Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Is the Author Omnipotent?
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Jeong Tae-seong noted that the work was truly impressive.
The thorough reading of the manuscript had occupied three hours of his time.
The process had been lengthy because the text was written in Chinese rather than his native Korean.
He had examined the pages with extreme care to identify any potential typographical errors or mistranslations.
Remarkably, he failed to discover a single error or mistake throughout the entire work.
However, his amazement was not derived solely from the technical accuracy of the text.
He observed that elements commonly accepted in Korea but ill-suited for a Chinese audience had been skillfully adjusted.
The manuscript even featured a comprehensive level of localization work.
This achievement far exceeded his initial expectations for the project.
He reflected that the translation had truly reached a pinnacle of quality.
He recognized that localization represented the most challenging aspect of any translation endeavor.
Novels inevitably absorb and reflect the unique culture of their country of origin.
The story of the SSS-Class Hunter served as a perfect example of this cultural immersion.
The narrative was established within the democratic framework of South Korea.
In contrast, China operated under a communist system with a vastly different social structure.
Though the political intensity had lessened over time, daily life remained distinct from the Korean experience.
He understood that if these cultural differences created a sense of disconnect, the readers would quickly lose interest.
He noted with satisfaction that all such potential issues had been carefully revised.
The overall quality of the translation was nothing short of astonishing.
He was most impressed by the fact that she had accomplished this feat in a mere month.
A notification from his messenger application suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
The message was a hesitant inquiry from Choi Eun-ha addressed to the author.
Tae-seong replied that he had just finished reviewing the provided manuscript.
Eun-ha expressed her distress and worried that she might have transmitted the incorrect file to him.
Tae-seong reassured her that the content appeared to be perfectly fine.
Eun-ha requested the opportunity to explain the situation over a telephone call.
Tae-seong agreed and proceeded to dial her number immediately.
A frantic and anxious voice greeted him through the receiver.
She explained that she had taken the liberty of editing the manuscript without prior authorization.
Tae-seong confirmed that he had noticed the extensive changes she had made.
She offered a profuse apology for her actions and promised to send the original translation right away.
Tae-seong intervened and stated that he actually preferred the edited version of the text.
She responded with a tone of utter surprise.
He praised the accuracy of the localization and noted how the adjustments had smoothed over potential cultural disconnects.
He informed her that he welcomed such dedicated and thoughtful work on his behalf.
She asked with a trembling voice if he was truly serious about his assessment.
He confirmed his sincerity without hesitation.
A profound sense of relief was evident in her voice as she sighed deeply.
He could easily envision the relieved expression on her face based on her vocal reaction.
He requested that she continue to work in this manner for all future chapters.
He also promised to increase her translation fee to reflect her exceptional efforts.
She initially declined the extra compensation while insisting she did the work out of passion.
Tae-seong insisted that she deserved a reward that matched her significant skills and diligence.
He noted that providing proper compensation would put his own mind at ease.
She eventually yielded to his persistent requests.
He expressed his confidence in their future collaboration before concluding the call.
Tae-seong smiled to himself after hanging up the phone.
He reflected on the fact that she had prepared two distinct versions of the translation in a single month.
He concluded that her talent was far greater than he had originally anticipated.
She clearly possessed both an innate gift and an extraordinary work ethic.
The preparations for the Chinese release of the novel proceeded with steady momentum.
Tae-seong realized that he could enter the foreign market much faster than he had expected.
This accelerated timeline was entirely due to the diligence shown by Choi Eun-ha.
Two months had passed since he had first entrusted her with the translation task.
Eun-ha had already completed the first two volumes and had begun work on the third.
The series was a lengthy epic totaling twenty volumes and much work remained to be done.
However, he calculated that at this current pace, serialization could begin in the near future.
In the meantime, Tae-seong focused on preparing the second season of the webtoon adaptation.
He noted that the next season would require much more elaborate and large-scale battle scenes.
He worried that the current team might struggle with the increased artistic demands of the new chapters.
The first season had covered the introductory volumes of the original novel.
While it featured action, the truly massive conflicts occurred later in the narrative.
The frequency and complexity of the battle scenes would undoubtedly escalate in the coming months.
He decided that it was necessary to add more manpower to his studio team.
He recognized that his personal income might drop, but he prioritized the efficiency and quality of the work.
Han Seong-ho approached him with a hesitant greeting while Tae-seong was lost in thought.
Seong-ho informed him that he had finished the prologue for their personal collaboration project.
He requested that the author take a look at the initial results of their labor.
Seong-ho glanced back toward Yoo Min-kyung as he spoke about their shared project.
He had proposed a formal collaboration to her based on Tae-seong’s earlier advice.
She had accepted the offer with enthusiasm after hearing his proposal.
