Chapter 22
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Youngest Son of the Gangster House
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Today, Section Chief Kim was supposed to stop by. Call it prejudice if you want, but I wasn't thrilled about meeting someone from their side one-on-one. So I brought Jin-seong along.
"Section Chief! Over here!"
It was our go-to beer pub.
"Author! Long time no see!"
Section Chief Kim approached with a huge grin plastered on his face.
"Everything going well?"
Even after two meetings, there wasn't a hint of pretense about him. Maybe it was from staring at people's faces for ten straight years, but I prided myself on having developed a sharp eye for character.
"Yes, all good."
Jin-seong raised his arm.
"Auntie! Chicken and beer, please!"
As he said that, I turned to Section Chief Kim.
"Did you drive?"
"Nah. Planning to head home straight from here, so a beer or two's fine."
"Perfect."
Once the pleasantries wrapped up, Section Chief Kim handed over a folder of documents.
A contract, maybe?
"You should take a look first before we talk."
I pulled out the papers from the envelope.
'MOU?'
It was a mutual agreement between our two companies to respect each other and work together smoothly going forward. The standout clause, though, was the 'exclusivity' bit.
"So, just three months of exclusive paid serialization after the free run?"
"That's right."
"That's no different from what we're doing now."
"Ah, well, it's a little..."
Section Chief Kim explained apologetically.
"StoryWorld has a clause that prevents any series already serialized there from moving to another platform mid-run."
"Hm, but it's fine before serialization starts?"
"Yes, exactly. We're just trying to keep hit series from jumping ship. In exchange, we've packed in some killer terms starting from page four."
For works by Memento Mori authors, they'd provide promotions during the free serialization period upon request.
"Even on the first day of release?"
"Yep. Normally, this could backfire—authors grabbing the promo boost and bailing if it flops—but we're betting on your eye for talent. Also, there's a fixed monthly promo quota, so you'd need to schedule it out."
Meaning they couldn't throw everything in endlessly. Still, it was solid advertising real estate.
"StoryWorld skews heavy on male-oriented stuff, but we have romance writers under us too. This won't hurt them, right?"
"Of course not!"
"Then, since the goal is to stop hit series from leaking out, how about lifting the exclusivity one month after the last free chapter? Forcing a series to die without another shot just because StoryWorld passes on it feels too harsh."
"Yeah, I can see that angle. We'll tweak that clause."
By the time we'd covered the main promo perks and assigning a dedicated editor for our company's works, the chicken arrived.
"I'll review it and get back to you. Hold off on the drinks for a sec."
I gave Jin-seong a nod, and he pulled a thick envelope from his bag.
"...What's..."
Section Chief Kim looked flustered as I handed it straight over. He'd never expected a gift.
"Ten chapters of the next work."
"N-next work?"
Kunlun Return and Infinite Reincarnation weren't even finished yet. That reaction was probably par for the course.
But after my trip to Gapyeong, I was burning hotter than ever. I'd tackled romance in my wuxia and imagination-driven thrills in fantasy; for the third, I wanted to weave in that deep human yearning for true happiness.
Emotion. Heart.
"I-I'm reading it now!"
Not that I was ditching my strengths for forced tearjerkers. No, I'd keep all the hooks while layering in emotion as the killer blow.
"..."
"..."
Twenty minutes in, and Section Chief Kim was so locked in that tension gripped me. Then Jin-seong picked up a piece of chicken and asked me,
"Bro, what's the title this time? The last one was too tricky to remember."
Anyone not deep into novels might feel that way. So I went super straightforward this time.
"Youngest Son of the Gangster House."
"Whoa, that's the title? Is that allowed?"
The answer came from up front.
"It works! Hahaha! Sorry, got too sucked in. Perfect title too! But this setup you're using..."
"Possession, right."
Jin-seong jumped beside me.
"Eek? Ghost story?"
Yeah, that was the common view back then. But possession was the most powerful, versatile cliché in the regression-possession-reincarnation trifecta, destined to dominate.
"A genius swordsman murdered, possessing the youngest son of the gangster clan's boss—the very group that might've killed him. How do you come up with this stuff? And this is..."
"Family drama at its core. Growing up under an all-powerful dad, earning his approval while keeping the tension high—that's the fun hook."
"Revenge too?"
"It all builds to what true happiness really means."
"Whoa... You've got it all planned out."
In ten years, stuff like this would flood out daily. But right now? Nothing like it. Corporate drama at heart, but twisted into gangster fare, letting me tap romance vibes too.
