Chapter 15
Youngest Kwitch Partner
Heavenly Demon.
The moment those two words were spoken, a chill ran through his entire body.
Who was the Heavenly Demon?
In a martial world teeming with renowned masters, he was the undisputed strongest, a man whose realm none dared to challenge.
During the Great War of Righteous and Demonic, Kang Yoon-je had witnessed the clash between the former Alliance Leader and the Heavenly Demon.
And he realized with absolute certainty that the Heavenly Demon’s reputation was no mere exaggeration.
Slash!
– Pathetic.
Before the former Alliance Leader, brimming with confidence in victory, could even swing his sword properly, he was cleaved in two with a single gesture.
– …?!
An unreal spectacle. Eyes wide with shock. A cold silence fell.
Then, the Heavenly Demon surveyed his surroundings with an indifferent gaze, locking eyes with Kang Yoon-je.
– You.
Meeting those eerily calm purple eyes, Kang Yoon-je nearly collapsed on the spot, his heart sinking. The fact that he didn’t was one of the proudest moments of his life.
– You’re the most capable here. You be the Alliance Leader.
With those words, the Heavenly Demon turned and left, his expression one of boredom.
– …
And so, the Great War of Righteous and Demonic ended abruptly.
Or rather, it ended before it could even begin.
“Alliance Leader? Are you alright, Alliance Leader?”
“Gah!”
The officer’s shout snapped Kang Yoon-je back to reality.
“Why are you sweating so much?”
“Uh, it’s nothing. Just a sudden stomachache.”
“Your face is pale as a sheet. Shall I call a physician?”
“No, I’m fine. By the way, the nickname is Heavenly Demon?”
“No, it’s HeavenlyMaiden, to be precise.”
“HeavenlyMaiden…”
Muttering the nickname with a grave expression, the Alliance Leader dismissed the officer.
“I’m fine, so go attend to your duties.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll take my leave.”
As the officer left, muttering, “Jeez, how bad must his constipation be,” the Alliance Leader didn’t hear.
He immediately logged into Kwitch and searched for HeavenlyMaiden, finding an active streamer.
[HeavenlyMaiden’s Kwitch Conquest, Day 6 / Part 1: Nom Nom Dongpo Pork ♡ Mukbang & Chat / Part 2: Chilbok’s Exciting ☆ Roadmap Announcement!]
“…”
After a moment of hesitation, the Alliance Leader joined the stream.
A cute twin-tailed girl was munching on delicious-looking Dongpo pork while interacting with the chat.
“…!”
The moment he saw her calm purple eyes, his heart skipped a beat. Could she be the Heavenly Demon’s daughter?
The thought that it was impossible clashed with a nagging suspicion. What if?
[HeavenlyDemonChanDongpoMeatThief donated 5,000 cookies!]
HeavenlyMaiden! Did you know if you put a coat hanger on your head, it makes your head spin?
– What’s that? A coat hanger makes your head spin?
HeavenlyMaiden chuckled and said.
– Nonsense. I’ll prove it.
She grabbed a coat hanger and struggled to put it on her head.
– Ngh… Hmph…
Moments later, she muttered with a dazed expression.
– …My head hurts for some reason.
– I’m getting a headache.
– It feels like the blood’s not flowing to my brain.
└ Dude, that’s not spinning, that’s a migraine.
“…”
Watching this, the Alliance Leader’s expression turned dubious.
What kind of foolish thought was that?
“…She’s pretty cute, though.”
With a fond smile, he quietly hit the follow button.
This was part of his duties.
Absolutely.
———-
[HeavenlyMaiden’s Kwitch Conquest, Day 6]
Part 1: Nom Nom Dongpo Pork ♡ Mukbang & Chat
Part 2: Chilbok’s Exciting ☆ Roadmap Announcement!
[AnonymousSpearGrabber donated 10,000 cookies!]
First time here, and she’s adorable, haha.
“Heavenly Demon-nyang~ Thank you, nyang!”
Chi Yulang reacted with her cheeks stuffed with Dongpo pork.
– So cute.
– Lol, munching so well.
– How much is it today?
– 160,000 won.
