I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers Chapter 80

Luce. Gah-Yoon had a persistent side to her.

It wasn’t as if there was anything wrong with my left foot, I just tripped once. But she insisted on returning to the hospital’s sanitization room to personally tend to the injury.

A moist cotton swab touched my skin. It felt like a jolt of electricity shot through my body, causing to flinch. A strange moan escaped from my mouth.

“Aah…!”

“Sorry. You have such smooth skin, and now it’s scraped. This might sting a bit again.”

“I told you, I’m fine... Ow!”

Falling is a common thing, and minor wounds usually heal by themselves. Still, Gah-Yoon was acting as if sothing major had happened.

The cold, damp cotton swab gently cleaned the area around the wound again. It wasn’t too painful. I couldn’t see what she was doing, but it felt like she was applying sothing.

“I’ll give you a spare one. Just apply it again after you shower,” she said.

“Thank you…”

“No need to thank . It’s my dog’s fault you got hurt.”

Luce’s eyes briefly glanced at my neck. Her black pupils reflected my bare skin.

The weather had been getting warr lately. Even I couldn’t stay bundled up all the ti, so I wore clothes that exposed a little of my neck and collarbone. Fortunately, I hadn’t injured myself in any of those areas.

Still, she was staring for quite so ti.

It wasn’t uncomfortable or anything that gave off a creepy vibe. But I’ve been a loner for so long that prolonged attention from others can feel overwhelming.

Especially since Luce is soone I admire. I felt like she was seeing right through , leaving feeling naked.

“Um, is there sothing on my neck?”

“Oh! Sorry. I just thought your neckline is really pretty. And your skin is so clear.”

“Thanks…”

Luce herself had great skin, by the way. Even with light makeup, she looked so clean. It was clear she took good care of herself.

Anyway, it was ti to leave now that the treatnt was done. As I lifted my backpack, I heard a rattling sound. A sense of unease crept into my mind.

Good thoughts always seem to miss, but bad worries tend to hit the mark with eerie precision. I opened my bag, and the expected disaster struck.

“Oh no.”

“What’s wrong?”

“The glass bottle… it broke.”

It was the bottle I got from the convenience store. I must’ve broken it when I fell. The bag was a ss, with shattered glass and leftover milk droplets everywhere.

I felt a bit down, like I had lost a precious souvenir. As for the bag… I could only shake out the glass shards here. Once I got ho, I could clean it up properly.

I took out my wallet, important papers, and the prescription ds and turned the bag upside down. I’m not the type to carry a lot of things, so there wasn’t much to take out. Shaking the bag over the trash can, I poured out glittering glass shards.

Luce, who had been quietly helping clean, paused with a start.

“Klonazepam?”

“Oh… it’s not sothing I take regularly. I just got it prescribed this ti.”

“I see. You’re going to keep getting better, Da-eun. I’m rooting for you.”

It feels nice to be encouraged. I’ll do my best to beco more like you.

“By the way, you really seem to like ‘Infinity Black,’” Luce comnted, noticing the glass bottle.

“Yeah. It’s fun. Also, congratulations on your victory in the opening match.”

“Thank you. Which character do you play?”

“Uh, um, I’m a mage. I’m playing a fire sorcerer.”

Lying made feel a bit guilty. But I had no choice. There was no way I could say “assassin.”

If I did, Luce might start connecting with Ka-Wol. Our body shapes are almost identical, and our voices are very similar too. If the microphone on my VR headset weren’t slightly distorted, I probably would have been found out a long ti ago.

To be honest… I wouldn’t mind being caught. But Luce is such an upright person that I’m a little scared. If that kind face of hers looked at with contempt, it would hurt too much.

[You have received mail: Infinity…]

“By the way, thank you so much for the gift last ti. I know I thanked you through text, but I really wanted to et you in person to say thanks again.”

“Hmm. I was a bit worried I sent it too suddenly. I’m glad it helped!”

“You can pretend you didn’t hear this, but… when I’m feeling better, and when your league season is over and you have so free ti…”

It was too embarrassing to make eye contact. I fiddled with my phone as a new email arrived, using it as an excuse to look down and hide my face.

The email was probably just an advertisent. Or one of those privacy policy updates that co at random tis.

Honestly, most of South Korea’s personal information isn’t worth much. Nas and ID numbers are traded in batches of hundreds of thousands or millions for dirt-cheap prices. I was planning to glance at it and dismiss it.