The two had spent the past two months working closely together to create their own original piece.
Tae-seong agreed to review the work immediately.
He maintained high expectations for the result since he had been somewhat involved in its development.
He accessed the shared cloud folder and began to examine the uploaded file.
He noted that the core narrative had remained largely consistent with the original idea.
However, the characterizations of the protagonist and the heroine had undergone a noticeable shift.
The work no longer felt as though it were written solely from a male perspective.
It now carried a distinct and appealing feminine sensibility throughout the story.
He inquired if they had divided the specific responsibilities of the project between themselves.
Seong-ho explained that he handled the primary artwork while Min-kyung took the lead on the narrative.
He noted that while they had clear roles, they assisted each other extensively in all areas.
Tae-seong remarked that having distinct main roles was a positive development for their efficiency.
He stated that the resulting work was quite entertaining to read.
Seong-ho asked for further confirmation of his positive assessment.
Tae-seong noted that the characters were now much more relatable for a female audience.
He added that the appeal of the story did not seem to be restricted to a single gender.
Seong-ho agreed and noted that targeting a specific gender would only limit their potential readership.
Tae-seong praised their collaboration and noted that it had created a powerful synergy between their talents.
The two collaborators shared a moment of quiet pride in their accomplishment.
He observed that they possessed a natural chemistry that was evident in the quality of the prologue.
He noted the contrast between Seong-ho’s introverted nature and Min-kyung’s outgoing leadership.
He concluded that their personalities were perfectly suited for a long-term partnership.
He encouraged them to continue their current approach and predicted they would produce a fantastic final work.
The two assistants responded with exuberant expressions of gratitude for his support.
Representative Kwon expressed his curiosity upon hearing that the two assistants had begun a formal collaboration.
Tae-seong confirmed that they had been working together for two months and had produced a solid prologue.
Kwon noted that he was eager to see the results for himself based on the author's praise.
Tae-seong suggested that he should ask them for a demonstration at the next available opportunity.
Kwon wondered if the personal project would eventually interfere with their duties at the studio.
Tae-seong acknowledged the possibility but noted that the situation was becoming quite serious for them.
Kwon reminded him that they would need to begin production on the second season of the hunter series soon.
Tae-seong revealed his plan to hire additional assistants to manage the increased workload.
Kwon asked if he intended to allow the two original assistants to continue their personal work as before.
Tae-seong confirmed his decision to support their independent endeavors.
Kwon appeared somewhat surprised by the author’s lenient approach.
Tae-seong noted that assistants were contract workers who understood the nature of their employment.
He stated that he was prepared to replace them if their efficiency dropped significantly in the future.
He observed that swapping assistants was a common and accepted practice within the industry.
He noted that many assistants chose to resign once they launched their own independent projects.
He revealed that Han Seong-ho had already hinted at the possibility of leaving the studio.
Tae-seong had declined his resignation and expressed his faith in their sense of professional responsibility.
He planned to hire three more assistants to ensure the studio remained productive during the new season.
He explained that finding people who worked well together was a rare and difficult task.
He decided that it was better to retain the existing team while expanding the overall pool of talent.
Kwon nodded in agreement and shifted the conversation toward the details of the Chinese serialization.
He opened a content platform application on his smartphone to demonstrate the two options available.
He explained that the platform operated both a standard website and a dedicated mobile application.
Tae-seong noted that the interface bore a strong resemblance to the Grape Books platform.
Kwon explained that the developers had collaborated closely to create the user experience.
He noted that the platform handled a wide variety of content including novels, movies, and traditional books.
Tae-seong asked if they should prioritize the website format or the mobile application for the release.
Kwon explained that the website allowed for free promotional episodes which could help build an initial audience.
Tae-seong noted that since his deal involved a guaranteed payment, the free episodes were not strictly necessary.
Kwon agreed but pointed out that works with an initial free serialization period tended to perform better in China.
He explained that the promotion effect was vital in such a massive and competitive market.
He noted that countless foreign works had failed in China because they lacked proper visibility.
He described the Chinese market as a place where new works appeared and vanished with incredible speed.
He explained that providing equal promotion for every new release was an impossible task for any platform.
Therefore, works that gained organic popularity through merit were given a disproportionate amount of attention.
He promised to negotiate aggressively for banner advertisements to ensure the novel received the visibility it deserved.
Tae-seong expressed his appreciation for the detailed explanation and the representative's cautious approach.
He noted that Kwon never attempted to deceive his authors and always presented every option with complete transparency.
He reflected on his many past lives and concluded that a man like Kwon was a rare and lifelong asset.
Tae-seong entrusted the final decision regarding the serialization format to the representative's expertise.
Kwon promised to keep the author informed of all developments as the project progressed.