Chapter 297: High-Quality Entertainment Show (2)
MID Online had several in-game establishments that sold a variety of modern-day foods. Among them, the one that captivated NPCs’ taste buds the most was, without a doubt, fried chicken.
For those who had only ever seasoned their grilled or fried chicken with just salt and pepper, the variety of flavors modern fried chicken offered was nothing short of a treasure. There was even a rumor that investing one’s retirement savings into a MID Online fried chicken shop could lead to a second golden age, as these establishments were always packed with customers.
"Boss! Two barrels of beer over here!"
"We’ll order four more sweet and spicy chickens!"
A fried chicken shop in Whitehall was bustling with far more customers than usual.
The shop owner, watching the flood of customers at the counter, muttered to himself, "So the day has finally come."
"Boss, why is it so busy today?" a part-time worker, struggling to keep up with carrying out orders, asked in a near-crying voice.
The owner simply looked at the large holographic screen mounted on one wall and replied, "Because the God of Sales is appearing on TV today."
"Pardon?"
"Remember this. Whenever he comes out on TV, the nationwide sales of fried chicken at least double."
"What does that even mean..."
Leaving the confused part-timer behind, the owner turned his gaze to the screen. At the same time, the crowd inside the shop raised their beer mugs high in the air and shouted.
"The commercial’s starting!"
"Pour it up! Drink it up!"
"Cheers!"
The reason variety shows desperately sought out celestial-tier rankers was simple—they guaranteed sky-high view rates. And when it came to Kai, an undisputed legend, there was no need for further explanation.
"Hehe, I’ve been waiting for this day."
"Finally, we get to see how the strongest player in the game actually hunts."
"If I can learn even a fraction of his hunting techniques from the show, maybe I can speed up my leveling."
Some people tuned in, hoping to pick up strategies from watching Kai’s hunting methods.
"Let’s see how an Andromeda-tier ranker actually fights, shall we?"
"An Unknown dungeon raid? Now this I have to see."
Even the masters of the top eight guilds, who considered him their competition, made sure to free up their schedules for the broadcast.
Then, with everyone’s anticipation, the program Dungeon of the Absolute finally began airing.
***
The two-part special Dungeon of the Absolute had a runtime of about an hour per episode. Of course, that wasn’t nearly enough time to capture the events that had unfolded over several days.
However, Michael Reynolds, the master of video editing, and Kim In-Ha, a producer with a history in variety shows, successfully balanced the pacing and humor of the footage with artistic precision. As a result, the broadcast made waves from the very start.
"Wait, Unknown’s connections are insane. Seol Eun-Yeong is in his party?"
"Forget that. Yoo Ha-Rin, the number two ranked player, is there too!"
"But who the hell is Balter? Never heard of this tank before."
"Apparently, he’s a sub-tank from the Rush guild. A friend of Unknown."
"Wait, I recognize this guy! Michael Reynolds! He’s huge overseas."
As the scene opened with the five adventurers exchanging awkward greetings in the Ithaca Jungle, those who remembered the King of Looters Veghas Raid found Seol Eun-Yeong and Yoo Ha-Rin’s reunion amusing.
"Once, they were employer and mercenary, but now they met as party members."
"Life sure is unpredictable."
Viewers chuckled at the small but entertaining details.
Soon, the party entered the dungeon. And at that moment, countless viewers found themselves sharing the same frustration that Kai had once felt.
"Just watching this makes me mad. An ant-nest type annihilation dungeon, and a floor-based format?"
"These Pegasus guys have no shame."
"If I were them, I’d just quit the dungeon right there. Oh wait, it’s an annihilation-type, so they can’t leave, huh?"
"Huh? But they’re already starting to hunt?"
Balter, once dismissed as an unknown tank, defied concerns by demonstrating stable defense skills while leading the frontline.
"That guy is Balter, right? He’s better than I expected."
"Well, the Rush guild may not be world-class, but they are well-respected in Korea."
The hunt proceeded smoothly without any major crises. During breaks, Kai shared useful tips, and Michael’s interviews had viewers laughing. However, what the audience enjoyed the most was watching these usually unreachable top-tier players engage in everyday conversations.
"I thought Seol Eun-Yeong would be super strict, but she’s not that bad, is she?"
"Yoo Ha-Rin is just like always. Barely says a word."
"Unknown is way more normal than I expected. I thought every sentence he said would be overflowing with authority."
As they watched the show, viewers found themselves slowly drawn to the different charms of each member.
***
A variety show didn’t always need to rely on shocking content. There was a reason the term healing program existed. People worn out from their busy and exhausting daily lives could find gratitude in even the smallest moments of happiness.
And the variety show featuring Kai was exactly that. As the dungeon expedition progressed, the team grew closer. Even their casual, everyday conversations felt refreshing to the viewers. Of course, that wasn’t the entire focus of the show.
Michael Reynolds and Kim In-Ha, with their genius senses, crafted the content in a way that naturally immersed viewers into the world of the five members. As a result, the audience naturally became completely absorbed in their journey.
When Balter held off a thousand mutated ghouls in a vast clearing, everyone held their breath and cheered for him. When Michael’s body flashed brightly as he leveled up in rapid succession, people wiggled in their seats, envious. And when Kai and Yoo Ha-Rin seamlessly synchronized to take down a boss monster, whistles rang out from fried chicken restaurants across the country.
