The Hero's Streaming Life with the Saintess-Chapter 20: Is This a Strategy Stream or a Camping Stream…

[Damn, look at that shield emblem. It’s beautiful.]

[Dude looks like he should be in a sports car, why’s he driving an SUV?]

The brand was usually known for its high-end sports cars, but I went with an SUV.

“Lyla preferred the SUV.”

[Then that’s the right call, yep.]

[If the Saintess wants it, you buy it!!]

Lyla smiled softly from the passenger seat as she buckled her seatbelt.

“They say newlyweds with kids usually go for SUVs, right?”

[???]

[I think I’m about to convert to demon worship...]

[What are you saying, Saintess? What the hell was that...]

“I’m kidding. Honestly, we just bought a bigger vehicle to carry our equipment.”

She had the viewers wrapped around her finger like a pro.

And of course, the fallout landed on me.

“Anyway, I’m broke now thanks to this purchase.”

[Bro, I literally watched you make a billion won and now you’re broke?]

[What kind of streamer act is this]

****

The day before the stream.

I had dinner with my parents, who’d both been super busy lately.

When I gave them the gifts I’d bought with Lyla while shopping, they lit up with joy.

“But Mom, can’t you just buy this kind of stuff yourself?”

“It’s different when it’s a gift from your kids.”

“It is?”

“Of course.”

I went to my room, grabbed a bag, and pulled out a bankbook, placing it on the table.

Then I handed it straight to Lyla.

“Here. This is for you, Lyla.”

“Why are you giving this to me...?”

“Don’t ask. Just buy what you want with it. I didn’t earn this all by myself—it’s ours.”

My mom’s expression shifted in a weird way.

She chimed in too, pushing Lyla gently.

“She’s right, dear. In a home, the wife’s the one who takes care of the finances.”

“W-Wife...”

Look at her blushing like that.

It’s totally Mom’s fault for saying something that weird.

‘Tsk... now I’m flustered for no reason.’

“Alright! Hehe, actually—I used to be our party’s treasurer back in the day!”

Lyla puffed up her chest and patted it proudly.

And just like that, the bankbook went to her, while I only kept one linked card in my pocket.

****

[If it were me, I’d let the Saintess milk me dry and still be happy LOL]

[Fr though—where do you even find a wife like that]

[She’s beautiful, sweet, and loyal AF]

“Anyway, I’m broke now, so please send generous donations.”

I started the engine and hit the road.

Just as expected, Nova’s gear was top-notch—our drone kept pace with the car without even a hiccup.

“Huh? Why are there so many people over there?”

There was a huge crowd at the border checkpoint leading into what used to be North Korea.

As I stepped out of the car, intending to ask people to move aside, cameras immediately swarmed me.

“Hunter Song Hun! Some people are saying this expedition is just a flashy show for your stream. Do you have a response?”

“The Baekdu Gate was declared 'unclearable' by the government. How do you respond to claims that this is a reckless publicity stunt?”

“China is fiercely protesting your move. They say Korean Hunters are overstepping by treating Baekdu like it’s their backyard. Do you have a statement?”

Same old shit.

They were just looking for a soundbite to stir up controversy.

I raised a finger to my lips and gestured for silence, then pointed to the drone hovering nearby.

“Let’s keep it quiet, folks. You’ll see everything on my stream. No point running your mouths out here, right?”

[Facts.]

[They’re just bitching when they’re not doing a damn thing. Gross.]

“So please stop blocking the road.”

I said it with a polite smile, and the lovely reporters kindly made way.

I put on my sunglasses again, got back in the car, and hit the gas.

[Where’s he going, a road trip?]

[LMAO dude’s going hiking]

[Climbing stream instead of a raid stream?]

[Peak “not a strategy, just vibes” content]

I chatted with the viewers as I drove and stopped midway to grab a bite.

After nearly 15 hours on the road, I finally arrived.

“It’s late, so I’ll camp here for the night and start the stream tomorrow.”

I pitched the tent, set up the camping gear, and just sat there zoning out.

“Hero, doesn’t this remind you of the old days?”

“Yeah... it really does.”

As I watched the campfire crackle, memories of adventuring with my old party came rushing back.

“Wonder what everyone’s up to now...”

“I’m sure they’re all doing well.”

Lyla said softly, stepping closer and gently resting her head on my shoulder.

She closed her eyes.

‘...Shampoo. I can smell her shampoo.’

We leaned our heads together and drifted off to sleep under the stars—

just like old times, until morning came.

****

[zlGodTierHero: Let’s wrap this up fast and go eat]

[Hmph~ Still cocky as ever, I see]

[Wrap it up fast (at an "unclearable" Gate) 💀]

With thunderous praise, the stream began.

As expected, viewers from Korea and all over the world tuned in.

Some threw out cocky provocations via donations, but—as always—I ignored them.

