‘What would happen if I just started shooting?’ The same thought always occurred to him around three in the afternoon. “You can’t even do this properly! Hm? Haaa…” The bald department head with a bulging stomach spat in front of him and blabbered on. “Hey! Are you listening? Are these conference materials for real?” The department head’s nether region hid under his desk, a mix of embarrassment and urgency in his voice. “—Critical! Critical! Got it!” Full Dive allowed people to immerse themselves in the game, as its name suggested. Many considered it the greatest virtual reality game in modern history. With its groundbreaking technology and immersive storytelling, players could explore vast worlds, engage in epic battles, and forge lasting friendships—all from the comfort of their homes. As the team gathered around, excitement buzzed in the air. They knew that this conference could be a game-changer for their department, setting the stage for future innovations and adventures. They also called it the capsule game because it required an expensive capsule machine to play. Just one of the basic features costs a ton. Nine-to-fivers like Sang-Hyeon couldn’t afford such luxuries. He felt satisfied with just watching such an amazing game while drinking beer. [Grit has sponsored 50,000 won.] — Aim-y! Where’s Aim-y? One viewer donated some money and lamented over the streamer’s aim. The sponsoring program read the message in a silly voice. — Aimy-yyyy! Aim-yyy! Where are you? Similar donations continually came in. [Jinsung's Gummies has sponsored 4,000 won.] [5 minutes later…] — Today we’re going to be playing… A sponsored message said the streamer would turn off the game and restart as if nothing had happened. [Aim-y has sponsored 30,000 won.] — Hey! I’m shooting, but why isn’t it going forward? What’s wrong with this capsule? The gamer blamed the perfectly fine capsule for his reaction speed. Meanwhile, hefty sponsorships continued pouring in. Messages that read, [LOLOLOLOL], bombarded the chat window. “Gosh… It’s also a talent to suck. Is it that hard to hit? It looks easy.” Sang-Hyeon suddenly found the way he lived in the past quite pathetic. He threw everything aside to become skilled at one thing. “Whatever, I’m going to sleep.” He turned off the lights, and the curtains blocked out the city. Time passed, and work arrived again before he knew it. He woke up by habit from his days as an athlete. Sang-Hyeon had been summoned to the department head’s office the next day when he arrived at work. ‘What’s going on? The atmosphere seems weird.’ Being called to the office felt normal, but his colleagues looked at him strangely. He possessed keen eyesight and could read their faint expressions from a distance. ‘This is weird.’ He concluded that everyone acted a bit strange today and found out why when he entered the office. Tak. A resignation letter appeared in front of him. “They say there’s going to be restructuring,” the department head said without looking at him. “You can leave with something right now if you go quietly, but you won’t get much if you’re laid off due to the restructuring.” He seemed so impassive that Sang-Hyeon wondered if the department head spoke to him. “You’re the only one on our team. You know that, right? Everyone else works hard.” Now, Sang-Hyeon’s colleagues were being held over his head. ‘So this is why he exaggerated his criticisms yesterday.’ Sang-Hyeon’s report from yesterday hadn’t been too bad. He could tell that much, but the department head criticized the smallest details. As a section chief, he could only apologize when the department head scolded him. The rules always went like that. Now he needed to quit according to the same rules. “Understood, sir.” The department head finally glanced at him after Sang-Hyeon agreed more easily than expected. “Really?” “You’re saying you can only give me severance pay if I leave now, correct? I’m sure you’ll add a bit more.” “You’re quick to calculate.” “I recorded this conversation, so please keep that promise.” Sang-Hyeon lied. Nevertheless, the department head nodded. Many people recorded things these days, especially when they had to visit a department head’s office. “Sure, fine. It’s not a promise, but something the company guarantees. Don’t worry.” “Do I leave today?” “Will you work if I say so?” “I’ll pack my things.” “Ha.” Sang-Hyeon turned around with an expressionless face. He heard the department head’s voice from behind. “Hey, don’t be too upset. You’re a nepo hire anyway, right? Everyone here went through college, earned qualifications, and spent money they didn’t have to study abroad. We don’t have a choice either.” Of course, Sang-Hyeon knew that. The reason why the department head reproached him every day and why he never made a friend here. The few friends he had left would soon be nonexistent. All because he only graduated from high school and used to be an athlete. “I know.” He slowly returned to his desk and organized his belongings into a box. He worked at this company for four years, but his belongings didn’t even fill the smallest box from the post office. “What should I do?” Sang-Hyeon returned home. He left like it didn’t affect him, but now he felt like going mad. Already 28 years old, high school graduate, jobless, former athlete, specialty: archery… He wouldn’t be able to find another 9-5 job in South Korea with these insignificant qualifications. He couldn’t reach out to the coach he already owed. “Sh-Should I buy some ramyeon in advance? Maybe some water too…” He thought of things to buy, like a war would soon occur. “Haa, haa…” Sang-Hyeon shook himself and took a deep breath. He found it difficult to stand, so he sat and eventually lay in bed. “Haaa…” He blankly stared at the ceiling. The round LED fixture looked like the target he always aimed at. Sang-Hyeon raised his hands and aimed for the center. His breathing grew steady as if he held a bow, and his arms moved into a perfect textbook position. Tremble, tremble… However, his right hand began to shake, and it grew worse as time went on. “Kugh…” Tak. His hand landed on the bed again, and a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. Then he burst from bed about 5 minutes later. He moved as if something possessed him and sat in front of his computer. He thought about grabbing some beer from the fridge but decided against that. Instead, he accessed the game streaming platform he often frequented and began typing with shaky hands. [Skill streams] Could he earn money from being good at games?