Chapter 61: Remember, He is Ruin
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 61: Remember, He is Ruin
[Sender: Hermès Korea Ltd.]
[100,000,000 KRW]
I stared at the banking notification, bewildered.
An incentive had been deposited, but the numbers were all wrong.
Why is it 100 million instead of 20 million? Did something go wrong?
Thinking they had made a mistake, I sent a message to Choi Yuriang.
[Choi Yuriang]: It’s not a bonus; it’s an additional tribute.
[Choi Yuriang]: Please accept it with a glad heart.
[Me]: You truly are God-mès.
Damn it, I made a mistake.
I only put 'God' in there once! Lee Yu-jin, you idiot! I should have called them 'God-mès-God'!
Next time, I must not forget to address them as 'God-mès-God.'
I propped my feet up on the computer desk, clicking my wireless mouse as I browsed through WeTube videos.
Jang Ji-hye sat down beside me.
“Not watching League of Legends today?”
“Life isn’t just about League, you know. There’s joy to be found in military tech too.”
“Oh, I know this one. That’s a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, right?”
“It’s a Ford-class! It’s on a whole different level from the old Nimitz generation! Of course, Admiral Nimitz deserves respect, but the Nimitz-class needs to retire already.”
“They look exactly the same.”
“They look completely different! For starters, the number of elevators is different, and the island was moved to a position optimized for aircraft catapult launches!”
“Listen, you are banned from watching military videos in public. It’s to prevent your male fans from having heart attacks.”
“I told you, it’s not a 'military video,' it’s a video about military hardware.”
“It’s the same thing. What’s the difference?”
My younger brother, who was busy pushing two cordless vacuums—one in each hand—chimed in.
“Ji-hye, I’m telling you, if my sister hadn’t obsessed over League and military gear, she really would’ve gotten into the Physics department at Korea University.”
“There he goes again with the nonsense. Hey, there’s no such thing as the 10,000-hour rule. People have a set ceiling for their natural talent.”
I was the one who crumbled before the high hurdle of calculus.
And they say that’s just the beginning of math. Does that even make sense?
“That’s true,” Ji-hye agreed. “I feel it every time I look at Yu-jin’s face. I could spend 10,000 hours on my face and I’d never look like this.”
“Honestly, my face is a mistake made by God.”
“Wow, look at her being all humble-brag. Yu-jin, you’re going to get stoned one day if you keep that up.”
Five robot vacuums whirred noisily around the room.
The house was so big that it took at least five of them to cover the floor.
On top of that, my brother was wandering around with a cordless vacuum in each hand, sweeping up dust.
[Incoming Call: Curator Han Ji-woo]
“Ah, quiet! Quiet! It’s the Curator!”
All the robot vacuums stopped simultaneously. Did my brother perform some kind of magic?
I cleared my throat and answered in my most polite tone.
“Yes, Curator. This is Lee Yu-jin.”
—A casting offer came in from Hollywood. It’s a blockbuster drama set in a medieval fantasy world. The production budget for Season 1 alone is around 700 billion won. If you’re interested, I’ll continue.
As expected of the Curator.
She gives the most important information right at the start and checks for interest.
That cool, chic personality that refuses to waste time—no wonder she was born into a chaebol family and married into another.
“If it’s a US drama, I’d have to go to America to film, right?”
—Most likely, yes.
“I’m a bit… hesitant about America. A country with gun freedom makes me uneasy for some reason.”
—There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. I understand. Should I continue to decline Hollywood offers in the future?
“As long as I don’t have to go to the US, I don’t mind.”
—Understood. Have a good day. Shall we all have dinner together tonight? I’d like to see your face.
“I’d love that.”
—Bring Ji-hye and Yu-seok along too.
“Will do!”
The moment I hung up, my brother wailed.
“Aargh! Turning down a Hollywood offer! What a waste!”
“You heard that? I wasn’t even on speakerphone.”
“Anyone could deduce it just by listening to what you said!”
I thought my brother’s antics would last longer, but after one lament, he went back to cleaning.
The five robot vacuums also resumed their work in unison.
Jang Ji-hye looked at my brother in surprise and whispered to me.