“The bigger the stream gets, the more haters show up. Just gotta deal with it.”

The more famous you become, the more the hardcore stans and absurd haters come out of the woodwork.

Even spotless pro gamers with zero scandals get hate piled on them.

“Hey everyone~ It’s freezing outside, but in here it’s toasty!”

Right on cue, the face of our stream—Lyla—fanned herself as she greeted the audience, and the crowd went wild.

[Get over here! Get over here!]

[Whoa... the sweat...]

[She should bottle that and sell it, fr]

↳ Comment temporarily banned.

[Goodbye, you won't be missed lmao]

We pressed forward through lava fields, toxic gas, and crumbling terrain.

A bit deeper in, the scenery shifted into something completely different.

A forest—entirely red.

[Damn... I’m actually watching an “unclearable” Gate get cleared from my basement 😂]

[They say the world’s gone to hell, but this is pretty great...]

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

From the monster presence I could sense up ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) ahead, we’d probably encounter something within an hour.

“We’re not far now. Let’s stop here for lunch first.”

Lyla and I set up the tent like pros.

Before moving on, we needed to interact with chat and, of course, rake in some cash.

Once the tent was pitched, Lyla brought her hands together and chanted a spell.

A dome-shaped barrier expanded around the tent.

[Wait, what did she just do?]

[Man, the stuff they’re doing is on a completely different level from normal Hunters]

“It’s just a protection spell, so the tent doesn’t melt.”

[Ah, yes, of course;;]

[Totally understandable, ma’am]

She casually wandered into the forest and picked a few local “fruits.”

[You're not seriously gonna eat that, are you?]

[Bro, he’s dumb but not that dumb, right?]

I rolled one of them in my hand and gave it a test sniff.

Just when I felt chat had waited long enough, the dono alert rang.

💸 SaintessFootTowel has recharged 50,000 watts!

– Eat it for ₩500,000 lmao

“For that little?”

The viewer, now my mod, had been a regular donor for a while.

Technically it wasn’t just a donation—it was a mission goal.

Before I knew it, the fund had hit over ₩5 million.

─ Crunch! Munch munch...

[Wait, he actually ate it?!]

The first taste was sour.

Then a sharp, searing heat kicked in.

“Yikes... this stuff would probably kill a normal person.”

It’d melt your stomach.

In some cases, maybe even vaporize your bloodstream.

I warned viewers not to try it casually.

[Why are you fine though?]

[Thought he was soft on the inside, turns out even his stomach’s built different]

[Wow! If I ever find that in a Gate, I’ll definitely eat it! With caution! Haha!]

“Wanna see something cool?”

─ Hoooh... FWOOOSH!!!

I exhaled—and a massive flame burst out from my mouth.

Laughing to myself, I picked a bunch more of the fruit to keep.

[LMAOOOO]

[Yo is he a dragon now?]

[Can you even use fruit like that for anything?]

💸 ThrowThatResignation has recharged 10,000 watts!

– What if a fire-element Hunter used it? Or maybe as a potion or something?

“I dunno about that. I just picked them for fun. Might munch on them when I’m bored.”

There were tons of weird creatures and plants.

A fire-breathing lizard that looked straight out of an anime.

Butterflies that sparkled and exploded mid-air.

“Hero, this doesn’t feel like a Gate—it’s more like a theme park.”

“Right?”

[Right?? LMAO]

[How is his outfit not catching fire though]

[Functional T-shirt, confirmed]

I stored the stuff we collected in a special containment case made just for capturing Gate flora and fauna.

[Y’all on a shopping trip now?]

[Those cases cost a fortune btw]

[Dude’s just casually throwing stuff in like it’s a shopping cart 💀]

Nova Group had asked me to scan anything that wasn’t sensitive.

And this? I was livestreaming everything anyway, so nothing to hide.

I stared at a larger-than-usual fire lizard squirming in the case.

“Can you keep something like this as a pet?”

[I’ve never heard of anyone wanting to raise a monster LOL]

[I mean, there are people who summon them...]

[Yeah, and some do tame them too]

Huh. So it’s not completely off the table?

We climbed to the peak where we could see the whole crater.

Down below was a massive lake of lava—and something was curled up in it.

[HOLY SHIT, look at the size of that thing...]

[If it just swings once, you’re done]

A monster’s head was poking out from the lake.

“...Yikes.”

As Lyla and I descended, the monster must’ve noticed us.

It raised its upper body—just that motion sent waves of lava crashing across the lake.

“Hero, should I help?”

This was my first Gate raid stream as a Hunter-Streamer.

Naturally, Lyla needed her moment too.

“Mind helping out just a little?”

“Of course~”

Her tone was so chill, it barely felt like we were in a death zone.

The monster trudged forward, lava splashing with every step.

As soon as I laid eyes on it, my eyelid twitched.

“Damn... this thing’s scary as hell...”