Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 510: Downfall (2)

"Does he still have ties to Ace Entertainment?"

Unaware of the growing suspicion, Baek Sae-Gi continued passionately. "The politicians Ace Entertainment knows are..."

At that moment, Ju Ho-Sung urgently cut him off. "Mr. Baek. Even if it's just your opinion, saying things like that can cause misunderstandings."

Only then did Baek Sae-Gi realize his mistake and clamped his mouth shut. He looked at me with eyes that seemed to say he had been tricked. Stripped of his refuge and briefly revealing his true colors, he now stood as a defeated man. Despite being considered as talented as Kim Dong-Soo, Baek Sae-Gi was still no match for someone who had returned from the future.

As Baek Sae-Gi fell silent, Kang Gam-Chan scolded him. "I can't blame you for having some attachment to Ace Entertainment, Team Lead Baek. But you need to be clear about where you stand. Don't forget that Eun-Ah was almost crushed by Ace Entertainment. Isn't that right?"

Baek Sae-Gi trembled and lowered his head. "I-I'm -sorry... I didn't mean to cause any misunderstandings."

"Good. You should be sorry!"

As Kang Gam-Chan's eyes glared at him, Baek Sae-Gi couldn't say another word.

Then Kang Gam-Chan addressed the rest of us. "Ace Entertainment is finished! So take this opportunity to promote Hoop Entertainment's actors and singers so they can take those spots."

Even Kang Gam-Chan seemed relieved as he declared the downfall of Ace Entertainment.

"Yes, sir!"

Kang Gam-Chan then brought up the global idol project. "Now, everyone. Listen up! I have an announcement to make."

All the team leads looked at Kang Gam-Chan attentively.

"We're partnering with SBC to directly produce a global idol project."

The team leads exchanged startled glances. Due to the merger with Gwanwoo Entertainment, everyone knew the company didn't have enough money for such a large-scale project.

"Mr. Kang, how will we cover the production costs for an audition program like that...?"

Kang Gam-Chan answered, "Team Lead Jung has already secured all the production costs. Plus, the broadcasting station has agreed to handle the promotion."

"A-already?"

"That alone would cost at least six billion won..."

The team leads began whispering among themselves while stealing glances at me. They couldn't believe that everything had already been decided without their knowledge.

Then, Han So-Yoo from Singer Division 1 asked, "How much is the production cost, Mr. Kang?"

"At least ten billion won, up to twelve billion."

"Pardon?"

Everyone was stunned by the enormous amount.

"There were so many investors that we actually had to scale it down. There's still some fine-tuning left, but the project itself is confirmed. So keep that in mind."

The team leads exchanged bewildered glances, unable to hide their surprise. Seeing their reactions, Kang Gam-Chan continued. "And since we got results, there's got to be a bonus. Right, Team Lead Jung?"

I hadn't expected to receive a bonus for this project as well.

"As a performance reward, you'll get two hundred million won in cash and a 3% share of the total profit."

"I'm sorry?"

Until now, the highest bonus anyone at Hoop Entertainment had received was the hundred million I got. This time, they were offering double that amount. On top of that, they were also giving me 3% of the profits from the audition program.

The projected profit, excluding the investment, was roughly twenty billion won. Three percent of that would amount to around six hundred million won. In total, I would receive approximately eight hundred million won.

"M-Mr. Kang..."

"Don't refuse it. You basically handled this audition program on your own."

"Th-that's not true. Mrs. Ahn and Mr. Lee helped with the proposal..."

Ahn Ye-Eum chuckled and shook her head. "All we did was draft the company's selection proposal. Turning that into a program format and bringing in investors was all you, Team Lead Jung. We hardly did anything."

Kang Gam-Chan chuckled. "I'll make sure both of you receive a fifty million won bonus as well, so don't worry."

Since the other two were getting bonuses, I no longer had any reason to refuse mine. "Understood, sir."

Looking at the envious expressions of the other team leads, Kang Gam-Chan wrapped things up by reminding them that the company rewards success, encouraging them to do their best as well.

Just then, I received a Kk Talk notification on my phone.

[Finance Division's Assistant Manager Jung Sung-Ah: Mr. Jung Yoon-Ho, we have deposited your two hundred million won bonus. Taxes have also been processed.]

I instantly opened Cameo Bank to check my account balance.

[Cameo Bank: Jung Yoon-Ho]

[Deposit: 200,000,000 won (Bonus)]

[Total Balance: 342,094,150 won]

While I was still staring at my account in surprise, Kang Gam-Chan was rallying the team leads. "With the industry's number one gone, let's make sure Hoop Entertainment fills that gap!"

The team leads responded with slightly excited voices. "Yes, sir!"

Only Baek Sae-Gi responded reluctantly.

"...Yes, sir..."

As I watched Baek Sae-Gi, I made up my mind not to let him have his way from now on.

***

After the team leads' meeting, Baek Sae-Gi headed to the break room at the end of the hallway, hoping to cool off.

