Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: TrueDetective
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: 19. Nine Beggars × Green Forest (4)
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Starting a management company isn’t something that happens overnight.
If we’re planning to pull Kichi out in half a year, it’s only natural to start preparing step by step right now.
But if we do that, word about me preparing to establish a company will reach the shady CEO’s ears.
Since it’s going to leak anyway, it’s easier to handle if I bring it up first.
If I suddenly announce I’m starting a company, they might connect it to the Nine Beggars.
But if they think I’m doing it together with my friend Uchi, I figured I could dodge suspicion for a little while.
On top of that, by announcing I’m starting a company, there’s something I can confirm.
The shady CEO stared at me blankly for a moment before asking in a trembling voice.
“Did you just say you’re starting a management company?”
“Yes.”
“Does that mean… you’re quitting Kichi?”
From the shady CEO who asked that, I could sense faint betrayal and disappointment.
And embarrassment.
If the Alliance Leader was the Masked Expert and had passed my plan on to the CEO…
He wouldn’t have reacted like this.
He probably would’ve responded more ambiguously to make me uneasy.
‘The Alliance Leader isn’t the Masked Expert… No, at least he didn’t tell the CEO.’
President Woo Gideon, who had been standing there with his mouth agape, suddenly snapped out of it and stammered.
“H-Hey, Manager Park. Didn’t think you had it in you… You’re bolder than you look.”
When is this guy going to stop calling me Manager Park?
As I thought that, the shady CEO showed displeasure first.
“Manager Park? He’s the head manager of the division, President Woo.”
“What, Sa? You wanna defend a guy who says he’s starting a company right to your face?”
“Well, I’m surprised, but he can’t stay under me forever…”
The shady CEO seemed to be trying to play it off vaguely in front of President Woo Gideon.
Even without that, managers starting their own companies wasn’t uncommon in this industry.
It’s just that succeeding at it was rare.
“I’m not quitting right away. The Green Forest kids still have time left on their contracts, and I need to hand things over anyway. But I’ve made up my mind, so I thought it was polite to tell you two first.”
To put it plainly, no matter what you two say, I’m starting the company and taking Green Forest with me, so don’t waste energy on pointless objections.
President Woo Gideon seemed a bit flustered, but since he had no intention of re-signing Green Forest anyway, he wasn’t that guarded.
“If we were gonna be family anyway, shouldn’t you at least let them drop a single?”
No, he wasn’t just unguarded—he looked ready to squeeze every last drop out of Green Forest until the end.
In contrast, the shady CEO looked like he had a lot to say but held back in front of President Woo Gideon.
“Got it for now… I’ll look for a replacement right away, so let’s talk later.”
“Yes.”
No matter how thick-skinned President Woo Gideon was, he didn’t want to linger between an employee declaring they’re quitting and that company’s CEO, so he said he’d head out.
As I saw President Woo Gideon off instead of the shady CEO, who returned to his office with a hardened expression, I casually said to him.
“When Lamang’s rookies debut, I’ll take care of them. So please look after Uchi’s kids until the contract ends.”
Since he was about to leave empty-handed, he lit up at my offer to look after his junior group.
As a CEO, taking care of his idols until the contract ended was his job anyway. It wasn’t a hard condition.
“Manager Park’s got loyalty. Quitting Kichi for your friend—you’re devoted. Got it, got it.”
President Woo Gideon patted my back a couple times and left.
Dang Sa-cheon appeared silently behind me and muttered.
“Bro, should I take care of that guy who dared hit you?”
How long does this guy plan to keep talking like that?
Anyway, I had other business with Dang Sa-cheon.
Might as well pass it on since he showed up.
“Forget that. I need you to handle something else.”
“What is it? Just say the word.”
I sent Dang Sa-cheon the files via KakaoTalk.
Dang Sa-cheon’s eyes widened as he checked them.
“Profiles for Senior Jeon Ga-ryang, Hwang Bo-yun, and Paeng Ha-buk…? Giving these to me means…”
“With names that sound so wuxia, I figure we should suspect any entertainer like that. Check if they’re connected to the CEO.”
