Genius Archer’s Streaming - Chapter 582
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Archer’s Streaming Season 3 Episode 52
19. The Perfect Partner (2)
“…Huh?”
Juhyeok rose from bed, his hair disheveled and tousled.
He immediately reached for his phone first.
‘Yesterday… I asked Jia for that video….’
I hadn’t finished watching Jia’s video all the way through yesterday.
‘Did it turn out well?’
There was some anxiety, but no major concern.
‘If it went according to plan, it should’ve turned out fine.’
This was a battle I couldn’t lose.
From the moment Bontovi captured that close-up of the Dehaepdeul typing inflammatory posts on their keyboards, this game was already won.
The only question was how decisively I’d won.
Juhyeok opened Almond’s channel and let out an exclamation.
“Oh….”
A video that had already surpassed a million views.
[Challenge Video So Good It Was Suspected of Being a Bug]
Just from the view count alone, I could guess how decisively I’d won.
“This is insane….”
I played the video with high expectations.
But then I scratched my head with a bewildered expression.
“Is this right?”
The editing was completely different from what we’d discussed.
The original plan was to insert interview footage directly, but this video contained no such interview clips.
Instead, it had been replaced with in-game subtitles. This wouldn’t give it an official feel.
I felt worried for a moment, but then I realized.
“…This is so much better, isn’t it?”
This was better than the original plan.
No, it was more than that.
‘If I’d done it my way, it would’ve been risky.’
I only now realized how contrived and outdated the method of inserting reference footage would have been. Watching this video made it clear.
It would’ve been wrong to do it my way.
Public opinion might not have sided with us.
The controversy hadn’t even been going on for a full day, and imagine if people saw us running around desperately collecting interviews to explain ourselves.
‘It would look so calculated.’
The controversy happened suddenly, but interviews are already prepared?
It would look like we’d anticipated the controversy and prepared for it.
People might even think everything was planned with Hitman Simulator from the start.
When you try too hard to explain yourself like this, paradoxically, it becomes harder to believe.
This isn’t a matter of logic—it’s a matter of instinct.
It’s an instinct like resisting when someone suddenly pulls your reins.
But what about Jia’s videos?
People get pulled along without even realizing the reins are being tugged.
They laugh carelessly thinking it’s just a simple gaming superplay video, but before they know it, their minds have already sided with Almond.
This was because the information Juhyeok had provided naturally melted into every aspect of the game’s progression.
“If I’d gone ahead with my plan, it would’ve been a disaster.”
Juhyeok sent Jia a compliment message while wearing a bitter smile.
[Juhyeok: Watched the video. This is seriously no joke, right? It’s way better than before haha]
There was no reply. Jia must have been busy or sleeping.
What time did she finish work to still be sleeping now?
He casually checked the clock displayed in the corner of the screen.
“Huh?”
It was much later than he thought.
Breakfast service would end soon.
He quickly threw on his clothes and headed downstairs.
* * *
Rushing into the breakfast buffet, he spotted Sanghyeon sitting at a table.
‘Hmm?’
But Sanghyeon was in conversation with an unfamiliar man.
A streamer he knew? No, it wasn’t.
The feeling was nothing like a streamer. There was none of that characteristic free-spiritedness streamers possessed.
Juhyeok instinctively sensed it. That man was an employee from a management company.
“…If it had been our side, we could have resolved it more smoothly. Actually, there wouldn’t have been any room for misunderstanding in the first place. Our expertise in crisis management is quite substantial…”
As he drew closer, he could hear the conversation.
The man’s voice was louder and clearer than expected. It had that trustworthy tone typical of a seasoned salesman.
“I understand that issue is ultimately being resolved well. But it’s better not to take on such risks from the start. Since this isn’t something you’ll do for just a day or two, there’s no guarantee a risk won’t explode at any moment.”
“…”
Sanghyeon said something.
Sanghyeon’s voice was too quiet to hear.
Then the man’s voice again.
“…Our assessment was that the risk was too great compared to the return. Since you won’t just produce results once.”
Juhyeok’s heart began to race.
Why were they being so aggressive?
At first, he felt angry.
They must know I’m staying here with him, yet they’re pushing this hard?
But soon, Juhyeok’s mind coolly accepted the situation.
‘Of course they would.’
They were all just working for their own interests.
That man was simply someone who worked hard among them.
‘The reason I’m in a bad mood right now….’
Why Juhyeok’s mood had soured and his heart rate had spiked.
It was probably because he agreed with the man’s words to some degree.
If it had been a completely absurd proposal, he would have laughed it off without any displeasure whatsoever.
But this man represented a genuine threat.
The MCU business that had spun off as a subsidiary of an entertainment agency.
Could there be a more threatening competitor than this?
For a streamer like Sanghyeon who reeked of celebrity potential, it wouldn’t be strange to choose such a path.
‘He could probably just live as a model and celebrity without even doing the whole streamer thing.’
Juhyeok knew this possibility and had been watching it unfold.
What if Juhyeok had been Sanghyeon instead?
He would have at least talked to that man.
Yes, that was the reality of it.
Then─
“!”
Suddenly Sanghyeon answers a phone call and stands up. He’s heading this way.
Juhyeok’s body reacted before his mind could.
Patter-patter-patter!
His legs were already rushing back into the cabin.
Why was he running away? He couldn’t say.
Juhyeok simply surrendered to his instincts.
* * *
Behind a large pillar, I answer my phone.
My eyes gleam.
“An exclusive contract?”
An unexpected offer for an exclusive model deal.