– Lol, up another 10,000.
– メHakkoDigger13: Didn’t HeavenlyMaiden say Kwitch contacted her yesterday?
– Oh, about the combat power error?
“Oh, that thing.”
– Lol, finish eating before you talk.
– Cute.
Gulp-
“They said they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the combat power either.”
– Huh?
– For real?
“They said it’s either because the measurement exceeded the device’s range or due to locational peculiarities.”
– Exceeded the range, lol. That’d mean her combat power is over 100, the max for humans.
– Is that even possible?
– Lol, no way. Even the Nine Heroes never hit 100.
– What’s the max?
– 93, I think? Not sure.
– Nah, 93 is the max among the Nine Heroes. I think the overall max is 96? Someone from Lunatic Nine, maybe. I’m not certain.
– Damn, are they strong because they’re crazy, or crazy because they’re strong?
– Eternal question…
– I get the range thing, but what’s locational peculiarities?
“Well, since I’m in an unusual place, they said that could cause it. I don’t know the details.”
– Ohh.
– So basically, the device’s broken.
– But even if it’s broken, it’s never shown a question mark before, right?
– She’s beyond the rift, you know.
– Makes sense if she’s in the Demon Realm.
– Yeah.
– Totally get it, lol.
– The Demon Realm explains it all.
– The magical word ‘Demon Realm’ even makes Kwitch’s errors understandable, lol.
– Lol, the Demon Realm stumps even Kwitch.
– At least the stream works.
– Wait, now that I think about it, how’s she streaming from the Demon Realm?
– Kwitch’s tech is insane, damn.
– メHakkoDigger13: Hmm, but I don’t think Kwitch would contact her during a stream just to tell her that.
– Oh, you’re right.
– Yeah, normally they’d just send a quick reply.
– “Here’s your answer~”
Chi Yulang was inwardly impressed by HakkoDigger13’s sharp observation.
An insider, perhaps?
Swallowing the Dongpo pork she’d been savoring, she answered honestly.
“The combat power error was just something they mentioned in passing.”
– Oh.
– For Kwitch to contact her so directly…
– There’s only one reason, right?
– No way, a partner offer?
– Lol, no way. Partners apply themselves; Kwitch doesn’t offer.
– You need to stream consistently for at least a month to even apply, and she hasn’t even hit a week.
– Really? She’s a rising star. I thought she’d been at it for years.
– Can’t you see the stream title, tsk. Tsk. Kids these days.
– Don’t talk like that, old man.
– メHakkoDigger13: No fighting, or I’ll ban you!
– You can miss the title if you’re busy.
– I’ve always respected my elders, Manager-nim.
HakkoDigger13, the capable chat manager, swiftly quelled the dispute.
– メHakkoDigger13: From what I know, in special cases, Kwitch sometimes scouts streamers directly.
– Oh.
– There’s always an exception.
– What’s a special case?
– メHakkoDigger13: What else? Locking in promising talent.
– What?
– Really?
Chi Yulang hid a smile, responding with a cryptic expression.
“Well… I’ll explain more during the roadmap announcement.”
– Wait, is it real?
– (Murmur murmur)
– A streamer getting a partner offer in less than a week?
– AnonymousSpearGrabber: Kwitch has an eye for talent, haha.
Just then, the awaited comment appeared.
– メHeavenlyDemonForever: Sect Leader, preparations for the announcement are complete!
– メHeavenlyDemonForever: I’ll invite you once you enter Rifa.
“Got it.”
Chomp-
Chi Yulang stuffed the remaining Dongpo pork in her mouth and put on her goggles.
“Let’s dive into the world of fantasy.”
———-
Bang! Pop pop!
As soon as she accepted Dam Wolrin’s invitation and entered the room, fireworks exploded.
A prepared banner unfurled, accompanied by a lively fanfare.
<Congratulations to HeavenlyMaiden on becoming a Kwitch Partner!>
– From Kwitch Corporation
– ?
– What’s this?
Dam Wolrin, wearing a silver mask, bowed deeply to HeavenlyMaiden.
“Congratulations, Sect Leader!”
