God's Atlantis

Elena and Yuria had agreed to appear on a sitcom.

It was called The Six Siblings of District 6700 — a long-running program that had been airing for two years. The content was light and breezy, but thoroughly entertaining. Since the protagonists were themselves chasing careers in show business, the industry details were surprisingly well researched.

The show pulled a sixty percent viewership rating. On a good day it climbed to seventy. Once word got out that Pobitz was guesting, seventy percent would be a floor, not a ceiling.

Normally landing a spot on Six Siblings isn't this easy…

With ratings that high, plenty of celebrities were lining up for a chance to appear.

Lilith Entertainment pulled some strings.

I brought Elena and Yuria to the set.

It was nothing like a variety-show shoot. Variety felt loose and casual; a sitcom set felt like a war zone.

I get it. They film five episodes a week. Of course they're slammed.

I headed for the director of Six Siblings.

"Hello, Director. These are Tia and Yuria from Pobitz. I'm Seong Yujin, their producer."

"You're here."

The director, sporting a scruffy beard, sounded like he couldn't be bothered. He gave Yuria and Elena a once-over and waved a hand.

"As you can see, we're busy. Even if the acting's terrible, we roll with it. So if there's any wooden-acting backlash, that's on you."

"Our girls can act just fine. Haha."

"We'll see soon enough. It's only a one- or two-minute appearance anyway, so just don't cause any trouble. We're wrapping this shot and then you're up… go wait over there for about ten minutes."

"Yes, sir. Looking forward to working with you."

I didn't bother telling Elena and Yuria to greet him properly. They weren't going to be celebrities forever, so a reputation for having no manners didn't matter. Of course, if it came to that, I'd just tear the director's limbs off myself and shut him up for good.

I'd expected a ten-minute wait. The shoot ran long, and we ended up waiting thirty.

"Yuria! Tia! You're up! Come on forward!"

Yuria and Elena stepped in front of the cameras. For their bit parts as rich young ladies, they were draped head to toe in luxury brands. On most celebrities it would have looked like pearls on a pig — but not on them.

If anything, the designer pieces looked inadequate. The elegance they carried outshone every label they wore.

This scene is about two rich girls fighting over a diamond necklace that the female lead, who's working a department-store job, is holding.

Classic lightweight sitcom fare.

Yuria crossed her arms, deliberately emphasizing a bust even fuller than Elena's. Maybe it was the atmosphere, but it didn't come off as vulgar. An elegant charisma wrapped around her instead.

"You there. That necklace — hand it over."

Yuria's arrogant expression, her crystal-clear diction, the sheer presence she radiated — every piece of it was perfect.

"…Remarkable."

Even the director was impressed on the spot.

Elena didn't yield an inch. She was a noble who had bent the empire's cutthroat political world to her will since childhood.

"Are you kidding me? I was here first. That necklace is mine. Young lady — hand it over."

"Uh, um, well… the young lady did arrive first, but… this one put her card down first, so…"

Yuria flashed a victorious smile and pressed the female lead.

"That's right. First to the register wins. What are you waiting for? Ring it up."

"Young lady. I'm a VVIP here. Don't you know who I am?"

"Hmph. As if anyone here isn't a VVIP."

"Oh, for— What is your problem? I called dibs on that necklace, so get lost."

"Get lost? A nobody like you dares talk to me like that?! Have you lost your mind?!"

"Lost my mind? You're the one who's gone completely insane!"

"Insane? What are you gonna do about it?!"

Crack.

Yuria slapped Elena across the face.

It was in the script. But the sound was unusually sharp, and Elena's head snapped to the side. Feeling the murderous aura rolling off them, I swallowed hard.

Their acting is so damn good… for a second I thought it was real.

Elena slowly turned her head. Her sharp eyes locked onto Yuria as if she meant to kill her.

"Did you just… hit me?"

"And what are you going to do about that look? I've decided to buy that necklace, so give it up and get out of here. Unless you want things to get ugli—"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Crack!

