The Crazy Mercenary Commander Goes to Work in the Entertainment Industry

Kang Jae-ha’s order to dig up everything on LN Entertainment. LN Entertainment was a major corporation, yet Jae-ha’s order carried no hesitation, and Cha Chung-hyeon’s reply was likewise short and clear.

”Sure, something like that’s easier than blowing my nose.”

His tone made it sound like he was knocking over some corner shop. An ordinary person watching would have been dumbfounded, or clicked their tongue in disbelief. But these two were not ordinary people, and Kang Jae-ha, meeting Cha Chung-hyeon’s eyes, asked again.

”How long will it take.”

Cha Chung-hyeon let out a faint hum.

”Hmm. LN Entertainment, it’s a big operation, so sorting it all out and getting a report to you, Commander... just give me a few days.”

The fact that results could come in just a few days was, in itself, an almost absurd speed. It was possible only because of Cha Chung-hyeon’s ’ability’, which let him see every flow of money. Soon Cha Chung-hyeon scratched his chin as he looked at the Commander.

”But... this Pig Bastard you mentioned, that’s the LN Entertainment CEO, right?”

”That’s the one.”

Cha Chung-hyeon laughed, a sound like air leaking out.

”That pig picked the wrong person to mess with. Of all people, the Commander.”

Even as he murmured it, Cha Chung-hyeon thought back to his days in the Mercenary Corps.

’Back then, how to put it... if the Commander didn’t make something a problem, it wasn’t a problem, but if that man decided it was a problem, then it became one.’

Seo Hyun-su, the CEO of LN Entertainment, had as good as poked a monster. Well, he hadn’t actually poked it yet, but going by the ’Deja Vu’, he would lay a hand on Kang Jae-ha before long, so it was as good as already done.

’If this were the Other World, the Commander would’ve carved them all up long ago. That pig should be grateful this isn’t that world. Though... he’ll probably never know it his whole life.’

Any organization, any group, LN Entertainment included, that touched Kang Jae-ha was bound to find the problem ballooning. Jae-ha and the mercenaries here were people who had carried out slaughter for over a decade. They even possessed cheat-like abilities.

Would it even be a contest?

In any case, Kang Jae-ha said to Cha Chung-hyeon.

”Then get started right away.”

”Yep, yep.”

That said, Cha Chung-hyeon was not the end of Jae-ha’s plan. The moment he finished talking with him, Kang Jae-ha pulled out his phone. It was to call Ha Yeon-ji, who would be at the news agency. She picked up quickly.

”Yes, yes, Commander.”

Perhaps because she had not left work yet, Ha Yeon-ji kept her voice low on the other end of the line, and Kang Jae-ha answered her.

”LN Entertainment, dig up every rumor that could become a problem. Whether the rumor has any basis to it, whether it’s just a tabloid rumor, whatever it is.”

Ha Yeon-ji’s reaction, too, was much like Cha Chung-hyeon’s.

”LN Entertainment? That place is crawling with everything from rumors to tabloid gossip. I’ll get right on it.”

Even a faint rumor, even a tabloid tip, once it got brought up after a big incident broke, would turn into a real headache of a case.

’Float anything out on a wave that’s gathered momentum and it becomes a threat.’

In any case, Ha Yeon-ji, too, did not particularly ask the Commander for a reason. It had been that way back in the Mercenary Corps, and it was no different on this side. When he gave an order, she carried it out. Then Kang Jae-ha switched which leg he had crossed over the other.

’Major corporation, TOP 5, whatever the hell. Anyone who messes with me or with ’MEG’ gets wrecked.’

Roll up everything Cha Chung-hyeon and Ha Yeon-ji turned up nice and tight, then toss it out into the world, and? LN Entertainment might not collapse outright, but it would be reeling for a good few years.

’The corporate image hitting rock bottom goes without saying, and the shareholders would rise up in revolt too.’

And then CEO Seo Hyun-su’s head would roll. At that point LN Entertainment would be too busy clawing its way back to recovery, and in that opening, Leon Entertainment would step in to claim the vacant TOP 5 slot. Such was the order of things. Kang Jae-ha, mulling it over, let out a small snort of a laugh.

’It’s a bit early, but I’ll just move it up a touch. It was part of my design anyway.’

The day Leon ascended to one of the country’s TOP 5 agencies was not far off.

Next day, afternoon.

In the back seat of a luxury sedan cruising down the road sat a familiar man. It was CEO Han Tae-sung, chin propped on his hand, gazing out the window. Today, too, he was in a crisp suit, radiating presence.

”......”

The Chief Secretary in the passenger seat spoke up to CEO Han Tae-sung, who was watching the scenery outside in silence.

”CEO-nim. Judging by the fact that there’s been no talk of a contract renewal from Yoon Da-yeon so far, a transfer looks all but certain.”