Chi Yulang stood with arms crossed, staring at the screen.
Her purple eyes, tinged with a mysterious glow, almost seemed arrogant.
“Who am I? The youngest Kwitch Partner, HeavenlyMaiden.”
– Wow.
– Insane.
– Why’s this real?
– No wonder she was eating 160,000-won Dongpo pork, damn.
– Wait, isn’t that Heavenly Black Feather? Calling her Sect Leader and bowing for real?
– The academic consensus is she’s the Heavenly Demon’s hidden daughter.
Donations exploded alongside.
[EyeContactStealsStockings donated 10,000 cookies!]
Congrats, HeavenlyMaiden!!
[HakkoDigger13 donated 50,000 cookies!]
HeavenlyMaiden is so amazing!!!
[AnonymousSpearGrabber donated 10,000 cookies!]
Congratulations, haha. An extraordinary achievement at such a young age! I’m rooting for you!
“Heavenly Demon-nyang~ Thank you, nyang!”
Reacting to the flood of donations, Chi Yulang explained.
“Yesterday, Kwitch kindly offered me a partnership, and after discussions with Chilbok, the brains of our sect and the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang, we agreed to a very favorable partner contract.”
– “Our” Kwitch, lol.
– Already one with them, haha.
– Lol, how good were the terms?
– Calling her Chilbok makes her sound so lame, haha.
– Chilbok, pfft, lol.
“Applause for Chilbok, who worked hard in the middle.”
Clap clap clap-
Chi Yulang clapped with her small hands.
– Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Tak.
– Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
– Good job, Chilbok, lol.
– Great work, Chilbok.
– Chilbok suddenly feels so relatable, haha.
– Is Chilbok’s sibling Palbok?
– (Chat restricted for 60 seconds)
“Thank you, thank you.”
Dam Wolrin stood and bowed repeatedly.
Snap!
With a snap of her fingers, a large screen appeared in the air.
<HeavenlyMaiden’s Stream / Future Roadmap>
“I am Dam Wolrin, the eternal second-in-command of the Heavenly Demon Sect, your guide and aide in the grand and dazzling future of the Sect Leader’s stream.”
– Tsk tsk tsk.
– Starting right away.
– Nice, nice.
Chi Yulang sat down and commanded.
“The announcement begins, so everyone take a seat.”
– Seated.
– Seat.
– Taken.
With a wave of Dam Wolrin’s hand, the screen changed.
“The Sect Leader has set four great goals. First, we’ll discuss conquering Kwitch.”
<First, Kwitch Conquest>
– Gasp.
– Declaring conquest right after becoming a partner, damn.
– Why are we watching this together?
– Dunno, just watch.
– Hey, don’t talk back there.
– Who talks during worship?
“Of course, we firmly believe the Sect Leader will one day surpass Eun Taeyang, the current number-one in Kwitch followers, and reach the top. Our sect will fully support the Sect Leader to achieve this efficiently. To that end, we’ve categorized the stream’s content into three main areas.”
<1. Mukbang
2. Gaming
3. Outdoor Streaming>
“We’ve thought of ways to diversify these. First, mukbang.”
<Mukbang Diversification
– Foods besides Dongpo pork (chicken, pizza, tteokbokki, burgers, ramen, jjimdak, etc.)
– Weird food mukbang (viewer-participation style with a spinning wheel to randomly select ingredients)
– ASMR mukbang
– Unique cuisine mukbang
– Spicy food challenge
– Mega mukbang>
“Hmm…”
Chi Yulang rubbed her lips, intrigued.
‘So many content ideas just for mukbang.’
It was like a compilation of all the content Kwitch mukbang streamers did.
– Nice organization.
– Chilbok’s doing good work.
– Weird food mukbang sounds fun, lol.
– What’s a mega mukbang?
– Eating a ton, right? Like ten ramens or ten chickens?
– She doesn’t look like she can eat much.
– Exactly, how much can fit in that tiny stomach, lol.
“These are suggestions compiled from the Moonlight Divine Sect’s board. Of course, Dongpo pork is delicious, but there are many other tasty foods out there, so trying them out wouldn’t hurt.”
