Chapter 795: Schemer (2)

Even after I brought up So Yi-Yung's sponsorship scandal, the merger announcement for Everyday stayed on the schedule entry.

I tilted my head in confusion, and at that moment, Sung Hak-Soo made an unexpected offer.

"Let's exclude So Yi-Yung from the acquisition. Her exclusive contract is worth about five billion won... Once I move her to another agency, I'll deposit the transfer fee into the company account."

Sung Hak-Soo proposed a counter-offer: acquire TNT Entertainment without So Yi-Yung. He promised to replace So Yi-Yung's contract value in cash. It was no wonder the merger schedule entry hadn't been scrapped. Sung Hak-Soo must have planned to resolve the issue this way.

However, TNT Entertainment had problems beyond just So Yi-Yung. I had to derail this merger no matter what.

At that moment, Sung Hak-Soo glanced at me and casually continued. "However, if you want to get So Yi-Yung's contract money, you'll have to bury the sponsorship rumors. Just give me a hint and tell me who her sponsor is. I'll take care of it quietly without a trace."

'

And why should I trust you

?'

If I told him the sponsor's name, I would be handing the knife straight to Sung Hak-Soo.

If Sung Hak-Soo told the assemblyman sponsors that I knew their dirty secrets, their aides would be on me in an instant, demanding where I got the information and who the investigating reporter was. They would corner me ruthlessly. That was why I never shared this information before the regression either.

"How can I trust someone who doesn't even know whether the product he's selling is defective?" I asked.

When I pointed out that he hadn't even known about the scandal surrounding So Yi-Yung, the face of TNT Entertainment, Sung Hak-Soo looked embarrassed.

"I admit I missed the So Yi-Yung issue, but don't worry. I'm Sung Hak-Soo of Daechon! Whatever goes wrong, I'll handle it just like this."

I shook my head. "Sorry, Mr. Chairman, but I can't trust you. In this industry, the basics are to prevent issues before they explode. You failed to do that."

When I called him out for being an amateur, Sung Hak-Soo trembled, his pride clearly wounded.

"What did you just say to me? That I don't even have the basics?"

I didn't respond.

Infuriated, Sung Hak-Soo turned to Kang Gam-Chan instead. "Mr. Kang, are you seriously going to let a mere talent agent's opinion stop a major acquisition like this?"

Nevertheless, Kang Gam-Chan hardened his expression and backed me up as he always did. "A mere talent agent? Chief Jung is already the ace of Hoop Entertainment and a shareholder."

"Th-That's not what I meant."

"It doesn't matter. I agree with Chief Jung's judgment one hundred percent. Even if you're the chairman, if you don't understand the risks in our industry, you shouldn't be mediating."

Kang Gam-Chan firmly supported me while also criticizing Sung Hak-Soo's lack of experience. In response, Sung Hak-Soo dropped his relaxed smile and pressured Kang Gam-Chan with a cold look.

"So instead of accepting my mediation, you're going to see this through with TNT Entertainment?"

"If Hoop Entertainment on the verge of going public backs down now, people will treat us like a joke and keep coming after us. Our stock price would plunge every time. So no, I have no intention of backing down from this."

We were facing the former chairman of Daechon Inc., the 17th-largest conglomerate. Yet Kang Gam-Chan stood his ground, saying Hoop Entertainment couldn't afford to appear weak.

Sung Hak-Soo stared us down for a long moment, then finally pushed his chair back and stood.

Screech.

The lawyer and accountant who had come with Sung Hak-Soo stood up too.

"President Kang. My offer stands until midnight tonight. Think it over again. If you refuse, I doubt you'll be able to protect Hoop Entertainment."

"Is that a threat?" Kang Gam-Chan asked back.

Sung Hak-Soo looked down at Kang Gam-Chan with icy eyes.

"It's not a threat. It's reality. Jin Myung-Gyu and Jin Myung-Hee want to liquidate TNT Entertainment to avoid trouble, but Mr. Jin Dae-Woon thinks differently. Right now, he's furious over rumors that Jinseong failed in its bid to take over Hoop Entertainment. He feels the company's reputation has been damaged."

Then Sung Hak-Soo turned to me and continued.

"And you'd better keep this in mind too. No matter how well you're doing these days, to a chaebol, you're just a well-paid employee. Nothing more than that! So quit being stubborn and drop the lawsuit against TNT Entertainment. Cooperate so we can paint a pretty picture.

Oh

, and don't forget to hand over that list of So Yi-Yung's sponsors later."

His pattern hadn't changed—enticement, sweet talk, and finally, threats. However, the more he pushed like this, the more certain I became. This merger with TNT Entertainment was nothing but a game of hot potato with a hidden time bomb.

But as long as I was around, no one would be allowed to lay a hand on Hoop Entertainment. Not even the chairman of Jinseong Inc.

'

A mere employee, am I? Then let me show you exactly what this “employee” is capable of

.'

"Aren't you leaving?" I asked.

Sung Hak-Soo gritted his teeth and snapped. "I'm going!"

***

Sung Hak-Soo left the meeting room.

