novelburst-info
Chapter 254
Chapter 254
1.
People become polite in order to survive.
Those who aren’t polite haven’t yet developed a strong desire to live.
By this reasoning, Min Woo-seong believed that Kim Jae-hoon was someone with a very strong will to survive.
“The S-level and A-level composers’ contracts are already finished for the next three months. This is an order from higher up, not something we can change at the director level.”
“The Guild Master asks if that will be the last thing written on your gravestone.”
“Contract termination! We can terminate the contract if we pay the penalty fees!”
Min Woo-seong’s eyes narrowed.
“Since we’re cutting ties with Teen Entertainment, there’s no composer in reality who will actually break their contract, right?”
“It’s not my fault, right! I’m innocent! It wasn’t my doing, it was the higher-ups’ decision, so blaming me is too harsh…”
It wasn’t until the very end that Min Woo-seong activated his ability.
<Awakening Ability - Mind Reading>
Because Ha Eung Eung was an extraordinary being, her thoughts couldn’t be read, but reading the thoughts of the bumbling B-class awakened one in front of him was a piece of cake.
There were no signs that Kim Jae-hoon’s thoughts were different from what he had just said or that he was lying.
“He doesn’t seem to be lying.”
Min Woo-seong didn’t just read the opponent’s thoughts, but also used it to cross-check his own guesses.
‘If Woo-seong says so, I can trust him.’
Trying to force a contract termination or paying a large penalty would only play into Teen Entertainment’s hands.
Instead of getting involved in fruitless actions, Ha Eung Eung surveyed the room with indifferent eyes.
“?”
Ha Eung Eung’s gaze was fixed on the monitor.
On the screen were participants practicing their bunny dance, jumping up and down as their chests swayed.
Another participant was testing their flexibility by leaning backward over a limbo stick, one of the mini-game events meant to favor the competition.
A participant, delighted that her song came out well, was being playful and showing affection toward the camera.
The monitors captured various expressions of twenty-something female participants from Teen Entertainment.
Ha Eung Eung silently alternated her gaze between the monitor and the directors, making the directors feel embarrassed.
Beep.
“Hey, why are you turning off the monitor?”
“I don’t know. I just thought it should be turned off.”
The directors, who had remained seated until the end to save face, whispered among themselves.
They looked frustrated and embarrassed, trying to hide their irritation while nervously glancing around, like a child caught by their mother enjoying a forbidden collection.
Their awkwardness resembled that of old masters in the Demon Sect who were caught watching something inappropriate.
- Heh! What are you doing here, you impudent one?
- You want to see the scroll? No way! You’re not even a thief, and how dare you try to access the confidential documents! If you must see it, you’ll need the approval of the Heavenly Demon!
- I thought I was going crazy. She must know, right?
The old masters, who usually used to say things like “Where do you think you're going, woman?” or “You women,” in their typical arrogant way, were now silenced by Ha Eung Eung’s glaring look.
After she looked down at the scrolls, silently judging them, the old masters couldn’t utter a word.
‘Since then, people became more subdued and obedient, didn’t they?’
When someone dared to defy, they would start by asking, “Did you watch Chunhwa during business hours?” How could anyone stand against that?
Those who didn’t want to be embarrassed in front of others turned into mindless followers of whatever Ha Eung Eung and the Heavenly Demon commanded.
‘Somehow, I remember those moments vividly.’
It wasn’t that they stopped watching Chunhwa, but they became as obedient as the old masters in the council, constantly reading the room.
The videos of the participants were healthy since they were just trying to pass the competition, but the attitude of those watching them was not.
They set up a lavish feast and drank while watching the videos. What was supposed to be a monitoring room felt like a party.
“What? Are we not allowed to monitor our kids?”
The director, who had been sitting in front of the monitor like a thief, raised his voice.
The awakened director from Teen Entertainment had a momentary shock, but Ha Eung Eung simply shook her head.
“That part, they said there’s no problem with.”
For once, Ha Eung Eung lowered her guard, and the directors’ expressions returned to confidence.
Perhaps they thought that this audacious woman had finally bent under the name of Teen Guild.
