It's a Gender-Reversed World, But I Don't Go Out Anyway - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Streaming Whatever’s Trending

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“Stop! Daeju! You’re too good!”

[Here we go again]

[Which ward is that patient from…?]

[They’ve been here longer than the doctors, so nobody knows.]

After winning my Gold promotion match, I was intoxicated with euphoria. Gold after several years. Although it was an achievement only in a gender-reversed world, you can’t blame me for feeling a bit smug about it.

“My talent scares me… What if pro teams try to scout me? Where should I go? Blue Force? Dangwon?”

[Please go to the hospital first, patient.]

[This bastard’s acting like he won Worlds when he just hit Gold]

[Let him enjoy it.]

[Waaah… Daeju being happy is no fun…]

Comments jealous of my talent didn’t even register in my eyes. Isn’t there a saying like that? Whatever doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger!

Honestly, I don’t remember it well. I think I read it in a self-help book. Those books seem helpful when times are tough, but they tend to fade from memory as time passes.

At least that’s how it was for me.

[But are you really going to play StarCraft?]

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re all LoL-crits[1] who love League despite everything?”

[Nah nah nah, I don’t want to watch that, I prefer just chatting streams]

[I like face cam streams]

[I like strip streams]

[Me too actually]

“Hey, that’s crazy talk! 10-minute timeout for you~”

[You’re gonna be in big trouble if you play StarCraft…]

[For real lololol even if it wasn’t Daeju but a pro gamer, StarCraft viewers still backseat game]

[The League backseat gaming so far has been mild, StarCraft backseat gaming is nuclear-level spicy.]

Come to think of it, StarCraft was one of those games where the intensity of backseat gaming and criticism was especially strong. From what I heard, there was even a case where someone’s dad sent backseat gaming advice through text messages.

A hell of backseat gaming that not even family could escape.

A national folk game that once had the whole nation as crazy about it as League. Some even said that one of StarCraft’s songs was like the fifth verse of the national anthem[2].

But that didn’t faze the current me.

“Don’t worry everyone… I’m Gold now…”

[Just start StarCraft already, the backseat bombing begins.]

[Why did I even worry about this bastard? Huh.]

[Today he’s really about 21 times more annoying]

I might have awakened the dormant toxic fingers unnecessarily, but I was confident.

“Just watch. First, I’ll warm up with a light 1v2 practice against the computer.”

***

[What are you even doing?]

[I really want to punch Zju-ji[3] in the solar plexus]

[Fight on the high ground, you idiot]

[Still no factories? Resources are overflowing but the factories are just sitting there lol]

[My molars hurt from grinding my teeth so hard]

[Stop cursing, he did well until the 30-second mark]

“Why… why is this so hard?”

I hadn’t tried 1v2 before, but still, it’s just against computers…

My base was already a mess of Protoss zealots and Zerg zerglings. Units were dying as soon as they were produced, all buildings were burning – it was a desperate situation.

[Get out]

[You know you’re supposed to type gg even against computers before leaving, right?]

[Wow, there’s actually someone who can’t beat computers 1v2]

[I’m sorry but your talent…]

“Come on, it’s just my first game. What talent? I’ll win everything with practice!”

[Someone next door could handle 1v3 without knowing anything]

[Even So-hye could win 1v2]

[Who’s In-cheol?]

[That’s my name lol]

[Are you crazy?]

When comments about lacking talent in a game that scratches male pride started appearing, my pride began to take hits.

On one hand, I felt indignant.

How good could they be to tell me I had no talent?

I’m not quite sure, but this is a gender-reversed world. Might be worth a try, right?

“Come at me.”

As soon as I created the room, someone entered.

[cleanchat has entered. Wins: 80 Losses: 21]

“Not you, senior. I want someone weaker.”

I immediately kicked them.

What’s a monster doing here challenging someone who’s only played StarCraft twice? That win rate would get you accused of boosting even in League. Actually, it’s hard to find someone with that win rate even in Go or Connect Five – what kind of person are they? Surely there couldn’t be such a high-level player among my viewers?

[What win rate do we need to participate?]

[How low are you looking for?]

[I think Daeju could beat someone with a 30% win rate]

[deajujoa has entered. Wins: 2 Losses: 11]

“Hmm, this looks good.”

Finally, an opponent I might have a chance against entered, but the chat’s reaction was different.

[Has won before = can beat Daeju]

[lololol definitely can’t win]

[What’s with that username, ‘LoveDaeju’?]

“The hate is too strong? I’m telling you I’m good! Which race should I use to prove it?”

[?? You don’t have a main race?]

[Do you know any builds?]

“Builds? …Like Lee Sin Zed build?”