“…Understood.”
I didn’t miss the flicker of disappointment on Dang Sa-cheon’s face.
The Heavenly Demon was like that, and so was Dang Sa-cheon.
What could it mean that with all that power, all they wanted was to become idols?
I gave it up so long ago that I couldn’t fully grasp their feelings.
“Approach it carefully. If they’re not connected to the CEO, they’ll be coworkers.”
“Coworkers…?”
“You need to debut too. As part of the Five Great Generations.”
At my words, Dang Sa-cheon smiled brighter than ever.
Hm… With that gloomy personality, I thought he almost debuted at Kichi somehow.
Turns out he was a visual member too.
* * *
When I got back to Jaha’s house, Uchi came running out barefoot, pale as a ghost.
“Y-You, youyouyou, wh-what did you say in front of the C-CEOs?!”
Oh. President Woo Gideon must’ve told Uchi right after leaving.
Uchi grabbed my shoulders and asked urgently.
“You said you’re starting a company?”
“Yeah.”
“And that you’re taking us with you—that’s real?”
“It is.”
“You never mentioned anything like that to me until now…!”
Uchi looked conflicted.
He’d naturally assumed he’d go to Kichi once his contract ended, but I declared in front of the Kichi CEO that I’d sign with him.
His face said Kichi was off the table now, but instead of arguing, Uchi asked.
“You… You’re really taking all our kids? To your company?”
Looks like he’s not the type to thrive alone either.
His unstable emotions lately might’ve been guilt over going to Kichi by himself.
“If your kids sign on.”
At my answer, Uchi held his forehead and stayed silent for a long time.
A moment later, he finally spoke in a choked voice.
“…So that’s why you suddenly suggested the collab. To boost our kids while you’re still Kichi’s head manager.”
“No… Well, yeah.”
There was no such intention with the collab.
But I couldn’t say it was to block him from becoming the Heavenly Demon’s second summoning sacrifice.
So I let it pass as that.
“I’m pissed you decided on your own… But if you’ll really take responsibility for all our kids, I won’t refuse.”
President Woo Gideon must have some eye for people after all.
He’d properly instilled leadership.
“But I wonder if your kids will agree to move to a new startup company.”
“I’ll convince them. They all know our CEO has no plans to re-sign us anyway. And it’s different if it’s your company.”
“Different?”
“Yeah, different! Our CEO adores you. Your company’s basically Kichi’s subsidiary, right? No worries at all, man.”
“……”
I’d have to endure even if Uchi tried to kill me in half a year.
* * *
The next morning,
I learned firsthand that rumors spread faster than you can imagine.
Less than 24 hours after I declared I was starting a company.
And the only ones who heard were the two CEOs!!
Word that I was leaving Kichi to start my own company had spread through the industry, even turning into rumors that I was already recruiting trainees.
My phone was dead from all the messages.
I plugged it in, slept a bit more, then woke up and checked the arrivals.
Not just reporters and PDs from broadcast stations, but long messages of self-promotion from trainees at various companies—somehow they’d gotten my number.
“No way… I don’t even have an office yet, and they’re applying as trainees…?”
“Are you awake, sir?”
I nearly screamed at the sudden voice beside me.
It wasn’t just that I hadn’t sensed their presence—it was a voice that shouldn’t be there.
“…Sorry if I startled you.”
Baek Na-han glanced indifferently at me, huddled against the wall wrapped in the blanket, then closed his eyes softly and continued.
“If it’s alright, could we speak with Little Monk for a moment?”
Speak?
Is this what the Alliance Leader mentioned?
…Hold on.
“Didn’t you just say ‘Little Monk’?”
“When you’re ready, please come to Bukhansan peak with the Heavenly Demon. I’ll be waiting.”
Na-han pressed his palms together in greeting and left the room.
I sat there stunned for a bit, then rushed out to find the Heavenly Demon.
The Heavenly Demon was in Jaha’s screening room, watching a morning drama on the huge screen.
“Heavenly Demon, we need to go to Bukhansan.”
The Heavenly Demon looked me up and down and smirked.
“In that getup?”
I was in pajamas right now.
