Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: TrueDetective
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: 10. Heavenly Demon, Are You Perhaps... Something? (3)
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“Then you won’t interfere with our work.”
“Whether you seek revenge on the CEO or not is none of my concern. As I told the administrator, I simply want to know how to return.”
“You plan to go back?”
“Someday.”
This conversation.
It was the one Heavenly Demon had with Shin Tae-eul at the hot springs during the Japan showcase last time.
Heavenly Demon seemed to remember it too, opening his mouth calmly once the recording ended.
“A conversation you had with that Southern Peak Sect bastard, huh. You already know the contents, so why the grave face?”
“…I know, but the Beggar Clan disciples don’t.”
“Hmm?”
“The Beggar Clan disciples would never imagine you said you want to return to your original world.”
That conversation was about wanting to go back to the world he originally lived in—the Central Plains.
But the fans didn’t know Heavenly Demon was from another world.
Heard like this, it could be misunderstood as a thoughtless member only thinking of returning to his hometown amid activities.
“You saw the controversy, so you know, but the problem right now is the fans. If they hear this recording, they’ll think you’re going to quit activities in Korea.”
“I clearly promised those beggars I’d continue as an idol, yet they don’t trust me?”
“There have been a few idols they couldn’t trust lately.”
But how did a recording of that hot springs conversation, with only me, Heavenly Demon, and Shin Tae-eul there, even exist?
I let my gaze drop to the text below the recording.
[Title: Proof Heavenly Demon Plans to Leave.mp4]
[Content: -▶Recording File.mp4-
Heard this by chance on a Japan trip recently.
If I don’t release it, you guys will keep simping for Heavenly Demon, so here it is.
The guy talking to Heavenly Demon is Fake Tae-eul.
Heavenly Demon called him Southern Peak Sect.
Get it now? Your Heavenly Demon only thinks about leaving Korea, wake up lololol]
“…….”
For starters… “heard by chance” is definitely a lie.
That hot spring had only one entrance, and we had access controlled.
I wondered if a hotel staff secretly recorded it, but the CEO books that hotel for every Japan schedule because they manage their staff well.
Even so, if someone accessed the hot springs and recorded, it had to be a Gupailbang sasaeng.
Gupailbang even had sasaengs.
Compared to other fandoms’ sasaengs, they weren’t that extreme—probably because cultivating internal energy built up stamina.
Anyway, it’s a post riding the wave of Heavenly Demon’s leaving controversy, and calling Shin Tae-eul “Fake Tae-eul” suggests a high chance it’s a Blazing Mountain Sect sasaeng.
Access was controlled, but any Gupailbang fan would surely be a martial artist who cultivated at least some internal energy.
Come to think of it, Masked Expert and Yoo Ah-mi slipped in without issue, so sneaking in quietly to record would’ve been easy without getting caught by the controlling staff.
Actually, Masked Expert’s appearance was largely Heavenly Demon’s fault.
Heavenly Demon had known in advance that Masked Expert entered that day.
When I scolded him for not saying anything right away, he calmly countered.
‘Do I have to report every fly that buzzes by to you?’
That’s the senses of a superhuman like Heavenly Demon.
He couldn’t possibly remember every little insect that annoyed him briefly.
Heavenly Demon probably forgot the sasaeng even existed in the same space that day.
Even knowing the Alliance Leader’s internal energy was insane—no, immense—he acted so nonchalant because it was nothing compared to his own power.
Heavenly Demon read through the post, then scowled fiercely.
“This guy’s definitely a Southern Peak Sect fan.”
“Yes? Why do you think that?”
“Right after this, that Southern Peak Sect bastard confessed to raiding the CEO’s mansion. He conveniently omitted that and only twisted my pure intentions—must be a Southern Peak Sect fan!”
“……!”
Heavenly Demon’s words were nonsense, but they gave me a realization.
“Heavenly Demon, why do you think this person only uploaded this part?”
“Southern Peak Sect scum.”
“You might’ve heard it casually, but the front of the recording has Shin Tae-eul saying not to interfere with his revenge on the CEO in that nuance. Comments are cursing him too.”
“My share of the hate is bigger anyway.”
As Heavenly Demon said, fans feeling betrayed by him were flooding hate comments at terrifying speed.
But Heavenly Demon’s bigger share was simply because he was more popular than Shin Tae-eul.
The comments were a battlefield: Beggar Clan disciples cursing Heavenly Demon, aggro trolls fabricating rumors now that they had the chance, Heavenly Demon Divine Cult fans insisting Heavenly Demon wasn’t meant to stay in Gupailbang, and Shaolin fans parking in neutral gear.
