Chapter 71: |
Trying the styling as if deceiving oneself, as suggested by Jin Se-jeong, turned out to be a nightmare.
Throughout the day, I tried on various things to see what suited me, found the right tone for my skin tone, and then applied makeup.
I briefly wondered if she might be the anonymous assassin sent by the league, but when Jin Se-jeong cheered and Lee Se-hee exclaimed, “Excellent,” I had no choice but to accept what they’re putting me through in silence.
It was an event that unfolded like that.
For me, it was just an ordinary day, but for the rest, it was marginally different.
When I returned home, Yoon-hee’s reaction was even more dramatic.
“What on earth did you do? Are you really my brother?”
“Who else would I be?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Is my brother now the idol of the universe?”
Was it that strange? Honestly, after trying the makeup, I did feel like I was wearing a thick mask.
At this moment, I was removing the makeup that had covered my face neatly.
Taking it off was not an ordinary task.
“Quickly, tell me what happened.”
“I decided to hire an expert this time…”
Yoon-hee was shocked by the news that Jin Se-jeong would now be in charge of my image management.
I thought she was empathizing with my pain, but that wasn’t the case.
“Jin Se-jeong? Oh my, is it really Jin Se-jeong? This is the real deal!”
“You know her?”
“Of course! She’s a top-tier image maker who led the success of Super One, Black Khan, and Carpe diem!”
Yoon-hee’s words indicated that Jin Se-jeong had a strong track record, but I couldn’t understand why she seemed like a predator about to pounce on me.
But even if Jin Se-jeong was really capable, it’s not like the results were guaranteed.
Building my own worldview, and being active like an idol.
I was too embarrassed to mention this to Yoon-hee.
Wait, but how did she know all those people?
“But the ones you mentioned, are they all idols?”
“Yeah, the idols I used to be a fan of.”
“How much of a fan were you?”
“Oh, not much?”
Yoon-hee stuttered. I seemed to have hit a sensitive topic.
Was she trying to pass it off like this? No way.
“What’s the worldview of Black Khan?”
“A world with only darkness where seven boys with the characteristics of beasts travel above the field… Uh!”
“What’s the worldview of Super One?”
“Nine men with nine superpowers gathered as one to bring destruction and suffering in the midst of creation… Ah, no!”
She said she didn’t know much.
In the end, I asked about what Carpe diem’s worldview was, but she acted as if she wanted would shut her mouth completely, so I decided to stop here.
How much of a fan was she, really?
“Don’t tell Mom. They are the ones who made my school days beautiful.”
“Alright.”
I would have to inform our mother through text without saying that I would. Mrs. Lee Young-hee had the right to know that her daughter was like this.
Yoon-hee seemed to think that I had agreed with her, so she tried to change the atmosphere.
“Anyway! This time, it’s really amazing. The response has been completely different.”
Meanwhile, she showed me her smartphone, and I wondered why the news tab looked like this. Instead of showing me the current affairs section, she showed me the entertainment section.
“Why is the news about me in there?”
“I don’t know, but the response is no joke.”
Yoon-hee said that my act of dispelling the flying monster that appeared in the sky during the event had a significant effect.
Although it was only a level 1 monster, it was making a lot of noise and disrupting the event. I used Nuri and attack with Blade Storm to get rid of it, and that garnered a big reaction.
My actions were still the same, but the reactions were the polar opposite, so it’s hard to get used to.
“Are you going to keep doing this in the future?”
“I’ve been told that I should, so yeah.”
Thinking about Jin Se-jeong’s advice to change styles periodically didn’t make me feel good.
It seemed Yoon-hee had different thoughts.
“Now you’ll start dressing up like a person.”
“What?”
“Well, when you think about it, is it reasonable to just wear a charcoal-gray suit and apply lotion at official events? Appearance is also a competitive advantage!”
“But looks won’t save your life.”
“Instead, they’ll give you popularity!”
“……”
I was now starting to taste the power of popularity, so it’s hard to say anything else.
I wonder if Jin Se-jeong’s crazy plan was coming true.
“Weren’t the female fans cheering loudly? Did it not bother you?”