Elena's palm cracked across Yuria's cheek. Yuria's silver hair fanned out. She snapped her head back around and glared at Elena.

"……"

"……"

This was where the female lead was supposed to jump in and mediate. Instead she stood trembling, too terrified to intervene — cowed by the sheer presence pouring off Yuria and Elena. I couldn't blame her. Even watching from the sidelines, I was tense. The director, who should have been calling cut, just stared as if entranced.

"You really want to do ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this?"

"You think I won't?"

"You bitch!"

"You whore!"

Yuria and Elena lunged at each other at the same time. They seized fistfuls of each other's hair and started screaming. Raising your voice usually turns it rough and hoarse — but theirs stayed crystal clear, every syllable landing clean in the ear.

"Ah! Let go!"

"You let go first! Aaaah!"

"I said let go!"

"You first!!"

"Kyaaaaaaah!"

"Aaaaaah!"

The female lead finally snapped out of it. She scrambled between them in a panic.

"Y-young ladies! Please calm down! Calm down! If you keep this up I'm calling the police!"

"CUUUUT!"

The director bellowed. Then he grinned, clearly pleased.

"Well, well… I got so absorbed I forgot I was the director. We got some excellent footage — look forward to it. Ah, prep the next scene. The young ladies accept the heroine's mediation and make up. Having a police officer around would be nice too."

"Director, there's no police officer in the script…"

"Just grab a police uniform and we can do it, can't we? Assistant director, stop acting like a rookie."

"…I'll get it ready right away."

We had a break.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

I approached Elena and Yuria, still on edge. Their hair was a mess, and handprints stood out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠vividly on their cheeks.

"What kind of obvious question is that? You think we were actually fighting for real?"

"Yes. If we'd been serious… it wouldn't have ended this gently. And I don't particularly hold any ill will toward Lady Elena."

"…Honestly, I had a little ill will mixed in. Yuria, don't you remember? Last time, I died because of you."

"Hmm. I don't recall."

"You bitch…"

Despite the words, Elena's face was perfectly calm. The growling seemed to be just for show. Relieved they hadn't actually been trying to kill each other, I let out a long breath. During the break, the two of them passed the time sipping wine.

The shoot wrapped perfectly.

We were entering the third week since summoning Yuria and Mi-ryeong. Pobitz had only half their time left.

Popularity is climbing steadily. No problems there.

They still hadn't cracked the top ten.

But starting this week, the numbers were going to move.

Everything we've been preparing starts dropping this week.

Beginning this week, the programs Pobitz had filmed would start airing. The members had appeared on more than ten variety shows between them, and there were four programs dedicated solely to Pobitz. All of it was set to explode this week.

Popularity is ultimately just another word for recognition.

Pobitz was going to tear through District 6700 like a storm.

And at the end of this week, Pobitz takes the stage with a new song. This time I squeezed Etoile until the costumes actually matched the concept, and I managed to pull every last scrap of support Lilith Entertainment had to offer.

Lilith Entertainment had pushed back. They said Pobitz was burning through their image too fast.

They don't get it. You hit hard while people still aren't used to you. That's when the impact is biggest. To seize control of District 6700, Pobitz only needs to hit number one for a single moment — just one.

Variety shows featuring Pobitz flooded the airwaves.

Each member showed off her own brand of charm. Overwhelming visuals, distinct personalities, and Pobitz's purity were more than enough to pull fans in.

Popularity was climbing like crazy. The ranking climbed with it.

"This is the perfect window! Venus Entertainment's schedule is a mess right now because Venus Studio got wrecked! We ride this chance and let Pobitz take over the industry!"

Lilith was thrilled. The more popular Pobitz became, the more profit Lilith Entertainment raked in as their agency.

"Be honest with me. Heavenly Demon. That was Producer Seong, wasn't it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Playing dumb? Fine. But you'd better watch yourself in more ways than one. When Venus Entertainment decides to move, they don't hold back. You've heard the myths about Aphrodite, right? That bitch has a nasty temper."