That instant, Vice President Kim Gwan-Woo shot up and raised his voice. "If the chairman of Jinseong Inc. comes after us, we won't last a week! And Chief Jung! Get out there and apologize immediately!"

I frowned and said, "Mr. Kim. How can we win a war if you're already scared before it's even begun?"

"Scared? You really don't know your place, do you? You think you know what those chaebol bastards are like? They live above the law!"

Before the regression, I had been afraid of the chaebol too. After all, we lived in the same world but they played by entirely different rules. Things that would have landed an average person behind bars multiple times, they slipped out of with flashy legal teams.

Yet this time around, I had no intention of bowing down to them. I had information from the future that no one else in the world knew about. I would make sure no one ever dismissed me as just an employee again.

"Even if they're chaebol, are we supposed to stick our necks out and wait for the knife just because they're coming to kill us? Even a worm squirms when stepped on!" I shouted.

"Let's get something straight, Chief Jung. Who said anything about killing us? Mr. Sung was offering us a way out! All we had to do was take TNT without the problem children. What's the point in being so obstinate? All they're asking is to drop the lawsuit and help Jinseong save face."

People around the room started listening more carefully to Kim Gwan-Woo. It was fair, because it was widely accepted that fighting a chaebol was futile.

That was when I finally revealed one more reason I hadn't told Sung Hak-Soo. "TNT's President Yoo Kang-Seok, who's currently in prison, is holding dirt on the company's own celebrities. And you want us to acquire that mess? You want to pass around a live bomb?"

Just like Kim Dong-Soo's X-FILE, Yoo Kang-Seok was holding leverage on his own entertainers to threaten those unhappy with the company or refusing to renew their contracts.

"There's... there's a file like that?" Kim Gwan-Woo asked in a trembling voice.

"Have you already forgotten the time someone from TNT stole the black box memory card from actor Sung Gyu-Hwan's car and even installed a tracking app on his phone? Do you really think he was their only target?"

Only then did the expressions in the meeting room start to shift.

Kang Gam-Chan turned to me, visibly shocked. "Is that really true, Yoon-Ho?"

I answered as if it were something I had recently discovered. "Yes. I found out while helping Mr. Sung Gyu-Hwan leave TNT Entertainment."

"Then it's safe to assume they've got information on other stars as well."

"Yes, sir!"

"How much dirt do you think President Yoo Kang-Seok has?"

"I can't say for sure, but I believe he gathered as much as he possibly could."

"Then we should assume he's got something on everyone. Do you think former Chairman Sung Hak-Soo knows about it?"

I nodded. "Mr. Sung Hak-Soo has a reputation for being meticulous. It's hard to believe he wouldn't know something a quick chat with any TNT talent agent could reveal. Honestly... it's likely he knew about the So Yi-Yung issue too."

"Then was he trying to screw us on purpose?"

"It's possible he's working with former Vice Chairman Myung-Gyu and former President Jin Myung-Hee."

"

Hmm

. It was a rather absurd proposal. Now that I think about it, telling us to take over TNT sounds strange for sure."

Kim Gwan-Woo blurted out desperately. "E-Even if that's true, we're still dealing with Jinseong Inc.! We could just pretend to go along, stall for time, run an internal investigation, weed out the bad apples, and complete the acquisition..."

That was when Kang Gam-Chan's booming voice cut Kim Gwan-Woo off. "Come on! You should be thinking about how to survive, not coming up with better ways to die late!"

"Mr. Kang! We're dealing with a chaebol here! If we don't drop the lawsuit and smooth things over with TNT Entertainment, the chairman himself will intervene. What exactly are we supposed to do?"

The panicked Kim Gwan-Woo, who had lived his whole life as the powerless underdog, was convinced that no one could win against a chaebol. However, I just scoffed. If he wanted to live like that, he could do it alone.

"Mr. Kim. Have you already forgotten who Hoop Entertainment's largest shareholder is?"

"Our company's largest shareholder...

Ah

..."

Kim Gwan-Woo must have remembered Chairman Choi Eun-Tae of Myeongdong, because his tone dropped.

"If their chaebol chairman steps in, then our King of Myeongdong will do the same."

"Do you think... he'll really step in?"

"Yes. Without a doubt. But that has to be our last resort. We need to handle this ourselves for now. So please, don't interfere and just watch."

That's when Kang Gam-Chan spoke up. "Then I'll come with you."

"No, sir. I've met Chairman Jin Dae-Woon before. Let me try first. If that doesn't work, I'll ask for your help then."

Kang Gam-Chan hesitated, then nodded. "

Hmm

. Alright. Then I won't mention this to Mr. Chairman for now either."

If Choi Eun-Tae, the loan shark king of Myeongdong, got wind of this, an all-out war would be inevitable. Since chaebol had their pride too, they wouldn't back down quietly. That meant both sides would take damage. And that kind of blow could be fatal for Hoop Entertainment right before its IPO. That was the reason I planned to handle this quietly under the radar.

"Yes. And if I manage to resolve this, I'll report directly to you and Mr. Chairman myself."

"Understood."

