Season 5: Chapter 163. Not Yet Time (2)

With the Platform War one day away, Cheese's management team gathered for a meeting. Given that it was such a laid-back platform company, meeting in virtual reality would have been expected. However, everyone came to the office in person today. That was how important today was.

"Finally, it’s tomorrow."

Click.

Placing her hand on the table, CEO Chae Dahee’s eyes looked quite resolute from the start.

'Is she going out herself...'

'What? Is the CEO also competing?'

'Ha. Damn KOSPI...'

The employees each entertained random thoughts as they listened to the CEO's remarks. Then, words came that genuinely snapped everyone to attention.

"You all know, right? What it means for Paprika and Cheese to broadcast together."

"Yes!"

At those words, most employees took on the same resolved expression as Chae Dahee. Only now did the reality hit them again.

'Right. That's what this was.'

'Damn... we're the ones fighting too.'

'Damn KOSPI.'

It wasn't just the streamers going out to fight.

"It means throwing both platforms' viewers into one container and shaking them up to divide the spoils. This is, in other words..."

Bang!

Chae Dahee slammed the desk and stood up. "WARRRR!"

In this war of Cheese versus Paprika, the streamers were just the frontline soldiers. The real war was the battle between the two platforms for viewers.

"Manager Kim! Show us the real soldiers who will march to the battlefield!"

From their perspective, were the real soldiers going to war?

"Yes."

With a resolute expression, one manager stood up and put up a PowerPoint.

[Platform War: 10 Participating Teams Promotional Status]

Almost all attention was focused on the streaming scene here. How would each team represent itself? How would they captivate rival viewers? This was the true war.

"I'll present. First, Can't Can't Can't has the highest average viewership."

[Can't Can't Can't]

"Right, we have high expectations for them. Their characters are well-established, and everyone is experienced."

"Yes, their average streamer career length is also the second-highest after the Nonghyup. It’s good to have high expectations."

Ding.

The screen changed, and a massive poster appeared.

"Their promotional strategy starts with a movie poster concept."

[Can't Do Right]

[Can't Do Game]

[Can't Done It]

It was a backdrop of Korea's concrete apartment jungle. With a setting sun, the poster showed three men looking in different directions.

Zelo, Bubblegum, and ForeverAlone had been photographed in a very solemn style entirely inconsistent with their usual images. Below these three, a man and a woman could be seen in a horse chase on an open plain. It was Choco Shroom and Acorn Jelly.

Below that, a small synopsis appeared.

[Acorn Jelly believes someone rigged the team's victory and begins investigating. He discovers the conspiracy of an organization called Can't Can't Can't and begins a chase to catch them...]

"Ha? There's even a scenario?"

"Yes. Additional filming was done with this concept, and merchandise has apparently been prepared."

Ding. Ding. Ding.

The manager kept advancing slides showing various concept photos and character merchandise. The team's color was clearly visible.

'Not bad. It’s an experienced team, as expected.'

Chae Dahee was pleased.

Bubblegum was great at this kind of thing already. With the addition of Zelo, there were no worries there.

'Still...'

She knew it wasn't about whether she was pleased or not. It was the viewers' hearts that mattered most.

"What are the people's reactions?"

"Yes, let's look. Promotional materials distributed as viral content in advance placed quite high in trending posts."

Ding.

[#3. Can't Can't Can't team poster is out lmaooo.]

— lmaooooooooooo

— Expressions LOL

— ForeverAlone's expression really looks like someone who's never done it

— Well sunglasses are justified with that kind of sunset

— So funny

— Zelo and Bubblegum just have insane face talent

The manager added with a grin, "First, shall we say a pure weight can be felt from their faces. As expected, the branding fits perfectly."

“Pfft.”

The other employees barely suppressed their laughter at that.

"Ugh, ahem."

"Ri-right. Their faces are full of talent."

Another reaction had been trending.

[#5. Can't Can't Can't also released some Shorts lmaooo]

"Shorts?"

This content wasn't in the earlier slides.

"Yes, let's look."

The Shorts were about twenty seconds long. Choco Shroom, dressed in a terrorist Bonnie costume, stood laughing.

Below her, a beaten-up Acorn Jelly glared up at her. “The Mad Mushroom... unbelievable! Wh-what on earth did I lose for!? Who are you people!? What is Can't Can't Can't?!”

“Ahahahahahahaha!” Choco Shroom mockingly laughed at Acorn Jelly. “You want to know why you lost? Do you think it was because of me?”

“What? You’re saying it wasn't?”

“Look beside you!”

Ba-da-DUN!

Bubblegum, who had been watching from beside them, appeared close-up.

“Code name: Can't Game.”

“Wh... B-Bubblegum is on your side!?”

“No.” The Mad Mushroom Choco Shroom corrected him. “On YOUR side. That's why you lost.”

The video slowly closed in on Bubblegum's face and ended.

Ding.

The comment reactions were quite good.

— lmaooo surprisingly high quality

— lmaooooo

— Bubblegum noooo!

— What lmaooo

— They even did this??

— Talent for match-fixing level

— Why does he have a code name when he's not even a spy lmaooo

CEO Chae Dahee clapped. "Good. The effort shows. Who was responsible?"

"Yes! It was me!"

"Okay. Well done."

"Yes!"

Award discussions breezed by like this. The next team's promotional materials came up. Most were posters or concept photos, the kind that solidified their characters further. It went generally smoothly. Among those, the standout was the Nonghyup.