[lololololol]

[League noob…]

[And it’s a Zed build? So annoying]

[You really don’t know any StarCraft builds at all?]

“Wait, StarCraft has builds too?”

[Sigh…]

[Forget it, just play League.]

[Hey, we need people like this for ‘real’ beginner rooms lololol]

The reaction was cold.

In League, which I played during computer class in middle and high school, there weren’t things like builds. The closest thing was in SimCity, where you’d build structures densely so enemies couldn’t infiltrate without destroying buildings, but what could builds be?

After asking the viewer who entered to wait a moment, I searched Namu Wiki and—

“What is all this… Do you all know this stuff?”

[We might not know everything, but most people know their own race’s builds.]

[Honestly, even if we don’t know other races’ builds exactly, we generally know what builds they use]

[For real, Daeju’s lucky, doesn’t need to scout since he wouldn’t understand anyway lololol]

[Can you feel the power difference?]

“How can a game that’s not even a card game have such precise timings?”

It detailed which drone number to use for what, upgrade timings, unit placement, and even strategy changes based on opponent’s strategies.

And this was just one of countless builds. There were mind-boggling arrays of strategies, including counters and even counters to those counters.

Truly worthy of being called Korea’s folk game.

“Um… Is there a race with easy builds?”

[Protoss is the easiest.]

[??? Crossing the line again. Toss can’t do anything in mid-late game]

[What mid-late game? Two-gate zealot kills everything]

[If we’re talking easy builds, isn’t it Zerg? 9-pool[4] or hydra all-in kills both Terran and Protoss]

[Why no mention of Terran? Don’t know about Terran OP?]

My one question opened hell’s gates.

Even the StarCraft veterans who had been hiding their fangs joined in, gritting their teeth and arguing about which race was more overpowered. Honestly, I couldn’t understand what they were saying at all, and I had no idea how to calm this down.

If you watch quietly, they’re all Korean, but they’re talking as if they were actually Zerg, Protoss, or Terran.

Is this the power of StarCraft, if you could call it that?

“Stop!”

[Why suddenly shouting]

[Inside Daeju’s head: Shit, that was so powerful lol]

[Room host, you’re being noisy.]

[Yeah, why interrupt our discussion lol Do you even know about Aiur?]

[Weren’t we trying to decide on a race for Daeju?]

[Don’t know]

“Stop fighting over me, just tell me which race is good for early game fights.”

[…That’s why Terran OP in early game—]

[No, Zerglings come two at a time]

[Zealots tear through Zerglings]

“Alright! We’re using Naver’s famous ladder game! No complaints, right?”

[Even if we had any, you wouldn’t listen so we’ll just deal with it]

[Ugh… go ahead.]

Facing the chat heating up again, I finally reached for a compromise.

Although no one seemed particularly happy about it, they seemed to accept it, knowing this would never end otherwise.

The ladder result was—

“I’m going Zerg.”

[Ah…]

[Zerg is hard for beginners…]

[Beginners should go Protoss]

[Toss is weak]

[Stop Protoss whining!]

“No matter what anyone says, race wars break out in chat”

[That’s StarCraft.]

[Get used to it.]

[We’re not really serious about fighting]

[True, but Protoss whiner?]

[Terran OP girl?]

I searched for build information again.

Time was short, but after looking for the easiest build, it seemed doable when I read it.

What caught my eye was the 9-pool.

It was one of those early rush builds I preferred. Why do I prefer early game? Well, from what I just experienced against the computer, the later the game goes, the more units and buildings you have to manage, and while my hands and head can’t keep up, I just feel more rushed.

I felt like I had no chance of winning once early game passed.

The build itself didn’t look difficult.

Maybe because it was explained so kindly. The number of drones, building timing, and unit production timing were all laid out – wouldn’t it be stranger if I couldn’t follow it?

“2 wins 11 losses viewer? Here comes the Zerg storm!”

[0 wins 1 loss against computer Daeju? Zju-ji attack!]

[It was boring when you always won in League, but this stream is gonna be fun lololol]

[Ah… the newbie smell is so lewd lololol][5]

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(End of Chapter)

T/N:

1. “LoL-crits” (롤크리트) – A play on words combining “LoL” (League of Legends) and “hypocrite,” used to describe hypocritical League players who criticize the game but still loves to play it.

2. The reference to “fifth verse of the national anthem” is particularly meaningful because the South Korean national anthem officially only has four verses – suggesting StarCraft music is so patriotically important it’s like an unofficial addition lol.

3. “Zju-ji” (쥬지) – A mocking way of saying “Zerg rush” in Korean gaming slang.
4.”9-pool” – a Zerg rushing strategy

5. “Newbie smell is so lewd” is a common Korean gaming phrase used to mock obvious beginners.