“That’s strange. Why did Yu-seok give up so fast without throwing a tantrum? I thought he’d be on his knees begging you to go to Hollywood.”
“Maybe he’s matured? Did my punches and kicks finally awaken something in him?”
I was also surprised that he stopped after just one complaint.
“Yu-jin! Writer Jung Yoon-ah is here!”
“Oh. Let her in.”
A moment later, Jung Yoon-ah entered the foyer wearing comfortable slippers.
Since we lived in the same villa complex, we saw each other often lately.
“My mom boiled some pork today, and I brought some over because I thought of you.”
“Oh, thank you!”
“Actually, she said she boiled it specifically because she wanted to feed you. I think she was really moved by Yeon Si-ho.”
“Ah, please tell her I’m truly, truly grateful.”
“To be honest, she’s the type who never cooks for her only daughter because it’s too much trouble. Can I be a little jealous?”
“Oh, I’m sorry…”
“I’m joking. Thanks to you, I think I’ll be getting my mom’s cooking more often now. She’s coming again the day after tomorrow.”
Jung Yoon-ah’s mother’s boiled pork with fresh kimchi was delicious.
Still, Yoon Se-rang’s mother’s Eonnyeoni-style boiled pork was the best.
I need to go back and eat that again sometime.
I set aside a portion for my brother, and the three of us ate the pork and kimchi.
When I mentioned the Hollywood casting offer during our conversation, Jung Yoon-ah flinched.
“Are… are you going to do it?”
“No. If it’s a Hollywood project, I’d have to film in the US.”
“T-true. You’d have to go to America…”
“I have a bit of an aversion to countries with gun freedom. It’s scary. So I decided not to do it.”
“You made the right choice! Even John Lennon was shot and killed by an obsessed fan in front of his own apartment in New York! America is too dangerous for our Yu-jin!”
“Who’s John Lennon?”
“Let it be, let it be, let it be. You know that, right?”
“Oh, my mom loves that song. Isn’t he a super famous singer?”
“He was a world-class star musician. The killer even got an autograph on an album just a few hours before!”
Good heavens, America really is a terrifyingly barbaric nation.
Jang Ji-hye also covered her mouth in disbelief.
“Why on earth would someone do that? You said he was an obsessed fan who even got an autograph, not some blackened anti-fan troll.”
“He testified that he killed him out of jealousy for his wealthy life and lifestyle, but in my opinion, I think he was blinded by the 'achievement' of putting his favorite star to eternal rest with his own hands.”
It was truly horrific.
With my reflexes, I might be able to see the firing angle and dodge if someone pulled a gun. But if they fired suddenly from a blind spot, I’d be a goner.
“As expected, it’s best not to even set foot in a country that allows guns.”
“Our Yu-jin has a magical charm that drives people crazy, so you really have to be careful in places like that…”
Writer Jung Yoon-ah’s expression was strangely mournful and pathetic.
She seemed genuinely worried that I’d get shot if I went to America. I was touched.
“Brother, did you hear that? Even the writer, who isn’t even related to me by blood, worries about me like this.”
“Why would I worry about you getting shot?”
“You… you ungrateful brat!”
“If you were getting shot at, I’d already be dead from being shot first. How could I worry about you then? Dead people can’t worry.”
“…”
Unbelievable. How could he spit out such nonsense so calmly and then go back to cleaning?
Jang Ji-hye’s eyes glazed over slightly.
“What touching sibling love…”
“I’ve never seen a younger brother close in age like his sister this much. Shouldn’t this case be published in Nature or Science?”
“He just likes money.”
Jung Yoon-ah hesitated for a moment, looking troubled, before speaking up with difficulty.
“Yu-jin, actually, when I was young, I heard people say I had a bit of a 'divine touch.'”
“Oh, really?”
“My maternal grandmother was a very famous shaman. Even chaebol families and big-shot politicians used to come to her for fortunes. I think I inherited some of that blood.”
Oh, this was interesting.
Others might dismiss it as superstition, but I believed that among the many fakes and scammers, there were a very few real ones.
After all, my own existence and my experience of infinite reincarnation were proof enough that there was mystery in this world.