“I was so surprised I almost drew my sword.”
“…Don’t ever do that. Okay?”
The chill in the air made me nod.
“If you keep dressing like this, you’ll gain more fans, and public opinion will just flip. What’s next?”
“She said I should open a channel.”
Jin Se-jeong said she would film some aspects of my daily life to increase the public’s familiarity and understanding of my worldview.
Would that really help, though?
Who would want to know what I ate and how I lived my life?
But after hearing the whole story, Yoon-hee nodded her head and praised.
“As expected, it’s Jin Se-jeong. She knows how to aim properly.”
“Is this the right choice?”
“Yeah, Jin Se-jeong will make my brother a universal hunter. Just follow along quietly.”
“…”
That sounded grim.
***
In Lee Se-hee’s office, three people who had no connection at all sat down.
Lee Se-hee, the head of the Sacred Guild Operations Team, Jin Se-jeong from the Choi Jun-ho Team, and Go Ye-jin, a Media Force reporter.
Go Ye-jin, who didn’t expect to be invited to this gathering, repeatedly looked around, and then tried to change the atmosphere as she greeted with a strong voice.
“Hello! I’m Go Ye-jin from Media Force! Nice to meet you!”
“I’m Jin Se-jeong, who will be leading the Choi Jun-ho Team. We don’t have any team members yet, so please understand.”
“No! Please don’t say that! I was so surprised to find out that this time, Transcendent Choi Jun-ho’s recent activity is directed by Director Jin Se-jeong!”
“Oh, you saw it?”
“Yes! It left a deep impression. As expected of Director Jin Se-jeong!”
Amid the enthusiastic response, Jin Se-jeong burst into laughter. Her hearty laughter significantly improved the atmosphere.
“Today, I invited Reporter Go Ye-jin at the request of Trancendent Choi Jun-ho. Do you think we can work together?”
“Yes, I understand. Transcendent Choi Jun-ho must have something to instruct.”
“More precisely, it’s a collaboration, isn’t it? Choi Jun-ho-nim mentioned that, among all the reporters, no one writes as provocatively as Reporter Go Ye-jin. So, I looked into it, and the phrase ‘a name that lives up to its reputation’ just came to me. I felt it just by looking at the headlines. We have to bring this person on board.”
“Th-thank you!”
Gratitude filled Go Ye-jin’s face as her talent was recognized. On the internet, she had been selected as ‘No. 1 reporter that must be picked’, ‘a reporter you want to punch just by reading the headline’, and ‘the journalist who must have been Kang Tae-gong in a previous life,’ but she never expected to receive recognition like this in real life.
Meanwhile, Jin Se-jeong continued speaking.
“This time, Transcendent Choi Jun-ho is opening a channel, and we need your help.”
“How can I help?”
“I need a thumbnail that you can’t help but click on.”
“Can, can I take care of that? I think Transcendent Choi Jun-ho still has to take care of his reputation, so it’s a bit…”
“Well, for now, I know what Reporter Go Ye-jin is thinking.”
“Yes, I also have a strong desire to contribute, but I can’t help but think that you may have made a mistake.”
“That’s not it.”
Jin Se-jeong firmly denied.
“What Transcendent Choi Jun-ho needs right now is a sense of familiarity. Even though he has the elements to appeal to the younger generation, those in their 20s, he hasn’t been able to use them properly. So, lowering the entry barrier is the most important thing. Reporter Go Ye-jin is the one who can play that role.”
“Am I suitable?”
“I can say with confidence that you are. Oh, and let me tell you in advance, I can’t offer you a share of the channel; I’ll pay for each request.”
“Leave it to me! I’ll give it a try!”
When Go Ye-jin’s enthusiasm was burning brightly, there was an intervening voice.
“I’d like to try a skill test first.”
It was Lee Se-hee who had been quiet.
Go Ye-jin, who was on fire with enthusiasm, shrank like a jar when she heard Lee Se-hee’s words.
“You don’t have to be so surprised. We’re just going to do a simple test to see if Ye-jin-ssi can do it well.”
“Yes, sure! What should I do?”
