novelraw Chapter 131 : V-STAR Tour (3)
Chapter 131 : V-STAR Tour (3)
V-STAR Tour (3)
It wasn't just the typical attendees who came to the game show.
At the V-STAR Business Data Center, representatives from each game company had gathered.
"Wow, as expected, the booths near the central stage are performing best this time."
"The passion of the Sweeties fans is incredible."
The main concern among the representatives was Channel 1, which had the largest scale. Though it was still early for the Sweeties' concert, fans had already swarmed in and claimed their spots.
Fans who secured their places like that rarely moved elsewhere—if they left, they might lose their good seats to other fans.
And since just waiting was boring, they'd play games from the surrounding booths.
"I wonder how much that went for in the bid......"
"Whatever it was, the effect seems well worth the investment."
The booth placements for each game company weren't determined randomly. Like an auction, companies submitted bids, and the highest bidders got priority.
It was entirely natural that prime spots were expensive, and at this game show, the booths near the concert stage fetched the highest prices.
"I wish our CEO understood this after seeing it."
"Haha, like spending company money is ever easy. Plus, it's the huge corporations that win those bids, anyway......"
True to the 'Data Center' name, the organizers had neatly compiled viewers' participation rates.
[1. (COCOA GAMES) Thor: Asgard Legend – 15%]
[2. (NOXEN) Dungeon & Champion M – 11%]
Thanks to the Sweeties fans, that booth held firmly in the top ranks.
"But why do the Dev Brothers guys look so glum?"
"I know, right? Their booth location's great, too."
The following rankings generally followed the path of visitor foot traffic.
[3. (Dev Brothers) CakaRun – 7%]
The first booth attendees visited upon entry was Dev Brothers' 'CakaRun' booth.
Yet, the Dev Brothers representatives' expressions remained uneasy.
'No way... I didn't expect them to set such a high record......'
The reason was none other than the event with Purple. Purple's success in a challenge they thought impossible had led to unexpected expenses.
'It was supposed to be 1,000... maybe 1,100 tickets per channel at most......'
The original 'no item survival for 15 minutes' was meant as bait. It was a goal designed to keep visitors around, as the odds of success were essentially nil.
But Purple shattered those expectations.
'Just one channel handing out 10,000 drawing tickets......!'
In Channel 3 alone, they spent ten times the expected amount. Even considering the marketing effect, it was hard to swallow.
Not to mention, those fans immediately followed Purple elsewhere, so the effect was nearly null.
'Maybe it'll work out once Purple starts distributing the tickets......?'
He tried to think positively, while other representatives—unaware of the situation—simply looked confused.
And just then.
"Huh?"
"What's going on?"
Suddenly, the mood grew restless.
For some reason, the participation data rapidly began to shift.
[4. GGG, gunner Ground Showdown – 5%]
"Why is GunG Showdown suddenly...?"
"What the..."
Participation, which had been languishing around 3%, suddenly began to soar. All eyes turned naturally toward GGG's representative, the head of marketing.
Strangely enough, he was wearing a satisfied smile, as if he'd already expected the outcome.
'Does he have some secret?'
'No way he'd tell a competitor, though.'
Even if there was a secret, there was no reason to share it with rivals.
The previously relaxed atmosphere grew tense in an instant. The representatives immediately switched into work mode.
They quickly started manipulating Smart Link for a situation analysis.
What was visible at the Data Center was the overall channel participation rate. Naturally, they checked the more detailed figures.
"Wait, what is this......"
"Are you guys seeing Channel 3 is full?"
"Yes, yes. Seems like everyone here is seeing the same, so it's probably not a bug......"
Every other channel was open, yet only Channel 3 was at full capacity. If it were an error, the organizers would have announced it.
And the strangeness didn't stop there.
'What on earth happened?'
'Is this even possible?'
Channel 3's participation ranking was out of the ordinary.
[V-STAR Ch.3]
[1. GGG, gunner Ground Showdown – 99%]
The asteroid surge in participation halted at 99%. An overwhelming rate, nearly hitting 100%.
This had never happened before in V-STAR's history.
And once that result became apparent, the integration ranking changed as well.
[1. (GGG) Gunner Ground Showdown – 51%]
[2. (COCOA GAMES) Thor: Asgard Legend – 15%]
[3. (NOXEN) Dungeon & Champion M – 11%]
[4. (Dev Brothers) CakaRun – 7%]
With a single channel at full capacity—nearly 10,000 participants—GGG's game seized market share in an instant.