He opened the fridge, grabbed the first drink he saw, twisted the cap off, and chugged it down. The cold carbonation burned down his throat. His anger was boiling over, but the fizzy sensation and sweet apple flavor still registered on his tongue.

However, his mood plummeted again when he looked at the label. In his hand was a vitamin drink featuring a smiling Powertuff Girl character.

"Fuck... Why the hell would they stock something only kids drink!"

The fuming Baek Sae-Gi hurled the half-empty bottle toward the plastic trash can.

Crash!

The lid shattered, scattering shards in all directions.

"Damn it..."

He tried to calm himself down, but it was impossible. Ace Entertainment, the company he had hoped to return to, had suddenly collapsed, and he had no clue how to deal with Jung Yoon-Ho.

Although he had quickly gotten close to the members of Actor Division 3 and taken control of the division, Ju Ho-Sung still made things difficult.

'Now what...'

With Ace Entertainment gone, he had no choice but to succeed in whatever tasks Choi Man-Sik assigned him. Holding his throbbing head, Baek Sae-Gi searched for a solution.

Just then, the door creaked open. Ju Ho-Sung stepped in, his eyes scanning the room until he noticed the broken pieces of the trash can scattered across the floor.

Ju Ho-Sung chuckled and said, "Breaking stuff like this won't bring Hoop Entertainment down, Mr. Baek."

Since they had known each other well back at Ace Entertainment, there was no need for formalities.

Baek Sae-Gi scowled, "Get lost if you're just here to spout crap."

Ju Ho-Sung smirked. "Wow, is this how you repay the guy who saved your skin earlier?"

"Saved me? You?"

"Man, look at you playing innocent. If I hadn't stepped in back there, everyone would have pegged you as a spy from Ace Entertainment sent to sabotage Hoop Entertainment. Then again... maybe that rumor's already going around, huh?"

Baek Sae-Gi glared at Ju Ho-Sung. "Shit! W-Who said that?"

"Seems like you're the only one who hasn't heard."

Baek Sae-Gi snapped. "Stop spouting nonsense, you jerk!"

Ju Ho-Sung just kept grinning. There was something about his smirk that Baek Sae-Gi found particularly irritating. Ju Ho-Sung always wore a cheerful expression, but underneath that smile lurked something sinister. On top of that, he had a notorious weakness for money and women—another reason Baek Sae-Gi despised him.

Perhaps what made him dislike Ju Ho-Sung the most was how much the man's dual nature resembled his own.

Baek Sae-Gi growled, "Cut it out with that creepy grin, will you?"

Ju Ho-Sung chuckled. "Unfortunately, there's not much I can do about my face."

"Damn it... So what do you want? You wouldn't be here without a reason."

"Let's team up."

"What?"

Ju Ho-Sung shrugged. "Face it, Mr. Baek. You'll never beat Team Lead Jung on your own. You've seen it yourself, haven't you? He's not just some ordinary guy. Even Chief Kim Dong-Soo couldn't handle him. And neither could I."

Ju Ho-Sung was the type who constantly smiled and acted complimentary, but he rarely gave genuine praise to anyone. Despite his reputation for chasing after money and women, he was undeniably talented.

He was on par with Baek Sae-Gi when it came to work. Yet, here he was, acknowledging that Jung Yoon-Ho was superior to both of them.

"You think... I can't beat Jung Yoon-Ho?"

"Hey, if you don't believe me, go ahead and try. But let's be honest...the odds aren't looking great. So I'll cut to the chase. That guy's a monster. You saw it earlier, didn't you? He single-handedly secured a ten billion won project without anyone even catching wind of it. Neither of us could pull off something like that... not even President Im Sung-Hak could raise that kind of money so easily."

Baek Sae-Gi clenched his teeth as Ju Ho-Sung had a point. Using company funds was one thing, but even Im Sung-Hak—the president of what was once the number-one entertainment company—couldn't gather money that quickly.

Taking a deep breath to suppress the bitter feeling in his chest, Baek Sae-Gi slowly opened his mouth. Yet, what came out wasn't quite what he had intended to say. "Sure, the guy's got some skill... but he's no monster..."

Ju Ho-Sung tilted his head. "Let's not waste time arguing. It's easier to just accept the truth."

Baek Sae-Gi stayed silent.

Ju Ho-Sung smirked as if he had expected that reaction. "Come on, Mr. Baek. You want to take Jung Yoon-Ho down, right? So let's work together."

"You're really asking me to team up with you?"

"Yep. I tried going up against him alone, and it didn't work out."

Back at Ace Entertainment, the two of them had never gotten along. They had kept their distance from each other, but now circumstances had changed. With Ace Entertainment gone, Baek Sae-Gi had no choice but to succeed here if he wanted to fulfill his promise to Choi Man-Sik.

Baek Sae-Gi asked, "If I team up with you... does that mean I'm teaming up with Kim Dong-Soo as well?"

"If he comes back, we'll get rid of him. That guy never sides with anyone but himself."

