Martial Arts Returnee’s Game Broadcast

Chapter 234

While Ha Eung Eung was streaming to escape the virtual world and returned, the Haenampa executives were handling the influx of work on their own.

“We won’t blame the guild master for running away. But, you need to help us film at the Royal Club Broadcasting Station with these guys.”
[Do we really have to go?]
“40 hours.”
[?]
“That’s how long we’ve been working without sleep.”

Ha Eung Eung’s heart sank.
The bus sent by the Royal Club was filled with trainee idols, who were lined up.
For the disciples who wanted to succeed as Awakened Ones — to become famous and make money — this was an opportunity not to be missed, so they eagerly applied.

“I’ll be taking the lead in guiding the idols to and from the broadcast station. If you have any instructions, just let me know.”

If it were another entertainment agency, they would have sent a planning director, but in Haenampa, Min Woo-seong, the reception officer, was dispatched as the head and guide.

[Do you know about idols?]
“I know as much as any ordinary person.”
[Then why are you the one responsible for this?]
“I’m probably the most rational person here.”
[?]

Ha Eung Eung thought about the other executives.
Seo Gyeong-seok. Too busy.
Shin Seong-gwak. Too busy.
Baek So-cheon. Too busy.
Woo Ji-woo. Free, but not reliable.
Lee So-hye. Recently became interested in the space environment.
The appointment made sense.

[So, why did you come?]
“Half of the Haenampa applicants are part of our Black Army organization. We can’t miss the chance to plant our members in the entertainment industry.”
[What makes you so confident?]

To Ha Eung Eung, who had just returned from a hundred-year prison sentence, the villain, and the leader of a villainous organization, talking so confidently about carrying out organizational activities was bold.
It seemed like their courage had gone to their heads, but Ha Eung Eung didn't feel inclined to fight.

‘From the way things have gone in the past few months, I don't think it will be a big problem.’

The villain organization, Black Army.
Despite their shocking debut and public statement, their main members had been communicating with the viewers through Haenampa’s broadcasts.
There had been criticism that they were inciting terrorism and creating social unrest through broadcasts.
But the act of exposing the guild’s crimes, which the government had turned a blind eye to, gained the active support of the public.
With Haenampa's presence halting any military repression, even though the Teen Guilds despised Black Army and wanted to tear them apart, they had the public's support and even obtained permission to appear on broadcasts.

“Boss... did you really have to bring me along?”
“What’s wrong with you? If our organization has an idol, it has to be you, the Voice Girl!”

The boss was confident.

“You’ve got the looks, the voice, and a nice personality. How about marrying me?”
“Ah, sorry, but that’s a bit much.”
“See? Even your impenetrable defenses make you perfect as an idol, huh?”

Ha Eung Eung was itching to tell him it wasn’t about being an idol, but when Voice Girl met her gaze from behind and subtly bowed her head, she decided to let it go.
Although she said no, there was an undeniable hint of interest in the boss's attention.

‘Seems like Voice Girl is following his lead. Does the boss care too?’

Then who’s the better choice?
Lost in thought, Ha Eung Eung overheard the voices of other disciples seated nearby.

“Woojoo with the plastic surgery versus the cool Min Woo-seong. Who’s better? Who’s after?”
“Balance is out of whack? It’s definitely Woo-seong.”
“I’d go with the front. Even if his personality’s lame, if he’s handsome, just looking at his face feels good.”
“Min Woo-seong’s not ugly. His personality and style are much better.”
“Geez. What do you mean ‘not ugly’? Isn’t ‘good looking’ the real deal?”
“I can hear everything.”
“Oh, mom.”
“Only this one thinks that way, I like the boss better!”
“Hey! What does that make me!”

The chatter never stopped.
When three of them were together, they were like high school girls who couldn’t keep their mouths shut.
In fact, the age gap wasn’t much.
The average age of disciples learning martial arts was around 12 to 24 years, usually within 5 years of high school.
Unless they joined a strict guild or an academy for Awakened Ones, if they got comfortable, they’d become chatty like anyone else.

‘Guess I’m a little jealous.’

Girls who graduated from an all-girls school.
Ha Eung Eung never experienced that type of life with only girls.
It was something she never had.
Memories of school life.
Friends she could share that with.

‘Am I just longing for the life I never had? Does the memory of unexperienced moments seem bigger now?’

The scenery outside the car window was moving at 80 km/h.
Slower than the speed of her movement, it felt frustrating.
If things were to change, they should change completely.
She hated the Earth of 2051, which still carried traces of the 20 years ago era.

Royal Club audition hall.
In just a week, with the mobilization of architectural Awakened Ones, a grand-scale audition hall had been completed.