"You think they'll come after us directly?"

"They might."

"……"

Time passed.

I used social media aggressively to spread feel-good stories about Pobitz. Manufactured stories, of course. But the dumb masses rarely questioned a heartwarming anecdote.

Reporters on other agencies' payrolls started pumping out vicious articles about Pobitz.

The pieces claimed Pobitz was buying chart positions with cash, and that they were in an inappropriate relationship with me, their producer. Beyond that, they cooked up every nasty scandal they could think of, trying to kill Pobitz's momentum.

The silver lining was that the cyber-hyenas had gone quiet. Park Sun-cheol's suicide video on PakssiTV had scared them stiff. Of course a few idiots still hadn't learned their lesson and took bites at Pobitz — but whenever that happened, I tracked down the cyber-hyena and the reporter and threatened them. After I helpfully tore off one arm and fed it to them through a blender, they tended to shut up on their own.

Smooth sailing.

Pobitz's popularity was rising without a hitch.

"Producer Seong Yujin. I'm sure you're aware that Pobitz's popularity has become rather extraordinary lately. There is a way to push them even higher. Would you care to hear it?"

Colin, an executive director at Lilith Entertainment, appeared in front of me. The brown-haired middle-aged man looked at me with thinly veiled contempt.

I held my temper once. He was a director at Lilith Entertainment, after all. Maybe he'd actually brought a decent proposal.

"I'm listening."

"District 6700 is a society ruled by a small entrenched elite. Aphrodite may hold the number-one popularity ranking, but without those people, District 6700's society doesn't function. Conversely, their power and wealth can make or break the entire district."

"…Director Colin. Could you get to the point? I'm rather busy."

"In three days, they will hold a private party. I would like you to send Pobitz."

"You want Pobitz to offer sexual favors?"

"Not quite that far. They simply need to keep those people happy. There may be some sexual harassment along the way, but… surely they can endure that much. Think of the compensation. Over ten advertising deals, two permanent program slots Pobitz could appear on for a full year…. If you'd rather not broach the subject with them yourself, I'll persuade Pobitz. Just arrange a meeting with th— AAAAAAAGH!"

I tore Colin's limbs off.

I used top-grade potions to regenerate them, then tore them off again. Over and over.

Part of me wanted to rip the torso apart too, but that would have been too easy.

"…You're going to live a long time."

I called David from Naar Entertainment. Using a lie detector, I extracted every scrap of information Colin had. The bastard had agreed to hand over Pobitz in exchange for cash and investment in a new agency. I identified every single person who'd tried to reach for Pobitz.

David swallowed dryly and asked me,

"……Are you going to track them down and kill them?"

"That would be too easy. And if I kill them all right now… it'll break the momentum Pobitz has been building."

"Give the order and I'll handle it myself."

"David. I'm not going to kill those bastards. I'm going to keep them alive. Until this world ends. And there are quite a few I plan to keep alive."

In my time living as Pobitz's manager and producer, I'd met every kind of scum imaginable.

Some sent naked photos to Pobitz's official email. Others, like Director Colin, made thinly veiled sponsorship offers. There were the ones who crossed every line with malicious comments, the stalker fans who followed Pobitz around, the ones who posted online threats to kill them just for the attention.

I remembered every last one of them.

"…May I hear your plan, Master Yujin?"

"I'm going to build a farm under this city."

"A farm… sir?"

"That's right. A human farm. A human farm built solely to inflict suffering on vermin who don't know their place."

David trembled faintly. He knew better than anyone that I meant every word.

"The insects will live out their entire lives eating their own flesh and filth."

A pitch-black gemstone appeared in midair. I took it.

"…Looks like I really made an impression. David — choose. Will you be the farm's administrator?"

I deliberately showed him the Core of Living Hell.

David's choice was already made.

"Leave it to me. I will not disappoint you."

"If you don't want to become a bug yourself, you'd better do a damn good job."