'What the heck is happening in Channel 3?'
'Unbelievable......!'
As if of one mind, the representatives dialed up their contacts.
"Hey, it's me! Check out the GGG booth in Channel 3 right now!"
"No, just go there, now!"
"Forget the written report, film it and send the video over!"
They issued hurried instructions. And soon after—
'Everyone flocked there to see Purple's demo?'
'So Purple Coin wasn't just a meme?'
'This... isn't just some passing trend.'
Having received the report, each representative was struck by a similar realization.
'Streamer Purple—he just has a knack for drawing people in!'
The moment of understanding led immediately to action. They scattered, urgently calling their headquarters.
Surely everyone now felt what they did: competition to recruit Purple would be fiercer than ever.
Amid this chaos, only GGG's marketing head was smiling.
'Well, I always knew it would come to this.'
He'd been lucky.
Unlike the others, he'd formed a tie with Purple a bit earlier. GGG was ahead of the other companies.
'Good thing I prepared everything in advance.'
He, unlike his competitors, already had all his project proposals finished.
'Now it'll be even easier to convince the CEO.'
With the raw data so explicit, the CEO's decision would be inevitable.
But he had no intention of standing still. Grinning, he operated his Smart Link.
'I'm not about to give up now.'
He needed to solidify GGG's connection with Purple even further.
* * *
The tournament between Lee Gyeongbok and his fans had reached its third round—the semifinals.
Now, unlike at the start, he was going easy on his opponents. Finishing them off instantly, as he usually did, only left him waiting for the other fans' matches to end.
Of course, he didn't just wait quietly.
"All right, when you're under attack, it's safer to use suppressive fire than to poke your head out."
Without even showing his head above cover, he raised only his gun and opened fire. Astonishingly, the bullets landed exactly near where the opponent was hiding.
The startled foe flinched back into place.
"And when you do pop your head out, most people just go up—but mix it up. You can peek from the side like this, too, you know?"
Lee Gyeongbok fired while lying on his side. Another shower of precise suppressive fire; his opponent didn't even dare counterattack.
"After laying down suppressive fire, moving cover-to-cover will dramatically improve your survival rate."
Continuing with pinpoint shots, he moved smoothly to another piece of cover. The entire sequence was effortless.
― No way;;; How is his accuracy even from that angle?!
― Loool so you can shoot lying down?
― That teabagging is totally insane lol
― Totally lol are these so-called tips just covert bullying?
-???: Please, just kill me instead......
― He started with quick shots and kills, now he's even more evil lol
― It's like a cat toying with a mouse
― At this level, he's not a cat—he's a tiger lol
― But for Purple viewers, isn't this the ultimate reward?
― Reward loool
The viewers teased Lee Gyeongbok playfully. He responded with a dry smile.
['VioletScent' has advanced to the final!]
At that moment, a notification signaled the end of the other semifinal match. Instantly, Lee Gyeongbok aimed at his own opponent.
A bent finger and a gunshot followed.
[PerfectPlay 》M4A1》 PurpleIsGod (HEAD SHOT!)]
At the same instant, the kill message popped up.
"PurpleIsGod, that was a good game."
― He was just toying with them, right?
― Revealed his true colors right away lol
― So whoever finished first in the other match determined this showdown!?
― The cat toying with the mouse is actually Schrödinger's cat lol
― Schrödinger makes his move lol
― So the outcome is decided the moment the other match is observed lol
Lee Gyeongbok ignored the rising chatter in the chat.
"You're spinning the frame again! That's not it—I just didn't want to keep VioletScent waiting."
His words brought more laughter to the chat.
"All right! The moment for the final match of the third tournament is here! What kind of showdown will these finalists give us?"
With Shin Hyerim's cue, the final began immediately. Lee Gyeongbok focused on the game.
'This will probably be the last match.'
He quickly moved across the map and looted. But this time, something was different.
-?
― Not picking up any guns?
― What's going on? What is he hinting at?
― Is he thinking of fist-fighting?
― What fists lol it's a hologram, you can only have gunfights
Lee Gyeongbok ignored the guns and ammo. Instead, he picked up a single grenade.
"What's happening here? Purple has picked up only one grenade!"
Shin Hyerim looked clueless, wide-eyed at the situation. But there was no more time to loot.
He soon encountered his final opponent, and a firefight erupted.
