Chapter 191
Chapter 191
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: Cult (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To put it bluntly, we're not that much of a bunch of thugs.
What should I say... It's definitely not something you'd expect to hear from a chaebol chairman. Chairman Lee Jae-hoon of CZ E&M was venting his hurt feelings in the most straightforward way possible.
-Not to put it rudely, but why would our CZ E&M care about Nuclear Weapon Entertainment? Why bother with a company that's just a fingernail-sized player?
"A fingernail-sized... Well, that's true, to be fair."
-Ah, sorry about that. Don't take it the wrong way.
Even so, he seemed a bit soft-hearted, as his anger cooled quickly, and he offered an awkward excuse for his slip of the tongue.
-The Ammunition Group backing them is just hot pants anyway. Not that I mean it that way, but Chairman Han, you're not really serious about this entertainment business, right?
As expected, the owner of a leading company in this industry wasn't just coasting on his position.
Chairman Lee Jae-hoon seemed to know quite a bit about the founding story of [Nuclear Weapon Entertainment].
"That's true."
-And let's be frank, a manufacturing group like Ammunition wouldn't want to pivot their main business into this anyway.
Of course, given Ammunition Group's nature, they mainly focused on manufacturing—especially heavy industries like defense and shipbuilding, solid and masculine sectors.
At least from his perspective, unaware of the contents my mother had shown me on that USB, Chairman Lee Jae-hoon's assessment was spot on.
I gave him an appropriate response without lying.
"I have no such intentions at all. At least not in the current situation."
"Of course. This industry thrives on hidden know-how. Anyway, for a hobby like that... we don't really care.
"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I was rude to someone as passionate about the entertainment industry as you."
It was an apology thrown out casually, without much thought.
But did something like praise for his passion flip a strange switch in him?
-Passion! Passion brings up a lot to talk about. Listen to me, Chairman Han.
"Yes...?"
Once the switch was flipped—and firmly so—he launched into a full-blown speech at me. For a solid hour, until the phone felt hot against my ear.
-So! Korea's cultural industry is destined to bloom. Why? Because I'm in the position of an enlightener with insight into all media industries!
Ah, I remember now.
It was just like what a mid-sized company chairman had told me at a chamber of commerce meeting before.
That guy had said something like this, I think.
'Sigh, you can't say anything around CZ E&M's Chairman Lee Jae-hoon.'
'Why's that?'
'That guy's a Too Much Talker. Being around him drains your energy.'
Just as described, Chairman Lee Jae-hoon rambled on unilaterally for over an hour.
What a perfect nickname: Too Much Talker.
-Chairman Han, keep an eye on it. See how the girl group business evolves from the third generation...
"Th-that was enlightening, Chairman Lee. Really enlightening."
I could vividly feel Chairman Lee Jae-hoon's sulkiness even through the phone. It was obvious he was pouting; this guy apparently needed a lot of handling too.
Still, if the conversation dragged on any longer, it'd be trouble. Seizing the timing, I needed to ask the question I wanted.
"But just one thing. I have a question, though I wonder if it's rude. And I'm taking up too much of your time already."
-What do you mean! Talking about the cultural industry is worth three sleepless nights. What's on your mind?
Fortunately, our passion man was ready to ignite his inner fire.
That led smoothly into the topic. After hearing about the industry-wide ostracism surrounding Princess Hina, he gave an answer without a moment's hesitation.
-Ah, that's probably it. They're coordinating to give you the cold shoulder as a group, right?
"Something like that."
-Then one mid-sized company is likely acting as the leader. If a bunch of sand-grain companies banded together, one has to play the water role.
"You mean it's planned?"
-They probably ordered all their lines to ostracize Nuclear Weapon Entertainment. So... Whoa!
In the middle of speaking, Chairman Lee Jae-hoon suddenly jumped in surprise. From the other end of the phone, a woman's sharp voice started ringing out.
-Chairman! Time's up again! It's already been an hour!
I'd heard he had a relative from his wife's side as his chief secretary. That explained it.
Finally under control, our passion man apologized to me and ended the call.
-Ah, Chairman Han. Sorry. My chief secretary's nagging me to hang up again. She's a woman lacking a hot heart... Let's talk again later.
The call ended, leaving a dynamic impression. Setting aside his passion-man character... there was something useful in what he said.
"A leader pulling the strings."
A leader.
Even if they looked like evenly matched mid- and small-sized companies on the surface, there had to be a hierarchy among them.
Spinning a fountain pen over my fingers, I stood up from my seat with a decision.
