The Legal Hacker's Gaming Broadcast Episode 1
Chapter 1: Retirement
Bam!
The sound of a hand slamming down on a desk echoed through the hallway outside the coach's office—no, through the team house and practice facility of the FPS pro-gaming team 'Bluestar'.
But to Gang Minjun, whose fury had reached a boiling point, that pain meant absolutely nothing.
"Why!"
"Hey, hey. Your wrist! Watch your wrist! Are you seriously slamming your bare hand on the desk with an injured wrist? Calm down, you idiot."
"Ah, I can just rehab that later, can't I?"
"Are you seriously treating rehab like some miracle cure?"
"That's not what's important right now!"
More than the mere pain in his palm, the words he had just heard from the coach standing before him were far more shocking and important.
The same went for his wrist, wrapped in a cast, which he had brought down with enough force to nearly split the desk in half.
"More importantly, is that really true? That there won't be any separate punishment or disciplinary action?"
His wrist was already injured, so whether it hurt a little more or a little less didn't matter much when enduring it.
However, the fact that Choe Iljun, the bastard who had reduced his wrist to this state, was walking around completely unscathed was absolutely intolerable.
Huu.
Coach Lee Sanghun of the pro-gaming team he belonged to looked at him for a moment, let out a sigh, and answered.
"Yeah. Apparently, they concluded that he'd just apologize to you separately and reflect on his actions."
"An apology? You're telling me an apology is supposed to fix this when I should be deciding whether or not to file a lawsuit?"
"It probably won't turn into a lawsuit. There's no evidence."
"What do you mean there's no evidence? It happened right in front of everyone during the handshake after the match. How many people saw him trip me when I turned around, making me fall off the platform? And there were several cameras there—how is there no evidence?"
"That's the thing. It's impossible for there to be none, but apparently, by some miraculous error, all the camera footage from that exact moment was lost. Even from every broadcast camera's storage."
Lee Sanghun shook his head as if it was absurd while relaying this to him.
"...What? What did you say?"
Gang Minjun was no different upon hearing those words.
No, he was so beyond furious that he was momentarily speechless.
"That son of a..."
Gulp.
An insult instantly rose to the bottom of his throat, but he held it back.
"...Huu. A miraculous coincidence, you say?"
"That's right. A damned miraculous coincidence."
Because through the course of this incident, he had learned all too well that rage and curses couldn't change a thing.
Of course, the truth was no different.
'In the end, the conclusion of everything depends not on the truth, but on strength—whether that's the skill you possess, or connections, or popularity, or parents, or assets, whatever you can wield.'
Well, even so, he hadn't known that that bastard Choe Iljun's strength was enough to let him get away with destroying someone else's wrist with just an apology.
It seemed Choe Iljun's backing was stronger than he'd thought.
"I was speechless when I heard it too... but what can I do about it?"
"No matter what, to think they'd... Huu, never mind. It's not like you have the power to change the decision anyway, Coach. You don't have much sway among the coaches as it is, so expecting more would be too much."
"...Hey, that last part is a bit hurtful."
"Could you possibly feel as awful as I do right now? Besides, you know full well what a bad temper I have. Just let it go."
At Gang Minjun's words, Lee Sanghun furrowed his brows as if dumbfounded.
"If you know it's a problem, fix it, you punk."
"I'd like to fix it too, but lately, nothing happens but events that stoke my temper. And it doesn't seem like you're of much help either, Coach."
"Ah, well. That's true, isn't it."
Ahem.
Gang Minjun let out a sigh as he looked at Lee Sanghun clearing his throat.
Well, it wasn't like he had done anything wrong.
He simply lacked political power in the pro scene—that was all.
Swish.
He looked Lee Sanghun up and down.
'He's a good person. He's capable of managing a team.'
He was just an outsider.
It was a thought that would surely make Lee Sanghun jump up and down if he heard it, but what did it matter when it was just a thought?
It wasn't even wrong.
In this minuscule domestic pro scene that ran on connections and networking, the title of "young coach who studied abroad and came from an overseas pro league" was practically proof of having absolutely zero political acumen.
"What are you thinking, punk?"
"Nothing in particular."
"That was definitely the look of someone thinking I'm a powerless, connectionless, incompetent coach."
"...No, I'm definitely thinking you have quick intuition, at least."
"That's the same thing, you punk."
"You're quick to catch on, too."
"..."
Tremble, tremble.
Lee Sanghun's body flinched.
It was obvious he was debating whether to punch him or hold back because, despite being a pain in the neck, he was still an injured person.
However, Gang Minjun didn't notice Lee Sanghun's gaze.
Because his attention was focused on a single person not present in this room.
'Choe Iljun...'
Grit.
He had never particularly liked that name, but now just thinking about it made him grind his teeth.
The ill-fated relationship between him and Choe Iljun hadn't sprung up overnight.
It was the match between Bluestar and Redhammer in last year's pro league finals for the FPS game 'Rainbow War'.