Just then, Kim Gwan-Woo opened his mouth, apparently wanting to come along. "

Um

... I'm actually close with some of Jinseong Inc.'s board members. Maybe I could go with Chief Jung and lend some weight—"

At that moment, Kang Gam-Chan cut him off firmly. "You, who shake in your boots just hearing the word 'chaebol'? What help could you possibly be? Like Chief Jung said, just stay here and don't get in the way."

"..."

Only then did Kim Gwan-Woo finally shut his mouth.

With the situation mostly settled, I finally picked up the phone and called Jin Dae-Woon of Jinseong Inc..

Jin Dae-Woon answered in a calm tone.

-I heard you just rejected Chairman Sung's offer to mediate. Have you changed your mind already?

"I'd like to speak with you in person."

-

Hmm

... Alright. It's been a while. Let's catch up.

"I'll head over immediately."

I ended the call and left straight for the chairman's office at Jinseong Inc. headquarters.

***

When I arrived at Jinseong Inc.'s chairman office, Jin Dae-Woon was there waiting along with his eldest son Jin Myung-Gyu, eldest daughter Jin Myung-Hee, and Sung Hak-Soo. Standing behind them was Chief Secretary Seok Han-Joong.

As I entered, Jin Dae-Woon slapped a folded newspaper onto the table. "Did you see this article?"

The front page of a third-rate tabloid called Sunday News was covered in sensational headlines.

[J Inc. fails in bid to devour up-and-coming H Entertainment using T Entertainment as proxy?]

[J Inc. siblings ousted from succession due to incompetence?]

The article used initials, but the photo made it unmistakable that it was clearly about Jinseong Inc., TNT Entertainment, and Hoop Entertainment.

Still, I feigned ignorance as I bowed politely. "Hard to say. I don't read such trashy publications. Have you been well, Mr. Chairman?"

"You're a smooth one, aren't you? Alright then, give me your answer. What has Hoop Entertainment decided?"

"Before I answer, there's something I'd like to ask."

"What is it?"

"If we don't drop the lawsuit against TNT Entertainment, are you really prepared to take this all the way?"

"Of course I am. I am Jinseong and Jinseong is me. And now that Jinseong's name has been dragged through the mud like this, you think I'd just sit back and take it?"

"I didn't think the chairman of Jinseong Inc. would let himself be shaken by some third-rate tabloid piece."

Slanderous articles about Jinseong Inc. popped up every month. But in my memory, Jin Dae-Woon had never once reacted to such minor provocations. As the chairman of Korea's 25th largest conglomerate, the things that mattered to him were major M&A deals or meetings with the president.

"So you're saying... it's pathetic for me to be swayed by this kind of article?"

"I would never say such a thing."

"That's enough. Just give me your answer! What's Hoop Entertainment going to do? Are you going to see this through to the end, or accept TNT Entertainment and help us paint a nice picture?"

I looked Jin Dae-Woon straight in the eye and answered. "How can I accept it when you're handing me a live bomb?"

"A bomb? TNT?

Sigh

. Listen, Chief Jung. We're Jinseong. We already told you we'd keep any TNT-related scandals out of the press."

That was when I glanced at Jin Myung-Gyu before asking, "You couldn't even keep your son's scandal out of the press, could you?"

A story had broken about Jin Myung-Gyu's affair with Ahn Yoo-Hyun of Ace Entertainment, leading to his ousting from the position of vice chairman.

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Suddenly singled out, Jin Myung-Gyu shot up from his seat in rage. "You bastard—"

Jin Dae-Woon raised his voice. "Myung-Gyu, sit down!"

"But Mr. Chairman! No, Father! You heard what this punk just said!"

"I told you to sit down!"

The smile that had lingered on Jin Dae-Woon's face, even as he raised his voice earlier, disappeared.

And just then, the corner of Sung Hak-Soo's mouth twitched ever so slightly.

'

Wait a second... Could this be his backup plan

?'

Before the regression, when things went according to his designs, Sung Hak-Soo often gave that exact smirk. He would always raise the left corner of his mouth. That meant provoking Jin Dae-Woon had been part of the plan all along.

He must have first planned to dump TNT Entertainment onto Hoop Entertainment and let it explode. Now that his initial plan had failed, he was trying to provoke Jin Dae-Woon into crushing Hoop Entertainment out of spite.

Sung Hak-Soo, the corporate schemer that he was, had set multiple traps in place. This meant it was time to start breaking them. In this life, I had no intention of dancing to this schemer's tune.

I took a short breath and began to persuade Jin Dae-Woon. "If what you're after is to preserve Jinseong's dignity, then I'll make sure that dignity is protected."

"You think I'll just forgive you because you say that now?"

"What if, as a gesture of apology, I raise the stock price of Jinseong Inc. as a whole by five percent?"

At that moment, Jin Dae-Woon's eyes went wide as he stared at me. Raising the stock price of a conglomerate ranked 25th in Korea wasn't something that could happen without significant upside.

Nevertheless, I had a way. After all, I was the only person in this world who had returned from the future.

"How exactly do you plan to do that?"

As expected of Jin Dae-Woon, who valued practical results as much as appearances, he was already intrigued.

So I began to reveal the plan I had prepared in advance.