Finally, when the battle ended, many viewers felt an odd sense of exhaustion, as if they themselves had been the ones hunting.
—Alright, let’s not drag this out and move on to the next floor.
However, every story that began must eventually come to an end.
[You have discovered a new type of dungeon.]
[The type of the discovered dungeon is City.]
[Eliminate all the city’s residents to clear the dungeon.]
Michael ended the first episode on a perfectly timed cliffhanger. It was edited so well that anyone who had watched part one would feel compelled to watch part two. Naturally, the reaction was explosive.
"A city-type dungeon? Is this the first one ever discovered?"
"So the objective is to wipe out the residents... but who exactly are the residents?"
"How are we supposed to wait a whole week for the next episode?"
"Anyone got a friend working at NET Media? I’m dying of curiosity here."
Lost in the lingering emotions of the show, viewers stared at their empty beer glasses and chicken baskets, each lost in thought. A moment later, they ordered more food and began sharing their impressions and discussions.
"It felt... strangely poetic."
"Yeah. Kind of like eating a dish without any artificial seasoning—mild, good."
That was exactly what Michael and Kim In-Ha had aimed for when editing Dungeon of the Absolute.
Keep part one calm and steady, then hit them with a bang in part two.
Human emotions didn’t always react to brute force alone. Michael understood that well, which was why he had structured the first episode to be as calm as possible. Moreover, since the show was filmed without a script, everyone acted naturally, allowing for genuine and honest interactions.
"Hmm."
Han Jung-Woo, who had just finished watching the episode in his room, found himself lingering in the aftermath of the show.
I didn’t realize it while we were clearing the dungeon, but we actually talked a lot more than I thought.
Of course, Yoo Ha-Rin had gone the entire first floor without saying a single word, only nodding or shaking her head.
"Do I also have to wait another whole week?” Han Jung-Woo muttered as he took a sip of his beer.
***
There was a concept known as psychological time. Simply put, depending on one’s mood, time could feel like it was passed more slowly or more quickly than usual. There was even a joke that the fastest way to travel from the United States to England was to go with someone you loved.
"Boss! Two barrels of beer—no, make that four!"
"Six more sweet and spicy chicken, please!"
In reality, the initial ratings for episode one of Dungeon of the Absolute were lower than expected. Compared to other variety shows that relied on dramatic twists and flashy narratives, Dungeon of the Absolute had little impact beyond showing its star party lineup.
However, it retained its audience in a subtle way, like spring rain soaking into one’s clothes. As a result, instead of declining, the viewership steadily increased over time, ultimately reaching 27%.
"Ugh, that week felt like a whole month."
"Now we just sit back and enjoy. We’re finally going to see them clear the second floor’s city dungeon."
With eager anticipation, the veil over the second floor of Dungeon of the Absolute was slowly lifted.
***
In the end, episode two of Dungeon of the Absolute was an overwhelming success.
When hellfire erupted from Kai’s hands and turned the city into a sea of flames, when the Blue Plague spread its toxic mist throughout the streets, and when his army of the dead slaughtered the fleeing vampire legion from the black citadel—these scenes caused the community servers to momentarily crash under the sudden traffic surge.
Unknown walked through the puddles of vampire blood with an indifferent expression, and the chilling sight sent shivers down the spines of viewers.
-Wow... that is unbelievably badass.
-I saw those dullahans during the Invasion Event, but they weren’t this strong.
└ Look at the gear those dullahans are wearing. Their equipment is better than most players lol
And then came the long-awaited final match!
As the viewers watched the scene of Kai enduring Desmond sucking his blood and relentlessly stabbed at Desmond’s side like a madman, they could only shake their heads.
- He’s crazy...
-He’s literally putting his life on the line.
-So this is the level of madness and determination required to be ranked number one, huh?
-But why is this even categorized as a variety show?
└ Who knows? Maybe for Kai, this was just a casual walk in the park.
└ No way... right?
When Desmond ultimately fell, the scene of him becoming Kai’s pet was, of course, omitted from the broadcast. That had now become one of Kai’s hidden trump cards.
-A vampire who wanted to see the moon one last time...
-Damn, even a monster is making me emotional.
As the storm-like battle scenes passed, Dungeon of the Absolute regained its signature calm atmosphere. With all combat finished, the dungeon where the team had been standing slowly rose to the surface, and the sacred land of vampires, Brookheim, was finally revealed to the world.
-Brookheim! Isn’t that the place where you can change your race to a vampire?
-I heard no one has ever been able to reach it before...
-Unbelievable! When vampires appeared, I had a feeling, but Kai was the one who found it?!
└ This guy really does everything on his own lol
-I’ve mapped out the surrounding terrain. Heading to Brookheim right now.
-If anyone finds Brookheim, please share the coordinates. I’ll pay a generous reward.
When a program featured a restaurant as a must-visit spot, the place was packed the very next day. And yet, Brookheim wasn’t just any restaurant. It was the sacred land of vampires, rumored to be a place where players could change their race. Countless players had searched for it, but due to the nature of the Ithaca Jungle, it had remained well hidden. Now, thanks to the broadcast, its approximate location had finally been revealed.
-Let’s go! To Brookheim!
-Hehe, so I might finally get the chance to become a noble of the night.
That night, the global active player count for MID Online surged by 7% compared to the previous day.