True to his place in the finals, his opponent's shooting was on point. Bullets rained in the moment they met.
But Lee Gyeongbok managed to dodge—barely—ducking behind cover.
'Not much time left.'
Leaning his back against cover, Lee Gyeongbok slyly checked the time. It was nearly time to move to the next booth.
"I'll give you one last pro tip."
He spoke as he readied his holographic grenade, then lifted his gaze.
Enemy bullets sprayed the cover, sending up splinters.
"In Showdown, the range is so close that you can treat bullets as flying in a straight line."
Ballistics were simulated in the capsule version of Gunner Ground, but in the mobile Showdown, projectiles basically flew straight.
"So by watching where debris jumps, it's easy to figure out your enemy's position."
As his explanation brought puzzled looks in chat, Lee Gyeongbok's hand moved.
The grenade sailed in a parabola—and exploded immediately after.
[PerfectPlay 》Frag Grenade》 VioletScent (HEAD SHOT!) ]
[Victory! Tonight, we feast on Korean beef!]
The kill and victory messages flashed at once.
"VioletScent, thanks for a great game."
-?????
― He just wiped them out and said it was fun lol
― PlantWiki/Purple/Controversy
― Insane lol no-look grenade
― And another one-shot kill lol
― How can he throw that accurately without looking?
The viewers were in awe. While his talent was already proven, this situation was something else.
― No way;; it's a hologram, right?
― Let's be honest: was he just pretending to throw?
― The way he controls force is nuts wow
― If he saw it, that's one thing, but this lol
A hologram was just a shape. Shooting just required a tap, but throwing a grenade was another thing entirely.
Getting the feel after just one attempt was nearly impossible.
"Huh? Didn't you all throw grenades in GunG before? Just remember that feeling and do the same."
But Lee Gyeongbok seemed genuinely puzzled at their reaction. The fans on-site and in chat both stifled their laughter.
― Dang lol never thought of that
― Is this that philosophy-in-action thing?
― What is he, socrates? lol
― Purcrates mchtmch
― Ah, this is 'Perfect Philosophy'!"
Even as viewers went overboard in their reactions, Lee Gyeongbok only chuckled.
"All right! That wraps up the third tournament. As expected, Purple comes through with another amazing performance!"
Shin Hyerim slid into the spotlight. She, too, judged it was about time to move on to the next booth.
"Purple, the matches went by lightning-fast, just like you described, right?"
"Yes, a round goes by so quickly there's no stress. Yet it's still fun. Using scan abilities to strategically place cover could be really interesting, too."
Lee Gyeongbok commented with a smile, and a waiting staff member beamed, clapping his hands.
"You've reviewed our game perfectly! You emphasized 'speed'—a core element of our demo—so well! Of course, actual gameplay will take a bit longer. With a demo by Purple, anything flies by!"
That remark triggered a burst of laughter in the chat. The staff continued, turning to Lee Gyeongbok.
"While the tournament has been ongoing, some good news just arrived."
"Good news?"
"Yes, our headquarters saw Purple's demo and have decided to send special thanks. Originally, we'd planned to give the winner a character skin as a prize."
He operated the Smart Link, showing off the reward: a 'cowboy' character skin.
It tied the 1:1 duels of a western with the theme of 'Showdown.'
"We've decided to distribute an incredible five thousand gift codes for everyone gathered here!"
Unexpected good news.
The booth vibrated with cheers from the fans and chat exploded in excitement.
― Dang, gGG really knows how to do things
― This place does rewards right
― Lol they're killing it
― Once you get a taste of Purple Coin, you can't quit lol
― But why five thousand? Only half the people can get them?
― Still, better than nothing
― Usually it's just three prizes—they're going all out lol
Some viewers were disappointed at the quantity. But the staff wasn't done.
"And, though this wasn't originally planned, we're also giving away five thousand 'Peacemaker' weapon skins to use in Showdown!"
― Whoa?
― Wow lol Peacemaker!
― WA! Single Action Army!
― Lol a full cowboy set
― My mouth is watering
― This really is the full Showdown set
― Getting a present from Godple is a limited edition—this is truly one of a kind!
― Ah... man, I'm beyond jealous
-???: Dad, why don't you have a Peacemaker? Didn't you go to V-STAR?
― Because he didn't know! He would've gone if he did!
Viewers, excited and envious over the exclusive gifts for Purple's fans, could barely contain themselves.
"Wow, you've really prepared so much. Thank you so much."
