Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 008
Chapter Title: Clue to Resolution (1)
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'Hoo... What an unfriendly System. Can't it just tell me straightforwardly for once?'
How lofty and arrogant this System must be.
[***There are currently items that cannot be opened.]
[***Detailed information on the person in question is hidden.]
If it's going to teach me, it should teach me fully—not leave me hanging like this.
I'm also curious about that previously mentioned "additional harvestable stats."
'Maybe... I acquire one of the specialties they possess?'
That's a plausible hypothesis.
Yeonwoo's gaze shifted to Kwon Seonghyeon.
Kwon Seonghyeon, who had always only eaten fruit peeled by others and was clumsily hacking away at an apple with awkward knife work, noticed and flashed another pristine smile.
'By the way, that guy's specialties are incredibly flashy.'
Even a rough look revealed more than five of them.
And the grades listed alongside were dazzling—all S-grades except for one.
Utterly incomparable to some no-name actor's C- grade specialty.
'A top actor's specialties would be nice to snag, right?'
I have no idea what effects they have, but they sure look appealing.
Oblivious to Yeonwoo being lost in thought, Kwon Seonghyeon grinned widely and held out a plate of apples.
"Mr. Yeonwoo, have some. It's really delicious."
A three-year-old kid could have peeled them better than this. Whether he was trying to peel the skin or just leave the seeds, Yeonwoo accepted the unrecognizable result.
At the same moment.
-Ding!
[You have successfully harvested lifespan.]
[Harvested lifespan: 2 days]
Yeonwoo thought again.
This guy. Not exactly normal, but he might be worth keeping an eye on a bit longer.
***
Day two since Kwon Seonghyeon woke up.
-Yeonwoo, my boy. You free for a moment?
The call Yeonwoo had been waiting for finally came.
"Yes. Did you find Jeong Cheolwoo?"
-Indeed. Just as you said—a real piece of trash.
After receiving the penalty.
Yeonwoo had borrowed Han Suhwan's connections to dig into Jeong Cheolwoo, the culprit behind it.
Looks like the results were in.
-That scum. Word around the industry is he rolled in the dirtiest corners of showbiz.
Rumor had it he was notoriously filthy, with so many enemies that tracking him down wasn't even hard.
A truly rotten guy. Guess where I found him?
"Where?"
-A members-only club. Get this—he was peddling Seonghyeon's name.
"Seonghyeon? You mean Kwon Seonghyeon?"
-That's right.
At that moment, a scene flashed in Yeonwoo's mind.
-People keep recognizing me because I look like Kwon Seonghyeon.
Jeong Cheolwoo, grinning sleazily like a lecherous toad.
'What a stone-cold bastard.'
-His arm seemed injured. He's been holed up at the club since four days ago, yapping about how his injury delayed his comeback.
Four days.
Exactly when Yeonwoo had received the penalty.
Was this mere coincidence?
"That doesn't seem to be all, though?"
-You're right. He was impersonating Seonghyeon and up to no good.
Han Suhwan skipped the details.
But Yeonwoo could guess the sort of deeds.
Taking full advantage of the dim lighting, no doubt.
'Obviously, trash doing trashy things.'
Using Kwon Seonghyeon's name, that is.
The more scams Jeong Cheolwoo pulled off impersonating him, the more victims unaware of the fraud would curse Kwon Seonghyeon.
-Lately, some nasty stock market gossip about Seonghyeon was making the rounds.
Filthy, sordid stuff...
I'd been wondering how such rumors could stick to pure, upright Seonghyeon.
Now I get why you pinpointed that guy for me.
You already knew, didn't you? Huh?
-Always in your debt. You did this on purpose for me, right?
Telling his wife would devastate them.
Your thoughtfulness never ceases to amaze me.
That's the perspective of someone who's seen the bigger world, I suppose.
Hmm.
This old man is misunderstanding something.
-Thanks to you, we nipped that dirty rumor in the bud before it spread.
An idol's image can plummet in an instant, and even if it's all a misunderstanding, rebuilding takes immense time and effort.
For an entertainer like Seonghyeon, it would've been disastrous.
You've saved him—and my old friend's family too.
That boy is like a sore finger already; if he got hurt, my friend would suffer as well.
Once more, I owe you a huge debt.
Without you, something horrific could've happened right under our noses.
Han Suhwan's deep, steady voice conveyed profound gratitude.
'Ah, this old man. He's got another weird misunderstanding.'
Has he got hearts in his eyes or something?
No point denying it—he won't listen.
'Just let him keep the misunderstanding.'
-If it's alright, may I handle that scum myself?
Jeong Cheolwoo, who had inflicted the penalty.
His usefulness had vanished clean upon meeting Kwon Seonghyeon.
Hadn't even the wrong path been corrected?
"Do as you please."
-Much obliged. I'll make sure your tip doesn't go to waste.
With Han Suhwan grinding his teeth, Jeong Cheolwoo was in for a fate worse than death.
Sure enough.
A few days later.
Portals everywhere plastered Jeong Cheolwoo's name and photo front and center.
[Actor J impersonating top star K.]
[J scams dozens of victims.]
