Choi Young-jun was one of the most popular BJs on PaprikaTV.

Though he only streamed occasionally during the off-season when there were no matches, whenever he did, viewers would flock to his channel like a swarm.

That wasn’t all.

Other BJs would often broadcast Choi Young-jun’s gameplay as well.

The moment it was announced that Choi Young-jun would be facing the online expert Player_SIN, numerous BJs began covering the match, and the number of viewers started surpassing 50,000.

“Oh, what’s this? Careful, careful.”

Player_SIN was spotted by a scouting Disciple as he moved forward with four construction robots and two infantry units.

On top of that, at the natural expansion, a construction robot was building a Trench.

If that Trench was completed and infantry units occupied it, the Grand Sanctuary under construction at the natural expansion would be completely destroyed.

However, Choi Young-jun remained calm. He had encountered situations like this multiple times in the professional league.

“Wow, he didn’t even plan this from the start, but he just improvised a Cheese Rush. Bold, really bold.”

Praising his opponent’s decisive play, Choi Young-jun began responding methodically.

First, he started producing Disciples from two Repentance Chambers.

With two powerful Disciples, he could easily repel Humanity’s early-game forces.

The only condition was that he had to prevent the enemy from occupying the Trench being built at his natural expansion.

So, Choi Young-jun pulled eight working Disciples from their tasks and mobilized them for defense.

“This should be enough to stop it.”

With that, he engaged the incoming enemy forces.

“Infantry, infantry, infantry. In situations like this, you have to take out the infantry first. If all the infantry die, that Trench becomes useless. Let me show you how to control this—huh?”

Choi Young-jun’s eyes widened. His opponent’s control was no joke.

Four construction robots lined up in formation, blocking the Disciples.

Two infantry units firing from behind.

‘Not bad. But first, I have to stop that Trench from being built.’

Swiftly, Choi Young-jun ordered his two Disciples to attack the construction robot building the Trench. A quick decision!

But his opponent’s reaction was just as swift.

The moment the targeted construction robot’s health dropped too low, it was pulled back immediately, and another construction robot took its place to continue building the Trench.

- Whoa;;;

- Look at that control, damn.

- That micro is insane.

- Who is this guy?

- Is the opponent a pro?

- No way? No way?

- Is Choi Young-jun actually losing?

The chat was flooded with praise for Player_SIN’s control.

On top of that, the construction robots’ blocking was incredibly precise.

Choi Young-jun tried focusing his attacks on the infantry first, but the construction robots kept getting in the way, frustratingly blocking the Disciples.

Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!

The two infantry units continuously shot while moving, taking down the Disciples one by one.

The blocking from the construction robots was so effective that his formation was completely disrupted.

Choi Young-jun pulled his Disciples back, retreating them out of the infantry’s attack range.

But then…

‘Damn it!’

The Trench was completed. The two infantry units immediately took cover inside.

From within the Trench, the two infantry units began firing relentlessly at the Grand Sanctuary in the natural expansion.

“Ah, I’m screwed!”

Choi Young-jun’s face twisted in frustration as he let out a sigh.

He had been trying to delay the Trench’s construction by continuously sending two Disciples to disrupt it, but Player_SIN kept swapping out damaged construction robots, ensuring the Trench was built no matter what.

- A Disciple has been produced.

- A Disciple has been produced.

Two Disciples emerged from the Repentance Chambers.

Even though he felt defeat was inevitable, Choi Young-jun made one last desperate move.

He pulled all of his Disciples off resource collection and had them, along with the two newly produced Disciples, launch an all-out attack on the Trench.

A fierce battle erupted!

Player_SIN also kept reinforcing the Trench, sending one additional infantry unit at a time to occupy it.

The construction robots, as annoying as ever, continued blocking any approach to the Trench.

Even when attacking the construction robots, the opponent swiftly pulled them back, demonstrating precise control.

Seeing two Fanatics die, Choi Young-jun’s face crumpled as he declared GG.

“Everyone, I’m doomed…”

- LOL

- That bastard stream-sniped.

- What do you mean stream-sniped? Tsk tsk.

- He probably watched the stream on his phone while playing.

- The opponent’s control is insane. Damn.

- Stream-sniping my ass, are your eyes busted? He could’ve defended, but the opponent crushed him purely with control.

- But with control like that, isn’t he a pro?

“Everyone, it wasn’t stream-sniping. I just lost.”

‘Stream-sniping’ referred to the act of monitoring an opponent’s live broadcast while playing against them. It was a common issue for game streamers on PaprikaTV.

However, Choi Young-jun cleanly admitted his defeat and praised his opponent.

“Originally, my opponent went for a one-barracks double build. They were planning for a long game. But when they saw that I hadn’t defended at all, they spontaneously decided to cheese rush. Wow, but their control is really impressive.”

Despite losing, Choi Young-jun’s gracious attitude was one of the reasons viewers liked him.

- Yeah, the opponent played well.

- Agreed.

- Agreed.

- It wasn’t stream-sniping. The opponent is definitely a pro.

- That Player_SIN guy is definitely a pro player’s sub-account. No way Choi Young-jun, who’s good at control, gets stomped like that.

- Are there even pro players who can beat Choi Young-jun?

- If he has the money to send 30,000 star candies, he’s probably a first-division player.

- Could it be Lee Shin?

- Could it be Shin Ji-ho…? Nah.

- Whoever he is, it’s been a while since Choi Young-jun lost. He barely ever loses in the pro league.

The chat exploded with a flood of messages.

One of the Twin Dragons, the Mad God Tribe, Choi Young-jun.

For someone like him to suffer a complete defeat in terms of control was shocking to everyone.

Choi Young-jun sighed and began typing.