"Early on, it'll cover school life clashing with bullies, plus him grinding studies to ace the college entrance exam."
"Taking over the gang? Becoming the king of the night?"
"No. He'll use future knowledge for legit business, unlike his dad. Dad secretly yearns to go straight too, and watching his youngest make it happen fills him with pride. Naturally, he'll compete with his brothers too."
"Sounds fun! This is gold! Modern setting might worry some, but if it's you, it'll hit. So, when do you plan to start serializing?"
I grinned.
"Tomorrow."
Doctor, lawyer, author, idol, judge, gangster, attorney—protagonist's job didn't matter much. The trick was making it fun, blending long-proven genre thrills with stark realism, no magic or martial arts.
In ten years, webnovels like this would pour out like a flood. Right now? Rare as hen's teeth.
-Whoa! New Memento Mori drop!
-Ooh! Next series already?
-Can't wait for this one!
With the first two unfinished, readers were half-skeptical, half-hyped.
First day: seven chapters.
-Holy crap, expectations through the roof!
-It's good! So good!
-Possessing the boss's youngest son?
-Regression, infinite reincarnation, now possession?
-Possession means jumping into someone else's body, right?
Planning to focus solely on this one, I dropped another seven the next day. Fourteen chapters in two days—over half a volume. Readers swarmed in.
-Straight fire!
-Check bullies and MC's uncles shutting down hard.
-Total bully beatdown bliss!
-Wish I had uncles like that!
I cut it right after Dad's suited goons roll up to school and demolish the bullies.
'Tomorrow on, five chapters a day.'
No days off meant 150 chapters a month. Two months: 300, a dozen volumes.
'This one's good for at least 500.'
Might stretch longer, wrapping by year's end.
With the MC conquering finance, politics, corps, and the underworld, material was near-endless.
"Whew, new series after so long—feels great."
I finished tomorrow's batch and headed to the break room. Jin-seong was out painting; Ye-jin was holding down the fort.
"President!"
"Checking reactions?"
Her laptop showed Youngest Son of the Gangster House comments.
"Yeah! Oh, tons of inquiries about contracting with us. Some publishers even offering 9:1 splits if you come aboard."
"9:1, huh. Funny. They wouldn't net much after that."
No matter how much I rake in, publishers have payroll and fixed costs. Better cutting out the middlemen.
"Marketing ploy, probably. 'We've got this killer author—join us!'"
"Any prospects on our end?"
"I'm no expert, so I forwarded submissions to Team Leader Cha."
"Good call. He'll pick winners. If any look contract-ready, set up a meeting with me."
Might recognize faces. Number 7 could be among them.
'If only it were that easy.'
Ye-jin chimed in.
"Webtoon system's stabilizing. Start on Infinite Reincarnation?"
"While we're at it, recruit for Youngest Son too."
"That's three series. Fixed costs..."
Three million per episode, four a month: 12 million each. Tripled: 36 million monthly.
"We can hold till serialization kicks in. I'll keep writing."
"Why not hire colorists, backgrounds, post-processing, and editors full-time instead of the artists? Bigger savings."
Her breakdown made nodding inevitable.
'She's done her homework.'
Ye-jin's passion shone through every word.
"Webtoons are all yours, Team Leader."
"Yes, sir! Leave it to me—top-tier quality!"
I left the break room, chuckling at her salute.
Tomorrow was Saturday. First of August—real summer heat incoming.
'Half a month, debts cleared, fresh start.'
From September, post-expenses income split into two coins. More would rise and fall later, but I'd stick to the OGs. Ethereum next year, so Bitcoin focus now.
'Skipping 100x, 200x, 300x gains? Insane.'
No foresight, you'd hesitate. But I know.
Real estate maxes 3-5x; coins guarantee gold in 8-9 years.
Tesla stock, new town land? Too scattered, headache city.
'Grow the company steady, bank big on coins—done.'
What to do with the cash? Cross that bridge later. Post-that's unknown territory.
'Going hard.'
Jin-seong was painting, looking every bit the artist in baggy sweats splattered with color.
"Ease up! Sun's brutal!"
"Just this spot! Haha!"
Thanks to him, the building's exterior gleamed like new.
'Hm?'
A gaze prickled from afar.
'Who?'
Behind a pole, maybe 100 meters out—but my senses were sharp. Spotted instantly.
'Girl.'
Her eyes weren't on me—they locked on Jin-seong. I relaxed.
'Damn looks supremacy.'
Just painting draws girls? Sigh...
I shook my head, heading inside.
Phone rang.
'Huh?'
Mom.