Baek Sae-Gi quickly weighed the risks and benefits. Finally, he took a difficult step forward. "Alright. Let's do it."

"Good choice."

And so, two men who had once despised each other found themselves forming an uneasy alliance and united by their shared enemy, Jung Yoon-Ho.

Neither of them, however, revealed that they both had the same secret backer: Choi Man-Sik.

***

On the day Im Sung-Hak was arrested, I met with Wang Min for a brief chat over tea. Unfortunately, his tight schedule left us little time to talk, so I handed him a gift of red ginseng and promised to meet again next time.

For the next few days, chaos ensued due to the fallout from the Ace Entertainment raid. Their actors and talent agents panicked over the possibility of bankruptcy, neglecting their fieldwork and causing a massive disruption in filming schedules. Even I found it a bit overwhelming.

As promised, Seo Jae-Ill began thoroughly investigating both Ace Entertainment and PMK. Only then could I shift my focus back to my regular work.

After several busy days as a talent agent, the year-end joint concert featuring Cherry Blossom and Kang Ha-Na was fast approaching.

Beep, beep, beep.

The alarm sounded. It was December 23rd, 6 a.m.

After getting up, I headed to the second floor to wake Yoo-Jin and Miso, who had come up to Seoul the night before. The two of them had to record one of the original soundtrack songs for Hwaranjeon today.

I mixed up a special juice and then woke them up. "Yoo-Jin, Miso. It's time to get up."

Yoo-Jin stepped out of her room with puffy eyes. "Oppa... you're here."

Miso rubbed her eyes and came out as well. "Huh? It's Uncle Yoon-Ho!"

"Yeah. Did you sleep well, Miso?"

Miso smiled sleepily with half-closed eyes. "Uh-huh!"

"Drink this after you wash up. It's a special juice to help with today's recording."

Before washing up, Yoo-Jin held out her hand as she was eager to drink it right away. Miso followed Yoo-Jin's lead. The two of them downed half the glass of juice in one go.

This chapter is updated by freēwēbnovel.com.

"Ahhhhhh!"

"Kyahhhhh!"

They both scrunched up their faces and let out high-pitched screams. Their voices came out clear and crisp as if their vocal cords had just been tuned. Nevertheless, they still had half the glass left.

"Finish the rest."

Looking miserable, Yoo-Jin asked, "Ugh... Oppa, what is this?"

Miso stuck her tongue out and said, "Uncle Yoon-Ho... this tastes rotten! Is my stomach gonna hurt?"

I shook my head firmly. "Sae-Ri drinks it all the time. You'll be fine."

This special juice, which Sae-Ri swore by for her throat, was a mixture of apple extract, balloon flower syrup, lemon juice, and bitter sophora root tea.

Yoo-Jin exchanged a glance with Miso. They were clearly up to something.

Then Yoo-Jin whispered, "Miso, grab him."

"Okay, Mom!"

Miso quickly grabbed my hands and held them tightly.

"Mom! I got him!"

"Good job!"

Yoo-Jin poured the remaining juice from both their glasses into one, filling it to the brim. "Oppa, you should drink this too. It's not just good for your throat but it's also great for your body. You've been super busy lately, haven't you?"

She held the glass of brown liquid right up to my face.

I stuttered, "I-I'm good... I already had some."

"Come on~ Don't lie to us."

Miso nodded in agreement, gripping my hands tighter. "Yeah, no lying!"

When I pressed my lips together tightly, Yoo-Jin smirked. "If you don't drink this, I'm not doing today's schedule~"

'That's not fair, Jung Yoo-Jin.'

I had no choice. Taking a deep breath, I bravely downed the special juice.

Gulp, gulp.

I couldn't taste the sweetness of the apple, the sourness of the lemon, or the bittersweet flavor of the bellflower root. Only an intense bitterness hit my brain like a direct shock.

At the same time, a powerful wave surged from my lower abdomen, and a sharp, clear high note burst from my throat.

"Ahhh!"

I felt like I had suddenly mastered vocal resonance.

***

On the way to the company, Yoo-Jin asked, "Oppa, what's going to happen to the actors at Ace Entertainment now?"

Even on the set of Hwaranjeon, there was commotion because of Ace Entertainment's actors.

"The remaining shareholders have to decide what to do with the company. Anyway, don't worry about that. Just focus on today's recording and your year-end schedule. That's already enough to keep you busy."

After recording the original soundtrack for Hwaranjeon, Yoo-Jin and Miso were scheduled to perform the song as guest artists at a year-end joint concert. Then, there was the year-end awards ceremony and Hwaranjeon's production presentation. Yoo-Jin's schedule was packed with barely a moment to breathe.

As we continued chatting about upcoming events, we soon arrived at the company's underground parking lot.

After helping Yoo-Jin and Miso out of the back seat, I was about to head for the elevator.

That's when a familiar car drove into the underground parking lot.

Screech!

'Ju Yung-In... What's she doing here?'