[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 28

When I just turned on the broadcast, the viewer count didn’t change from 0, but after some time, people started flooding in like ants, as if they knew I was live.

One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, one hundred thousand…

The viewer count was increasing exponentially, updating the peak every second and minute.

As time passed and the speed of increase settled down, I checked the viewer count again.

157,892.

One hundred fifty-seven thousand eight hundred ninety-two people.

To think that over one hundred fifty thousand viewers entered for a personal broadcast, especially my first one…

Even while seeing it, it was hard to believe my name was valued to this extent.

The chat had long lost its functionality, and I couldn’t keep up with how many donations had already come in.

I turned off the screen to alleviate the crushing pressure on my body and collected my trembling thoughts.

I knew I had to react to the chat and give appropriate reactions to the donations, but I had no confidence in managing it all alone.

Before starting the broadcast, I couldn’t even imagine such a mind-boggling number.

Since Kang Ho-yun had about 20,000 viewers, I thought my count would be similar or slightly higher, but to have around 150,000—almost eight times that—was shocking.

With various thoughts, the pressure was doubling, yet ironically, the more I saw the rising numbers, the clearer my mind became.

After all, these people came to watch because they were impressed with my skills, right? The reason they like me is because of the performance KING showed on the circuit, which is my skill, and they want to see that skill in the broadcast.

The reason I decided to become a For One streamer was simply that I was good at racing.

It stemmed from the confidence I had that I could attract people with my racing.

If that’s the case, what I can show them in the broadcast is already determined.

Jin Hyun-woo, the F1 champion, and Yooihyun, the talented one—both performing well is all that is needed.

Calming my mind, I turned the screen on to show myself.

As I appeared, the chat exploded into a frenzy, and many more donations started pouring in.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“I have arrived.”

It was a line suitable for a king’s entrance.

[KING!!!!!]

[I have arrived]

[OMG]

[It’s real. The real deal has appeared.]

[The king’s return]

[OMG]

I managed to say those lines… but it was too chaotic.

Since it was my first broadcast, I felt the need to introduce myself, so I froze the chat and continued speaking.

“Thank you for the warm welcome. As you may know, I am KING. This isn’t a fake; it’s truly KING#16007.”

After briefly unlocking the chat, a flood of questions came in.

[Why did you just start streaming now?]

“I didn’t want to stream because my rank is low.”

[Is this really your main account and not some alt account?]

“It is indeed my main account.”

[Rumor has it that KING is actually a student named Yooihyun. Can you clarify that?]

“That is completely false.”

[When will you reveal your identity? You are Korean, right?]

“I am Korean, and I still have no plans to reveal my identity.”

There were so many chats that I was overwhelmed just trying to answer the questions coming in through donations.

Still, I tried to answer as many questions as I could that caught my eye, but soon the official Kiwich account called me via voice.

After shutting off the chaotic donations and chat, I answered the voice call.

kiwitch*: KING#16007, the race starts in 10 minutes. Please enter the pit.

[Kiwitch has invited you to the room ‘KiwiChi Championship Round of 1024, KING VS Talent is all.’ YES / NO]

“Everyone, it looks like I need to go in since the race will start in 10 minutes. I’ll keep the chat open but block donations for now.”

I fiddled with the broadcast settings to avoid any interruptions to the racing and entered the room.

“Yes.”

Baku City Circuit.

A modern circuit where the first Grand Prix was held in 2016, almost devoid of streamlined corners.

In reality, out of the three sectors into which the circuit is divided, all corners in the first sector have a rectangular shape, turning at 90 degrees.

The track length is 6.003 km with a total lap count of 51.

The fastest lap time I set in For One was 1:31:085, ranking 4th overall.

“What a challenging circuit to start with.”

Baku City Circuit was a highly difficult track.

It was a street circuit winding through the narrow and winding old town, where a single mistake could lead to defeat.

With the track’s narrow width and right-angle corners, if you can’t secure an advantage at the start, it becomes extremely difficult to overtake.

But why is the weather like this right from the first race?

“It’s raining…”

In the curvy areas, with the 90-degree corners, and now rain.

It felt hopeless; hardly anything could be worse.

I wasn’t the only one feeling this way; the chat was also going wild.

[This is a mess right from the first round, lol.]

[If we mess up at the start, it might be better to just quit.]

[The map already sucks, and now it’s pouring rain, lol.]

[Whoever takes the lead first is probably going to maintain it until the end. They really messed up the map settings.]

[Ah… we haven’t even started, and it’s already boring.]

[I believe in KING~]

I agreed with the viewer’s remark about it being boring.

If this were a one-on-one race between Yao-ming and me, it could be interesting; however, since it’s a regular competition with 20 people, it might not be as entertaining.

