Chapter 24
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Finding Number 11
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On the way back to Happiness Goshiwon after parting with my mother.
'From now on, I'll make sure you only walk flower paths.'
She seemed happy even without me, but wouldn't it be even better if she didn't have to worry about her son?
She didn't quite grasp exactly how her once-incompetent son was making money now, but today's mom had the smoothest expression I'd ever seen on her.
'Huh?'
As I was crossing the street, I spotted a familiar face inside the hof I frequented, visible through the window.
'Isn't that Jin-seong?'
Glancing over, there was a guy in military uniform sitting across from Jin-seong.
I flinched!
"Hyung!"
Jin-seong spotted me. He rushed out and shouted loudly.
"Heading in?"
"Yeah, meeting a friend?"
"My junior from the unit got discharged today."
"Ah, got it. Have a good time."
Jin-seong grabbed my hand firmly.
"Have you eaten?"
"Yeah."
"Then how about just one beer before you go?"
"With you guys?"
"Yes! I really want to introduce you to my junior, hyung!"
What the hell, no big deal?
Inside, the junior bowed deeply at the waist upon seeing me.
"I've heard so much about you! Big bro! They say you were in the Search Unit! Name's Kim Jin-guk!"
Why does this kid have such a sharp glare? It's giving off weird bad vibes.
"Auntie! One more 500cc, please!"
Jin-seong called out as he sat next to Jin-guk.
"Our names are so similar that in the army, we got lumped together as the 'Jin duo,' the 'Jin zealot brothers' or whatever, haha!"
Doesn't seem like it's just because of the names.
"I'd always wondered what kind of guy the Jin hyung I serve as my superior was like!"
Hey, hey, don't lump us together. I'm not one of you guys.
"When I heard you'd installed CCTV all over the building to watch for spies, it really hit me."
"......"
"Any spots open at HQ? Now that I'm discharged, I can join Jin-seong hyung and get serious about the search operations."
Great, another nutjob just joined the party.
"Our company's not in that line of work."
"I know! Haha! Make money and catch spies on the side, right?"
"Sigh......"
Why do only weirdos like these stick to me?
"I'll serve you with utmost loyalty! Bro! Just give me a place to crash!"
Jin-seong clicked his tongue beside him.
"Hey, is that what a Search Unit guy says? If there's no room, you pitch a tent on the roof. What a wuss."
We're not at war right now, kids.
"Right! I was short-sighted! Just lay out a sleeping bag on the roof!"
"Hey...... You sergeant now, rolling out sleeping bags? Grown up, huh? Back when I was in the unit, I slept on the bare floor."
I don't care what you clowns were up to.
"Jin-guk, right?"
"Yes! Bro!"
"Got any certifications?"
"Nah, but I've never lost a fight in my life!"
Jin-seong grinned beside him.
"Wanna strip ranks and go a round?"
"Haha! How could I? A senior's a senior forever!"
"Sounds like you'd win if I wasn't your senior?"
"How dare I even think that!"
"You're not denying you'd lose otherwise?"
Why are publishing folks trying to brawl......
'Still, two are safer than one, maybe?'
They're weirdos, but somehow reassuring.
But......
'This guy's handsome too. Did they pick him for his looks in the unit?'
Both were tall and dashing, and the women at the next table had been glancing over and giggling nonstop. It didn't sit well that their eyes weren't on me.
I'm in the Search Unit too...... What were our unit's standards?
"If you'll take me, I'll serve you with all I've got starting tomorrow!"
"You just got discharged. Go home first."
"No way! For national service, that's the sacrifice you make!"
Why are you doing 'national service' among yourselves?
"Sigh......"
What a headache. A sigh escaped me naturally.
"Please take me! Bro!"
The hof nearly shook from his yelling, so I waved him off.
"Talk to Ye-jin about it."
If they really end up living on the roof, I might need barbed wire. There are still empty rooms, so shove 'em in there.
"Heading back first."
I couldn't keep up with their energy, so I headed to the goshiwon alone.
Gazing quietly at the night sky, a few thoughts surfaced.
'To lock up and feed 36 people, it had to be a pretty big building, right?'
Scattering them around would've messed up his movements. That guy hated inefficiency most.
'Some remote warehouse or factory in the countryside?'
The clue was that even in summer, no AC or fans were needed.
I ran into Ye-jin in front of the goshiwon. My train of thought broke.
"President!"
"Yeah?"
"The author you contacted is coming by tomorrow afternoon."
"Great."
A modern guy isekai'd to another world and rising through the ranks was a cliché, but he had a knack for it.
The key to webnovels is making even the obvious fun. You have to hook them so they keep reading despite thinking, 'Why am I even bothering with this?'
"Webtoon Teams 2 and 3 will have meetings soon too."
Everything was going smoothly.