At Damwolrin’s advice, Chi Yulang thought for a moment before nodding resolutely.
“I’ll try things besides Dongpo pork.”
“…Thank you!”
Damwolrin’s face lit up.
It had been a pity that her brother, who ate expensive Dongpo pork every day, was missing out on other delicious foods.
“Next is gaming.”
<Gaming Diversification
– Horror games
– Casual games
– Action games
– Role-playing games
– Sports games
– Souls-like games
– Open-world games>
“There are so many games besides Rifa.”
“Indeed.”
While Rifa was overwhelmingly popular, there was clear demand for other games. Based on Kwitch streams, the ratio was about 30% Rifa and 70% other games.
– Co-op co-op co-op co-op co-op co-op co-op!
– Try a Souls-like game?
– Not into soccer? World Cup’s next year.
– How about peaceful farming in Stardew Valley?
– No witnesses, no crime! Try the god-tier game Assassin’s Critical?
The chat heated up, proving the point.
Since the introduction of virtual reality systems, the gaming industry had undergone massive changes.
After the Great Cataclysm and the Rift War, most survivors were those with combat abilities. Those without were devoured by beasts, naturally.
Thus, game companies shifted from having players embody in-game characters to playing as “themselves” in games.
Knights swung swords to defeat monsters.
Mages used magic to grow crops or manage trade caravans.
Hunters used their unique abilities to score goals in soccer.
Incredible freedom!
Ten players could have ten different playstyles!
This was all thanks to Rifa, which allowed players to fully utilize their real-world abilities, and Kwitch Corporation, which created perfect virtual reality.
Game companies only adjusted difficulty based on individual combat power.
– I wanna see Rifa.
– Can’t she just stick to Rifa?
But there was also clear demand for Rifa.
Damwolrin summed it up neatly.
“Why not play other games in Part 1 and keep Rifa fixed for Part 2?”
– Oh.
– That’s an idea.
– Nice one, Chilbok.
– Great Chilbok.
– Wise Chilbok.
– Chill-bok is really chill.
Chi Yulang nodded.
She was getting tired of constantly beating up weaklings in Rifa anyway.
Looking at the screen, she said,
“If there’s a game you want to see, post your suggestions on the Moonlight Divine Sect board. The link is below.”
– Hell yeah.
– Let’s go!
– Spamming co-op games.
– HeavenlyMaiden trembling and screaming? Oh man…
– HeavenlyMaiden suffering in a Souls-like game? Hehe.
HeavenlyMaiden naturally steered viewers toward joining the Moonlight Divine Sect.
Damwolrin, as if suddenly remembering, added,
“Oh, collaborating with other streamers through other games is also a good idea.”
“What’s a collaboration?”
“Nothing special. Either other streamers reach out for a collab, or you meet them in a game and naturally set up a collab.”
“Collaboration, huh…”
A smile crept onto Chi Yulang’s lips.
“That sounds fun.”
————
This was <MagicGeniusRomero>’s Rifa stream.
Boom!
MagicGeniusRomero, who had just subdued a charging knight with a fireball, wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.
“Phew, barely won. The closer I get to Platinum, the tougher it gets.”
– Yo, you guys see this?
– (Link)
– Oh, that?
– Of course, it’s the rising star right now.
“…”
While he was busy beating up the knight, his roughly 100 viewers were talking about something else.
But Romero was a pro Kwitch streamer with nearly a year of experience!
With a friendly smile, he asked,
“What’s everyone talking about?”
– There’s this monster rookie called HeavenlyMaiden.
– Started streaming like five days ago? Already over 300 viewers.
– Wow, three times Romero’s count.
Seeing the chat’s obvious attempt to rile him up, Romero smiled calmly.
“Well, with some luck, explosive growth is possible. But maintaining that viewership is all about skill.”
Once, a clip of him beating up a martial artist had ranked in the top 20, hitting a peak of 500 viewers.
But that was fleeting.
Afterward, his numbers gradually dropped, and now he barely maintained an average of 100 viewers.
Even that was impressive.
– Heard she got a partner badge too?
– For real?
Romero scoffed.
