Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Heaven and Hell
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"Mm..."
Letting out a sigh filled with complicated emotions was Lee Sung-min.
At this moment, a neatly organized bundle of reports was clutched in his hand.
A report totaling less than ten pages—far fewer than the usual script.
However, Lee Sung-min knew.
The contents packed into these few thin A4 sheets had the power to turn the Korean entertainment industry upside down the moment they were revealed.
"Corporations, politicians, even leaders of civic groups. All the big-money players are lined up in a row."
His mother, Chairman Lee Jung-hee, sat across from him.
Lee Sung-min let out a small sigh in response to her slightly furrowed expression.
"Haa... Yeah, no kidding. No wonder all the programs PD Ma Ju-seok handled were like this. It all makes sense now."
From singing competitions like this one to talent shows or cooking contests aimed at ordinary people,
PD Ma Ju-seok had directed all sorts of variety shows in confrontation formats.
Some ran smoothly and normally, but there were plenty of suspicious rulings that left people thinking, "Why did this person win?"
Back then, most were one-offs that got buried, or clever editing kept them from becoming big issues...
But the documents in his hand right now clearly exposed the ugly truths hidden behind them.
"It makes me sick. To think he's been pulling these sleazy stunts on people striving for their dreams."
Regardless of being born into a wealthy family, Lee Sung-min's rise to one of Korea's top actors was backed by his own blood, sweat, and tears.
If he hadn't scrimped on sleep and meals to hone his acting over and over, there wouldn't be a superstar actor Lee Sung-min today.
Because of that, he knew full well how precious the value of hard work was,
and how utterly vile it was to trample on it.
'Playing with people's hearts like this... I won't let it slide.'
All the programs listed here.
Far from "real" variety shows, they were stained with manipulations and biased judgments,
with the tireless efforts of victims forced into undeserved failure behind them,
along with the despair and tears when it all went to waste.
Ma Ju-seok's actions in devaluing that effort were unforgivable as a fellow entertainer.
At that moment.
Watching her son like that, Chairman Lee Jung-hee asked in a quiet voice.
"So, son, what do you think we should do about this?"
"Mm... Well..."
Part of him wanted to expose every detail right here and now...
But at the same time, Sung-min knew.
If this went public as is, Ma Ju-seok and his cronies would be swept away,
but countless others involved would get hurt too.
And among them could be Chae Soo-jeong herself—the very one who provided this info.
Her daughter Seon-hwa was appearing on Child Star, run by PD Ma Ju-seok.
Seon-hwa's talent was still wowing crowds,
but people had a habit of tearing into even the slightest suspicion.
Why else would they still be bickering over that one celeb's confirmed college admission?
"If we go public with everything big-time, a lot of people will get hurt.
So the best move here is to handle it quietly with some adjustments."
"Right, just as you say. These things are best done on the down-low.
Especially in times like now, when everyone's gone mad with meddling. And above all."
Right after, a chilling smile curved her lips.
For a moment, Lee Sung-min glimpsed not his mother, but the face of a conglomerate chairman before him.
"We've got something rare in our hands for once. Wouldn't it be a waste to use it like that? Heh heh heh..."
'...Mom's scheming something shady again.'
The chairman smiling coolly.
He didn't know the details and didn't want to,
but even so, Sung-min could roughly guess what his mother was thinking.
'Haa... Well, leaving it to her is cleaner than me bungling it myself, so whatever...'
With a heavy sigh like that, Lee Sung-min decided to sit back and observe how things unfolded.
'Chae Soo-jeong seems to think this squares her debt...
But if anything, doesn't this make us owe her even more?'
The more he learned, the more fascinating she became.
Top-tier acting skills as an actress,
and extraordinary physical prowess(?) that was anything but ordinary.
Plus, glimpses of uncanny insight, like she could read the future.
People usually lost their mystery the more you knew them,
but with her, it only grew.
Was that why?
These days, her image lingered in Lee Sung-min's mind, refusing to fade.
That shocking sight of her flashing purple eyes as she saved him...
Meanwhile.
Just like her son, Chairman Lee Jung-hee's mind was filled with thoughts of the woman in question right now.
Chae Soo-jeong.
'Not your average person, but I never imagined she'd pile on even more debt like this.'
She'd already incurred a huge one by saving his life last time.
And this time, though she asked for help, she'd actually handed them an enormous gain.
'If I use this right... Doors that open immediately won't be just one or two.'
This mess involved all sorts of wealthy families in Korea.
Meaning their weaknesses were now in Chairman Lee Jung-hee's grasp.
True powerhouses could bury it, sure,
but if they didn't want needless noise, most would react to these "weaknesses."
Especially for someone like her, owner of a top Korean conglomerate—she had more power to leverage it efficiently than anyone.
Just executing the ideas popping into her head could yield hundreds of billions in profit.
Considering that, this document's value to her could be hundreds of billions, trillions, or more.
With a deep smile at that fact.
Chairman Lee Jung-hee felt her fondness for the woman who handed her this "weapon" grow even stronger.
'I want to repay the debt somehow soon... What should I do for her?'
Feeling that intriguing thrill on one hand,
Chairman Lee Jung-hee began implementing her plans without delay.
Once a jar starts cracking, the hole widens until it shatters.
To avoid this weapon losing its power, she moved swiftly yet discreetly.
A girl standing under dazzling spotlights.
Seo Han-sol.
At this moment, her heart overflowed with a fullness of joy she'd never felt before... a sense called achievement.
'I did it... I... I really won!'
As expected, no major upsets in the second preliminary round.
Having learned to infuse emotion from the first round, Han-sol's skills had leveled up, and paired with Chae Seon-hwa's transcendent vocals, they delivered a truly perfect stage.
Earning perfect scores from all judges, they clinched victory by an overwhelming margin.
As a result, Seo Han-sol held a gleaming golden trophy aloft.
It was a joint win with Chae Seon-hwa right beside her, sharing the trophy, but that didn't matter to her.
What counted was that she'd achieved her dream right now.
Fair and square, through her own talent.
Of course, her "friend" Chae Seon-hwa next to her had been a huge help, but that came from legitimately teaming up through proper channels.
Captured by that deep joy, Han-sol began envisioning her shining future, her chest swelling.
'No one can stop me from becoming a singer now. Grandpa will have to acknowledge me too!'
It felt like all the barriers blocking her path had been lifted.
With no one left to hold her back, she resolved to charge toward her dream with everything she had.
And.
"Unnie, great job!"
"Seon-hwa, you too."
"Yeah!"
At the same time, she secretly hoped.
That this child would stay by her side on the road to her dreams.
Younger than her, yet guiding her like an adult... like a mentor.
The genius girl, Chae Seon-hwa.
"Let's... do our best from now on. Got it?"
"Let's do our best! Fighting!"
"Fighting!"
Responding brightly to her words.
Seizing the moment, Han-sol pulled the adorable child's body into a tight hug.
'Ah... Feels so good...'
The cozy sensation that followed.
Holding this warm child, who smelled indescribably pleasant, right now,
with her mood already soaring, she felt like she'd ascended to heaven.
Meanwhile.
In stark contrast to Seo Han-sol tasting unprecedented happiness like she'd reached heaven—
One man was gripped by a fear like staring into hell.
"Wha... What? Y-you guys, what is this?"
Ma Ju-seok, heading out with his luggage bag, skipping even the final shoot.
Before his eyes stood a group of detectives holding warrants.
"Mr. Ma Ju-seok, you are under emergency arrest for fraud and extortion."