According to Department Manager Jeong’s explanation on the other end of the line, it’s apparently quite a favorable proposal.
-I’m not saying this just because it’s my company, but you can think of it as contract terms we’re offering as a token of our gratitude. The CEO wanted to express his appreciation for this matter….
Well, I can’t exactly take the proposing party’s claims about their own offer at face value.
‘Is that so?’
This is definitely something that would make my lips curl upward.
“Ah. Yes. Manager. I know where my manager is. I’ll get back to you shortly after discussing it with them.”
-Yes, yes! Please, I really hope this works out!
Department Manager Jeong seemed pressed for time, but he gracefully backed off at my suggestion to think it over.
‘He’s different from a certain someone.’
I recall the one person who keeps making things difficult for me, then return to my seat.
The Butterfly Entertainment employee asked. He’d noticed my subtle smile.
“Oh. Sounds like good news?”
“Ah, yes. An exclusive model offer came in with favorable terms.”
“!”
The words “An exclusive model?” hovered at the edge of his lips.
But the Butterfly Entertainment employee held back.
Offer congratulations, but don’t show too much surprise at the achievement. That would reveal the extent of his capabilities.
He mobilized every facial muscle to produce a beaming smile, then applauded.
“I see! Congratulations! Ha ha! As expected, Almond’s growth trajectory is….”
At his congratulations without a single blink, I clicked my tongue.
‘That’s relentless.’
At this point, he’s not a salesman but a trained assassin.
“Huh? Oppa!”
Then, Miho suddenly appeared.
It seemed she was also staying at the same hotel.
“You slept here too?!”
“Ah, yeah.”
“Huh? But who is this person….”
Miho asked, looking at the unfamiliar man.
Seeing his chance, the Entertainment employee introduced himself.
“Hello! Miho. I’m Park Jin-ho from Butterfly Entertainment! You’re even more beautiful in person!”
He flashed his signature business smile and extended his business card.
“Uh… Entertainment?”
Miho tilted her head for a moment.
Then suddenly she raised her voice loudly.
“Whoa! You’re not here to pitch sales while we’re eating, are you!?”
The Enter employee was startled, and even Sanghyeon nearly spilled his coffee in surprise.
“Ah… I… was just passing by… haha.”
The confident expression he’d worn moments before vanished instantly.
“You’re so conscientious. So conscientious it’s shocking… Brother, aren’t you going to get indigestion from all this?”
Miho turned to look at Sanghyeon with concern.
“Ah… to be precise, I haven’t eaten yet.”
“Really? I have. Ugh. I’m getting indigestion. Indigestion… bleeeech!”
“!?”
As she made retching sounds, the Enter employee’s face went pale.
“?”
Sanghyeon was certain that if the broadcast had been live right now, the chat would be flooded with comments like “Haha~” and “So satisfying~”.
It was then that he truly grasped just how terrifying Miho could be when she decided to cut someone down.
“Bleeeech!”
With each successive retching sound, the employee stammered out an apology and disappeared.
“Ah… I apologize. I was out of line.”
Miho watched him disappear with hurried steps, then turned back to Sanghyeon and let out a smirk.
“How was that? I learned this skill from model noona friends. A technique for repelling persistent guys.”
“The retching too?”
“No, that’s an improvisation.”
Puhaha.
Miho laughed and picked up her fork.
“Since I drove him off, eat with me instead.”
She was already naturally seated across from him.
“Sure. I came alone anyway.”
“Oh, brother. But what about the Manager?”
“He’s sleeping.”
“Really…? I think I saw him earlier.”
“That can’t be.”
He was sleeping, wasn’t he?
“I saw him. Around this area.”
“Around here? He was definitely sleeping…”
Sanghyeon trailed off.
It had been quite some time since he’d confirmed Juhyeok was asleep.
‘Ah. A lot of time has passed.’
Considering the time elapsed, it wouldn’t be strange if Juhyeok had come down here.
What was strange was something else.
“If he came, he would’ve come to eat. He takes his meals much more seriously than I do.”
The question was why Juhyeok would come all the way down here only to leave again.
“Hmm? I wouldn’t know… I just assumed the Manager had already eaten and gone back up. Since you were sleeping in.”
I thought Juhyeok had gotten up early to eat and left?
But that means he was heading from the buffet to his room, doesn’t it?
That was even stranger.
Sanghyeon came to a conclusion.
It wasn’t Juhyeok.
“Maybe it was just someone who looked like him. If someone’s dressed neatly, wearing frameless glasses, and has a bulky build, they’d look like Juhyeok.”
“Hmm… But it was a beige turtleneck sweater….”
“Oh….”
Oh? That was right.
That was one of the clothes Juhyeok had brought with him.
“Why did he just leave… without even answering his phone.”
Sanghyeon tilted his head, as if there were countless strange things about this.
Never mind that he didn’t eat, but why didn’t he answer his phone?
“His phone?”
“Yeah. The Hitman side called me. The Manager wasn’t answering.”
So Sanghyeon had been certain that Juhyeok was sleeping.
This was odd.
“That’s strange….”
“It really is….”
Sanghyeon pondered something for a moment.
Screech.
He suddenly pulled his chair back and jumped to his feet.
“Ah. I… think I need to go check something.”
“Yes?”
“Something just occurred to me. Eat slowly.”
Sanghyeon disappeared in a flash without even waiting for a response.
“Oh….”
Miho’s expression grew dejected as she watched his retreating figure.
“Why did I even mention it.”
She began furiously devouring her slice of cake as if venting her frustration.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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