- rush_Joon: Should we go for the next match right away? ㅠㅠ

- Player_SIN: Yeah, pick a map.

- rush_Joon: Huh?

- Player_SIN: Pick a map you’re good at. You lost.

That comment flooded the chat with ‘LOL.’

When had Choi Young-jun ever been treated like a noob?

- rush_Joon: I’ll stick with the same map. ㅠㅠ

- Player_SIN: Create the room.

Seeing the chat filled with laughter, Choi Young-jun let out a chuckle himself.

“Ah, this is embarrassing. My pride is hurt. I’ll restore my honor in this match.”

After stretching, he entered the second game.

But as soon as his fifth Acolyte was produced, instead of sending it to gather resources, he sent it toward the center of the map.

The Center Confessional Build.

A strategy where a Confessional is built in the center of the map, and the Fanatics produced there are used to attack the opponent.

No matter where the opponent was, the center of the map was much closer, reducing travel time for attacks.

However, if it failed, there was no future—an all-or-nothing strategy.

Since resources were invested into an early attack from the start, he would be at an economic disadvantage.

With quick scouting, Choi Young-jun located Player_SIN’s main base at the 7 o’clock position.

One Acolyte and one Fanatic charged toward 7 o’clock.

‘This time, I’ll win with control.’

Choi Young-jun usually accepted losses pretty easily. No matter how good you were, you would lose from time to time while practicing.

But this time, his pride was hurt because he had clearly lost in terms of control.

He wanted to prove that his control skills weren’t inferior.

And so, the fight began.

The opponent had just produced their first Infantry unit.

Three construction robots that had been gathering resources suddenly dashed out to defend.

The Infantry fired its gun while the construction robots surrounded the Fanatic, attacking together.

When Choi Young-jun pulled the Fanatic out of the Infantry’s attack range, the construction robots stopped chasing.

Another Infantry was produced, and one more Fanatic arrived on Choi Young-jun’s side.

Player_SIN had to pull more construction robots for defense.

However, Player_SIN remained incredibly composed.

Even in the midst of an intense control battle, his tech tree progressed smoothly.

When he began constructing an Armored Dock, Choi Young-jun attempted to disrupt it with a single Fanatic.

But as soon as the Construction Robot was attacked, it was immediately pulled back, and another Construction Robot was sent in to continue building.

Meanwhile, two Infantry units kept chasing the Fanatic, firing relentlessly.

‘Of course, he’s skilled!’

Cold sweat formed on Choi Young-jun’s forehead.

Then, it happened.

“Huh?!”

Startled, Choi Young-jun let out a groan without realizing it.

After a long game of cat and mouse, he finally managed to take down one Infantry, but the rate at which Infantry were being produced from the Barracks was even faster.

As the Infantry numbers grew, the opponent, now more relaxed, sent the Construction Robots that had been fighting back to gather resources again.

Eventually, a High-Speed Tank rolled out of the Armored Dock.

Fast-moving High-Speed Tanks were the natural enemy of Fanatics.

‘I lost!’

In the end, the attack ended in failure.

Now, it was the opponent’s turn to counterattack.

The Life Stone and Confessional that had been built in the center of the map were the first to be destroyed, and then a newly produced Mobile Turret joined the assault, reaching Choi Young-jun’s main base.

A Construction Robot accompanying the enemy forces began building a trench in front of Choi Young-jun’s natural expansion.

Infantry units entered the trench, and the Mobile Turret switched to bombardment mode, attacking Choi Young-jun’s buildings.

With the High-Speed Tank planting mines in front, Choi Young-jun’s natural expansion was completely wiped out.

‘I have to fight till the end!’

Choi Young-jun squeezed every last bit of resources from his main base to produce more troops.

Resource optimization and mass production!

At last, his specialty was coming into play.

As Zealots and Colossi began to accumulate, he charged at the enemy in his natural expansion. His plan was to somehow clear out the enemy here and turn the game around.

But his determination was crushed by an Air Transporter that appeared from the left.

Four High-Speed Tanks dropped from the transporter, planting mines throughout his main base and wreaking havoc, wiping out his Acolytes.

It was practically a finishing blow.

- rush_Joon: GG

- Player_SIN: GG

With two consecutive losses, Choi Young-jun ended up embarrassing himself in front of the online elite.

- Ah, seriously, what is he doing!

- Why is he trying things that don’t suit him?

- Ah, he really can’t win with control. Just go for mass production, Young-jun. ㅠㅠ

- But seriously, who the hell is this opponent?

- He lost, LOL.

- He doesn’t even lose in the pro league, but he lost to an online amateur god, LOL.

Choi Young-jun couldn’t believe his own defeat. No, what he truly couldn’t believe was the opponent’s control.

How could someone maintain such precise control while managing their economy so effortlessly?

‘A recently retired veteran? Could it be… Lee Shin?’

As he prepared for the upcoming World SC Grand Prix main tournament, his thoughts became increasingly complicated.

Then, suddenly—

- Player_SIN: One more match.

- rush_Joon: One more?

- Player_SIN: Same map, one last time.

Choi Young-jun understood his opponent’s intentions.

Player_SIN truly wanted to face the real Mad God Tribe.

A wish unspoken yet granted.

This was exactly what Choi Young-jun wanted as well.

- rush_Joon: Alright, just one more match then. I have a game tomorrow, so I can’t go beyond that ^^;;

- Player_SIN: Create the room.

‘Yeah, my control is a step below his.’

He decided to admit it honestly.

But the nickname ‘Mad God Tribe’ was never earned through control alone.

‘Now, I’ll show my true self.’

His eyes burned with determination.

Closing the chat window to block out distractions, he prepared for the next game.

Now, he would become the true Mad God Tribe.