"The Nonghyup trained to improve the three old men's physicality as their main content concept for the promotional video... but the training method is a bit brutal."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Day trading."

Donuts had trained the three old men's reaction speed through stock day trading, which was uploaded as a video.

“Now! Sell now!”

“It's now!”

“Is it NOW!?”

Ba-da-DUN.

The old men sweated profusely while day trading.

[To be continued at the Platform War...]

It just ended like that. These simple and stimulating videos received reactions beyond expectations.

— Insane people LOL

— Slow reaction means money gone fr

— Difficulty scaling is decent too lmaooo starts with NASDAQ then KOSPI then coins lmaooo

— lmaooo did Horn Ramen lose 10 million won???

— MiddleAgedDetective suddenly really good?

— Insane lmaooo

— Stocks are reaction speed lmaooo

— Donuts is just making money regardless of reaction speed lmaooooo

└ lmaooo fr

└ True

└ Just making bank LOL

└ So sneaky fr

Thee Cheese employees watched their training videos in a daze too.

'Wow.'

'Insane... how much is that?'

'I'm jealous of Donuts...'

'Damn KOSPI.'

A good response came, but including the CEO, all the employees clearly didn't want to even look at stocks. They quickly moved on.

Ding.

"Ahem... next is Magical Girls. Here, they uniquely used the TikTok platform."

The Magical Girls team, including CutiePie, had uploaded multiple videos to TikTok.

"Hmm. A women's team with an idol member. Dance Shorts videos would attract attention most effectively."

"Correct."

With an idol like CutiePie plus a model like Miho, they drew considerable interest.

— Miho is genuinely so pretty fr

— Miho is carrying everything?

— Cream Puff is trying hard

— Why doesn't the video end? Why doesn't the video end? Why doesn't the video end?

"The initial interest was largely driven by their beautiful visuals, but what really went viral was an unidentified spy's role."

"A spy?"

"Yes. Here."

Ding.

The manager stopped at the section with the most of these comments.

— Something weird seems to appear in the middle?

— ??

— 00:31 this is still Magical Girls... right?

— 00:31 Is this a spirit photograph?

— lmaooooooooo

— If a man appears at 31 seconds in the video, do not comment or ask questions, just type “fr lmaooo.” There are only girls in this video.

└ fr lmaooo

└ fr lmaooo

└ fr lmaooo

"Oh..."

The CEO reluctantly clapped.

"Well done."

"Now I'll show you the compiled promotional viral score data for each team."

Cheese had given each team a promotional score for internal review. This measured and scored the viral level and how much buzz they generated.

"Currently, the Magical Girls team is in first with approximately 17 million total views. The Nonghyup is in second with 8 million. Can't Can't Can't is third at around 6 million."

"Hmm. As expected, Magical Girls' performance is overwhelmingly better. Can't keep up with TikTok speed. Overseas clicks are also substantial since there's an idol."

Chae Dahee nodded and then suddenly noticed something missing.

"Wait. What about the Knight Order?"

"Oh, that..."

The manager explained that they apparently hadn't done anything.

"What!?" Chae Dahee stood up in disbelief. "Hah! Playing lord and losing their minds!? How does that make sense? Who's responsible!"

"I-it's me..." Manager Teu raised his hand timidly.

"Why is there absolutely nothing!? Today is the day before the Platform War! Nothing all this time makes no sense! The war! Is TOMORROW!!"

"That, that... it's not like I didn't bring it up..."

"What did they say!?"

***

Ju-Hyeok waved as if to say stop. "It’s not time yet."

At those words, Macaron was dumbfounded. "Hm? T-tomorrow is already the Platform War. What do we do if the promotional video isn't uploaded? Will anyone even care about us tomorrow?"

Of all people, Macaron tried to persuade him.

Ju-Hyeok waved it off again. "Not. Yet. Time."

Just like that, the next day came.

***

The long-awaited Platform War finally arrived.

[Platform War]

[D-Day]

Countless gaming and streaming communities buzzed. Anyone could feel the excitement, especially on Paprika’s side.

[#1. Paprika vs Cheese betting status lmaooo]

[#2. Upvote if Paprika is going to tear them apart lmaooo]

[#3. The revenge of Cheese Village begins...]

Paprika viewers felt excited now that they could properly beat the other side.

==== ====

Yesterday, all Paprika streamers watched the humiliation that Paprika streamers suffered in Cheese Village.

Everyone is furious at the unselected members, Lord Almond, and Ah-Sung's tyranny.

The vibe is like an independence movement, fully resolute.

(photo)

Cheese... just you wait.

==== ====

The Paprika players looked extremely serious in the black and white photo.

— lmaooooooooo oh they're going like this?

— What's a Team Rocket type being so resolute about lmaooo

— Almond's colonial occupation? America's coming this time~

└ lmaooooooo

└ lmaooooooooo

└ Paprika's forces are American level though

└ ??? Who hit our pepper!?

— Time to see some bitterness from Lord Almond

└ lmaooo fr

└ Time to see him take some hits fr

They united in hostility toward Almond. Perhaps because everyone focused on the Knight Order, they had eyes on all the content. Remarkably, another post was also trending.

[#5. Why is only the Knight Order not doing any promotional activity?]

— Oh? True

— What's going on?

— Are they preparing something big?

— Sweet Radish and Sweet Potato mentioned filming...

└ Black Tea and Lemon had filming too

└ But why isn't it coming out?

└ Mixed Nuts can't get anything done

— When does it come out???

— True huh?