Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 71

Do You Know About Verbal Karma? (1)

2022.01.10.

It was just a typical company dinner. The colleagues figured the department head, who was always the last to leave, had cleverly used a family excuse to slip away this time. So, no one would have guessed that such a department head would disappear in such a short time.

-(LeeFamilyEldestGrandson): I heard the higher-ups in the company have been informed.

-(LeeFamilyEldestGrandson): A few employees went straight to the address listed in the company directory, but

-(LeeFamilyEldestGrandson): It seems the house has been empty for weeks……

The client seemed to be in a very devastated state, with extreme fatigue evident in the text. ‘The situation is quite coincidental. I just told him it was a scam based on that old man’s words, but it’s connected like this again?’ It was just meant to be a confirmation. But how could the situation coincide to reveal the scammer’s fraudulent activities right away? Moreover, Yeon-woo’s actions had heightened the scammer’s anxiety, and who could have guessed that it would lead to such a speedy disappearance?

“Um……. First of all, I offer my deepest condolences to those who have been scammed. Since it hasn’t been long since he disappeared, it would be best to report it to the police and take action immediately.”

-(LeeFamilyEldestGrandson): I already reported it right away. The extent of the damage is much larger than I thought ㅠㅠ Only about 400 million won [approximately $300,000 USD] has been revealed so far, but there must be other victims, so if you think about it……

-(LeeFamilyEldestGrandson): What on earth is going on ㅠㅠ

The crying emoticon clearly showed signs of a mental breakdown. The person who had coaxed them into believing it was a good investment, a miracle drug, was actually a scammer who had committed fraud worth billions.

[Hmph. Now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief! Since that scammer ran away, at least that idiot won’t have his wedding funds stolen! Now I can save face with our great-granddaughter!]

The old man, who had been watching the situation from the side, had a very satisfied look, as if a painful tooth had been pulled. And at the same time.

-Ding!

[Congratulations! Acquire additional obtainable stat as a reward.]

[Reward: Scolding [D]]

The quest completion notification popped up.

***

-Wow……. This is the first time I’ve gotten goosebumps this year……

-This is reality…… Even live……!

-Crazy…… Is this real?

-I thought this one was a miss, but it’s connected like this……?

-Is he really divinely inspired?;;;;

As the client disappeared to go write statements with the other victims, all that remained were viewers who were shocked by the situation.

-If you look at it, didn’t Yeon-woo do it……?

-He almost prevented a bigger scam, right?

-Yeah;;; It seems like the number of victims would have increased if he had stayed longer.

-Our Yeon-woo’s class, catching scammers while giving consultation……. Admiration comes out, and exclamation comes out when you speak.

-Wait, let me check if my pants are okay;;;;

Even the PDs [Production Directors] and writers who were monitoring the broadcast in real-time couldn’t hide their surprise, their mouths wide open. They probably felt it too. It was clear that even the images Yeon-woo had shown so far in the real-time stream would create an unprecedented character if they went through tasteful editing. But that wasn’t the end of it.

‘This is…… bound to be a hit?’

That was the thought that occurred to all the staff in charge of Yeon-woo. Everything before was good, but what just happened was nothing short of a jackpot. What other person could catch a scam worth billions with just a few words while sitting down? And in real-time! Even if they didn’t know, the viewership for this episode was bound to be a hit. Considering the word-of-mouth from the hundreds of thousands of viewers who watched the stream and the people who would be interested, it couldn’t not be a hit. Moreover, there was a high possibility that it would be officially covered in various news programs, so the program’s recognition would also increase.

‘The casting manager will get a bonus.’

‘It was worth pushing back the program.’

‘The character is solid. There’s plenty of buzz. The looks are great, and the presence and progress are flawless. Oh my, what a lucky charm!’

To the staff, Yeon-woo gradually seemed like an angel who brought a jackpot.

But.

-Wow, the smell of fabrication is so strong, I can’t watch it anymore;;;;

There was a presence that poured cold water on such an atmosphere.

-Are you morons really believing this? Believe it?