[Ah, Player Gang Minjun! He secures victory purely through physical prowess in a 1 versus 5!]
[Today's winner is Bluestar! Choe Iljun of the opposing team was known as the player with the best physical in the current pro league, but he's no match for Player Gang Minjun! In the peeking battle in the corridor, he couldn't even lift a finger before getting headshot!]
[Player Gang Minjun is a physical monster! A new star has risen in Bluestar! The reputation for strongest physical that Player Choe Iljun held now belongs to Player Gang Minjun!]
Since Gang Minjun had pulled off a 1:5 clutch on the final match point, leading Bluestar to victory, the two had become sworn enemies.
The beginning of it all was the inferiority complex Choe Iljun, captain of the defeated Redhammer, had developed after losing to Gang Minjun in terms of physical ability.
"Fucking hell! What the hell is that bastard? Does that even make sense?"
"Iljun, calm down! We're inside the arena!"
In truth, their relationship wasn't something that could be cutely described as a mere rivalry.
"If only that bastard Gang Minjun weren't there... No, more importantly, isn't that bastard way too full of himself? He should have considered who his opponent was during the match. Was he that desperate for the title that a senior in the same industry held? Right? He could have just thrown the match when it was a 5:1 situation. If it became a 5:1 situation, that means his team was completely outplayed strategically, so isn't that basically a loss already? Did he really have to fight tooth and nail to win like that?"
Having had a championship he was about to hoist snatched away before his eyes due to a reversal caused solely by Gang Minjun's physical prowess, and having his title as the strongest physical player stolen, Choe Iljun began to openly express his hostility toward Gang Minjun.
"...Oh, right. You're right. What you said is correct."
"Right? You think so too, right? Yeah. I can't let that bastard run rampant in the pro scene anymore. What does he even have besides physical ability? If I just break his arm, he won't be able to play professionally anymore, right?"
"Hey, that's a bit..."
"Ah, did I say that a little too harshly? Do you think I'd actually do that? Don't worry. I'm not an idiot. I don't start things I can't handle."
"Right? Haha... Ah, come to think of it, I think I left my computer on in the practice room. I'll head back to check on it real quick. You go on ahead."
His malice was so blatant and sticky that those around him awkwardly laughed and stepped away from him.
Of course, even so, none of them had truly believed Choe Iljun would actually carry out those words.
Gang Minjun had also heard rumors that Choe Iljun was slandering him.
'I thought he just said that in the heat of the moment, and that in reality, he'd either hone his physical ability for a rematch or aim for a more overwhelming victory through team strategy.'
That would have been the logical, natural response.
But what they hadn't considered was that when someone stepped outside common sense, they were capable of deeds beyond common sense.
Crunch.
"Huh?"
"Huh, hey! Watch out...!"
Bang, crash! Thud!
"Aaaargh!"
"Hey, Minjun!"
How could it be a logical act to drop an opposing team's player off a platform while shaking hands with them in front of everyone?
But Choe Iljun executed that act without a single moment of hesitation.
'Crazy bastard.'
Among his actions, there was only one thing understandable within the bounds of common sense.
'He said he doesn't start things he can't handle. So that means this was something he could handle.'
Just as he had said, this incident had been pushed to the brink of being buried and forgotten in an instant.
The footage from the camera clearly positioned at the front had been erased some time ago, and the live broadcast they thought was airing had, it turned out, been showing commercials at that exact moment.
The audience on-site had also failed to grasp exactly what had happened due to the sudden incident.
In the end, this terrible incident that had stolen his wrist and his future was, just as Choe Iljun had been confident, something he was fully capable of handling.
'Then the way to make Choe Iljun pay is to make this incident too big for him to handle.'
No matter if the evidence had disappeared, if he kicked up a fuss, raised his voice, and flailed about to grow the controversy, he might find some kind of breakthrough.
Having steeled his resolve, Gang Minjun raised his head.
"But even if the odds are zero, there is meaning in simply creating controversy. I should still at least try to..."
"Retirement ceremony, post-retirement employment support funds, and they'll call you back as a former FPS legend for exhibition matches."
"What?"
"Those are the conditions you can receive if you just pretend this never happened and move on."
"..."
The moment he raised his head, Gang Minjun fell silent at Lee Sanghun's sudden words.
Setting aside how completely unexpected they were, the conditions were actually quite good.
Clack.
The coach, reading his expression, fumbled around in the desk drawer and pulled out some documents, holding them out to him.
Written there were all the clauses for the conditions he had just mentioned.
"...Hmm."
Gang Minjun hesitated for a moment, but eventually sat down and took the papers.
* * *
The coach's office, which had been rowdy as if a storm had passed through even just a minute ago, was now filled with silence.
No, only the sound of turning papers echoed through the room.
Swish, swish.
As Gang Minjun calmed down and began reading the papers, Lee Sanghun slowly opened his mouth.
"Honestly, when I received the proposal to just bury it and move on without making a fuss, I was furious and wanted to storm out immediately, but... their conditions were better than I expected."