Lee Gyeongbok accepted the offer with a genuine smile. Shin Hyerim clapped along.
"The atmosphere just keeps heating up! This is V-STAR, where joy and excitement overflow! You can't miss this energy—onward to the next booth!"
Perhaps it was set in, but by now, there was a stampede as fans rushed to the next location.
Shin Hyerim and Lee Gyeongbok laughed at the scene and changed locations.
* * *
Soon, the morning schedule was drawing to a close.
Unlike before, the other booths were less about hands-on experience and more about simply observing. Most were character-collection or autoplay mobile MMORPGs.
The two heard explanations from staff, gave their responses—an extension of the situation Shin Hyerim had described in their pre-meeting.
― Once again, there's not much of a difference
― Lol I could draw all those UIs with my eyes closed
― Just swap skins and keep releasing new ones lol
― GGG and Dev were the only ones who did something original here
― But Godple packaged it so well
― Still not interested lol
― If not for the prizes, this would've been a huge waste of time lol
The prize process at these booths was unrelated to the games themselves—just basic lotteries, spinning wheels, or quizzes.
― Yet he still picked out only the best prizes?
― Godple, who always gets the golden shotgun on first try—this was inevitable lol
― Won't you know if you try it once lol
― But how does he get that lucky every time?
― It's probably not just luck lol
― His luck stat must be maxed out
Meanwhile, even with mundane methods, Lee Gyeongbok managed to walk away with the best loot.
After making the rounds, the pair returned to the main booth in the central plaza.
"Well, it's already lunchtime! Time really flew by while we were exploring."
"It did. I don't know much about mobile games, but I've learned a lot today."
― End-of-day packaging service complete?
― BREAKING: Packing companies face bankruptcy as Godple's packaging monopoly takes hold! Industry officials call for a Packaging Antitrust Law in parliament.
― What's a 'packaging monopoly' lol
― Learned all the reasons NOT to play those games lol
― Lol would you really ignore a coupon from Godple?
― If you get it, you have to use it lol—game companies probably track redemption stats
― For our bro's sake, I'll give it a try^^
Lee Gyeongbok didn't bother correcting the chat. He had no intention of blindly siding with the game companies.
"Thanks to Purple, the time flew by today. But surprise: the good times continue in the afternoon! We'll see you again after the break!"
"The afternoon stream is with the capsule games, right? I'm looking forward to it! See you all then!"
At their farewells, the chat turned into a weepy mess.
― Waaah I already miss you ㅠㅠ
― Why is the break so long!
― Forcing us into Purple withdrawal is too cruel ㅠ
― Well at least the queue should thin out now, right?
― Do you really think so? If it were me, I'd hold out at all costs lol
― No way; after all this, you gotta give someone else a turn, right?
― If you leave now, you'll never get back in lol
― What's V-STAR even doing now!
― Expand the channel!
As the glowing "live" marker blinked out, the chat disappeared.
Only then did Shin Hyerim sigh in relief and look at Lee Gyeongbok.
"Whew, you really worked hard today, Purple."
"Oh, it was fun."
"Really? Ugh, I didn't even do the demo, but I feel exhausted."
She shook her head and glanced outside. The onsite fans still hadn't left.
"Well, rest up, and I'll see you in the afternoon."
Just as Lee Gyeongbok was about to log off with a smile, Shin Hyerim, nodding, suddenly brightened and spoke.
"Oh, Purple!"
"Yes?"
"Um, do you happen to like Sweeties?"
The sudden question made Lee Gyeongbok blink. Shin Hyerim laughed, clearly embarrassed.
"Oh, it's nothing—just, if you're interested in their show, we have seats set aside for associates. I guess I forgot to mention it earlier."
"Associate seats?"
"Yes, yes! They're up top so you won't block fans' views, but you can still watch the performance comfortably."
"Oh......"
Only then did Lee Gyeongbok understand the situation.
'The guys are going to love this.'
He thought instantly of his friends.
"Can I bring my manager and editor, too?"
"Oh, yes! Of course."
"Then please—set that up."
Park Juho, a diehard fan, and even Choi Byeonghun, who'd recently taken an interest, would be thrilled to hear this.
"Okay. Then after lunch, just log in again for the show time!"
"Thank you. Enjoy your meal."
"Same to you, Purple!"
With a smile, Shin Hyerim disappeared.
'Nice bonus.'
Leaning back on the sofa, Lee Gyeongbok let slip a faint smile.
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