In the depths of the Abyssal Trench, where bioluminescent creatures dance in eternal darkness, a young siren was born. Unlike her kin, whose voices could enchant sailors and sink ships, our heroine's throat produced only discordant croaks. Shunned by her pod and mocked by the merfolk, she found solace in the sunken wreckage of human vessels.
On her 100th birthday (barely an adult in siren years), our heroine made a life-altering decision. Armed with determination alone, she swam to the surface world to begin the next chapter of her journey. Our heroine's sharp mind and ruthless instincts, honed by years of surviving in the cutthroat underwater ecosystem, served her well in the human world. She quickly realized that the corporate jungle was not so different from the ocean's food chain. Within a few years, she had earned multiple accolades and secured a prestigious position at Money Corp, a multinational conglomerate with tentacles in every shady business imaginable.
Rising through the ranks, our heroine became known as The Assassin - a moniker she secretly adored but outwardly despised. Her inability to sing became her greatest asset; no siren song (literal or metaphorical) could sway her in negotiations, and her poker face was legendary. CEOs and crime lords alike feared her razor-sharp wit and unbreakable contracts.
But beneath her hardened exterior, our heroine harbored a secret as vast as the ocean she once called home. Every night, she would return to her penthouse apartment, slip into a bubble bath filled with sea salt, and lose herself in the most mid-level romance manhwa. Her collection was legendary, rivaling even her offshore accounts in value. And if it wasn’t manhwa, you would be sure to find her browsing forums for the next great thing.
It was during one of these late-night binge sessions that our heroine stumbled upon vTubing. Here was a world where she could be herself - or rather, a version of herself - without fear of judgment. Using cutting-edge technology (secretly "borrowed" from Money Corps' R&D department), she created an avatar that was part siren, part corporate shark (so yes, basically just exactly herself...).
And so, our heroine began leading a double life. By day, she was the feared Assassin of Money Corp. By night, she transformed into the vTuber who couldn't sing but could talk for hours about very mid manhwa and the most outdated otome games. Her fans were puzzled but captivated by her unique content, never suspecting the true depth of her character (which again, we're not even cosplaying at this point).
What's the story with this? Oh, have I really not told you before? Huh.
Well, one rainy night when I was alone in the office it suddenly grew eerily silent; except for a few faint whispers coming from the end of the hall. I had sworn Director Choi had left for the day, but perhaps I was mistaken? Perhaps she could use some help if she was working this late into the night?
I had mixed feelings about Director Choi. She was both ferocious and enviable. Her uncanny ability to bring any rival to their knees earned her the nickname assassin. As a new recruit I couldn’t seem to prove myself capable, useful to her. When she wasn’t outright ignoring me, she would belittle my contributions or send me on coffee runs. I couldn’t seem to escape her shadow.