Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Historic Perfect Score
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The online community was abuzz with news related to Daehan Middle School.
A freshman had just shattered a record that had stood unbroken since the school's founding—no incoming student had ever scored a perfect 100 on the note test until mere hours ago.
📰 Breaking News Is this for real? Daehan Middle School's note tests are infamous for being brutally tough. 💬 Comments — Anonymous Really 100 points? — Grad2000 I graduated there 3 years ago, and it was no joke. Super tough, especially English—it was college transfer level. — SkepticKid Wait, what? Demanding that level of English from middle schoolers? Isn't this BS? — Insider Nah, most kids there come from chaebol families, so the difficulty is sky-high. — OldTimer Yeah. It wasn't always that hard, but some old Ilsung chairman lady stormed the school complaining about lack of differentiation and threw a fit. — LOLer LMAOOOO that was legendary. — IlsungFan It's a must-do course for Ilsung kids? — PathSeeker Yep. Daehan Middle -> Daehan High -> Seoul National or Ivy League abroad. The community sleuths started digging to verify the rumor and track down the identity of the perfect scorer.
It had already spread far and wide, making it easy to uncover.
— Detective Jin Seol-yeong? — Amazed The 100-pointer is Jin Seol-yeong? Impressive! ⭐ Top Comment — WowFan Those 30 hellish questions... aced them all... The previous record was 87 points, set by Lee Sun-yeong, CEO of Ilsung Hotels—the top graduate of a prestigious university.
Back then, the Ilsung chairman made headlines and TV spots celebrating that the record came from an Ilsung heir, even if it wasn't perfect.
Perhaps that's why she inherited the flagship Ilsung Hotels chain.
Daehan Middle School's freshman note test carried deep history and tradition.
It was so prestigious that even a middle school quiz result made portal site headlines.
📰 Breaking News The secret behind Daehan Middle School's first perfect 100 in 40 years? Rumor's star: freshman Jin Seol-yeong. Will Ilsung's record fall? Daehan Middle School board chairman Ahn Ho-won boasted in an interview: "Even a perfect CSAT scorer couldn't conquer our note test." The school later announced a scholarship for the top student. The scholarship amount—3 million won—sent the whole country into a frenzy.
— Shocked Whoa, 3 mil!? — Cynic Pfft, chaebols drop billions daily. That's pocket change. — WageSlave Bullshit. You think 3 mil is small? Bet you've never held a real job. — ReplyGuy ↳ Reply Upper comment guy probably nets under 2 mil after tax. One ball in a vice. — Boastful Yeah. I make 3.5 mil. — MemeLord Check out these fake pay stubs floating around lol. In this resource-poor nation, the birth of a prodigy to lead the future drew genuine congratulations from all.
And this news turned one Hannam-dong mansion into a riot of joy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Uncle Do-juuuun!"
Amid an ordinary day, one girl flashed a beaming smile. It was Jin Seol-yeong. She'd been lounging in the living room watching TV when someone handed her a sheet of paper.
It was her test report card.
A perfect 100, marked by a big circle.
Having aced her first test flawlessly, Seol-yeong leaped into my arms.
"Hehe, I got 100 points!"
"What? 100? For real?"
"Yes! Did I do good?"
Ask any parent their happiest moments, and they'll say when their child is born or aces a test.
Even without a drop of shared blood, Jin Seol-yeong was family to me—precious beyond words.
How could I just watch as this treasure of mine bounced around the house in delight?
Time for a celebration party!
"Yeah. Seol-hwa, where are you? No, listen—Seol-yeong got 100 points. Huh? I swear! And get this—it's the first perfect score in Daehan Middle School history. I just talked to the chairman; they're even giving her a scholarship."
A piercing shriek erupted from the phone.
What was Seol-yeong to her?
She'd barely survived leukemia after a brush with death. Even now, she'd need lifelong care.
Her precious little sister, representing the freshmen, had claimed the top score. How could Seol-hwa not rejoice?
"Tell me what you want to eat! No, here—pocket money too!"
I emptied my wallet into Seol-yeong's hands.
Results deserve rewards to keep the motivation flowing.
Her eyes sparkled at the generous haul.
"Whoa! All this for me?"
"Yup! What else should I get you?"
"Nah, this is more than enough already."
"Aww, my cute little baby~"
For dinner, we hit the priciest beef house in the country and stuffed ourselves silly. Treating like this now and then really recharges the batteries.
Jin Seol-hwa, with her one and only little sister topping the class—not just the class, but the whole school—hugged her tight, both screaming in joy.
This was the life.
The festivities showed no signs of ending tonight.
"I want to let more people know. Any ideas?"
"Even outsiders?"
"Yeah. Everyone's saying it's the first 100 ever..."
"Hmm, fair point."