[Only pity the fans who said they trusted Heavenly Demon]
[Unbelievable, even a recording lololol do you know how many albums I bought to become a fan? lololol screw being a stan lololol]
[((((((((((((Heavenly Demon, we’ll stand by you))))))))))))]
[Shin Tae-eul’s still on about revenge on the CEO lololol]
[Southern Peak Sect is kinda pitiful at this point]
[I’ll park in neutral for now, the agency will issue a statement]
[Neutrals would park neutral even if someone got murdered in front of them ffs]
[Wants to know how to go back
Was… idol life that hard?
Was Hwajin burdened?
The image from broadcasts…
The trash-talking image…
Did it become a burden at some point?
Sorry… for making you think of going back…]
[Above retard having a meltdown lololololololololol your Heavenly Demon just came to make money lololol]
[He’s not even solo stan, hits clubs all the time, loves booze and girls they say]
[Wherever Heavenly Demon goes, that path will be lined with flowers. Even if it’s hell, I’ll follow]
[Don’t flaunt your Chinese ass, quietly fuck off you leaving bitch]
[Seeing more and more over-the-line comments, this is an anon site doesn’t mean you won’t get sued watch your mouth]
[Hey Baek Nah-han fans, can’t you just stay out if it’s not your fave?]
[How do you know they’re Baek Nah-han fans?]
[From the X and T energy lololol]
I stared at that mess with clouded eyes for a moment, then spoke.
“This recording probably couldn’t be uploaded beyond this point.”
“Couldn’t upload beyond this?”
“As far as I remember, what came after was too unrealistic for ordinary people to accept.”
If my memory was right, the later conversation was.
About Shin Tae-eul raiding the CEO’s home to find evidence he summoned Heavenly Demon.
And telling members they gained internal energy.
If that was in the recording, people wouldn’t take it seriously.
It’d sound like a situational skit filmed for concept.
“So the way to turn this around is simple.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“Release the latter part of this recording.”
The reason Shin Tae-eul called us to the hot springs that day.
Was because he still couldn’t trust us.
He thought if we met naked and bare, we couldn’t record or contact the CEO.
But we went in clothed.
In other words…
I smiled at Heavenly Demon and asked.
“You recorded it well, right?”
That day, I asked Heavenly Demon to record.
I didn’t do it myself but left it to him in case Shin Tae-eul noticed and lunged.
I’d get easily disarmed, but Heavenly Demon could subdue him effortlessly.
Shin Tae-eul said he couldn’t trust us.
And neither could we.
Well, distrusting Shin Tae-eul back then gave us this trump card to flip the situation, so it worked out.
Heavenly Demon smirked, then said in his magnificent voice.
“None.”
…Huh?
“None… what?”
I asked in disbelief, but Heavenly Demon was brazen.
“The recording file.”
“You’re saying… you didn’t record?”
“Not me.”
“Then who?”
Heavenly Demon spoke toward the smartphone I’d confiscated.
“Cherry.”
-Yes, Master~!
“Apologize to the administrator for failing to record that day.”
-Sorry, Master~ What are you talking about? Cherry’s just an AI~!
“Is that so?”
“What do you mean??”
“That guy’s pissed-off face is pretty menacing.”
I laughed in disbelief for a moment, then got serious.
“Why blame Cherry?”
-Yes, Master~!
“Anyway, I asked you to record, Heavenly Demon.”
“I relayed your request to Cherry exactly as is.”
-Did you call me, Master~?
“But why didn’t you record? Was Cherry broken?”
-Don’t call me needlessly, Master~ Cherry’s an AI, has to respond when called~!
“You’re so noisy. Shut up.”
“Why scold the innocent AI?”
“What nonsense? I told you to shut up.”
“……!!”
Treated worse than an AI?
Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue briefly, then explained as if there was no choice.
“I entrusted the recording to this thing. That’s the plain truth.”
“And?”
“One. I overestimated this thing a bit.”
“Overestimated how?”
Heavenly Demon closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and said.
“Voice recognition. In other words, I believed it could recognize telepathic transmission.”
“…….”
I couldn’t hold back and muttered softly.
“Thick-headed idiot…….”
“What?!”
Looks like we go to Plan B.
* * *
“Plan B means burrow. Make the opponent burrow.”
“Kwa burrow?”
“Shut up.”
Without a hint of hesitation, I spat the curse, and Heavenly Demon leaned back in the chair with a slightly shocked expression.
The chair was the CEO’s luxury seat.
The actual CEO sat on the sofa opposite me, watching me with an inscrutable smile.
A moment later, the CEO smiled and spoke.
“With this happening, you think only the CEO is reliable… right?”
Ha.
I scowled and answered firmly.
“Yes.”
“…….”
“You’re asking the obvious. Why else are you the CEO? You’re there to handle stuff like this, aren’t you?”