Ha Eung Eung let out a silent sigh.
“Instead, they said they’ll monitor the directors doing the monitoring and broadcast it.”
“……”
Min Woo-seong’s translation skills allowed him to speak the necessary words with just a breath!
The directors glared at him, annoyed by his translation, but to Min Woo-seong, even their rebellious glares were meaningless.
“The Guild Master asks if you want a slap to your face.”
“...What?”
“The Guild Master says you should bow your head properly and greet with a 90-degree bow. If you’re caught trying to flirt with our kids, you’ll be sent to the capsule for 12 hours of community service and 24 hours of jumping rabbit training.”
Although Min Woo-seong was speaking a bit too freely, Ha Eung Eung pretended not to hear and ignored him.
She thought about how Min Woo-seong must have fought off those garbage people every day, taking care of the participants and dealing with power struggles. At least she could lend him her name and power in return.
[Competition Program Studio]
[2nd Floor Exclusive Parking Lot]
Before Min Woo-seong took the wheel, he asked,
“It would’ve been nice if you could’ve seen the participants in person, but I guess that’s not happening now.”
[I saw them on the monitor.]
“If you showed your face, everyone would be happy. You’re the spiritual pillar for your disciples, Guild Master.”
Seeing the blank expression on Min Woo-seong’s face, which had an almost annoying calmness, was more irksome than the dim-witted face of Woo Jiwoo, who seemed to be unnecessarily disliked.
Even though he had thought that way before, now that he was realizing it, he thought it was because Min Woo-seong was really capable.
Perhaps behind that expressionless face was the thoughtful, considerate mind that could gauge the thoughts of others.
He seemed to look much kinder now.
[Rather than giving empty words, I plan to give real help. Please go to this address.]
Ha Eung Eung pulled out two business cards from her silk pouch.
When Min Woo-seong saw them, he was greatly surprised.
[Composer and Guitarist]
[Chang Geon-young]
[Phone *** **** ****]
[Address: Myungho 1-dong, Myungho-ro 117, Geon-young Studio]
[Consultation Hours: AM 10:00 – PM 06:00]
[Composer Park Ji-o]
[Phone *** **** ****]
[Address: Myungho 1-dong, Geumseon Office 603]
[Production Inquiries: AM 10:00 – PM 06:00]
Ha Eung Eung had personal ties to these composers.
She had even received their business cards!
‘She didn’t just pick them up on the street, did she?’
It had been some time since the area changed to Haenam-dong, so seeing the address still say Myungho-dong raised suspicions.
“Are these composers close to you?”
Ha Eung Eung recalled the time in the music practice room.
The squeaky sounds, the days spent practicing discordant notes.
Chang Geon-young, who often bought her food.
Park Ji-o, who shyly watched in the smoking room.
Those fleeting relationships now seemed like distant memories, and it was time to see whether they would end as brief connections or become something that continued.
“Which one should we go to first?”
If Min Woo-seong had asked this, Ha Eung Eung would have likely handed him a notebook and said, [Please take me to the closer one.]
However, Min Woo-seong surprised her by asking a completely different question.
“Which one of the two are you closer to?”
Ha Eung Eung fell into thought.
‘Seems like she’s really close with both composers.’
It took her a while to decide since she couldn’t choose between the two.
While Min Woo-seong waited, parking the car on the side of the road, Ha Eung Eung thoughtfully placed her hand on her chin.
She wasn’t trying to figure out who she was closer to.
‘Geon-young will buy me food if I visit. Ji-o will probably have a cigarette with me.’
Food and cigarettes.
Convenience food and comfort food.
Blessing
[Complete Power] – You don’t need to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom for survival.
Curse
[Addiction: Cigarette Smoking] – You suffer severe withdrawal symptoms unless you smoke regularly.
Blessing and Curse.
Food that’s unnecessary to consume and cigarettes that are problematic if not smoked.
Her heart tilted.
[I’ll visit Ji-o first.]
Min Woo-seong was quite surprised.
Usually, Guild Masters prefer women when conditions are equal or similar, but she chose a man.
It was an unusual choice.