Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Is the Writer Omnipotent?
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Tae-seong repeated the word movie after Team Leader Yeo Su-bing mentioned it.
She enthusiastically noted that while Korean capital might be insufficient, a production in China, India, or Hollywood would certainly be a hit.
The idea of a fantasy novel being adapted into a film was the topic of their discussion.
Such a project used to be dismissed as a practical impossibility in the past.
However, the advancements in computer-generated imagery and the film industry had made it a highly appealing prospect now.
The success of the Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series served as primary examples of this potential.
Hollywood was currently experiencing a massive wave of series adaptations.
The overwhelming success of superhero films had served as the catalyst for this trend.
Consequently, many major Hollywood studios were aggressively acquiring the rights to novels, comics, and games.
She suggested that if the SSS-Class Hunter novel performed well in China, it could certainly be adapted for the silver screen.
Tae-seong noted that the work would first need to achieve commercial success in that market.
Executive Director Lee Bong-hyeon laughed heartily and acknowledged that they might be getting ahead of themselves.
It was evident from the conversation that Baikcent held very high expectations for the novel.
This level of anticipation was quite unusual for a Korean work entering that market.
Most previous attempts to export Korean literature had met with failure or mediocre results.
None had managed to become a massive and culturally significant hit.
Yet Baikcent was clearly pinning their grandest expectations on this particular project.
Tae-seong was curious about their reasoning but decided to remain silent for the time being.
He assumed that the answers would reveal themselves as the partnership progressed.
He excused himself from the table to use the restroom.
Representative Kwon entered the restroom while Tae-seong was washing his hands.
Kwon inquired if the food provided was to the author’s liking.
Tae-seong confirmed that the meal was delicious and returned the question to the representative.
Kwon stated that he was also enjoying the food and noted that he was never a picky eater.
Tae-seong reflected on the fact that he had never seen Kwon express dissatisfaction with a meal.
Kwon mentioned that the staff at Baikcent seemed very impressed with the translated manuscript.
Tae-seong asked if they had already taken the time to read the translation.
Kwon explained that reviewing the work was a necessary step to finalize the terms of the contract.
He noted that presenting a high-quality product was essential to build trust with their partners.
He quickly clarified that he did not view Tae-seong’s creative writing as a mere commercial product.
Tae-seong accepted the explanation with a smile and asked about their specific reaction.
Kwon reported that the feedback was excellent and noted that Executive Director Lee Bong-hyeon was particularly fond of it.
Tae-seong expressed surprise that the Executive Director had read the novel himself.
Kwon confirmed that Lee was a dedicated novel enthusiast who had promised his full support for the project.
Tae-seong noted that this information explained the welcoming attitude of the Baikcent staff during the meeting.
The two of them continued their conversation as they walked back toward the dining room.
Tae-seong noticed a loud and rowdy commotion occurring on the lower level of the restaurant.
The noise was coming from the first-floor hall rather than the private rooms on the third floor.
He walked along the corridor and looked down from the railing to see what was happening.
He observed a large crowd of people gathering in a circle.
In the center of the crowd lay a man who had suddenly collapsed.
Kwon wondered if a serious incident had just taken place.
Tae-seong focused his attention on the sounds and shouts coming from the people below.
He heard people asking for a doctor and calling for emergency services.
He gathered the essential details of the situation from their frantic dialogue.
He realized that a sudden collapse could be caused by many factors including allergies or a heart attack.
Tae-seong informed Representative Kwon that he intended to head downstairs to investigate.
He moved toward the scene before Kwon could even ask where he was going.
The other members of their party emerged from the room to see the cause of the disturbance.
Kwon explained the situation to Dr. Lee while noting that he could not understand the Chinese details.
Dr. Lee reported that a staffer mentioned a middle-aged man had collapsed while eating his meal.
Choi Eun-ha pointed toward the first floor and asked if that was the author in the middle of the crowd.
Everyone watched as Tae-seong pushed through the onlookers to reach the fallen man.
Executive Director Lee was about to call out to him in concern.
However, Tae-seong had already begun a preliminary examination of the man’s condition.
He noted that the pulse and breathing were dangerously weak while the man’s face and lips were turning blue.
He recognized the clear signs of severe respiratory distress.
Tae-seong asked the woman accompanying the man about what he had eaten before collapsing.
She informed him that they had been eating beef when he suddenly lost consciousness.
He inquired if the man had been consuming any alcohol during the meal.
She confirmed that he had been drinking and noted that he had perhaps consumed a bit too much.
Tae-seong identified the man’s original table and went to inspect the remaining dishes.
He spotted several large chunks of braised meat that appeared to be the likely cause of the obstruction.
Tae-seong hurried back to the victim and lifted the man’s upper body from the floor.
He moved behind the man and positioned his clenched fist just above the navel and sternum.
He applied a series of sharp upward thrusts with a focused effort.
The noisy restaurant fell into a sudden and expectant silence.
Only the rhythmic sound of Tae-seong’s grunts echoed through the hall.
Sweat began to bead on his forehead as he continued the lifesaving maneuver.
A dark red chunk of meat was suddenly expelled from the man’s mouth following a strangled cry.
The man took a desperate and gasping breath as if he had been struggling for a lifetime.
His breathing soon began to stabilize as he regained the ability to inhale on his own.
Tae-seong sighed with a sense of immense relief and informed the woman that she could now relax.
She bowed repeatedly while expressing her profound gratitude for his actions.
The rescue team arrived shortly thereafter to take over the medical care.
Tae-seong provided them with a precise briefing on the incident and the man’s current condition.
He explained that the man had choked on meat while intoxicated and that the Heimlich maneuver had removed the obstruction.
The paramedics thanked him and promised to provide a full checkup for the victim.
Tae-seong finally allowed himself to exhale as the responsibility was handed off to the professionals.
***
The commotion eventually passed and the remainder of the trip proceeded as planned.
The party completed their tour of China before returning to South Korea.
Tae-seong resumed his ordinary daily life upon his arrival.
The Chinese serialization of his novel was still pending the completion of the translation.
He understood that the entire work needed to be finished before the official launch could occur.
He had no intention of slacking off despite the completion of the original draft.
He reflected on the fact that a writer must always continue to write.
Though the webtoon required his attention, he remained a writer at his very core.
He decided it was time to begin a brand new story.
A specific idea had finally taken a definitive shape within his mind lately.
He sat before his computer and prepared to put the thoughts onto the blank page.
The mechanical keyboard produced a satisfying clacking sound as he began to type.
He was in the process of entering the new title when his phone interrupted his work.
He noticed that Representative Kwon was calling him.
Tae-seong answered the call and offered a polite greeting.
Kwon asked excitedly if the author had already heard the latest news.
Tae-seong admitted that he was unaware of any significant developments.
Kwon promised to send a link immediately and stated that he would be coming to see him in person.
He inquired if the author was currently free to meet.
Tae-seong confirmed his availability and the call ended abruptly.
He realized that something major must have occurred to cause such a reaction.
A notification appeared on his phone containing a lone link from the representative.
He clicked the link with a sense of growing curiosity.
A news window appeared featuring a title written in Chinese characters.
The title described a man who had collapsed in a cafeteria and was saved by a righteous stranger.
Tae-seong realized that the incident in China had been documented and shared online.
He clicked the post and watched the video of his own lifesaving actions.
He understood now why Kwon was so excited about the situation.
He waited for the representative to arrive so that he could learn the full extent of the news.