With so many variables on the circuit and the weather being absolutely dreadful, the scene of 20 drivers racing through the rain-soaked old town competing for position would indeed be fun to watch.

From a racing perspective, it would be a torture to endure, though.

In contrast, one-on-one racing is a whole different level regarding operating style.

Whether you’re leading or trailing, you have only one choice.

The leader defends, and the one in the back attacks.

Normally, you would have to race while dealing with the dilemma of balancing attack and defense.

The thought of overtaking the opponent is not mine alone.

The driver behind me, and the drivers behind them share the same thought.

Thus, every moment you’d need to judge when to defend and when to attack, which isn’t easy at all.

However, in a one-on-one, I can fully concentrate on just one opponent, which means I can exclude the headache of complex variables.

I just need to race well.

“I’ll make this fun.”

But I have confidence I can make this race entertaining.

A mad movie.

A compilation of highlights showcasing outstanding user plays.

If I can’t demonstrate the thrill of a fierce competition between others, I’ll have to display overwhelming skill that captivates the audience.

Dramatic driving, near-perfect technique.

That’s the reason for my popularity; that’s why they watch my broadcast.

For my first broadcast, I should create at least one mad movie.

“Switch the tires to wet tires.”

[Tires are being changed to wet tires.]

Given the very heavy rainfall, using wet tires was not an option but a necessity.

Even if the rain stops, there will be a lot of standing water on the track, so it seemed I’d have to use wet tires until the end of the race.

Watching the weather change, if conditions improve slightly, it might be worth considering switching to intermediates.

“Where is my grid?”

[KING’s grid is the first one on the left.]

“Being on the left side is good for the start.”

Since the first and second corners turn at a right angle, if I start well, I can lead the game advantageously.

While forgetting that I was live streaming, I got lost in thought, running simulations in my head.

The opponent’s ranking is F2 389th.

I’m not sure about the exact skill level, but since Kang Ho-yun ranks around 500, maybe this driver is slightly better?

I don’t know how significant the skill difference is at each rank, but I should easily manage to overtake this driver.

Even Joo-hyuk, who is ranked 79th, was following me until the end of the race, so thinking that a 389th-ranked player might overtake me is something I can only entertain in imagination.

While I was contemplating how to take down TIA, a message popped up saying it was one minute until the race started.

“Go to the grid.”

[Entering the Race Waiting Room, heading to the grid. KING’s grid is the first one on the left.]

The grid was soaked with rain, where TIA and Yao-ming’s flashy race cars were getting drenched.

True to being Chinese, Yao-ming’s race car had a red base covered in a flashy gold dragon decal.

Kiwich’s customization options are great in terms of convenience and freedom, but looking at Yao-ming’s custom car was quite an eyesore.

Once Yao-ming and I were ready, the formation lap began.

The track was drenched, and there were several spots where puddles had formed and had to be avoided.

[Look at the track situation, lol. It’s really mess.]

[If you step in one puddle wrongly, it won’t matter whether you’re on wet tires or not; you’ll slip immediately.]

[I feel like we have to race extremely cautiously… it’s not going to be entertaining at all.]

[Kiwich needs to fix the map settings; the rain is bad, but they should have taken out the terrible weather conditions. The last tournament was boring because of this.]

[Seriously, it’s not the drivers that should be cautious, but Kiwich~ lol.]

[Can KING make this circuit and weather entertaining?]

[No, lol. Are you already confident of winning? lol.]

I figured out the track based on the lap I drove and designed an optimal racing line that suited the circuit’s conditions.

Given the weather, it seemed impossible to set a fastest lap, but fun does not merely come from speed.

An overwhelming first-place victory can be thrilling, but the feeling of rising from last to first creates a much greater thrill, doesn’t it?

Thus, storytelling can be more important than being in the first place sometimes.

“How can I make this race interesting?”

The main characters are KING and Yao-ming.

But the one scripting the story is entirely me. Yao-ming will have no choice but to follow my script.

While waiting for the race to start, I received a voice call from Yao-ming.

Tallent is all: I shall strip you of your ugly mask!

It seems he’s deeply bothered…

I never liked this guy from the start.

For a dramatic race, a story is needed.

For that, a bit of provocation is necessary.

KING: Say something about Xi Jin-ping, you b*stard.

Tallent is all: You, you… filthy worm! You reveal your dirty nature!

KING: Xi Jin-ping, you b*stard.

Tallent is all: You dirty lineage of Koreans. Is that all you can say?

Just a slight poke, and it exploded, a very effective exchange of barbs.

Tallent is all: …You’re showing your lack of parental guidance. I’ll make you regret daring to mention Chairman Xi Jin-ping’s name.

“Sigh…”

Why does he keep bringing up poor Yooihyun’s parents?

“I will give this Chinese scumbag a proper lesson.”

The genre of this race has been decided.

Justice and retribution.