Chapter 163: Infiltration
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 163: Infiltration
Looking at the reply that came from Popo yesterday, I calmly stood up from my seat.
It was a refreshing morning.
Mainly because it looked like I’d have to skip my lectures today.
Not long after I sent the Tok, a reply came back instantly.
Hearing Seo Ye-rin call me an idiot stung a little.
I felt slightly annoyed, but even if I tried to find someone else, there was no one I knew taking the same lecture. My contact list was so barren it made my heart ache.
Between Popo and everything else, I suddenly felt like just lying in the dormitory all day, but I managed to pull myself together.
She probably thought so lightly of it because she didn't realize the gravity of the situation.
I pulled my hat down low, threw on a black coat, and stepped out of the dormitory.
There was no need to go anywhere else first. I took a taxi straight downtown.
Since Popo attended Gahyeon University, she must have been staying nearby.
I had already solved the mystery.
Anonymous 300 was a stalker, but even he said he didn't know where Popo lived.
However, the key had been with me all along.
‘The first thing someone in a crisis does is call for help.’
In fact, the very first signal Popo sent was an explanation of her current situation—that she was trapped.
Then what comes next?
‘A location briefing, obviously.’
If you’ve said you’re trapped, it’s only natural to say where you are.
‘I’m trapped-trapped-yo.’
I might have overlooked the words at the end because I was too focused on the "I'm trapped" part.
But someone calling for help wouldn't waste words on nonsense.
According to my deduction, "eat yo" referred to the place where Popo was currently located, or somewhere nearby.
And right now.
I was standing right in front of it.
Cafe ‘eat yo.’
I had a bit of trouble finding it at first, but it was easy to spot once I translated the Korean sounds into English.
‘I could’ve been a detective.’
Thinking seriously about a career in private investigation, I scanned the area around the cafe.
The building was six stories tall.
There was a cafe on the first floor and a hotpot restaurant on the second. From the third floor up, there were no signs or nameplates.
However, after watching from a distance, I caught glimpses of human silhouettes through the windows and spotted someone smoking.
The thrill of solving the riddle was brief.
Eventually, reality caught up with me.
Even if I’d confirmed the location, there wasn't much I could actually do myself.
Should I call the police?
Should I tell Yun-ji?
None of those options felt right.
Perhaps that was why.
After finishing the coffee I’d ordered at the cafe and contemplating for a moment.
“Screw it, let’s just do it.”
I began to move immediately.
* * *
A few days later.
Yoo Ah-rin, who had recently become quite famous at the university, took a deep breath and stared at the cafe in front of her.
Cafe ‘eat yo.’
She didn't like the name; it felt like they were trying too hard to sound "trendy" by adding "yo" at the end.
Rumor had it the coffee wasn't even that good.
‘I’m more nervous than I thought.’
The operation was about to begin.
A few days ago, Yoo Ah-rin’s Shorts went viral, and word of mouth spread through the internet broadcasters at Oh Yun-ji’s company.
It didn't take long for Rainbow to contact Yoo Ah-rin.
Yoo Ah-rin had replied that she would consider it positively and came to meet them immediately.
Now, all they had to do was go in together, find the location, grasp the internal situation, and then raid the place.
She was told she was just the bait.
She was told she wouldn't have to do anything once she got inside, but Yoo Ah-rin was just an ordinary person.
She couldn't help but be nervous.
“It’s okay.”
And because of that.
Oh Yun-ji stood beside her, patting her back with a smile.
“I’ll be with you. Don’t worry. I’ve even assigned company security to this.”
“Right, nothing to be nervous about.”
Naturally, it was dangerous for Yoo Ah-rin to infiltrate alone.
So, Oh Yun-ji had volunteered to accompany her.
She was stunningly beautiful, but her face wasn't well-known enough for people to recognize her.
Her plan was to pose as a friend who also wanted to start internet broadcasting.
As they entered the cafe, a large, bald man recognized them and gestured immediately.
“Over here.”
The man welcomed them with a genial smile.
Yoo Ah-rin and Oh Yun-ji greeted him brightly and sat down.
“My, you’re even prettier in person. I’m Han Oh-seok from the Rainbow Marketing Team.”
“I’m Yoo Ah-rin! It’s a pleasure!”
“And this lady is?”
Han Oh-seok immediately turned his gaze toward Oh Yun-ji. It was obvious he was interested, as her looks were extraordinary.
Oh Yun-ji introduced herself with a practiced smile.
“I’m Oh Yun-ji. I’m Ah-rin’s college friend. I’ve really wanted to try internet broadcasting too!”
“Ah! So you followed your friend? You’re quite the beauty yourself, Yun-ji.”
Han Oh-seok barely managed to keep his mouth from splitting into a massive grin.
Yoo Ah-rin and Oh Yun-ji.
In internet broadcasting, being pretty is half the battle, and these two were the type who would rake in money just by standing in front of a camera.
Swallowing the saliva pooling in his mouth, Han Oh-seok began his explanation with a smile.
He explained that they created the optimal environment for broadcasters and even operated a dormitory system so they could interact with one another.
“Well, it’s not like it’s far away. We use the top three floors of this building. That way, if you ever feel like going home, you can leave whenever you want.”
It was an obvious lie.
However, Yoo Ah-rin and Oh Yun-ji acted as naive as possible, nodding their heads vigorously.
