Season 5: Chapter 152. Potato and Sweet Potato (2)

Ju-Hyeok couldn't hide his dumbfounded expression.

"Should I have told them not to blab about the contract?"

Not announcing the contract details before the official announcement was so common sense that he'd left it unsaid.

Actually, Ju-Hyeok himself had gotten excited about finally contracting streamers and rushed the signing. Then, he watched someone say, “This is a secret, so don't tell anyone.” They were talking about the MCN contract on their personal stream.

— ?

— Yeah

— ??? This is a secret... but

— Telling thousands of people lmaooo

— This is a secret but you're saying it here?? lmaooo

— Okay keeping it secret. Also share your official certificate ID and card PIN.

Naturally, this information leaked. Maybe a leak wasn’t even the right word. Talk about the MCN naturally flooded the Cheese fan boards for Sweet Radish and Sweet Potato, which was understandable. Finding out which company supported one’s favorite streamer was quite a big deal. Many expressed concern.

— Is this okay?

— Are they really going there?

— Just stay solo...

It wasn't as if only good things happened between streamers and MCNs. The mood on Sweet Radish's fan board, where he'd accumulated a lot of contract experience in his pro days, seemed okay with it.

[Oh, Radish finally joined Almond's company lmaooo]

[Congrats: Sweet Radish MCN contract!]

[Mixed Nuts though, is it fine? Only Almond there]

[Sweet Radish I hope you had your eyes open when signing that contract...]

The atmosphere on Sweet Potato's fan board was a bit different.

[Sweet Potato this guy got scammed again lmaooo]

[Can't shake the feeling he just joined his buddy's company; what's even there?]

[Signing with an MCN just for Lord Almond? Going to get squeezed dry]

[Voluntarily becoming someone's errand boy...]

Sweet Potato originally didn’t inspire much confidence in his viewers. He was free-spirited and music-loving like a bard in an RPG game. Such people had charm but were generally weak in areas like signing contracts.

[You said you were going solo independent style like 2 weeks ago and now suddenly an MCN contract? Lmaooo such a legend]

On top of that, his behavior was completely inconsistent with things he'd previously said. Fans were essentially being treated like voice phishing victims.

[fr feels like he got caught by a Servant upvote lmaooo]

[Sweet Potato... you've really become a TRUE Sweet Potato...]

[??? From now on you're Sweet Potato]

Ju-Hyeok smacked his forehead and sighed. "Phew. No, it's not Sweet Potato's problem."

He tried to blame Sweet Potato, but this was actually Mixed Nuts' fault.

"Mixed Nuts' image isn't good."

Sweet Potato was a problem, but quite a few worried comments could also be seen even on Sweet Radish's side.

Ju-Hyeok couldn't shake the thought that if Mixed Nuts had been a major MCN, they wouldn't be getting this treatment. The MCN that had handed Sang-Hyeon a business card back then came to mind.

'If that were the case, Sweet Potato's fans would have understood.'

Mixed Nuts had been working hard all this time. They’d planned Cheese Village and created the Fake National Team series. To people's eyes, it all seemed to have been designed entirely for Almond and not what the MCN did. That was actually true.

'In practice, it was just Almond!'

At the time, what they did for the MCN was synonymous with what they did for Almond, their sole streamer.

Bzzt.

[Ji-Ah: lmaooo look at this]

[Ji-Ah: Sweet Potato is so excited]

[Ji-Ah: (video)]

Ji-Ah occasionally sent over funny bits from Almond’s edits, but this time it wasn't an Almond video.

'It's Sweet Potato...?'

Ju-Hyeok played the video.

“I am Mixed Nuts! Almond has my back!”

He meant not just on his personal stream, but also in the scrimmage lobby where everyone could see.

Ju-Hyeok let out a rueful laugh. "Pff, hahahaha!"

After laughing, he felt better.

"If he’s that happy about it... then it's fine."

Sweet Potato seemed satisfied with the contract.

Now, Ju-Hyeok just needed to prove himself. ℴ

***

For a gaming streamer to attract attention through donations was very rare. Internet broadcasting and live streaming had many genres and revenue models.

A gaming streamer’s main revenue wasn't actually donations. To begin with, donation rankings weren't even included in the evaluation criteria for gaming streamers. It was like not expecting capital gains from dividend stocks.

What if a gaming streamer managed to reach first place in the donation rankings? That was a different story.

It was like getting great dividends and large capital gains, basically hitting the jackpot. Almond ranking first in the donation rankings was, even if briefly, that impactful.

"Right. It's an impressive achievement." Black Tea understood that.

'But I don't understand this.'

Why were these guys all worked up rather than Almond?