"First, I need to meet Princess Hina and hear her out."
To make an accurate judgment, hearing from the person involved came first.
From there, I headed straight to the Nuclear Weapon Entertainment girl group dorm.
There... in the corner, crouched like a depression patient slumped like wet cotton, was the complete opposite of the Princess Hina I'd seen before.
"Uh... Chairman Han Seo-jun, you're here...?"
"Princess Hina?"
She looked utterly listless.
Her under-eyes had deep shadows, as if she hadn't slept a wink all night.
First things first: hear her story. Once I force-fed her the macarons I'd brought as snacks, she finally started talking, half-sobbing.
*Sniff*! "So, this is how it happened..."
* * *
"This... is a bit much."
What Princess Hina had suffered was quite malicious.
Flat-out canceling shoots was minor; they ruined clips meant for promo videos.
And the album work? It was loaded with heavy noise including outright profanity.
It was... perfectly designed to shred someone's spirit.
"Don't take it to heart. I'll figure something out."
"How are you going to fix it, Princess Hina? It's clear they're ganging up to freeze us out."
Seeing this once wild, unleashed woman so deflated tugged at my heartstrings.
Whether I liked her or not, she was someone I'd brought in, so it definitely bothered me that she was going through this.
But.
"If I mobilize funds right now and flip the entire industry upside down, it'd be all-out war with CZ E&M..."
It was tough to make any big moves in the entertainment world openly.
Even if I did, Princess Hina's mentality was the issue. In this state, she couldn't do anything.
"Rest for now. When your head's a mess, nothing gets done right."
"Maria did say my complexion looked bad. How about... going to some countryside spot for about a week or so?"
Faint memories surfaced of Maria's profile.
Her late mother was from Naju in South Jeolla Province, I think. If her attendant had ties there, I could send her off with some peace of mind.
"Go ahead. Practice won't work anyway."
"Yeah. Staying slumped like this makes me feel bad for the dorm mates. I'll rest a bit. Sorry for worrying you."
"What worry? Get back to your usual self quick—this version's hard to get used to."
With that, Princess Hina boarded the Naju-bound KTX, holding tightly to Maria's hand, just the two of them.
When I asked if she needed bodyguards for any potential risks, she shook her head and replied.
"Nah. Everyone knows Korea's safe. Maria's enough."
Indeed.
Safe Korea.
Even in areas with fewer CCTVs, major crimes were rare enough to count on one hand.
And so, I saw her off.
Without even a clue what Maria's true face looked like, behind that firmly gripped hand.
* * *
"Toad Media, Star Candy Contents, and... Eden Garden Records."
Back in my office.
Looking at the report from Ammunition Group's intel team, I started reciting the names of the companies that had shaken Princess Hina's mentality.
"It's definitely... weird? Why would mid-tier producers and music distributors gang up specifically on Nuclear Weapon Entertainment like this?"
It was truly hard to understand, no matter how I looked at it.
Especially Eden Garden Records—their actions were pettily excessive for just checking a newbie company.
"One leader pulling the strings. Who? And why?"
Racking my brain over this incomprehensible mess, I habitually spun the fountain pen over my fingers as usual.
The platinum pen whirring with a ping-grr sound stopped dead—and at that exact moment, Kim Won-cheol burst in without even knocking anymore.
"Oh man, big trouble. What's the world coming to? Is the apocalypse already here?"
He looked ready to switch careers to shaman. A bald prophet preaching doomsday, blaming the world.
"What's that cult apocalypse talk?"
"Heh, don't say such harsh words. But something really did happen."
"Huh?"
Either he gained real psychic powers, or... Kim Won-cheol was saying something ominous.
To drive home it wasn't a joke, he handed me a report with a serious face.
"That, our Ammunition Auto collaborator. The Israeli self-driving research venture."
"Ah, Motors Eyes? What's up with them?"
Motors Eyes.
A startup under an Israeli university. With core tech in autonomous driving software for cars, they were very appealing.
That's why their team was scheduled to visit Korea for acquisition or equity investment talks.
However.
"They landed at Gwangju Airport and then... no contact. Vanished into thin air, literally. Not a mouse or bird knows."
"Vanished...?"
Vanished.
An absurd incident in 21st-century Korea.
And... an unpleasant premonition creeping up my spine to the top of my head.
Against my will, at this very moment, the faces of Princess Hina and her attendant Maria flashed in my mind.
Feeling something racing in the wrong direction, I uttered one sentence with a paling face.
"What in the world... is going on right now?"