The CEO’s eyes chilled briefly, then regained their light.
“I figured after humiliating me at the fanmeet, you wouldn’t come crawling back out of shame.”
“That hurts. You know that was the best option, CEO.”
“Wasn’t it the best from Soi’s perspective?”
The CEO said that, but I couldn’t sense any dissatisfaction in his expression.
If anything, he looked a bit relieved.
“Well… nothing changed in the end, so it doesn’t matter.”
Nothing changed in the end?
Even after I made it sound like the ex-disciple kids would return at the fanmeet, he could sweep it under the rug from his position.
That was actually what I wanted.
I planned to make the Gupailbang members terminate contracts anyway.
The ex-disciple kids would be better off not tangled with Kichi anymore.
“What on earth is Soi thinking…….”
The CEO peered at me murmuring, then laughed as if it didn’t matter.
“So, what do you want my help with?”
“I want to find who uploaded the recording.”
“And after finding them?”
“I’ll leak their full recording file online.”
Just that much, and the CEO looked like he got it.
“Releasing the full thing will undermine the credibility of what’s already out, huh.”
“Right.”
“I heard the recording—something about revenge on me… bold of you to ask me for help. Is it okay if I hear it too?”
That’s true.
Not sure how far they recorded.
But it’d be Shin Tae-eul’s confession of raiding the CEO’s house.
And that Gupailbang’s choreography was actually internal energy cultivation method.
After that, Masked Expert showed up and it turned chaotic, so nothing much else.
The contents were things the CEO already knew I’d heard from Shin Tae-eul.
“Good idea. Who’d believe such nonsense…? The prior talk will be dismissed as ravings too.”
“Then you’ll help…….”
“But.”
The CEO cut me off with an infuriating smile.
“What if I don’t want that story public?”
“……!”
I hadn’t thought that far.
Was that story a weakness for the CEO?
Why?
The Gupailbang members didn’t know yet?
But from the vibe, he seemed aware the Alliance Leader and I had internal energy too.
Those without like Namgung Jun would think it as absurd skit like ordinary people.
Why can’t this story go public?
Then the CEO suddenly burst out laughing.
“What’s that, Soi? The face of someone who just grabbed my weakness?”
“Ah…….”
“To clear up the misunderstanding, it’s not some shameful secret.”
“Then what?”
“Just…….”
The CEO leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs.
“A bit of pettiness?”
“…Pettiness?”
“This level of controversy won’t badly damage Heavenly Demon’s image. He’ll keep working in Korea, and in a few years, it’ll fade. You know that too, Soi—yet you came to me, so… it’s about Jun’s image?”
He’d already figured I’d been trying to get close to Namgung Jun lately.
But Namgung Jun was still a Kichi agency idol.
“You’re saying Namgung Jun’s image doesn’t matter?”
“Jun’s image turning bad isn’t Heavenly Demon’s fault.”
The CEO wiggled his foot as he continued.
“I was disappointed too. Jun worked harder than anyone as a trainee… didn’t expect him to become so listless after debut.”
“I’m trying to do something about it, and you’re obstructing?”
“I didn’t release the recording. If anyone’s at fault, isn’t it those two for carelessly chatting outside and getting recorded without caution?”
“…….”
“You wanted to grab my weakness and wield it, huh… Soi, not just anyone can play the villain.”
I stared at the CEO silently, then asked.
“You won’t help because it won’t greatly harm Heavenly Demon’s image?”
“That’s right.”
“Got it.”
As I stood, the CEO looked up at me curiously, wondering what I’d do.
I pulled a torn hanji from my pocket and handed it to the CEO.
“If you don’t meet my demand, I’ll post this on SNS.”
“What’s this?”
“Heavenly Demon’s handwritten ink poem.”
The CEO’s expression grew strange, then he took the hanji from me and began reading it down.
His face changed by the second, and at the last line, he paled in shock, then muttered stiffly.
“This definitely… can’t be let out into the world…….”
“What?!”
Heavenly Demon bristled, but the CEO and I ignored him.
The CEO stared at the ink poem for a moment, then chuckled shortly.
“But isn’t it too sloppy? Now that this paper’s in my hands… I can just tear it to shreds?”
Fair point.
I nodded indifferently and said to Heavenly Demon.
“Heavenly Demon, will you grant me one request?”
Heavenly Demon scoffed.
“I don’t grant just any request.”
Says the guy who dances and sings on any variety show asked.
I calmly added.
“If you do, I’ll return what I confiscated.”
“What’ll it be?”
“Not right now.”
I turned to watch the CEO’s trembling pupils and asked.
“What if Heavenly Demon recites this on Universe Live?”
“……!!”
“If you won’t help, I’ll tank Heavenly Demon’s image.”
So… who’s the villain now?