“Come on, that’s nonsense. You need to stream for at least a month to even apply for a Kwitch partner.”
– It’s true.
– Kwitch contacted her directly during her stream to scout her.
– Check it yourself.
– (Link)
“Let’s see.”
Clicking the link, Romero landed on HeavenlyMaiden’s stream.
She was holding some kind of presentation.
‘She’s cute.’
Her profile, focused on the announcement, was undeniably adorable. Big, round eyes. Dainty cheeks. An appearance anyone, young or old, male or female, would love.
“…!”
But then, Romero’s eyes widened.
Next to her nickname was the badge exclusive to Kwitch Partner streamers.
– Damn, that’s wild.
– Our streamer can’t get a partner badge after a year, lol.
– Did that sting? Haha.
Gulp!
This time, it really stung.
Hard.
Grit!
Romero clenched his teeth, forcing a smile.
“Does she play Rifa?”
– Yup.
– She does Rifa.
“What’s her tier?”
– Checking the record.
– Gold.
– She’s Gold.
– Looks young but impressive.
– Wait, her record’s kinda weird. A glitch?
“Is it?”
A deep smile spread across Romero’s face.
Unlike his forced smiles before, this one was genuine.
“Since I’m Gold too, maybe we’ll meet if I’m lucky.”
– What’re you gonna do if you meet?
“What else? I’ll pamper her, heh.”
————
“Now, let’s move on to outdoor streaming.”
With a wave of Dam Wolrin’s hand, the screen changed.
<Outdoor Streaming Diversification
– Introducing various regions of the Demon Realm (Demon Realm 8 Scenic Tours)
– Introducing beasts (What kinds of beasts are in the Demon Realm?)
– Introducing elixirs from the Demon Realm (You guys can’t eat these, right?)>
– What’s with the subtitles?
– Annoying, lol.
“I came up with the subtitles myself, haha.”
Dam Wolrin shyly adjusted her mask.
– A Demon Realm tour would be awesome for us…
– But isn’t it dangerous for HeavenlyMaiden?
– Yeah, she almost died last time.
Chi Yulang waved her hand dismissively.
“No need to worry. I won’t be in danger.”
– What’s with that confidence?
– Seriously.
– There’s gotta be a reason she survived ten years in the Demon Realm.
– Probably sneaking around?
– Last time I saw, she was just strolling confidently…
“Since it came up, I’ll make an announcement. I’ll do an outdoor stream every three days.”
– Every four days is too sparse…
– She said three days, dummy.
– Three days is three days.
– Sounds reasonable.
Thankfully, the reaction wasn’t bad.
After checking the chat, Chi Yulang exchanged a meaningful glance with Damwolrin.
An outdoor stream every three days.
This was actually a condition Kwitch had set during the partnership agreement.
They didn’t explain why, but it wasn’t hard to guess they had a keen interest in the Demon Realm.
“So tomorrow’s an outdoor stream.”
– Oh!
– Wooo!
– Been waiting!
– Where’re you going?
“I showed a panoramic view of the island from a peak before. I’ll take suggestions on where to go tomorrow via the Moonlight Divine Sect board. If you haven’t seen it, check the VOD.”
– メHeavenlyDemonForever: No mad cows here who haven’t joined the Moonlight Divine Sect, right?
– The name’s a bit weird.
– メHeavenlyDemonForever: It’s HeavenlyMaiden’s official fan café. Not weird at all.
– Dude, I can see the True Blade next to you.
– メHeavenlyDemonForever: Oops.
– Blatant promotion, lol.
– Forgot to log out, haha.
“Ahem. With that, we conclude the explanation of the first great goal set by the Sect Leader: Kwitch Conquest.”
“Everyone, applaud!”
– Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
– Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
– Lol, look at her changing the subject.
– Chilbok’s kinda cute, lol.
“Let’s move on to the second goal.”
<Second, RealFight99 Conquest>
Dam Wolrin shrugged and said.
“Honestly, I don’t have much to help with here. You’ll handle it fine on your own.”
Her tone was as if stating an obvious fact, like water flowing downhill.
– Chilbok really believes HeavenlyMaiden will reach the Beyond Heaven?
