Season 5: Chapter 177. Strategy Meeting (1)

"Now, Group B Round 1 ends here. With the current score at 1 to 1, an extremely thrilling match continues. Now~! Please see the analysis desk! We'll return to you with Round 2!"

The commentary desk ended.

The analysis desk began with announcer Yoo Hayeon, Orange King, and the analyst.

Poof!

— Again?? lmaooooo

— These people...

— Brutal....

— Event tournament so they're working overtime

In truth, the caster just swapped while the rest stayed the same. It was an event tournament, so there was no helping it.

Even so, Orange King enthusiastically analyzed and explained the current strategy as simply as possible so even newcomers could understand the walkie-talkie meta, the dispatch strategy, and its impact.

"If Group A Paprika's strategy earlier was interior design and remodeling, this was redevelopment. Cheese completely tore down the game and rebuilt it! They just played a completely different game!"

The analyst added more. "It seemed like they also grasped the weakness of Paprika's strategy from watching the Group A match. They showed remarkable analytical and adaptive ability in that short time."

"Oh, is that so? In this short time we've been running the analysis desk? They found the enemy's weak points and applied countermeasures?" Yoo Hayeon expressed surprise and covered her mouth with the script.

"I struggle just to understand it right now!"

— lmaooooooooooo

— LOL fr

— Same...

— We all feel that...

Most people felt overwhelmed just trying to understand the concepts while watching the analysis desk, yet Cheese had supposedly found the weakness and countered it. It was remarkable and didn't seem like the coaching staff's power alone.

"The players who executed this must have also needed considerable experience!" Yoo Hayeon added.

Orange King agreed. "Yes. It's ultimately a game played by people, so inputting commands doesn't produce results directly. This time, though, it seemed to properly come together..."

***

While the analysis desk was running, heated debates were underway among Paprika's coaches.

"We need to do dispatching too!"

"Must we adopt such foreign practices? Maintain some dignity!!"

At first, they even argued over whether to do the dispatching.

"We need to seduce the Can't Can't Can't team and turn them into spies!"

"Stop talking crazy!"

"Then what are we supposed to do!?"

Later on, they even proposed theories closer to spy operations.

— LOL

— Chaos lmaooooooo

— lmaooooo

— This is what losing looks like fr

— The dispatch workers were genuinely shocking...

They couldn't find Cheese's weakness. The only thing they'd found was the possibility of Can't Can't Can't rebelling. That was clearly a weakness, but the problem was Can't Can't Can't wouldn't be in the next match.

[Group A Round 2]

[On standby...]

The next game was Group A's match. Ultimately, the core issue was whether Cheese's Group A would use the dispatch strategy or not. Additionally, Paprika also thought about using that strategy.

"Group A probably hasn't practiced dispatching! If we copy it right now! There wouldn't be a proficiency gap! Just move the data gathered from Group A to Group B! Couldn't we figure it out as we go!?"

Whether to accept the dispatch meta or see through its weakness and break through, a dilemma always appeared in competitive matches.

"Can just anyone do dispatching? What if we fail from doing it wrong?"

"That's something you can only know by trying. Good things should just be quickly copied."

Some thought having one team split was an enormous risk. Others thought they had to quickly copy good things.

'Haah... both are right.'

Head coach Tortilla sighed, unable to make a decision. How exactly were they supposed to apply a new strategy right now? He watched the time pass while the analysis desk ran, his eyes anxious.

A few ads were shown, and the viewer participation content finished. At most, twenty minutes had passed. Everything had to be decided and mentally processed. Executing such a destructive strategy like dispatching was madness.

'Cheese's Group A probably can't apply it immediately either.'

The one thing to lean on was that Cheese's Group A also probably hadn't practiced dispatching. As easy as it looked, splitting one team and using them separately was absolutely not easy. Without practice, issues would arise. Right now, the coaches were fixated on the dispatch strategy.

"If we just follow the dispatch strategy, there's no reason for us to lose!? Honestly, there's a skill gap in Group A anyway!"

Given the strength gap, this was the opportunity to practice. Even so, Tortilla had something nagging at him.

"So..."

He opened his mouth. Everyone paid attention because he'd been selected as the current lead coach.

***

Meanwhile, all of Cheese's coaches were focused on one person.

"Everyone's gathered again."

It was Cheese's head coach, Choi Sa-Rang. At first, some people had been slightly incredulous at her becoming head coach. Watching the process of completing the dispatch system, anyone would have to acknowledge it now.

'This person operates on a different level.'

'What on earth did she do?'

'What is this?'

Their suspicion of Sa-Rang was only about her identity and past. Saying she had no career in LIL, nobody believed that anymore.

“Everyone, good work. Group B fortunately won."

Cheers and loud laughter passed through.

"The walkie-talkies are the best!"

Some even praised the Can't Can't Can't team.

'Walkie-talkies...'

Sa-Rang kept checking the coach's expression on the Can't Can't Can't team. In truth, this was the only variable she was anxious about. If the walkie-talkie team got frustrated, this strategy couldn't be used.

She didn't believe in sacrifice without reason. Sacrifice naturally needed to come with rewards. With that team, she couldn't see it. It was just sacrifice and more sacrifice... They weren’t like war heroes.

'Almond said they'd receive rewards... but what did that mean?'

He had said there was absolutely no need to worry, but she couldn't understand it. Coming last in a competition, what other reward could satisfy that? In the life she'd lived, such a thing was impossible.