"..."
Seeing Gang Minjun keep his mouth shut and bury his nose in the documents, Lee Sanghun continued.
"Your wrist is already ruined, and a pro comeback is practically water under the bridge. Didn't the rehab center doctor say a full recovery was impossible, and that even with good rehab, you'd only be at a Diamond level?"
"...He said Semi-Pro level. Then I could maybe reach Master."
"Ah, same difference. Anyway, it's hard to survive in the pro scene if you're not Grandmaster-tier. Especially in an FPS where physical ability is more important than other genres. And once you finish rehab, your endurance will drop, so more is more—you certainly won't be doing less."
"..."
"And you were the typical type of player dependent on his physical abilities. Of course, you pulled off a lot of creative and amazing kills, but most of those were thanks to your overwhelming physical ability."
"...Yes."
"Well, strictly speaking, that's enough for an FPS pro gamer. Even if other aspects are a bit lacking, if your reaction speed and aim are good enough to headshot enemies the moment you see them, nothing else really matters. In the end, this game is about winning kills."
"That's true."
"If only you could do that."
"...Why are you suddenly hitting me with facts?"
"If it bothers you, report it as an in-team act of violence. Anyway, before this, you were an unrivaled top-tier player when it came to physical ability, so nothing else mattered, but now that it's not the case, that's the problem."
"..."
"The fact that you're keeping your mouth shut means you have a conscience. To continue, you're leaving the pro scene immediately; that's a given. You could challenge again later after acquiring everything a pro gamer needs outside of physical ability—tactical strategy, map reading, teamwork, leadership, whatever—but that's not something you can do right now."
"..."
"The doctor said rehab treatment alone would take a year? Then ultimately, your job disappears for at least a year, or possibly indefinitely... Could you endure that? You survived the trainee period by pouring out all the money your parents left you."
"...I did."
"On top of that, the money you earned during your brief stint as a pro gamer after finishing your trainee period is all going into rehab costs now. Even with the discount from the place I introduced you to, it wasn't enough, so you borrowed money even from me—so there's nothing more to say about that."
"...There isn't. I'm grateful for that once again."
"Forget it, I didn't bring it up to be thanked. Anyway, in that situation, these conditions are pretty good. Setting aside the retirement ceremony and the employment support funds since those are obviously good, I think the last clause about treating you as a former legend and calling you to event matches is quite good."
Lee Sanghun tapped the third clause written in the documents with his finger as he spoke.
Seeing how particularly he emphasized it, this was probably the clause he had paid the most attention to when he received the proposal, and indeed it was.
In his eyes, this was the most appropriate proposal for Gang Minjun's current situation.
"You'll get a small sum each time you appear in a match as an event match fee, so it'll be pocket money. But the most important thing is the fact that you'll be showing your face in the pro scene periodically, even if irregularly. Didn't you say before that you wanted to try internet broadcasting after retiring?"
"I think I might have said that?"
"...What kind of vague answer is that? You don't want to do it very much? But regardless of your preferences, you'll probably have to do broadcasting. Do you have any other work or certifications you can use out there? You don't? Obviously not, you game freak. If you're going to make use of your title as a former pro at all, broadcasting is perfect. Well, if you've played long enough as a pro that your map reading or game sense is outstanding, commentary or casting would be worth considering... but you don't have that much experience or seniority, so that's not an option. Anyway, that's why I said it was a good idea when you mentioned wanting to try broadcasting. Don't you remember?"
"...I think I might have said that."
"You punk, just say yes. Well, anyway, if you do internet broadcasting like that, the fact that you'll be called to a gaming broadcast station every so often as a former legend will be a huge help in attracting viewers to your stream. And it'll add something special to your broadcast."
"You seem to know more about internet broadcasting than I expected."
"Well, it's only natural for a pro-gaming team coach in this day and age. Anyway, so when I thought about that, I couldn't just tear up this proposal on my own. I felt like it would be a huge help for you in starting your second life."
"..."
"It might piss you off that they're trying to brush it off with money, but don't think emotionally and give it serious consideration. Right now, you need to plan for your future rather than immediate revenge. Honestly, I want you to accept this."
At those words, Gang Minjun couldn't refute him.
Because there wasn't a single thing wrong with what Lee Sanghun had said.
Slide.
After pondering for a moment, he stood up with the documents in hand.
"...I can't give you an answer right this moment, but it needs to be by tomorrow?"
"Yes, that would be good. They said they'll hold the retirement ceremony during the match in two days, so just let me know before then."
"...Understood."
"Make sure you think about it seriously."
"...Yes."
Click.
Just as Gang Minjun opened the coach's office door, leaving Lee Sanghun's advice behind him.
"H-Hey! Don't push!"
"I'm not pushing! The door opened! Ugh!"
Bang, crash.
His teammates from the same team, who had been leaning against the door eavesdropping on whatever conversation was happening inside, tumbled straight into the room.