“Cloyd. Remember this name. You must.”
“Huh? Cloyd?”
“Never, ever get close to him. Stay away at all costs, and always be on your guard. I feel like that name will bring you fatal harm.”
“Understood. Cloyd, Cloyd, Cloyd… Ji-hye, remember it for me in case I forget.”
“Sis! I’ve already memorized it! But that name sounds familiar. Where have I seen it before?”
*
The moment she heard about Lee Yu-jin’s Hollywood casting, Jung Yoon-ah was startled nearly to the point of fainting.
I can never, ever let her go to America!
Two pipe dreams.
Jung Yoon-ah was confused as to whether she had truly just had a nonsense dream or if she had seen a future that was about to happen.
Since she wasn’t the type to believe in superstitions, she had intended to keep it to herself and use it only as a launchpad for creative inspiration.
However, not long ago, after Quarter 2 of Hwan’s Torch was released to the world, her shaman grandmother had suddenly paid her a visit.
Her grandmother stared intently at Jung Yoon-ah’s face and said out of the blue:
「Remember when I told you years ago that you, Yoon-ah, must hold a pen?」
At that moment, Jung Yoon-ah had shivered.
「You are destined to have the chance to barely touch the lever that can either save or destroy the world. So you must, at all costs, keep holding that pen.」
A lever? Leverage? My failed futures trading!
Jung Yoon-ah recalled the memory of her disastrous failure in futures trading.
She felt a wave of immense relief when she heard Lee Yu-jin say she had turned down the Hollywood casting because she hated gun-owning countries.
I couldn’t be the first one to suggest she kick away such a good opportunity. It would sound like nonsense to anyone. Thank goodness, truly.
Still, she couldn’t feel completely at ease, so Jung Yoon-ah took the opportunity to warn Lee Yu-jin using the excuse of her 'divine touch.'
“Cloyd. Be careful of that name.”
In her pipe dream, that was the name of the suitor who died after firing one shot into Lee Yu-jin’s chest and one into his own head.
He was also a young, self-made multi-billionaire ranked among the top 50 wealthiest people in America.
Fortunately, he was still in the United States.
「Remember, Cloyd will lead the world to ruin…」
She felt as if she could hear an auditory hallucination of her own voice whispering from somewhere, and Jung Yoon-ah trembled.
*
In a suite at a hotel with a view of the Han River.
Chris was on the phone with his co-producer, Beto Wiles.
“Beto, I finally found that goddess I saw in Korea.”
—I admire your persistence. But wouldn’t it be better to cast the actress Lee Yu rather than some random civilian?
“That goddess was the actress Lee Yu.”
—Jesus! Is this fate? I’ll draft a casting proposal for her immediately! It would be best to cast her as the Saintess, right?
“I still think she’s perfect for the Heretic Inquisitor who dies heroically in the first episode.”
—Ha, that again? I agree with your vision. But her visuals and influence are far too precious to use up and discard in just the first episode. I don’t want to get shot like the Netscreen CEO.
After a heated debate, Chris finally won, and they decided to offer Lee Yu-jin the role of the Heretic Inquisitor.
Beto would take care of the male actor who had originally been cast. That was why he sat in the Chairman’s seat, after all.
However, Chris’s wish did not come true.
“She declined? Why? Was the appearance fee not enough?”
“They say the actress Lee Yu is still young and is afraid of leaving Korea.”
The real reason was, ‘I won’t set foot in a barbaric gun-permitting country because it’s dangerous,’ but Han Ji-woo had smoothed it over when delivering the rejection.
Chris pondered.
This won’t do. I’ve already ordered the armored car; I can’t give up now.
A Heretic Inquisitor in full plate mail, holding a Doctrine Codex in her left hand and a mace in her right—what if that face was revealed when she took off her helmet?
And what if she heroically martyred herself after completing her mission?
Wouldn’t the viewers die of excitement?
As both an actor and a producer, Chris absolutely had to see that scene.
“If the actress won’t leave Korea, couldn’t the cameras just go to Korea?”
“Chris, are you a genius? Or are you just dying to see the viewers fire shotguns at your armored car?”