“Welcome, our little star.”
[Don’t call me that.]
“If I’m going to make tons of money, what should I call you? A bundle of fortune?”

As soon as she saw Ha Eung Eung’s face, Han Chae-rin immediately tried to hug her and showered her with compliments.

“Nowadays, every entertainment agency has at least one competition program, and they don’t usually bring in promising stars for it. But this time, it’s different.”
[Did the program go viral even before it started?]
“It’s thanks to our lovely Ha Eung Eung. The martial arts competition broadcast made Haenampa rise to fame, and now this is an opportunity to indirectly see Haenampa's success.”

Ah, the scent of cherry blossoms.
Han Chae-rin, who smelled faintly of sweet cocktails as if she had just had one, still didn’t lose any of her charm, even though she wore a neat outfit with a bow tie, black suit, and white shirt for the audition.

[By the way, can I ask you something?]

Other people would consider a broadcasting success a dream come true, yet Han Chae-rin treated it as just "that."
Ha Eung Eung thought Han Chae-rin was a weird woman, but she felt this was how Ha Eung Eung should be.

“What’s your size? What’s the color of your panties today?”
[You went to school, right?]

What was that?
A counterattack of sexual harassment?
Han Chae-rin responded with a smile.

“Of course. School, huh? Oh my, you want to see me in my school uniform?”
[Just curious about the feeling of going to an all-girls school.]

Her expression was as stoic as usual, but Ha Eung Eung felt that Han Chae-rin seemed a bit gloomy.
Han Chae-rin, usually playful, looked a bit serious and asked,

“How old is our Eung Eung now?”
[Twenty.]

According to her ID.

“Ah, so you’re twenty now... huh? Twenty?”

Han Chae-rin was surprised.
She had always assumed that, despite looking young, as the guild master of a major guild, Ha Eung Eung must be between twenty-five and thirty.
They had written multiple contracts, but since most were with Seo Gyeong-seok, the head of Haenampa’s business division, she had never seen Ha Eung Eung’s personal identification.
That’s when she found out.
That Ha Eung Eung was born in 2030 and that she was only 20 years old.
For a guild master and an S-rank Awakened with combat power, that was far too young.

‘So, that’s why she’s troubled.’

Han Chae-rin understood.
The reason Ha Eung Eung was feeling down.
The trainee idols gathered for the audition program.
The chosen young men and women from the disciples.
They laughed and chatted as they interacted with each other.
What thoughts were running through her mind as she watched them?
Did she feel jealous watching them, who built their memories of school life during the time she was struggling to improve her martial arts?
Did she long for a normal life she couldn’t have, the life of a girl who got to live in that school phase, a life Ha Eung Eung never experienced?

“I see... It’s tough. I didn’t live a normal school life either.”

Han Chae-rin was rich in ability and wealth.
If she had needed to prove herself to anyone, she would have built up her academic record and career.
But Han Chae-rin had never been under anyone’s thumb.
Her life was full of enemies, subordinates, partners, and a select few toys for grown-up nights out.

‘Strange fate, isn’t it?’

At first, she wanted to recruit Ha Eung Eung as a celebrity.
If it didn’t work out, she’d use her investment as bait to turn her into a toy.
But this woman wasn’t easy.
She built a guild herself, devouring the Myeongho Guild in less than a year.
Her presence in Haenamdong and Haenampa was so natural that no one even questioned it.
Behind that success, there were also some behind-the-scenes stories about teenagers’ guilds trying to provoke the presumed S-rank Awakened, but still, Ha Eung Eung had managed to assert her influence naturally.
And now, their relationship had blossomed into a strong business partnership.

‘I guess that’s why I feel connected.’

That must be it.
That’s why she said things she normally wouldn’t have said.

“These kids are the same. Juggling regular school life and trying to succeed as Awakened trainee idols or celebrity trainees is not easy.”

For those living off part-time jobs, it would be different.
Such people would be even further away from a normal school life.

“Kids who earn money for academy fees while going to Awakening training schools or dance schools or singing academies don’t even have time for school, right? They’ll barely be able to survive just by sleeping like dead people.”
[It’s a lonely profession. Awakened ones, idols, just like martial artists.]
“Hmm~ Then, do you want to be my friend? I know how to comfort loneliness.”
[No alcohol friends.]
“Heh, a drink buddy is fine, but I have even better friends.”
[Best friends?]
“Much better than that.”

She had to stop her from making those bad jokes that ruined the mood.
Han Chae-rin grabbed Ha Eung Eung’s hand and gently raised her chin with her other hand.

“Someone you can rely on when you’re lonely and bored...”

Her eyes, filled with provocative charm and a slightly heavy weight, locked with Ha Eung Eung’s.

“A secret friend.”