The GM's Power Trip
Ashbery Town FC's general manager's office.
Daniel's lips twisted into a smirk as he picked up the receiver.
'Alright, then. How should I cook up Cha Kang-min?'
To Daniel, Cha Kang-min was little more than easy prey right now.
For starters, he'd confirmed with the owner that they had no need for him. She'd practically sacrificed everything to bring in Leo. Now that she'd finally secured a verbal agreement with Leo, Cha Kang-min's value had naturally blurred into obscurity.
'And besides, for the budget's sake, it's right to cut him loose.'
In other words, the contract with Cha Kang-min could fall through without issue—or they could slash his wages and call it a day.
Daniel now stood in the perfect position of absolute power.
"Haha."
This was one of the rare pleasures that came with being a general manager.
A GM was just cannon fodder.
Getting chewed out by the owner, the manager, even the players.
Especially at a small second-division club like Ashbery, where to sign the star player the owner wanted, you had to grovel like you were ready to lick their cleats.
Player power trips and agent schemes were daily routine.
So for him, these occasional moments of dominance were like rain in a drought.
Squeezing every last penny out of a player's salary, forcing them to sign amid their humiliation—this was the moment he lived for.
Daniel loved it.
This was why he endured.
The call connected with a click as the other side picked up.
Without greeting, Daniel cut straight to the chase.
"Cha Kang-min? I've got something to discuss about the contract."
He started with a deliberately stiff tone.
"The weekly wage I proposed before? Looks like we'll have to halve it."
From the receiver came the sound of Cha Kang-min drawing a sharp breath. That hint of panic was sweet as honey to Daniel.
—….
"No team's taking you anyway. You know that, right?"
He threw in the sarcasm on purpose.
The thrill of rubbing salt in the wound. Honestly, he savored it.
—…I'll think it over for a bit.
Cha Kang-min's voice sounded strained. Daniel flashed a satisfied smile. Think it over? As if the answer isn't already set.
"Make it quick. We're short on time too."
With a mocking laugh, Daniel hung up.
Cha Kang-min.
Whether he signed the contract or quit soccer altogether, either outcome satisfied Daniel completely.
Leaning back in his chair, he relished the joy of choking the life out of him.
Then, another phone on his desk blared—the direct line to the owner.
"Yes, ma'am."
Daniel snatched it up, his voice instantly deferential.
—Daniel! What about Cha Kang-min? You proposed the renewal, right?
Han Ye-jin's voice was frantic, her usual composure shattered.
"Yes, I just spoke with him. He asked for time to think. Probably soon…"
—Grab him! Grab him however you have to! Cha Kang-min—secure him no matter what!
She practically screamed it.
"Pardon? But you yourself said…"
—Forget all that! Just grab him! That bastard can't quit soccer anyway! Butter him up, keep him on the team—that's your job!
Click.
The line went dead.
Daniel stared blankly at the receiver. The power-trip bliss he'd enjoyed just minutes ago lay in ruins.
'What the hell just happened?'
He had no idea. But one thing was clear: from now on, he was back to being the underdog, reduced to licking Cha Kang-min's cleats if that's what it took.
A few dozen minutes before Daniel's call, I sat in the VIP appraisal room at Sotheby's London auction house.
Across from me was Edward Phillips, Britain's top sports memorabilia appraiser, connected through Alex's relentless digging.
Edward mirrored Alex's exact reaction.
Skepticism at first, then his face gradually filling with awe. After completing his full assessment, he spoke in a voice laced with passion and astonishment.
"Hmm… It really does seem to be Pele's Debut Shoes. Incredible."
He adjusted his glasses and tapped at his computer monitor.
"The value… one moment, please. These days, even before official auctions, VVIP collectors register their buyout bids in advance. The moment this item's details went up, reactions are already pouring in."
"Yes."
I replied calmly.
Having already heard from Alex just how immense its worth was, I figured I wouldn't be shocked by any ordinary sum.
Then my pocket phone buzzed. Ashbery Town—General Manager Daniel Henderson.
"Hello."
—Cha Kang-min? I've got something to discuss about the contract.
—The weekly wage I proposed before? Looks like we'll have to halve it.
Daniel's voice was icy and mechanical, laced with a perverse glee that soured my mood even more.
"One moment, please."
But I hesitated.
Walking away from this contract meant quitting soccer, plain and simple.
A rotation player in the second division, fresh off a major injury.
Not even a top K League side these days, let alone any other team, would touch me.
Yet rage boiled up at the same time. After all I'd poured into this team, this was how they treated me?
'Should I just retire?'
I shook my head.
I had no desire to see the owner Han Ye-jin or that GM Daniel, but Ashbery Town as a club? That was different.
Plenty of fans there still cheered for me. Could I really turn my back on their roars and walk away?
"…I'll think it over for a bit."
—Make it quick. We're short on time too.
Daniel's sneering tone crushed my pride.
The call ended.
'Fucking asshole.'
If I didn't love soccer this damn much, I'd have quit on the spot.
The fact that I couldn't let go? Maybe soccer meant more to me than that woman ever did.
"Sorry about that. Urgent call."
I apologized to Edward. He nodded understandingly and said,
"Assessment's complete. Starting at a minimum of 25 billion KRW."
"…How much?"
I couldn't trust my ears.
"25 billion. At auction? Well… could fetch tens of billions more."
…Insane.
25 billion. Or even more?
"Sell outright? Or auction?"
But something felt off.
Why was I hesitating? This was enough to live worry-free forever.
"Not keen on selling?"
Edward read my face and asked cautiously.
"No, it's not that… Knowing these are really the shoes Pele wore, it just feels wrong to offload them carelessly…"
I didn't even know why I was saying it.
But that's genuinely how it felt. These cleats weren't just an object—they were a piece of soccer history.
'Is this why those guys shell out over 20 billion for them?'
Edward held up a finger.
"Ah, in that case, I have one proposal."
"What is it?"
"Lease them to a museum and share the rental fees and profits. That way, the cleats stay visible to the public, and you get steady income."
That appealed to me. Selling meant gone forever, but leasing? Still mine, with ongoing revenue.
"I'll have the proposal ready shortly. Just wait."
Then my phone rang again. Daniel. I switched it to silent.
I had zero interest in talking to that prick right now.
At that moment, the internet soccer forums were ablaze over one piece of insider gossip.
Daniel massaged his temples as he scanned the fans' reactions.
Excitement over Leo Silva's signing mixed with pity for Cha Kang-min.
How the hell did the team's Premier League promotion dreams tie into one player's retirement?
"Why the fuck isn't this prick picking up?!"
Daniel slammed his desk. Just an hour ago, he'd been the one on top—now he was utterly beneath.
What could he do?
If push came to shove, he'd lick cleats till they shone. That was the GM gig.
As I chatted with appraiser Edward, the appraisal room door burst open and Alex came barreling in, breathless.
"Kang-min, Kang-min! Found it!"
"What is it, Alex? How'd you…"
"Big deal! I snagged a huge one! Oh, good to see you, Appraiser Edward."
"Still full of energy, I see, Alex."
Alex gave Edward a quick nod, then snatched the appraisal fee invoice from his hand.
"I'll cover this. Here—1,000 pounds."
He pulled a check from his pocket and handed it over. Stunned, I stared.
"What are you doing, Alex? That's on me…"
"Forget it! More important—a proposal just came in!"
"Proposal?"
Alex could barely contain his excitement as he shouted,
"From London City FC! They want to sign you—and your cleats!"
"…Pardon?"
What the hell did that even mean?