A perfect score on a regular test is tough enough.
But outshining elite track kids from childhood to claim the pyramid's peak? No wonder.
I pondered, then snapped my fingers.
"How about this?"
"What?"
"I'll spread the word across all affiliates and run a little event. Like, host it and give performance bonuses to winning employees, regardless of rank."
"Great idea!"
Jin Seol-hwa, usually frugal, spared no expense for her sister. I figured we might as well go all out and laid out a detailed plan.
'Starlight employees are pros at dreaming up events like this...'
Time to consult them after ages.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hm."
"Hmmm..."
"Hrrrrrm!"
The next day, I gathered Starlight's executives bright and early.
Yeah, game companies excel at events.
They run them year-round for users.
But...
Problem.
"So-yeon?"
"...Yeah?"
"Wh-what brings you here?"
"Oh, I stopped by for some work and heard about an important meeting, so I joined."
"R-right?"
Kang So-yeon looked as radiant as ever despite the time passed—maybe even younger. Her gaze lingered on me oddly, like something was up.
"No word from you all this time..."
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Meeting, right?"
Despite appearances, Kang So-yeon was a star at the company. Her smash hit Elysia Chronicles had set the stage for another legend with the sequel.
She seemed more devoted to Starlight than I was.
'Once I take chairman, I'll step down as CEO. Maybe appoint Director Han and make So-yeon head of a division?'
Her charisma won everyone over.
No haters in sight.
Talent, perhaps.
I tapped the table lightly.
"Raise your hands if you've heard about my little sister."
"President, I've read the article ten times already!"
"I bought a fancy frame and hung it on my wall."
"!"
Perfect.
I liked their spirit.
Those two execs just won next month's bonus.
I cleared my throat and asked for event ideas. Various suggestions flew, but Kang So-yeon's stood out.
Easy to prep.
Employee-friendly.
And perfect for our gaming users.
"How about acrostic poems?"
"Acrostics?"
"Yeah. Her name's Jin Seol-yeong—use those three syllables. Vote on the best ones. Let users who play our games judge."
"Oho, nice."
"Prizes are the issue. Big event needs big rewards..."
"1,000%."
"...Huh?"
"Winning employees get 1,000% performance bonuses. All of them."
"What? Isn't that too generous?"
The room erupted in murmurs.
1,000% bonuses turned the meeting into a marketplace frenzy. Makes sense—higher rank means higher pay, bigger bonuses.
Starlight execs earn around 200 million annually.
1,000%? That's 2 billion each.
To objections of excess, I grinned innocently.
Listen up.
This is for my flawless little sister.
I'd dumped billions on veterans—what's a few dozen?
Plus, practical reason: great PR for our affiliate perks.
Media coverage could draw top talent knocking.
Great companies need great people.
"Every voting user gets 50,000 won in cash. Top 10 winners get 1,000% of their monthly salary each. No objections. Hell, 10,000% wouldn't be enough."
"Wooooah!"
"Do-joon! Do-joon Do-joon!"
The conference room thundered like a battlefield with cheers.
Their eyes gleamed like fanatics'.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Kim Han-na, new hire at Future Distribution via recent recruitment.
She recalled a memo on the company board.
'Acrostic event? No way I'd win.'
Future Distribution was Korea's top distributor.
Tons of staff meant fierce competition.
Better to give up early.
'Just slap something together.'
Click the event banner, make an acrostic for "Jin Seol-yeong." Kim Han-na scribbled lazily.
Her section chief had ordered mandatory participation.
CEO-sponsored—no excuses.
She typed.
Jin: Jin Seol-yeong is the world's best little sister. Seol: Seol-yeong is the world's best little sister. Yeong: Yeong-ie is the cute, adorable, lovable world's best little sister. In 10 seconds, mission accomplished. She hit confirm.
'Alright, back to unfinished work.'
A week later.
"Kim Han-na! Kim Han-na, where are you!?"
"Ch-Chief! Did I do something...?"
"Kim Han-na! What the hell did you pull in that event!?"
"...Pardon?"
Forgetting already, she tilted her head—until the chief dropped the bomb, leaving her floored.
She'd made the top 10 winners list.
"Everyone, congratulate her! Our department's Kim Han-na won the event—1,000% bonus incoming."
"Huh?"
"She beat those odds?"
"Ch-Chief, is this April Fool's? Wait, no it's not..."
Seniors from assistant manager up, unable to meet her eyes before, swarmed her.
They checked her winning acrostic.
"Wh-what is this?"
Jin: Jin Seol-yeong is the world's best little sister. Seol: Seol-yeong is the world's best little sister. Yeong: Yeong-ie is the cute, adorable, lovable world's best little sister. Everyone stared at the screen in utter bewilderment.