"Ugh, Sweet Potato! Will you shut up for a second!"

Sweet Potato had been rapping about Mixed Nuts next to her the whole time. The content was something else along the lines of all his family getting shot dead, but Mixed Nuts protected him. He'd found hope to live again in the hood.

"Hey... I, I'm your oppa..."

"I know, so just shut up! It's giving me a headache!" Black Tea had gotten quite sharp.

Was she just in poor condition?

Sweet Potato looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Uh... you, you... you don't by any chance...?"

"What? What? What?"

"Is it because you couldn't get into Mixed Nuts?"

'Ho ho ho ho.'

Sweet Potato struck a villain pose and looked down at her.

"You mean you're taking it out on me because you didn't even get an offer!?"

— ?

— ??

— lmaooooooooo

— Wow

— Interesting

— What

— lmaooooo

— Starting at Mixed Nuts lmaooo

— Sweet Potato increase the split and include marketing fees

— lmaooooooo

Black Tea was too dumbfounded to speak.

'Come to think of it, why didn't I get an offer?'

It was true, which was why she felt dumbfounded that Sweet Potato would actually say it out loud.

"You still don't get it, rookie? That's because you're Maid Black Tea. Still just a baby! Your turn hasn't come yet! That's what I'm saying. Kyahahahaha!"

Sweet Potato laughed until his uvula was visible.

— lmaooooooo

— So excited lmaooo

— This is the level...

— Sweet Potato the MCN isn't there to promote you...

— lmaooooooooooo

Almond deliberated for a while. Then, he went to Black Tea and whispered, "Black Tea, should I ask for you? I think they probably just forgot."

"Oh, oppa! It's not like that!"

— LOL

— lmaooooooooooo

— Confirmation kill lmaooo

— lmaooooo

— Who would forget this

— Does Almond think Walnut is him lmaooo

'Whoosh.'

The coach entered.

"Everyone, it's been a while."

When the calm voice rang out, everyone briefly went quiet.

"Sweet Potato, you seem in a good mood." Sa-Rang specifically called out Sweet Potato.

"Uh...? Ahaha!? Does it? My mentality is one thing I'm confident in!"

"We'll see if that's still your expression after receiving feedback on the five scrimmage games. Feel free to test that mentality."

"...?"

— lmaooooooooooo

— Sweet Potato hater lmaooo

— Stop bullying Sweet Potato!!

— Too much LOL

— Sweet Potato does make for satisfying target practice

Sa-Rang's feedback intensity was clearly gradually increasing. It was unavoidable. Joint scrimmage opportunities weren't many, and the tournament was approaching. She couldn't help being sharp.

"I know there isn't much time for separate practice for any of you. Going forward, you need to come back after clearly addressing the things I mention today. Otherwise, you won't be able to handle Paprika."

For streamers, they realistically couldn't pour everything into winning a tournament.

Sweet Potato raised his hand with gusto. "B-but I practice without fail two hours a day, five games with my stream off!"

Almost at the same time as he finished speaking, Sa-Rang added, "Oh, and don't tell me things like ‘I practiced this much.' Whether or not you practiced is shown in the game."

— What

— Sweet Potato sniped lmaooo

— Sweet Potato will be trembling today

— Oh man...

— Even every bit of nonsense has an answer...

At that moment, she didn't see it.

Lemon, who was about to quietly raise her hand, lowered it and averted her eyes.

Not just Sa-Rang, but most of the team members didn't see it either.

'Gyuri...'

Only Black Tea was staring at Lemon intently.

"To be clear, even the game where we placed first last time had many disappointing aspects outside of the excellent split play."

At the words that the split had been well done, Almond's fist clenched.

'Yes.'

Receiving praise for the split was like praise directed at himself.

Nobody else saw it, but Sa-Rang saw his fist clenching.

'I wasn't trying to praise him.'

She hadn't intended to compliment Almond. He was just distorting it and receiving it that way. She considered pointing it out, but they had no time.

"Hmm. Enough about the previous games... The competition is soon."

Sa-Rang looked at the remaining feedback time.

"We're still going to get first place in all of them."

Sweet Radish was startled by those words. "All... first place in all of them?"

"Yes, I said that we'd get first place from now on."

That statement continued to the present.

"H-how?"

"That's for Sweet Radish to figure out. Bye."

Whoosh.

The moment Sa-Rang waved, the room disappeared.

They found themselves back in the lobby.

"???"

"...?"

"B-bye?"

— lmaooooooooooo

— What was that lmaooo

— lmaooooo

— After going hard on Sweet Potato, she's in a good mood~

Sweet Radish's eyes went hollow.

'I have to figure it out?'

What on earth was he supposed to do?