– Well, if she works hard, she might get there someday.
– Dream big, right?
– To be fair, her undefeated record is impressive.
– MagicSuperMan: Hmm, I don’t think she’ll even make Diamond, let alone the heavens beyond heavens.
– ?
– Who’s this guy?
– Hey! Who’s killing our girl’s vibe?
– MagicSuperMan: Am I wrong? The Extermination Squad’s honestly trash, lol.
– MagicSuperMan: Getting cocky over beating them is a bit much, lol.
– Armchair Lu Bu has arrived, lol.
– So what’s your tier?
– MagicSuperMan: Gold right now, lol.
– MagicSuperMan: I’m climbing slowly, but we might meet if I’m lucky, lol.
– MagicSuperMan: I’ll go easy if we do, lol.
– Damn, what a jerk.
– Thought he was Diamond or something, lol.
– A Gold-tier acting like he’s in the heavens beyond heavens, lol.
– Lol, showing off in front of a caterpillar. You know the Heavenly Demon’s here, right?
– MagicSuperMan: Lol, what nonsense. Why would the Heavenly Demon watch a low-tier stream like this?
– It’s true, lol.
– MagicSuperMan: Make sense, lol. Can’t argue logically, so you resort to nonsense?
The chat got noisy as a troll stirred things up.
Chi Yulang handled it swiftly.
“HakkoDigger13, take care of it.”
– メHakkoDigger13: Hiyah!
– (MagicSuperMan has been kicked from the stream)
– メHakkoDigger13: Chop!
– Knew we could count on you.
– Troll out.
– AnonymousSpearGrabber: That feels refreshing, haha.
After dealing with the troll, Chi Yulang turned her attention back to Dam Wolrin’s presentation.
“Chilbok’s right. I don’t need help conquering Rifa.”
Dam Wolrin nodded.
“Correct. So instead, I prepared this.”
<Masters of the Beyond Heaven>
– Oh.
– This just got interesting.
– Intriguing.
“There are three main types of masters in the Beyond Heaven. First, the good guys.”
<The Nine Heroes>
Photos of the Nine Heroes appeared on the screen.
“As you all know, these are the ones called the Nine Heroes for their role in winning the Rift War. They include the Wizard King, Knight King, Silver Sun, Psycho, and the Martial Alliance Leader, among others.”
– Haha, yup.
– Our heroes!
– Damn, the Nine Heroes again. Gotta worship them.
– Knight worship.
– Nice to see Silver Sun here at least.
– Please stream again…
“Next, the bad guys.”
<The Seven Great Demons>
Blurry photos and montages of the seven demons appeared on the screen.
“Called demons because they’re no different from beasts. Some have destroyed entire nations single-handedly. They’re walking calamities. Bomb Devil, Laughing Clown, Flame Priest, Blood Pilgrim, and others.”
– Booo.
– Go die.
– Are they human or beasts?
– Beasts in human skin, those guys.
“Lastly, the weird ones.”
<Lunatic Nine>
“Called Lunatic Nine because they’re unpredictable, like the whims of the moon. The Nine Heroes are allies and good, the Seven Great Demons are humanity’s enemies and absolute evil, but…”
“But?”
“These guys are… ambiguous.”
Dam Wolrin pointed at the screen, explaining.
“They live by their own standards, so depending on the situation, they could be enemies or allies. And those standards? Unknowable. In short, they’re just weird.”
Chi Yulang, listening quietly, suddenly spoke.
“Like the Blood Demon or Mad Demon?”
“Exactly. Like the Blood Demon or Mad Demon. This group includes the Public Interest War Freak, Crazy Woman, Death King, Divine Thief, Drug Addict, Grand Judge, and others.”
– Look at that lineup.
– Just their names are terrifying.
– End of days. Nine crazy freaks like that?
– Every time I see them, it hits me how close the world was to ending.
– But didn’t some of them help in the Rift War?
– Sure, but the ones who didn’t are the problem.
– They’re just wildcards.
“To summarize: 9 good guys, 7 bad guys, 9 weird guys. That’s 25 people currently parked in the Beyond Heaven. It’s not absolute, so take it as a reference. Things shift slightly.”
