Behind the Mask

Ren's rise to the top of Ram Online wasn't an accident.

It was the result of countless hours spent grinding, studying, and strategizing.

The Steal skill had been a lifeline for him in those early days. It was an ability that allowed him to snatch rare drops from monsters—something that other players overlooked, dismissing it as useless. Ren didn't just use Steal in the obvious ways. He'd learned the secret—Steal worked best on monsters that were weak, poisoned, or even asleep. He knew the timing had to be perfect, the monster's health just low enough, the perfect window for the skill to trigger. That was his secret, and it made him richer than he ever could have imagined.

But even that wasn't enough. Ren quickly realized that Steal alone wouldn't get him to the top. He wasn't going to be content with being a "top-tier player"—he wanted more. He wanted to be the best. He wanted to be a legend. And so, he made a bold decision. He rented a small, windowless apartment in the city, far away from his family. It wasn't much—a simple room with a fold-out bed and a cluttered desk, but it was all he needed. It was his sanctuary, his zone where he could fully focus on Ram Online and nothing else. His only companion was the hum of his PC as he played the game for hours on end.

The quiet was refreshing. No distractions. Just him, his Thief character, and the grind to become the best.

Ren knew his future in the game depended on more than just Steal. He needed power. He needed riches. And that's exactly what he got. Within months, he had amassed a small fortune in the game. He upgraded his gear, and soon, he was one of the strongest players in Ram Online. He wasn't just wealthy in-game; he was becoming a force to be reckoned with.

But no matter how strong he became, no matter how many riches he earned, Ren still felt something was missing. He wasn't just in it for the loot anymore. There was a desire for something more—something beyond the digital world. It was then that the idea of creating a persona, a character that could transcend the game, formed in his mind. He created Crowd, a mysterious, cool, and highly skilled figure who would become a legend not just in Ram Online, but in the world of streaming as well.

The persona was simple but effective. He wore a mask, never revealing his true face. His gameplay was flawless, his movements calculated, and his streams were filled with high-energy antics that captivated his audience. Crowd was the type of gamer that people talked about. He was both cool and insane with the game mechanics, and his mystique only made him more popular. It wasn't long before Crowd was a name that everyone in the gaming community knew.

Ren's early success had been based on pure skill. But as Crowd grew in popularity, Ren realized that he couldn't just rely on his mechanics. He needed a better environment to stream. His tiny apartment wasn't enough for the type of setup he needed for streaming. So, he rented a bigger room. It wasn't much more spacious, but it had the equipment he needed to make his streams look professional. And with his increasing popularity, the small room felt a little more suffocating. It wasn't long before Ren was making enough money to move again—to a more comfortable apartment, one that was closer to the city center.

The rise of Crowd was meteoric. Ren had gone from a no-name player to one of the top 10 in Ram Online in record time. And with that, came the recognition. The persona was everything. It was how he kept people guessing, how he kept his audience on their toes. The mystery of Crowd was what drew people in.

It wasn't long before Ren's success gave him the ability to buy something he'd only dreamed about: a condo. He could have lived anywhere in the city, but he chose a luxurious, exclusive unit, something that screamed success. His parents, back in their small home, had no idea. Ren had gone from the kid who couldn't afford a new shirt to the man who now owned a penthouse. But as the money piled up, so did the guilt. His family had no idea where this money was coming from. And Ren was scared to tell them.

One evening, after an especially grueling stream, Ren sat alone in his new condo. The view from his window looked out over the glittering city below. The world was at his feet. And yet, he felt an emptiness inside. He longed for something real—something that wasn't defined by likes, views, and the cold glare of a computer screen. He wasn't sure how to fill that void.

Then, in an attempt to ease his guilt and offer his family something he could never have dreamed of, Ren bought them a house. It wasn't much at first—just a modest place on the outskirts of the city—but it was his way of giving back. He hadn't told them how he'd earned the money. They thought he'd simply done well at his "office job." He told them he was getting commissions, making more money than ever. They were thrilled.

His parents were overwhelmed with joy when they saw the house. His mother couldn't stop crying, saying that she never thought they'd be able to live in a place like this. His father patted him on the back, proud of his son's success. Ren held it together, fighting back tears as he remembered the sacrifices his family had made for him.

The next day, they insisted on visiting his "office." They wanted to thank the company for everything, to show their gratitude. Ren scrambled for an excuse. He told them the company was extremely busy, that he couldn't meet them in person right now. He promised that once things settled down, they would all go together. His parents accepted this explanation without question, but his little sister, Mei, looked at him suspiciously. She was too young to understand, but she noticed the oddities. The excuses. The lies. She knew something wasn't quite right.

Ren kept up the charade, pretending that everything was normal. But inside, he felt the weight of the lie growing heavier with each passing day.