Chapter 23

[Apology Statement

Our company, Infinity Games, has temporarily suspended the account of broadcaster Victory at approximately 3 PM on Friday, January 13th.

This action was taken as the GM team’s monitoring detected a breach of our terms of service—specifically, unauthorized account use, which constitutes both account transfer and proxy gaming. A 90-day suspension was thus implemented.

However, upon further investigation, it was revealed that the suspended account belonged directly to Victory, and the accusation of account transfer was, in fact, an error on the GM team’s part.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration caused by our inept handling of the situation.

We will ensure that incidents like this do not happen again by thoroughly verifying before taking action in the future.

We kindly ask for your understanding and would like to inform that as a form of compensation, 500,000 cash has been granted to Victory.

Once again, we offer our deepest apologies.

January 13, 2023, Compensation from Infinity Games.]

The apology statement from Infinity Games came out only hours after the incident.

The swift response from the gaming company became a hot topic among gamers.

Of course, even without the apology, news about Sol was already spreading across the entire community.

Wasn’t it like pouring gasoline on an already blazing fire?

[Author: Anonymous] [Title: Why is Infinity apologizing? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Did Sol intentionally commit fraud? Is getting scammed also a mistake?]

—[Those who are at fault should apologize, that’s the law.]

└[Is there anything Infinity should feel regretful about with regards to some random streamer?]

└[Some random streamer (recognized by Victory as a rival, currently undefeated in her account, female with a pleasant voice).]

└[If this is true, the broadcasting community will blow up. ㅋㅋ]

└[A collaboration with Victory would mean the end of the universe.]

└[Jealousyjealousyjealousyjealousy]

└[…Are you jealous of Victory? Game-guy…]

└[How can such a character even exist?]

—[Maybe Victory feels threatened by Sol’s popularity. It’s sad, really. ㅋㅋ]

└[Are you comparing someone with no championship cup to Victory?]

└[She’s a girl.]

└[A girl who is “actually” good at games? Haven’t seen one.]

└[She never claimed to be pro, but they’re already jumping on the kimchi soup. (Slang for overreacting)]

—[500,000 cash feels a bit envious… I want some too.]

└[If you want it that much, pretend to be a guy, get your account suspended, and then reveal your true identity.]

└[Fail already at “pretending to be male.” It’s a real dude, lol.]

└[Except now, as a girl, you’d have to be as good at gaming as Victory.]

└[Does that even make sense, dude?]

└[But apparently, it really happened…]

[Author: Anonymous] [Title: Watch the video revealing Sol’s true identity! ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[(A recorded YouTube video documenting the explanation event.)]

—[What’s with the voice…?]

—[The scene where she adjusts the voice effector is so intense. lol]

└[It wasn’t a proxy player. I’m actually a female…]

└[How is that actually true, WTF?]

—[Wow, a good-looking, top-tier gamer?]

└[Even showing her face?]

└[Just looking at her hands confirms her beauty.]

└[You can’t help but think she’s pretty just from hearing her voice.]

└[Hands, voice, and face are different things… but these keyboard warriors are insane.]

└[Why would anyone get so mad over this?]

└[Maybe someone of the opposite gender feels threatened by losing attention?]

[Author: Anonymous] [Title: If Wild’s hand size is 13 cm, isn’t it shorter than my own???]

And can’t even open your hand properly?! I’m losing my mind!

—[?]

—[Aren’t you scared of sexual harassment claims? Madman.]

└[All he said was “shorter than my ‘item.’” How are you planning to sue?]

└[Do you think the judge is clueless? If you file a lawsuit, it’ll backfire.]

—[This is exactly why she hides the fact she’s female…]

└[Serious sexual harassment. Stop it.]

—[Die.]

—[Why would you grab someone like that? You can just cradle the direction anyway.]

└[Then you die, too.]

[Author: Anonymous] [Title: Wild not knowing his friend was female is hilariously funny. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

Did Victory know?? Why no reaction?!

—[Would you really suspect someone was female if they played games that well?]

—[Online socializing is dangerous like this…]

—[The dude raiding with me weekly… is he also one of them?]

└[Snap out of it, gamer-boy. That guy is definitely a hairy-legged man.]

—[This is so standard light novel protagonist material. lol]

└[Do you think someone who voices a male character online is always a male?]

[Author: Anonymous] [Title: Sol actually plays male voices really well.]

Using a voice modulator doesn’t make everyone.

For a man to convincingly voice a woman, they need to adjust vocal techniques, and eventually will get exposed anyway.

Three net cam broadcasters got caught last year.

How did she fool so many people?

Before she revealed herself, no one had any clue, right?

—[Game-guy… Why do you know so much about vocal techniques?]

—[Gag, that disgusting camfrog smell…]

└[Just because someone is pretending to be the opposite gender doesn’t mean they’re the same…]

└[Buffalo-obsessed creeps vs. someone hiding their gender for privacy are different…]

└[Why are you so angry? Did someone pretending to be the opposite gender hurt you?]