They put on an act of pure anticipation, looking like they expected to debut as broadcasters and fulfill their dreams at any moment.
“Doesn't it take a long time to prepare to be a singer or an idol? And you have to spend so much money on lessons. But internet broadcasting is different.”
Han Oh-seok began to drone on, spinning a grand tale filled only with things that would tempt the two of them.
“There’s nothing to learn here, and it doesn't cost a dime. All you need is a computer or a phone! Even if you fail, there’s no risk! But the returns are high!”
Thinking the mood was right, Han Oh-seok slyly pulled out a contract.
“Please read it carefully. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just let me know. I’ll explain it all to you.”
“Okay.”
Oh Yun-ji looked through the contract meticulously. At a glance, it seemed fine, but seeing the toxic clauses sprinkled throughout...
‘You bastards.’
They knew exactly how to treat internet broadcasters like slaves.
Most people who start broadcasting are students or recent graduates.
If you shove a long, complicated contract like this in their faces, they’ll have a hard time fully understanding it no matter how much you explain.
“The contract seems fine, but...”
Oh Yun-ji hesitated, making a cautious request.
“Could we see what the dorms are like? I’m a bit curious.”
“Right! I’m curious too!”
Yoo Ah-rin’s assist came in immediately.
They were hinting that they’d sign the contract as soon as they saw the facilities.
“Oh, of course!”
Han Oh-seok nodded readily and stood up.
“Shall we head up and take a look right now?”
‘Seeing how confident he is, they must have something prepared for show.’
With the intention of just getting a general look at the interior, Oh Yun-ji and Yoo Ah-rin headed upstairs with Han Oh-seok.
“...”
Yoo Ah-rin was more nervous than she expected.
She clenched her fists tight to hide her sweaty palms.
She thought that if Oh Yun-ji hadn't been with her, she might have acted much more awkwardly.
Even as they climbed the stairs, Han Oh-seok didn't stop talking.
Most of it was bragging about their company.
“Since we have famous people signed with us, we don’t put up a sign. Sasaeng fans would follow them, you see. You know Popo, right? Fans were chasing her so much last time—”
“Actually, we’re moving soon. The facilities here are good, but we’re moving to somewhere even better. An investor saw the great vision of Rainbow and invested heavily.”
“It’ll be a bit further away, but it won’t be inconvenient to live there. If our broadcasters have any issues, we’ll do whatever it takes to help.”
Listening to the stream of honeyed words, Oh Yun-ji and Yoo Ah-rin entered the third floor.
The interior was clean, looking almost like a private study cafe.
Rooms were lined up side-by-side along a long hallway.
You could see inside through the windows on the doors; most were empty, but a few people were currently broadcasting.
“We provide individual rooms like this so you can broadcast privately.”
The two walked behind Han Oh-seok as he led them further inside.
On the surface, the facilities didn't seem to have any major issues.
As expected, if they had simply reported it, the company would have just cut off a few scapegoats or escaped without much damage.
They needed to catch solid evidence.
After passing through the short hallway, they came upon a large room.
It looked like a lounge.
“You broadcast, then you can come rest in the lounge. We provide all the snacks and coffee.”
While Han Oh-seok was explaining the lounge, Oh Yun-ji’s gaze was fixed on a door at the far end.
It looked like an office. Who was in there?
The moment the question crossed her mind.
“Right. Let’s handle the work a bit more promptly. Got it?”
“Yes! Understood!”
The voices of men drifted out from inside.
In that instant, Oh Yun-ji felt a strange sensation.
“But the money hasn't come in yet...”
“You’re worrying over nothing. I told you it’s coming at the end of the month, didn't I? When is the end of the month? There are only three days left.”
“Y-yes, that’s right!”
“Honestly, President Hwang, do I look like someone who’d stiff you? Do I look like that kind of person? Don’t you know who I am? Is that all the vision of Rainbow amounts to?”
“No, sir!”
It was a conversation between thugs, plain and simple.
Before she knew it, Yoo Ah-rin had also turned her head toward the door.
Just then, the door rattled open, and two men stepped out.
“W-would you like to go grab some dinner?”
One had a body packed with muscle.
He was a gangster with a solid physique that looked like he could knock someone unconscious with a single punch.
And the other one.
“Oh, no thanks.”
A young man wearing sunglasses.
The moment Han Oh-seok saw him, he abandoned Oh Yun-ji and Yoo Ah-rin, rushing over to bow deeply.
“Greetings, Investor! These are the new recruits who just joined!”
“Ah, the ones signing the new...”
The man’s voice cut off abruptly.
His sunglasses slid down slightly, and his eyes met theirs.
A dozen things Oh Yun-ji wanted to say flashed through her mind at once.
‘What are you doing here, Woo-jin?’
‘And what’s this about an investor?’
‘Why are these gangsters bowing and scraping to you?’
There was so much she wanted to say, but Oh Yun-ji bit her lip and lowered her head.
“Hello. I’m Oh Yun-ji.”
“Ahem?! Y-yes. Let’s work hard together.”
Watching Kim Woo-jin awkwardly accept Oh Yun-ji’s greeting.
Suddenly.
A thought occurred to Yoo Ah-rin.
‘If this guy wasn't a chairman’s son, how on earth would he have survived in this world?’