.
Yes, usually when something like this happens, I take a few days off.
Based on the flood of troublemakers, taking a break is the right choice.
No way, it’ll really quiet down, right? Haha.
– Mollbangon sex! Waka-pya!
– Attention seeker, ugh.
– Wait, is this real?
In contrast to the majority of the community’s expectations, Mollu’s broadcast was on.
This was already the third controversy surrounding her face.
It was completely different from the time when I was avoiding broadcasts and waiting for the fuss to die down.
Mollru is live!
– zzz
The broadcast title, translated with laughter like mocking something, made it a bit odd.
Was she attempting a head-on breakthrough?
Feeling something unusual, viewers began rapidly entering her broadcast.
[What? She turned it on?]
[Mollwang Mollwang Mollwang Mollwang Mollwang Mollwang Mollwang Mollwang]
[Is this the community Titan girl, Mollu? Is this the community Titan girl, Mollu? Is this the community Titan girl, Mollu?]
As the number of viewers increased, the chatroom naturally sped up.
People gathered from various communities, including her café, to see Mollu, the hot topic of the moment. The chatroom was filled with all sorts of dialogues.
Is she going pro? Is the picture in the community really her? Wouldn’t it be better to take a break after causing so much uproar? And then endless unknown emoticons.
You could only briefly skim through the rapidly ascending chatroom whenever it stopped for about a second.
Everyone was busy saying what they wanted to say.
Unlike usual, there was no background music, making that collective monologue seem even more bizarre.
In contrast, Mollu had turned on the broadcast and hadn’t said anything yet.
It was only the occasional rustling sound, as if she was preparing something, accompanied by the clicks of her mouse.
Each time that sound was heard, the chatroom would start shaking.
Just as the chatroom’s waves reached their peak and the broadcast began buffering, Mollu finally spoke up.
“Hello.”
Her voice was exceptionally calm.
This was also quite different from what the viewers had expected.
“I have something to say.”
The number of viewers had reached tens of thousands.
Yet, Mollu didn’t control the chatroom.
Her manager, who was also present in the chatroom, merely intervened to sanction excessively rude comments, not trying to control the people too much.
“That’s right, there are many things about me that you’re curious about.”
A gentle voice resonated.
Interestingly, as Mollu continued speaking, the speed of the chatroom visibly decreased.
“Donations… I temporarily blocked them because I have something to say today. But there were some sent before. I’ll just quickly read those. Kim Mi-eum-mium said, ‘Are you going pro?’ No, I’m not going pro.”
In contrast to the chatroom’s reactions, Mollu calmly read the donation questions as if hosting a radio show.
“This is the last donation. ‘Is that you in the photo circulating in the community at Titan Underlock talking to someone, the beautiful woman? Oh, that photo. I saw it too. She was pretty. I don’t know who she is.’”
The chatroom stirred once more.
See, I told you. It’s not the gallery owner. Isn’t this wrong? Anyone can tell it was Mollu. Similar reactions followed.
Just as the viewers started to have another heated discussion among themselves due to Mollu’s words.
Suddenly, the broadcast screen displaying Mollu’s computer wallpaper flipped.
The new broadcast screen was of a type unfamiliar to the viewers.
A home interior, darkened by curtains despite it still being daytime.
A woman seated on a chair. A gentle beam of sunlight fell on her.
This was a scene far too strange compared to Mollu’s usual broadcasts.
The central woman in that scene began to mutter.
“Is it done…? Am I on?”
With black hair and white skin. Her gaze directed at the center of the screen, and feeling awkward with her face revealed, she kept blinking.
Each time her large eyes blinked, her long eyelashes trembled delicately.
At the same time, as if checking whether the camera was functioning normally, she frowned slightly at the front.
She was a beautiful woman.
The sunlight softly pouring into the dark room created a backlight, making her appearance stand out as if illuminated.
Once the woman confirmed that the cam was working, she manipulated the mouse to bring something onto the screen.
It was the very photo that had been the subject of the viewer’s earlier question.
Overall, the photo was blurry, only its silhouette discernible, with the face remaining indistinguishable.
The woman who brought the photo beside her smiled awkwardly as she spoke.
“This… that’s me.”
White and slender wrists that matched beautifully, long and slender fingers stretched out.
She pointed alternately at the photo on the screen and at herself.
As if proving that it was indeed her to everyone.
At that moment, the chatroom, which had momentarily frozen, began to flood like a tsunami.