└[Were you, by chance, a water buffalo targeted by a water buffalo?] ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

—[Please stop looking for a woman on the internet.]

└[If you want to meet a woman, get out of your room!]

└[Fact.]

[Author: Sol] [Title: When will Sol’s broadcasting return? ㅠㅠ]

[Turn on the stream! Turn on the stream!]

—[Sol, turn on the stream already!]

—[Shouldn’t you continue the series of leveling up Teama to max level?]

└[What series? We’re going to do a massacre! lol]

└[Massacres suit you better than team-ups, Sol.]

└[Do something already and turn on the stream!!!]

[Author: Anonymous] [Title: Sol is practicing for her next broadcast.]

[Will someone congratulate me if I get a kill? I’m coming!]

—[Insane! What a terrible game…]

—[This is called love…]

—[No matter how much she practices, this human won’t defeat Challenger…]

└[True. lol.]

—[Pointed Fact: Even if Bronze practices, they’ll never defeat Challenger.]

└[A kill might be possible…]

└[Nope.]

I had a dream.

An impossible one.

I just wanted to be a regular gamer online.

I admit I was complacent.

I could’ve been more thorough.

But hear me out—how was I supposed to know that on just the second day of broadcasting, I’d have the game company monitoring me?

It’s all Wild and Victory’s fault—they never mentioned being pros.

When they turned on their streams, thousands showed up, and their fan meetings filled entire auditoriums.

Why didn’t they tell me?

“Hmph.”

A sigh escapes me.

“Hypocritical, aren’t you?”

Technically, I never said I was female, either.

But back in the old days, I really was a guy.

And I wanted to be treated as just an equal gamer, even with this body.

It can’t be.

Now that it’s leaked I’m female…

Everyone will swoon over me again.

That’s a problem.

“Why so glum?”

“Don’t talk to me.”

Being at home might’ve led me to drink until I feel upside-down, so I left for a bit—but here’s what happened.

Just leave me alone.

“Trouble with your boyfriend?”

“Speak nicely, or leave.”

I tried putting up a complete wall twice, but here’s some strange guy sitting at the table beside me.

This is rare for someone like him.

“Hey, I’m a middle schooler. I don’t want any iron bars clanging around.”

This is my third defensive technique: Pretending to be underage.

A deadly ultimate move, thanks to my youthful looks.

High school might be different, but it’s rare to see someone bullying a middle schooler.

“I’m in high school though, so let’s chat?”

No effect.

“Let’s not create a scene as fellow apartment residents. It’d be embarrassing to move out over some silly matter.”

This café is in the Sky Lounge of an apartment complex.

No one can enter without being a resident.

I just wanted a quiet drink of lemonade, but here’s this strange fellow pestering me.

“Your speech doesn’t sound like a middle schooler’s. You’re pretty mature, aren’t you?”

‘This high schooler doesn’t look like one either.’

A guy with earrings, makeup, and orange-dyed hair.

Do kids go to school like this nowadays?

Sigh. The world is ending.

“To be honest, I’m a lesbian. Men, scram.”

“In that case, how about I introduce you to a pretty girl? I know a lot of genuinely attractive girls. What about a girl group member? Interested?”

He broke through defense move four?

Not your average creep.

“Wait, do you even know who I am? I’m pretty famous, actually.”

“No.”

A sudden burst of self-advertisement.

His face screams idol material.

He also mentioned girl groups, so I assume he’s a male idol.

Unless he’s a pro gamer.

I don’t care a wit about entertainment personalities.

“Do you know 12z? We even hit the Billboard charts.”

“I’m deaf, can’t hear music.”

“Then this must be divine providence that you can hear me talking!? Isn’t this fate?”

Smirk.

Don’t smirk, you fool. That doesn’t make you appealing.

It’s your typical, overconfident move.

Clearly believing that just his looks can make a woman happy, and that if I persist and listen, I’ll eventually crack a smile and open my heart.

Sorry, but that’s not happening.

I’d rather splash this lemonade in his face right now.

‘But then he’d probably complain about dry cleaning or something, and I’d deal with even more annoyance.’

I’ve already exceeded my patience limit.

It’s time to use a truly coercive method.

I approached the café counter and asked for assistance.

“There’s a harassment problem. Could you call security?”

The guy who showed up beside me by now pretended to be shocked.

“Woah! That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?”

Still cool and cheeky.

Does he think I’m joking?

I’ll call them for real.

“I’m Leo from 12z! Since we’re fellow apartment residents, we’ll probably see each other again. Catch you next time!”

Finally, he understood I’ll actually call.

The overconfident leech only fled once he realized.

Most people would run off once you put up a decent wall, but this guy made my head spin with persistence.

Is he stupid?

Where do you see a criminal walking away after revealing their identity?

I should file a complaint with the management office.

Right now, while it’s fresh in my mind.

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