”Mm.”

”Shall I take measures?”

”We’ll see.”

When CEO Han Tae-sung answered vaguely with a faint smile, the Chief Secretary opened his planner and said.

”For now, I’ll start by finding out where exactly Yoon Da-yeon is transferring to.”

CEO Han Tae-sung gave a small shake of his head.

”Don’t bother. That sort of thing, we’ll come to know naturally as time passes.”

”By that you mean not to take any measures...?”

Han Tae-sung had developed an interest in Yoon Da-yeon, but she was not yet that big a deal. Leon had plenty of top stars, and there was hardly the spare attention to fuss over Yoon Da-yeon alone.

CEO Han Tae-sung, thinking for a moment, murmured calmly.

”Just leave it alone for now. We can take measures later.”

The Chief Secretary, after some reply along the lines of ”Understood”, suddenly recalled Kang Jae-ha’s face.

”It was Manager Kang Jae-ha who fished her back up, and yet Yoon Da-yeon doesn’t seem to lean on him all that much.”

CEO Han Tae-sung laughed quietly.

”Whether he cut Yoon Da-yeon loose or set her free, we’ll know by watching.”

Soon after, CEO Han Tae-sung attended an event party. It was a party packed with celebrities, the entertainment industry included, so quite a few reporters had flocked there as well. Wearing a smile, CEO Han Tae-sung greeted many people and exchanged words with them.

That was when it happened.

”CEO Han Tae-sung...”

From somewhere, a man’s voice laced with sarcasm called out to CEO Han Tae-sung. When Han Tae-sung turned to look, a man with a bulging belly was approaching. It was CEO Seo Hyun-su of LN Entertainment.

”Heh, that’s CEO Han for you. Looking sharp again today. Why don’t you just quit Leon and debut as a celebrity yourself?”

To CEO Seo Hyun-su’s openly dismissive tone, Han Tae-sung fired back without batting an eye.

”CEO Seo, your belly’s gotten even bigger. Keeping up with your checkups? You should diet too, you know. Got to live a long life.”

”...Quite the mouth on you.”

The two did not seem to get along all that well, and CEO Seo Hyun-su, after glaring at Han Tae-sung for a moment, snorted through his nose. Then, lowering his voice, he changed the subject.

”You’ve got a guy named Kang Jae-ha over at Leon, right? Your oh-so-hot manager.”

”We do.”

”I tried to poach him, you know?”

CEO Han Tae-sung, who had been at ease the whole time, twitched for an instant.

’I knew there were scouting offers, but to think this guy made contact too.’

Kang Jae-ha was by far the hottest name on the manager market. CEO Han Tae-sung knew this well, and it was precisely because he had factored that in that he had entrusted the ’Kisera’ matter to Jae-ha. Had Kang Jae-ha turned down the ’Kisera’ Rebuilding, it would have meant him leaving Leon.

In that case, CEO Han Tae-sung would have pulled out all the stops.

But Kang Jae-ha had stayed at Leon.

’Other places I don’t care about, but this guy Seo Hyun-su making a scouting offer, that’s a little irritating.’

Seo Hyun-su, who had not caught on to Han Tae-sung’s inner thoughts, kept talking.

”I offered him double the salary plus gifts on top, and that lowly little nothing turned me down? Trained him up nice and loyal, did you??”

”......”

Han Tae-sung, who did not answer right away, laughed at the word ’loyalty’ that Seo Hyun-su had used.

”Loyalty? From who?”

”Who else would it be, that Kang Jae-ha guy. Don’t play it cool. Everyone knows you coddle that Kang Jae-ha.”

”I don’t particularly coddle him. He’s not the type to fall in line just because you coddle him, anyway. And loyalty, even less so.”

As if he knew all about it, CEO Seo Hyun-su made a sour face.

”Right, no manners on him, that’s for sure. The nerve, badmouthing LN.”

Seo Hyun-su did not mention that he was preparing to dig up dirt on Kang Jae-ha, everyone connected to him, and Leon as well.

”If we get the chance, let’s meet again.”

Seo Hyun-su walked off, flashing a smarmy little smile. Watching his retreating back, CEO Han Tae-sung murmured under his breath.

”Got the eyes of someone cooking up a scheme.”

Afterward.

Kang Jae-ha could be found at Leon’s training center on account of the ’Kisera’ Rebuilding. Today, too, like last time, he was watching the trainees on the Debut Team. On top of that, today he also looked over a few of the kids outside the Debut Team.

But it was not the kind of job that could be done in a day or two.

Because there were far too many trainees.

Around this time, Yoon Da-yeon, while working through one schedule after another.

”Our guest today is the actress, Yoon Da-yeon!”

”Hello, everyone.”