[J booked today on drug trafficking and fraud charges.]
[Actor J, who impersonated celeb K, sued for defamation.]
[J's alumni interview: 'J was notorious as a delinquent kid.']
[Uncovering J's school violence past.]
The Child Spirit watching TV clicked his tongue.
[That jerk—isn't he the one who pissed me off before? The sea anemone who bragged about looking like our actor. Knew he'd pull something, tsk tsk. Had total con artist written all over his face.]
No one but Kwon Seonghyeon had been targeted.
Jeong Cheolwoo's scandal was plenty to stir up society for a while.
His past misdeeds came to light in stark detail.
Testimonies and eyewitness accounts poured in.
Revealed he'd been trading on Kwon Seonghyeon's name for ages, public sympathy boiled over for the biggest victim: Kwon Seonghyeon.
As a result, Kwon Seonghyeon reaped higher name value and reputation without lifting a finger.
Though he himself seemed largely indifferent.
And that night.
-Ding!
Yeonwoo heard the familiar alert.
[You have perfectly completed the hidden mission.]
[The mission completion fully releases the penalty.]
The answer wasn't Jeong Cheolwoo.
The correct one was Kwon Seonghyeon.
***
[All reduced lifespan is restored due to full penalty release.]
[Additional lifespan granted for perfectly completing the hidden mission.]
With the penalty lifted, Yeonwoo recovered all lost lifespan.
Plus a bonus on top.
'As I suspected—Kwon Seonghyeon really was the key.'
Unlike the first partial release, this one came with "perfectly."
Yeonwoo grinned brightly, glancing at Kwon Seonghyeon gleefully mangling fruit.
Was some fruit-related death ghost possessing him from a past life? Kwon Seonghyeon was desperate to feed Yeonwoo.
If he didn't eat, it'd probably cost more lifespan.
Sure enough, just as the thought crossed his mind, a system window popped up over Kwon Seonghyeon's head.
[Harvestable Lifespan: +3 days]
In other words.
"Please, won't you eat this?"
'No. Why is this guy so hell-bent on force-feeding me?'
Ugh, this rascal...
Fine. If he's offering, might as well take it.
Yeonwoo indifferently reached out and speared a mushy peach mangled from over-handling with a fork.
Then.
-Ding!
[You have successfully harvested lifespan.]
[Harvested lifespan: 2 days]
Already, the lifespan forcibly granted from Kwon Seonghyeon neared a month.
Easier and quicker than most requests.
[Yeonwoo, stop taking our actor's lifespan! What if he dies young?!]
Only the Child Spirit fretted.
"He's the one dying to give it. What can I do? Besides, that guy's got long life written all over him. Really long."
Roughly estimating from his innate power and aura, but whatever.
To Yeonwoo, Kwon Seonghyeon looked good for 120.
Skim 20 years off, and he'd still hit 100—no qualms handing out lifespan.
"Wow... You're really versatile, Mr. Yeonwoo. So you read palms too?"
"...I'm not a fortune teller."
"Oh, right. That's true. It's just so amazing."
Kwon Seonghyeon nodded with a pristine smile.
"Anyway, isn't it boring lately?"
"Well..."
"Things should pick up starting tomorrow. I was gonna rest more, but it feels like time to return. Gotta report I'm alive for the worried fans, you know? Agency's nudging too, and you seem bored, Mr. Yeonwoo."
As Kwon Seonghyeon said, public concern for him was massive.
With Jeong Cheolwoo's scandal out, the reason for Kwon Seonghyeon's seclusion—a long hospital stay from an accident—became known.
Media covered it heavily; online was chaos.
-Is Kwon Seonghyeon terminally ill? Real?
-Nearly brain dead? That's why no news for months.
-Did Kwon Seonghyeon die?
ㄴOur Seonghyeon didn't die. He's fine. Discharging soon.
ㄴAgency posted. All terminal/brain death rumors are fake.
-No way that Z-lister sea anemone screws over our Seonghyeon;;
-Seonghyeon oppa, come back safeㅠㅠᅲᅲ Waiting...
It had died down some, but embers could flare anytime.
Yeonwoo fully endorsed resuming activities to show he was hale.
Yeonwoo nodded.
"Good. Take care."
Kwon Seonghyeon blinked his long-lashed eyes in confusion.
"You're coming too, Mr. Yeonwoo?"
"Pardon?"
"Pardon?"
Their gazes met.
Staring blankly at each other, Yeonwoo sensed something off.
"Why would I go to your workplace?"
"Aren't you moving with me? That's what I thought."
"Pardon?"
"Pardon?"
"......?"
"......?"
As they started blankly staring again, an interrupting voice cut in.
[What're you talking about? Working for our actor?]
Flutter!
"Huh...?"
Their heads turned to one side.
Precisely, to the windowsill where warm spring breeze wafted through the open window.
[Our actor, you're coming back! Awesome!]
The voice's owner shouted gleefully once more.
Along with it, flutter!
Loud wingbeats echoed again.
"...Dongja?"
"Dongja-ssi...?"
The figure—no, creature—receiving their stares declared proudly.
[That's right! It's me, Dongja!]