Notification: Streamer 'Dol' // ON AIR
Viewers: 31,042

"Hello, hello! This is KimStone—Whoa, what’s going on today!? Why are there so many people?"

A mighty tree falls, crashing into the sea, creating a massive splash.

But just as a bomb dropped from a plane high above impacts only those on the ground, Eugene's actions in Korea had a far-reaching ripple effect. When he boarded his flight to New York after dropping a metaphorical "Tsar Bomba" back home, those who knew his true identity—KimStone, Limit, and Hodduck—were swept up in the internet frenzy.

After seeing Harmony off the day before, KimStone had started streaming the next day, expecting a quiet day at home. She had no idea that an online uproar was about to unfold.

[Papitatapatita donated 10,000 KRW! Thank you!]
-"Hey, did you know all along that Snake Eyes was actually Eugene?"

"Papitatapatita, thanks for the donation… Yeah, I knew. But there was no reason to say anything. There was an embargo on it."

The chat went wild.

"Yeah, there was an embargo, but really? It’s like they weren’t even trying to hide it, lol."
"Avatar (the real one)."
"Even Vishnu had to change forms, you know, lol."
"She really held it in, lol."
"Looks like we have a modern-day Emperor's New Clothes here, hahaha."

KimStone understood why the fuss had erupted. Now that Eugene had gone public, the longstanding silence surrounding him had been lifted. It was like uncorking a bottle that had been under pressure for ages—once it started to leak, everything came out.

Despite Eugene being a regular on trending searches, this time the scale was unprecedented. Now, with tens of thousands of viewers, everyone seemed to be gathering wherever they could catch a glimpse of him.

"So, what brings you all here? I’m guessing you’re here for some stories? Eugene didn’t tell you anything, did he? Well, that’s to be expected."

"OMG, so true, lol."
"He’s a complete mystery. Not a single clue."
"Guess you’re out of luck if he doesn’t need streaming to make a living!"
"All he ever says is, ‘Don’t watch if you don’t want to!’"

"Yeah… right."

Things were getting chaotic.

But the chat wasn’t wrong. Eugene never struck her as someone who would let streaming run his life. In a way, that was what made him unique. Despite being in the public eye, he had nothing that viewers could use against him. And maybe that’s why it was so rare and refreshing.

Even after just a day or two of absence, viewers would flood in, desperate for him to stream again. Eugene, however, remained unperturbed. He didn’t owe the viewers anything, and that left them scrambling.

In the middle of all this chaos, KimStone couldn’t help but wonder what had made the viewers so worked up. Clearly, they’d been holding back a lot, if only now they could let it all out.

"So, what do you all want to know? You probably already know what he looks like. You just came here to scream, ‘Hey! Eugene looks like this!’ right?"

"Yep, lol."
"Honestly, we’re just bored and looking to poke around, haha."
"Just cause he didn’t stream, everyone’s here throwing a tantrum, lol."
"We’re sorry, KimStone! We’re just helpless fans!"

A sigh echoed through the stream. Naturally, it was KimStone.

She had planned today’s content in advance, but it seemed things would go off course. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. The viewers had given her a different kind of content for the day, which meant she could save her original plan for another time.

After taking a moment to think, KimStone decided which memory to share with the crowd. The first time she had met Eugene in person had actually been at the Asian qualifiers, even before they connected virtually.

"So, I first met him on the day of the Asian qualifiers. It was the day when 300,000 people showed up at Yongsan Park. Harmony, Limit, Hodduck, and I were there as Dark Zone partner streamers. But…"

Ironically, she wasn’t the only one talking about this encounter.

"After the match, it was dinnertime. Imagine, right after sunset, all those hundreds of thousands of people dispersing at once. It clogged up every subway line. Even if you drove, you were stuck."

Limit chimed in.

"Then, out of the blue, I got a call from Eugene. There was a private buffet in the basement for staff only. So we followed these hidden pathways, took an elevator down, and…"

Hodduck picked up the story.

They all had a similar tale to tell.

All three of them, recounting the same story, spoke of how they followed Harmony into the staff dining area, where Eugene had been quietly eating among the staff and players, with a snake’s tail that no one could miss. It wasn’t exactly deception; it was just that the answer had been right there in front of them the whole time.

The story continued.

"Before the elevator opened, Harmony asked where Eugene was. She said we’d know as soon as we saw him. The door opened, and sure enough, he was right there. Harmony just goes, ‘He’s right here,’ like it was nothing."

And then, they had a Q&A session.

"So yeah, Eugene had it all planned out since the Asian qualifiers. He mentioned he might reveal himself by the end of the year. I just didn’t expect him to do it the day before leaving."

"He had it all figured out, lol."
"Special forces level planning."
"Hitting the weakest spot with the biggest blow—classic special forces, right?"
"He knows how to drive people crazy, lol."

They would be gone for three weeks, spending New Year’s in Times Square before flying back to Korea on January 1st. Even though they might stream from the U.S., some people would still feel their absence keenly.

"Maybe I should have gone to the U.S. too."

With the surge of viewers, donations, and ads thanks to Harmony, KimStone was considering the idea seriously. The viewers went wild, asking if she would go to the States, but she barely noticed the chat.

"Peter Luger Steak House?"

"Not your favorite?"

"No, it’s just that some of my friends have been dying to go there. If I go without them, they’d sulk."

"You mean that green cat and the blond kid? They’re cute."

"Unfortunately, the six-person tables were fully booked. But if you get a three-person one, you could bring them along next time."

After parking, the four of them got out.

They were an unusual group, to say the least. Logan, with his bear-like ears, was striding along in shorts and a T-shirt despite the cold, while Christopher’s long silver hair and bright red eyes stood out. The Senior Officer looked like a regular guy, but among them, Eugene stood out the most, bundled up in a specialized coat with padding for his tail.

Logan, seeing Eugene, commented.

"Can’t you just turn on the warming feature on your Icarus gear?"

"I need it on standby in case I have to activate the shield."

"Always the cautious one."

Logan patted Eugene on the head, adding some reassurance.

"Relax. If anything happens, you’ve got your gear. And I’ve stashed your rifle and ammo in the car, along with our sidearms. If something goes down, we’re covered."

"...Wait, really?"

"Yeah. I figured you’d want them. Besides, we’ve got our concealed carry permits, so we’re always carrying."

"W-What?"

Eugene felt the chill of reality hit as they casually mentioned firearms and ammo in the car. They found a quiet table for four in a cozy, old-fashioned restaurant. This place had supposedly been around since the Joseon Dynasty, a peaceful relic not on the front lines of change.

The menu was minimal, just paper and ink, but Eugene was reassured by the officer’s words.

"Four orders of steak—should be about 1.6 kg."

"That’s only four? We usually eat about 16 portions, don’t we?"

"Lunch alone is going to cost us $1,500."

They were ordering more than just steak; burgers, roasted potatoes, and shrimp cocktails too. All told, they were about to spend nearly 2 million won.

Eugene quickly spoke up.

"I can pay for it too. We can split the bill."

"Sit down. Our little brother crossed the Pacific to see us, so let us cover this."

The server’s eyes widened as they took out their EM certification cards. When the server confirmed the order, he looked astonished.

"Got it. Four servings of steak, four bacon-onion burgers, two orders of roasted potatoes, and two shrimp cocktails. How would you like the steaks?"

"Medium rare, with wine pairing, please."

"Of course. Here’s some bread, butter, and sauce to start."

After some time, the smell of steak began to fill the hall.

"Impressive."

"Quite the feast."

The room was soon filled with the savory aroma of grilled meat, a fitting welcome back to the States for Eugene and his companions.