But then…

“What’s wrong?” Luce asked.

“It’s nothing, really.”

My hand slackened, and I dropped my phone. I quickly picked it up and turned off the screen.

“...?”

“I, uh, sothing urgent ca up. Do you mind if I head back now?”

“I’ll give you a ride. Where are you going?”

“No, really, I’m fine… I want to go alone today.”

[Notice of Unregistered Device Usage]

Dear 'Ka-Wol' Custor, this is a security notice from Infinity Corporation.

Your account has been accessed using an unregistered device.

Your device has been identified as lacking an official identification code. While no illegal programs or abnormal activities were found in the server logs, it appears that an excessively high sensory synchronization rate was applied.

Under current law, virtual reality ga providers are responsible for ensuring custor safety…

Our security team will be available to visit at your convenience to review your device logs. A detailed analysis may take 2 to 3 weeks. If any intentional log tampering or destruction is detected, you may be subject to penalties…

High sensory synchronization can lead to acute shock or other life-threatening risks. If we cannot guarantee your safety, your device may be disconnected from service.

Other devices will still be permitted for access…

Due to the length of ti you’ve used this device and the impact of temporary asures, your access has not yet been revoked.

I felt my breath catch in my throat. I stared blankly at the screen, moving my phone from side to side. The words were complex, but in the end, my mind distilled them into one simple sentence.

‘I might not be able to play the ga on this device anymore.’

The part about the logs didn’t concern . I had simply been using a device that wasn’t comrcially available. As long as there was no issue I wasn’t aware of, I had nothing to worry about.

The real problem was the sensory synchronization rate, which was approaching 70%. So people believe that synchronization affects reaction ti, but… that’s wrong.

If the character and brain communicate via electrical signals, the sensory synchronization rate represents the intensity of those signals. Reaction ti, on the other hand, falls under the domain of signal transmission speed. Just like how a leg will jerk when the knee is tapped, as long as the intensity reaches a certain level, the reaction ti remains largely unaffected.

A device with a high synchronization rate isn’t a special tool for —it’s more like a torture device. So if the issue becos one of ‘safety,’ things will turn bad.

"The test results show no significant issues with your neck. It’s a bit swollen, but is there anything you can think of that might have caused it?"

"Didn’t the guardian ntion your neck was sore and painful? Is that correct?"

"Yes. When I ca in, it was a real scene. I even saw her vomiting."

"The oral area is quite important and surprisingly fragile. Please avoid any aggressive actions or foreign objects."

The first ti I died in the ga, I ended up in the hospital in agonizing pain after leaving the VR system. Even though I died cleanly due to my low level.

As a result, I suffered through so embarrassing misunderstandings.

Logically speaking, there’s no way a device like this could be safe. What if one day I fail to protect my left leg? I’m not confident I could handle the consequences.

This is why neural devices have been practically abandoned in the current market. But… what choice do I have? It’s not like I use this thing because I enjoy it.

It’s because of this cursed leg. If I want to move the way I want to, this is the only thod that works.

“Is… is anyone there?”

I scrolled through my phone in a daze. I had hysterically deleted most of my contacts at so point, so only a few nas remained. Mom. Dad. Master. Luce. Soolbbang. Sanse. Elderen. Turkel.

I can’t call Luce. I didn’t want to unload these concerns on my idol. I wanted to stand before her when I could be proud of myself.

For similar reasons, I couldn’t call Master. That person had sacrificed enough for , and I didn’t want to burden them further.

Two nas were already off the list. I didn’t have many options left. Soolbbang was busy, and both Turkel and Sanse had their own work to do. Without thinking, I dialed Elderen’s number.

"Hello?"

“Hey, sis. I’m sorry to call suddenly. I didn’t know who else to turn to…”

"It’s okay. What’s going on?"

“Could we… et up? I know it’s short notice… but… um, I’m sorry. I’ll just hang up…”

"Where should I co?"

Elderen’s calm voice on the other end gave a bit of comfort. I hesitated, feeling my throat tighten, but finally gave her the location. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was feeling at the mont—panic, dread, or sothing else entirely—but I knew I needed soone to talk to, and Elderen was one of the few people I could trust with this.

As I waited for her, I couldn’t help but stare at my phone, the weight of the ssage from Infinity Corporation still pressing on . It felt as though my whole world, the one place where I felt alive, was being threatened.

My ga, my world… all of it could be taken away.