-No matter how I look at it, it’s obviously fabricated, so what are you getting goosebumps about, saying it’s real, and rubbing your palms together like that;

-It seems like a no-name who only appeared as a supporting actor in dramas has mobilized his fan club, but even for fabrication, this is too unethicalㅋ [Korean internet slang for ‘lol’]

As a person who seemed displeased spewed out words, the atmosphere in the chat room froze.

-Ignore the troll.

-Do not feed the trolls.

The chat room, where all sorts of people gather, cannot be clean. Viewers tried to purify it on their own, but this sudden aggro was quite persistent.

-What do you mean, don’t feed the trollsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ [More Korean internet slang, a mocking laugh] Then you should tell that bastard to shut up firstㅋㅋㅋ

-What kind of broadcast is this? The PD, writer, and cast are all in cahoots.

-Fabricated entertainment is rampant, and now they’re openly fabricating even on internet streaming broadcastsㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-The level is obvious. They can’t broadcast without fabrication~!

Even though they should have subsided after being hit with concentrated fire, the opponent did not stop their unilateral criticism and slander mixed with profanity, as if they were burning even more. Perhaps that’s why.

-I can’t really believe it eitherㅋㅋㅋ How can you get it all right unless it’s rigged?

-Even if it’s not fabricated, it’s statistically impossibleㅎㅎ

-Didn’t everyone know it was fabricated and watch it? Isn’t it okay if it’s fun?

-No. Who expects a script even in a real-time stream? And Naeti [Likely the name of the streaming platform] originally promoted direct communication with viewers.

-That’s right ㅇㅇ [Korean abbreviation for ‘yes’] The charm of Naeti is that the episodes that burst out while broadcasting in real-time are fun…… Why watch real-time if you want to see a fabricated broadcast? You can just watch the edited version.

-Is he really divinely inspired or whatㅋㅋㅋ If he’s a shaman, he should go see fortunes, why come on TV? Oh. Shamanism is also a scam, right^^

-I agree. Kang Doryeong [Yeon-woo’s character name] was a bit funny.

-He only came out as a grim reaper once, but he seems to think he’s a real grim reaperㅋㅋ Anyway, this is the problem with rookies, they always go too far when you praise them.ㅋㅋㅋ

-It seems like Naeti is also on the verge of being abolished. Why do they even do a broadcast that mocks viewers?

The atmosphere of the broadcast began to turn strange as suspicious words popped out one by one. Was it because of the nature of real-time chat? The staff who were monitoring were flustered by the atmosphere that changed in an instant.

“Ah…… Yeon-woo. Just a moment. We’ll clean it up quickly. I’m sorry……!”

The staff in charge of the manager tried to ban the users who were going beyond criticism and even making personal attacks. Yeon-woo shook his head as he looked at them.

‘Those kinds of guys are the type of people who think they’re right and run wild if you ban them.’

Thinking that, Yeon-woo was about to open his mouth when there was a cheerful sound and something that decorated the screen. It was a sponsorship message.

[KSH7 has sponsored 300,000 won.]

[KSH7 has sponsored 300,000 won.]

[KSH7 has sponsored 300,000 won.]

The chat room, which was full of letters, was pushed back by cute pictures and sponsorship messages. The chat room, which had been dirty with profanity and criticism, was temporarily cleaned up.

[KSH7 has sponsored 300,000 won.]

[A dog is barking somewhere^^]

Apart from the refreshing ‘^^’ emoticon, a brutal message popped up.

-No, crazy, who are you calling a son of a bitch?

-That person has been giving off vibes since earlier, it’s obviously Kang Yeon-woo’s acquaintance or agency ㅅ1ㅂ [Korean curse word] Now even the donations are fabricated. It can’t be true.

As soon as the curse words followed, [KSH7 has sponsored 300,000 won.]

[No. I’m sorry to the dogs if I call them dogs. It’s trash that’s worse than a dog^^]

The window was pushed back again. After that, it was a similar pattern. Whenever an 악플러 [akpeulleo – Korean term for malicious commenter/hater] tried to say something, it disappeared from the screen in less than a second and was immediately pushed back by the sponsorship notification image and message.

-Shit; are you showing off because you have a lot of money;

[KSH7 has sponsored 300,000 won.]