“I see.”
Chi Yulang was impressed.
‘Four worlds merged, and there are this many.’
In the past, she had wandered the martial world seeking worthy opponents. Now, with new worlds merged and new masters emerging, her heart raced.
Thump thump-
Her body itched with anticipation.
‘I want to fight them soon.’
“Oh, one more thing.”
Dam Wolrin added, as if just remembering.
“I heard the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament is happening soon.”
“Dragon and Phoenix Tournament?”
“Yes. You know the Alliance Leader, right?”
“The Alliance Leader?”
Chi Yulang tilted her head.
“You mean Yoon-je? The spear guy?”
– ?
– The Alliance Leader’s her friend?
– Why’s she so casual, lol?
“Correct. It’s a martial arts tournament hosted by the Alliance Leader to find promising young talents. The Nine Heroes are said to attend, so it’s a high-profile event. Rumor has it, if you stand out, you could become a disciple of the Nine Heroes.”
“Hmm.”
Chi Yulang’s eyes grew bored.
“And with that much attention, performing well could make your stream explode.”
“Oh?”
Chi Yulang’s eyes widened.
– Wait, shouldn’t she be more excited about becoming a disciple of the Nine Heroes?
– Look at her eyes sparkling when the stream’s mentioned, lol.
– Lol, she’s like, “Forget the Nine Heroes, I want my stream to blow up,” haha.
– Ahem! Does a tiger cub train under a wolf?
– Must be the Heavenly Demon’s daughter; so bold.
Chi Yulang, eyes gleaming, asked,
“Are there entry requirements?”
“Age under thirty, tier Platinum or above.”
Chi Yulang nodded thoughtfully.
“I see. Gotta hit Platinum then.”
“Exactly.”
The screen changed.
<Third, Make the Heavenly Demon Sect Great Again!>
“To make the Moonlight Divine Sect, re-established by the Sect Leader, as grand as the Sun and Moon Divine Sect once was, we must expand its influence! To do that…”
<Money>
“Above all, capital is key. You need money to gather people, and people to do anything, right? In this era, money comes first…”
Chi Yulang stared blankly at Dam Wolrin’s passionate speech.
“Chilbok.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“No money?”
“None.”
“Didn’t you say you had some?”
“Huh?”
“You said you’d give me ten million cookies if you beat me.”
“That was obviously a bluff, haha.”
“…”
“B-But I’ve come up with several ways to accumulate capital!”
Dam Wolrin hurriedly flipped the screen.
<Money. Money. Money! Let’s Make Money!
– Start YouTube!
– Recruit passionate disciples to work hard for the sect!>
“With the Kwitch partnership, we can fully operate YouTube! We’ll open channels for mukbang, gaming, and outdoor streams. If we find editors…”
“Have you found editors?”
“No, no money…”
“…”
“Then we recruit disciples first! They’ll work hard, earn money, and then…”
“Have you recruited disciples?”
“No, not yet…”
“…”
– Chilbok, what are you doing?
– Face down, stretch out!
– Thought Chilbok was competent; what a letdown.
Chi Yulang sighed heavily, looking at the dejected Dam Wolrin.
“Since we’re doing an outdoor stream tomorrow, I’ll gather some elixirs and send them to you. Sell them to raise funds.”
“Sect Leader…!”
Dam Wolrin looked at Chi Yulang with moved eyes.
Selling elixirs to make money wasn’t a new idea. Selling them could easily afford million-cookie Dongpo pork.
The only reason she hadn’t was simple.
It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t rewarding.
Would eating expensive Dongpo pork bought with elixir money taste good?
No.
It wouldn’t even taste that great; it’d feel hollow.
Having already reached the peak, Chi Yulang knew.
The top is boring.
Rushing up misses a lot.
She wouldn’t repeat that mistake.
This time, she’d enjoy the journey slowly, savoring everything.
Watching trickling streams, admiring butterflies in flower fields.
Climbing the mountain with joy.
The difference between racing to the top and strolling leisurely along a scenic path.
Dongpo pork bought with money earned through her own efforts would taste far better.