Gu Pa Il Bang merch pajamas from Witaxi, no less.
But clothes didn’t matter.
“I arranged to meet Na-han at Bukhansan peak.”
“What, that monk—why go all the way when we live together?”
“You’re kinged off by all the nitpicking truths. Is today’s morning drama that important?”
“The CEO guy finally learns the heroine is his long-lost daughter.”
“Damn it, you’re not leaving right away, are you?”
“Why do these K-CEOs keep losing their kids? Can’t even watch their own spawn and wanna run a company?”
He rags on birth secret dramas like that, yet only watches that genre. Why?
Anyway, since the Heavenly Demon had no intention of leaving immediately, no choice.
Something I absolutely didn’t want to reveal…
“Heavenly Demon, there’s this thing in the world called ‘rewatch’.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s recordings of past episodes. Like the ‘World of the Couple Living in Penthouse’ episode 27 you missed meeting the excommunicated disciples— you can watch it again.”
“What?!”
“I’ll show you how after Bukhansan.”
The Heavenly Demon heaved himself up from the seat.
“Cherry.”
-Yes, Master~
“Where’s Bukhansan? Guide me.”
-Will you go by car or on foot~?
“By Air Step.”
-Displaying shortest route to Bukhansan on the map.
The Heavenly Demon checked the map and scooped me up lightly.
“Let’s go.”
I’m the type to nitpick, so I said.
“Ah, but going like this, my current look…”
“Perfect for hiking.”
The Heavenly Demon had no principles.
When we arrived at Bukhansan, dangling from the Heavenly Demon,
Na-han stood on a cliff no ordinary person could climb.
“You’ve arrived.”
Na-han, who’d been gazing afar, turned to us and said.
“I thought it was Little Monk’s turn, but you seemed busy, so I requested first.”
The Heavenly Demon set me down on flat ground and sneered.
“You’re emitting quite the ferocious aura. Decided to stop living like a tamed beast?”
“Amitabha. Only the patron sees my aura as ferocious.”
I couldn’t hold back and asked.
“Na-han… Why’s your speech… like that?”
“…Where should I start.”
Baek Na-han fell silent for a moment, pressed his palms together, then spoke again.
The story from Na-han’s mouth far exceeded my expectations.
“Long ago, before the Heavenly Demon, a martial artist came to this world.”
“…What?”
“His name was Changhye. Master took me in, raised me, and taught me martial arts.”
What… is this?
A martial artist came to this world before the Heavenly Demon?
But the Heavenly Demon’s expression changed upon hearing Na-han’s story.
“Who did you say just now? Changhye?”
Na-han stared steadily at the Heavenly Demon and nodded.
“The patron must know who.”
“You don’t mean Changhye, the head of those baldies… no, the Shaolin Abbot, right?”
“You know, yet you ask.”
The Heavenly Demon looked bewildered.
I’d never seen him this rattled.
Na-han smiled faintly, as if he’d expected the reaction.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Didn’t expect to hear Master’s name here.”
“…He is a ghost.”
The Heavenly Demon replied coldly.
“Changhye, that child is dead. No way he came here alive.”
“You’re so certain he couldn’t be alive because…”
Na-han trailed off briefly, then continued directly.
“You killed him?”
Even without inner power, I felt killing intent from the Heavenly Demon in that instant.
As I flinched, the Heavenly Demon reined it in immediately, but I couldn’t miss how Na-han’s question had enraged him to the extreme.
“Seeing your reaction, I have to ask.”
Baek Na-han gazed at the Heavenly Demon with sunken eyes and slowly opened his mouth.
“The demon who tore his old friend, the Mount Hua Sword Saint, to shreds, and took the heart of the North Sea Ice Palace’s saintess for inexhaustible inner power—that demon is you, the Heavenly Demon?”
That question clearly struck the Heavenly Demon’s reverse scale.
The vicious killing intent emanating from the Heavenly Demon.
No, more ferocious than mere killing intent.
Filled with deep grudge, pain, regret…
‘I’m dead…’
Ridiculously, I thought I might die.
And the next moment, I blacked out right there.