[What? I can’t hear you because it’s the words of trash who doesn’t have money^^]

I don’t know how ruthless and resolute KSH7 poured out the sponsorship. Even Yeon-woo thought, ‘……Shouldn’t I stop this? It’s already over 20 million won [approximately $15,000 USD]……?’ What kind of human is KSH7 that he pours money so freely into a broadcast that lasts only two hours!

The novelty of shutting people’s mouths with money is something that not everyone can have……. Surprisingly and embarrassingly, the 악플러s [akpeulleos] were the same, and they also started to decrease in number as if they were tired of it.

-Crazy…… How much has exploded in these 10 minutes?

-I give up counting-!!!

“Um……. KSH7. Thank you for the sponsorship…… I haven’t been able to greet you one by one because you’ve given so much.”

When it was barely cleaned up, Yeon-woo opened his mouth with a dazed face.

“Thank you so much for your help. It was an unexpected method. I’m worried because the amount is a bit large…… Even though it’s a sponsorship that’s used for good things, I think it’s better to do it within a manageable range. You don’t have to sponsor, you can just speak comfortably.”

It was the moment Yeon-woo’s words ended.

[KSH7 has sponsored 1,000,000 won.]

“……?”

I was dazed by the number that suddenly exploded. Wait a minute. How many zeros is that……?

It seems like there’s one more zero, is it my mistake……?

That’s when I thought.

[I’ve been restrained enough^^ If I had my way…….]

“……??”

Being restrained enough is six zeros. 1 million won [approximately $750 USD] for three letters……?

-Is the number I just saw real?

-Awesome

-What does this KSH7 do for a living?;;;;

-I was about to sponsor for a moment, but I stopped when I saw the number ㅠㅠ

-If we combine our small efforts, we can make a mountain!

-Sponsor ㄱㄱㄱㄱㄱ [Korean slang to encourage sponsoring]

In the beginning, it was 100,000 won each, then it rose to 300,000 won, and now it has tripled again.

‘What? Does he love multiples of 3 or something?’

Besides, that’s being restrained. How much would it be if he wasn’t restrained? I’m curious about what’s behind the shortened words ‘If I had my way…….’

‘……Let’s just assume he’s a chaebol [Korean term for a wealthy conglomerate owner].’

Yeon-woo stopped thinking further. Instead, he turned his attention to the other side.

“Thankfully, KSH7 took the lead, but I think I need to make some explanations. First of all, I would like to inform you that the broadcasting station has not done any manipulation. I can say for sure that the people who were selected for the stories have no personal relationship with me at all. I was also quite surprised by the coincidence of coincidences.”

It is an emphasis that it is not a scam but an event close to coincidence. Yeon-woo’s words did not end here.

“So, you can doubt it……. But I think it’s a bit different to swear and criticize with just one doubt. Questioning and swearing are different, right? I know that problems like 악플 [akpeul – malicious comments] are coming to the fore a lot these days, so I’m going to add a word to that.”

A bright smile finally appeared on Yeon-woo’s face, who had been watching the hundred or so chats that had led to personal attacks, starting with accusations of fraud and manipulation, with a blank expression.

“There’s a saying that our ancestors used to say, ‘Be careful what you say whether you’re awake or asleep.’ There’s also a saying that you can repay a thousand *nyang* [ancient Korean currency] debt with words. Conversely, it means that you can incur a thousand *nyang* debt with words. I’m not doing a campaign to use beautiful and correct words here. I’m just trying to tell you why those proverbs have been passed down.”

-What…… Why is our Yeon-woo smiling so prettily, but why does it feel so scary……?

-Our Yeon-woo is pretty even when he smiles scarily……☆★

-I’m not scared, I’m not scared, I’m not scared……!

The viewers also seemed to feel something and began to quiet down.

-Suddenly acting heavy and funny and lying down is a 지1랄 [Korean slang for bullshit]. Do you think I’ll be scared if you pretend to be something? This is totally 개1funny 새1끼 [Korean curse words]?

-Why is a scammer so long-winded? Ah~ Is it because he’s a scammer?

There are bound to be guys who can’t come to their senses and spout nonsense even in the midst of it. Yeon-woo’s smile deepened a little more.

“Do you know about verbal karma?”