…Also, gathering and selling elixirs one by one was a hassle.
‘But for the sect, it’s different.’
Chi Yulang decided the Demon Realm’s rare elixirs would be used solely for the sect.
“So you can find editors then?”
“Of course! I’ll post a recruitment notice on the sect’s board right away. But the disciples should be people who can work together in person, not just online…”
“If that’s the case…”
A group came to mind.
“You have someone in mind?”
“How about the Extermination Squad?”
“…The Extermination Squad?”
Dam Wolrin’s expression turned puzzled.
“I don’t understand why you’d give such low-quality people an undeserved opportunity.”
Chi Yulang grinned.
“We weren’t exactly high-quality people either, were we?”
Dam Wolrin smiled behind her mask.
“Hard to deny.”
“It’ll be fun to train them, no?”
“Now that you mention it, yes.”
Dam Wolrin nodded.
“I’ll personally go and recruit the Extermination Squad.”
“Do it.”
– But don’t you need their consent?
– Yeah, now that you mention it.
Seeing the chat, Dam Wolrin spoke as if the idea was absurd.
“What nonsense? Being chosen by the Sect Leader is an honor in itself.”
The Heavenly Demon is the sect’s leader and god.
An arrogant god doesn’t care for human concerns.
They take what they want.
– Lol, the Extermination Squad’s screwed.
– Considering what they did to HeavenlyMaiden, I don’t feel bad for them, lol.
– The Heavenly Demon and Chilbok are coming!
– Forced conversion.
– Breaking News: Extermination squad, watching the stream, is startled.
“With that, the roadmap announcement concludes.”
Dam Wolrin bowed as applause poured in.
– Tsk tsk tsk.
– Part 2 done.
– HeavenlyMaiden, you signing off now?
“Listening to Chilbok’s presentation makes me itchy. Since I’m here, I’ll play one Rifa match before signing off.”
– Oh!
– Hell yeah!
“I need to talk briefly with Chilbok, so wait a moment.”
– Sure!
– Heehee, excited!
Turning off the screen and audio briefly, Dam Wolrin removed her mask.
Unlike last time, when her face was wrinkled, she now appeared as a refined, youthful woman.
This was a side effect of her mastery of the Ghostly Cold God-Destroying Technique, her true appearance restored as her inner demons receded.
With a wave of her hand, the screen changed.
<Fourth, Escape>
“I’ve sent your capsule’s serial number to Kwitch.”
“Any response?”
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
After a brief silence, Dam Wolrin answered with a serious expression.
“They found the signal.”
“…!”
“Right before the stream, they contacted me saying they dispatched a rift exploration team.”
Chi Yulang’s great goals.
The fourth and final one.
Escaping the Demon Realm was also progressing in secret.
————
MagicGeniusRomero’s stream.
– Why isn’t he queuing?
– Dunno.
– Probably scared after almost losing last time, lol.
He had HeavenlyMaiden’s stream open in the background, timing his move.
There was a way to meet an opponent without sending a challenge: sniping.
Only possible with similar tiers.
By queuing at the same time as the opponent, the chances of matching together increase.
A common tactic streamers fall for.
‘Now!’
[Here comes a new challenger!]
Pop!
The opponent appeared.
A cute twin-tailed girl.
‘Got her!’
Romero cheered inwardly.
– Huh?
– Isn’t that HeavenlyMaiden?
– Wow, matched together.
“Haha, what a coincidence.”
Romero said with a deep smile.
“I’ll go easy.”
[3, 2, 1]
[Fight!]
As the match began, Romero quickly chanted a spell and fired a fireball.
– ?
– Fireball right off the bat?
– Didn’t he say he’d go easy?
– That’s harsh against a kid.
– This guy’s got no conscience?
The blazing fireball hurtled toward HeavenlyMaiden.
The cute girl, seemingly oblivious, reached out to catch it.
Romero grinned.
This wasn’t an ordinary fireball.
It was his specialty, a compressed fireball that explodes on contact…
“Oh, this is cool.”
“?”
The chat flooded with question marks as the girl innocently played catch with the fireball.
– ?
– ???