"Hmm. Does everyone... feel satisfied with the Group B strategy?"

"YESSSS!!"

A thunderous answer erupted from the coaches. Takoyaki answered the same way. No, he was perhaps even more pleased, smiling broadly.

Why on earth are they just happy from winning?

"Team Can't Can't Can't." Sa-Rang had no choice but to name them directly. "Good work."

"Yes!"

"But... are the team members satisfied?" she asked indirectly.

"Oh, of course! It’s a total festival atmosphere!"

Since all the coaches had streamer careers, they looked at each other saying, “Oh, that must be very nice~.”

'What. On. Earth?'

From Sa-Rang's perspective, the situation was incomprehensible. Anyway, the reward seemed to be functioning properly.

Takoyaki even said, "Next time, our team members said they'll die even faster after finishing off Paprika! They want Paprika cleared as quickly as possible!"

— ?

— ???

— lmaooooooooooo

— Way too brazen LOL

— These guys have no regard for the tournament LOOL

— lmaooooo

— Wait but they win the tournament AND make money...

— This must be the Lord's grace too...

"Oh.... Is that so?" Sa-Rang nodded as if she'd seen something bizarre and moved to the next topic. "How about Group A? Are you inclined to try dispatching?"

She'd confirmed the Can't Can't Can't team members' satisfaction in advance. This dispatch system required someone to sacrifice. Without a single slave team, who would volunteer to be a slave? If Can't Can't Can't's satisfaction was low, the application rate would drop too. Ultimately, dispatching couldn't be done then.

"We, we..."

The Group A coaches looked at each other.

***

Almond, after returning to the waiting room, simply closed his eyes briefly, leaned back, and stayed still. There'd be no Group B match for a while anyway. He tried to enjoy this moment of adulation.

Ba-ba-bam!

[SmartYoungFanClub has donated 100,000 won!]

[Smart Young Man lives! Smart Young Man lives!]

Ba-bam!

[Yeah!! has donated 50,000 won!]

[Here they come... knock knock knock knock...!]

Ba-ba-bam!

[RubySword has donated 100,000 won!]

[I always believed in you~!]

— Nooo!!

— Stop the Smart Young Man

— Knock knock!

— Damn

— Smart Young Man! Smart Young Man!

— Smart Young Man is spreading to the world!

The Anti Smart Young Man faction was trying to stop this somehow, but it finally burst out. In this match, Almond's brain-power in commanding had shone even more than his physical ability to carry.

[TBH has donated 10,000 won!]

[This was genuinely incredible (video)]

The video donation wasn't a mad movie of his archery, but the scene of him alone giving orders to ForeverAlone while everyone else was celebrating.

— Composure is GOAT

— Fr

— Have to accept it now fr

— That was incredible lmaooo

— That same composed face giving nonsense orders feels like just yesterday... I’m so touched...

Many people were acknowledging it. The Anti Smart Young-Man faction was now openly showing jealousy.

— Could Almond actually be smart? Disappointed...

— In the end, the man was smart...

— At least don't take Walnut away please...

— Please 3 centimeters

They even typed vile curses and couldn't accept that Almond was genuinely smart. This, at least, had to be stopped.

Almond, as if he understood their anxiety, just gently closed his eyes and enjoyed the sounds of donations.

— Ah that posture is so infuriating LOL

— What are you doing????

— lmaooo a genuine superstar fr

— Why isn't he moving?

— Almond your neck is too stiff. Is there lag?

Then, this donation appeared.

Ba-bam!

[EggPlant has donated 10,000 won!]

It was a rare 10,000-won donation from EggPlant.

'What? Something feels off about this.'

Almond instantly sensed something suspicious. Sure enough, it was a video.

[It's the Smart Young Man? Just a parrot (video)]

In the video, Choi Sa-Rang was explaining in the coaching room. The video itself was fine.

— ?

— Wow

— I see

— It was plagiarism...?

She said exactly the same thing as Almond. Who copied whom was far too obvious.

— Wow...

— lmaooooooooooo

— LOL

— Well of course...

'Oh no.'

Almond closed his eyes briefly, having been poked where it hurt. He thought of a way to handle this. This had to be resolved through politics.

'Attack the messenger, not the message.'

He pulled out one of the dark arts he learned while working at Ah-Sung.

"EggPlant." Almond opened his mouth. He asked as if he'd been waiting for this moment, "Why are you red?"

— Wow

— I see

— What

— Wow...

— LOL Almond trap

— Oh no

— The donation shows the color?!

— lmaooooooooooo

— LOL

— Caught in the Almond trap

[EggPlant has left the chat.]

He fled on his own. It was a successful messenger elimination.

— Spy spreading fake news

— That's an AI composite~ please take it down~

— smh what else would a Paprika spy do lmaooo

— Spreading fake news from somewhere lmaooo

Like this, the controversy over whether Almond was actually smart or not was roughly settled for now.

"Thank you for the donations, everyone."

In the end, all that remained was the donation amount.

"Now we need to have a strategy meeting. I'll be turning off donations and mic for a bit."

— lmaooooooooo strategy

— lmaooo was he just waiting before doing this?!

— He was maximizing his time...

— Wow...

— If this isn't a Smart Young Man, then what is!?

— Emphasizing strategy is so infuriating

— Am I the only one who wants to flick him for acting smart?? lmaooo

— lmaooo

— Shrewd Young Man...