”Oh my, Da-yeon! You look even prettier than before!”

In between, she threw herself into learning her lines and practicing her acting. The already-confirmed ’One-Act Drama Project’, and Director Yu Gil-tae’s ’Mask of Murder’ on top of that. With two projects she had to appear in already, these days she was practically living and dying by her practice.

It was the same for An Ji-hee.

An Ji-hee, too, threw herself into acting practice while juggling minor schedules of her own. Because An Ji-hee, like Yoon Da-yeon, had two projects confirmed. The ’One-Act Drama Project’, and the Japanese production ’Spring at the Borderline’ as well.

And beyond that, An Ji-hee had to study Japanese on top of everything.

Since her advance into Japan was confirmed, interviews and the like with the Japanese press down the line would be a given. In the midst of all this, news came flying in for Kang Jae-ha, who had returned to Leon from the training center.

”Jae-ha!”

The one who passed along the word was Team Leader Jang Hyung-su, and it was that the team going on the business trip to Japan regarding An Ji-hee had been decided. Of course, Kang Jae-ha was included. On top of that.

”The departure for Japan is the 28th, so plan accordingly with that in mind.”

The date for the Japan business trip was confirmed. Departure roughly a week out from today, weekends not counted. With a nod, Kang Jae-ha relayed the details to An Ji-hee’s team.

”I’ll go along with you, but it’ll feel more like I’m moving separately from the team. Plan with that understanding, and let An Ji-hee know as well.”

Kang Jae-ha had signaled that while he would depart together with An Ji-hee’s team, he might move on his own. The important appointments he would naturally have to attend with them, but beyond those, there was no telling what might come up.

That night, Kang Jae-ha gave an order to Go Chun-seok.

”Sometime next week, for a bit, drop Choi Ri-na and stick with me instead.”

For the subordinate to go with him to Japan, Jae-ha had chosen Go Chun-seok.

Then, the 20th.

Though it was a Sunday morning, part of the weekend, quite a few people had gathered in the conference room of ’FilmMEG’, the film company Kang Jae-ha had acquired. The first thing that stood out was Kang Jae-ha, his face switched to the A face, and seated beside him, Lee Chan-hoo.

Seated across from the two of them were Director Kwon Sung-min and the broad-faced CEO Jeong Tae-woo.

Both of them knew Kang Jae-ha well, and for that very reason, now that he had come as an employee of ’MEG’, Jae-ha had to change his face.

In any case, Jeong Tae-woo was doing a fine job as CEO at ’FilmMEG’ too, not just at ’Moonbak Film’. Director Kwon Sung-min, who had just pushed his glasses up, was likewise swamped with the storyboard and shot-planning work after finishing the final draft of the screenplay.

The reason everyone, Kang Jae-ha included, had gathered at ’FilmMEG’ was, naturally, the film ’Condensation: Euphoria’.

To be precise, it was more of a progress-report meeting, one might say.

Soon CEO Jeong Tae-woo, tablet in hand, opened his mouth to speak.

”We’re currently casting actors and assembling the crew, and the crew lineup, including the people from the short film ’Condensation’, is just about complete.”

Sure enough, the production pace of ’Condensation: Euphoria’ was fast. Because the process itself was anything but ordinary. Skipping the whole business of lining up an investment firm and a production company was a big part of it.

In any case, Lee Chan-hoo, who had been peering down at the tablet through narrowed eyes, nodded and asked.

”The pace isn’t bad. So, have you come up with the final production budget?”

It amounted to asking, more or less, exactly how much they’d be investing. The picture was one where ’MEG’ would be scooping up the whole thing for itself, but what needed doing properly still had to be done properly. It was about time a clear figure came out, not just a rough estimate.

Soon Director Kwon Sung-min pushed his glasses up and exchanged a brief glance with CEO Jeong Tae-woo. Then he spoke up cautiously.

”Um... CEO-nim. The short film ’Condensation’ took on a big challenge with BIFF, you know. The feature, ’Condensation: Euphoria’, might end up being a bit of a challenge too, I think.”

The one who asked back this time was the face-changed Kang Jae-ha, who had been watching in silence the whole time.

”A challenge how?”

At the question, Director Kwon Sung-min’s expression turned tense as he answered.

”...’Condensation: Euphoria’, it’s a feature, but I was wondering whether we could try going low-budget with it. Total production budget at roughly 1.5 billion won.”

In that instant, Kang Jae-ha recalled the ’Deja Vu’ of ’Condensation: Euphoria’. To be precise, it was one phrase within the ’Deja Vu’.

-Congratulations! Over 5 Million Viewers! Thank You!

Kang Jae-ha rubbed his chin and murmured inwardly.

’A production budget of 1.5 billion won, for over 5 million viewers?’

*****

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