"Inquiries from authors wanting to work with Memento Mori Studio have spiked. Team Leader Cha's reviewing manuscripts, but there are more submissions than we can handle, so it'll take time."
"Send them to me too."
"You don't need to handle that. Focus on writing!"
"Nah. I want to see them."
Truth is, I'm looking for familiar handwriting. Number 7 might be in there.
"Got it. I'll compile and send them. But don't overdo it."
"Sure."
Back in my room. Pathetic for a building owner and company president, cramped as hell, but I like it. Best for focus.
Eat, sleep, write.
Do just those three 24/7, and your skills as a writer can't help but improve.
Games, YouTube, SNS, other distractions are what stall you.
-It's Jin-guk!
Those guys from earlier popped into my head.
"Crazy bastards......"
I chuckled despite myself, but seeing types like them gave me ideas for handling my novel characters.
'Scored a character model thanks to them.'
For tomorrow's yakuza maknae arc, I could use Jin-guk as the model for one thug. While thinking that, I searched for traces of Number 7 tonight too.
Clack, clack.
The kitchen renovation was in full swing. With Mr. Hwang, Room 208's uncle, Jin-seong, and Jin-guk all pitching in, it looked like we could finish without spending much.
But noisy as hell.
So to meet the afternoon author, I headed to the coffee shop down the alley, Ye-jin beside me.
"President, you don't need to handle this personally. I or Team Leader Cha could do it."
"It's fine. Gotta move around anyway. Good exercise. What about Jin-guk?"
"Total nutjob."
"I see."
But Ye-jin smiled, clearly not hating it.
"Free labor? No reason to turn it down."
We arrived a bit early; no other customers.
Ordered drinks casually and sat by the window.
Ye-jin asked.
"Mind if I ask something?"
"Anything. Anytime."
"Why bother nurturing newbie authors? You don't have to."
If it was just about money, writing myself and turning it into webtoons would've been plenty.
"I've been there...... in tough spots too."
There were other reasons, but as a fellow flop survivor, I knew their struggles best.
"Once they grow, I can take a break. Better than me solo versus 100 of them."
"......You're already doing the work of 100 alone."
"Can't keep that up forever. The promising ones just need a nudge to grow fast. You'll see."
"Yes."
Ye-jin spoke again.
"But leave author management to me and Team Leader Cha. You can't do everything."
"Got it. Just this first one. Once."
I had to check his face.
As we discussed this and that, someone entered.
A young face, innocent and shy mixed with ordinary vibes—a plain young man.
"......!?"
Seeing him, I couldn't help trembling.
Number 11, I know it's confusing, but you have to push through. Just crying won't cut it.
Yeah! Let's hang in there!
We have to overcome it! Chin up!
If you can't avoid it, enjoy it, right?
The family grew to 11. Didn't know his age, but we all welcomed him warmly.
We'd all been through that initial mental state when dragged here.
He read our chat, then hammered the keyboard with a tear-streaked face.
How do you even gather 100 points? I'm not even first place material—never finished a series! This is a death sentence!
We'd all thought that at first. I did last year too, but after a year, it shifted from 'I can't' to 'Maybe I can.'
Once sales kick in, we'll have a #1 among us. Up till now, stubbornness and giving up led to bad results, but we're all getting the hang of it.
-Whaaaaaah!
The newbie cried again. His face said it'd last a few more days.
Next day.
Hey, no toilet paper—what do I do?
Finally aware of the 'inconvenience.' The whole system here minimizes it to force writing.
Wipe with water for now.
No towels either.
Wipe roughly with your pants, shake 'em out, and wear.
-Whaaaaaah!
Crying again. Soap, TP, toothpaste, brush, towels, pillows—all needed exchange tickets.
Meal time!
Everyone's tray: bean rice, pickled radish, and shit soup. That was it.
-Aaaaaaah!
Number 11 vanished from the screen. Panic attack.
'Gotta adapt quick.'
Chewing radish, I cheered Number 11 on in my heart.
'Number 11......'
Incredible.
"President?"
The face I'd only seen on a monitor was now sitting before me.
"Ah, yes. Sorry. Old memories just hit me......"
Ye-jin cleared her throat, steadying the mood, and introduced me to Number 11.
"This is Memento Mori, our company president and author."
"An honor!"
Number 11 looked at me with sparkling eyes and shouted.
Was he this bright?
"Pen name Shitflop, real name Kim Cheol-su! Nice to meet you!"
I'd saved Cheol-su. Behind his face, Number 7's overlapped. Meeting this familiar face brought a flood of memories.
"By the way......"
I asked.
"Any contacts from elsewhere?"
"Elsewhere? Nope! Haha! My views are like 10!"
You have no idea how huge it is that you met me first.
'Finding 11 means I can meet the others too.'
All my efforts weren't wasted.
"Author."
"Yes?"
"Think you could write seriously?"
In my memory, back when there were only 11 of us, this guy was the first to hit #1.