“How about creating a simple thumbnail for the Big Bang series? How long do you need? One hour?”
“Five minutes will do!”
Go Ye-jin who had suddenly become serious, said with her eyes shining.
***
‘Honestly, I’m not a big fan of this…’
Lee Se-hee inwardly clicked her tongue while looking at Go Ye-jin. It seemed like the other had lived a competitive life from a young age, but when you looked closely, she belonged to the category of journalists who churned out provocative headlines.
She had produced articles with a critical tone when Choi Jun-ho was in the National Security Agency, and recently, she had been pouring out praise articles to the point of going overboard.
Lee Se-hee herself had suffered a few times due to the media, so she had preconceptions.
‘Even though provocation is important, is it necessary to have a journalist like that?’
Was there no way to go about things with more dignity?
However, Jin Se-jeong said that what was more important than dignity was a ‘controversial’ headline that would make even one more person click.
So she reluctantly accepted it, but there was still a lingering doubt.
Honestly, that was all the restraint she could muster.
Jin Se-jeong had confidently proven her abilities. She had successfully created tremendous synergy by combining Choi Jun-ho and the idol world, an unusual combination.
The fact that public opinion had completely changed between yesterday and today was a miracle that Lee Se-hee had never seen before. She no longer needed to worry that public opinion would not improve.
Would Jin Se-jeong’s magic work in utilizing Go Ye-jin’s ability?
“I’m done.”
Although Go Ye-jin said 5 minutes, she finished the title in just 1 minute.
“Where…”
Lee Se-hee’s expression froze as she received the tablet.
<The scarcity phenomenon in the Big Bang series! What’s the story behind the U.S. president seeing this and getting angry with Congress, urgently requesting FDA approval?>
‘What’s this? The scarcity issue can be resolved by the licensed companies producing more, right? But why is the U.S. president involved in this? Was there a clash with Congress? And FDA? It has nothing to do with the approval of the Big Bang series, does it?’
The title was a mess full of holes.
…The problem was that it’s a title that made one want to click. Why was the Big Bang series causing a scarcity phenomenon in the U.S.? Why was the U.S. President angry with Congress? And why did FDA suddenly appear? That’s the point.
Go Ye-jin’s title, despite its flaws, had a taste that stimulated basic curiosity.
She would give her that much. If she didn’t know it was a title made on the spot, she would have clicked even if she knew it would be an absurd content.
“What do you think?”
“…It’s fine.”
Lee Se-hee no longer insisted and simply agreed.
“However, please refrain from using too cheap expressions. This is related to the dignity of a Transcendent. The thumbnail text will only contain the truth. This is my request.”
“Yes! I’ll try to attract attention with the most elegant expressions while conveying the truth!”
“Securing views with this won’t be a problem.”
Looking at Jin Se-jeong, who was smiling broadly and joining in, Lee Se-hee couldn’t help but nod her head.
Was this really the right move?
But one thing was for sure, this would lead to more clicks.
It should work well.
In the end, Lee Se-hee just gave up thinking.
***
Because dramatic changes happened in such a short time, I had been thinking a lot lately.
I hadn’t changed, so why were people so enthusiastic about me?
Today, I realized that the world could change overnight.
Until recently, public opinion about me was split in half.
People who support my actions in enforcing justice.
People who criticized me, saying that my actions were no different from a villain.
I didn’t pay much attention to either of them. I believed that if I quietly followed my own standards, the results would come.
But there was a small sense of unease in a corner of my heart. The thought that my actions might ultimately be unrecognized and I could be seen as a villain.
If ever people pointed their guns at me, could I remain sane and respond rationally without using force?
However, my life changed in many ways after meeting Jin Se-jeong.
Through an interview that adorned and highlighted certain aspects, my image changed in an instant.
“I still don’t understand.”
Why did this flip?
The response to the video uploaded on my channel was not just warm but also fanatical.
Why was it that videos of me introducing myself, where I work, and what I eat were so popular?
Among them, the video of me training set a new 24-hour view count record in South Korea.
At Jin Se-jeong’s urging, I took off my top and sweated, and that’s all it took?
“Only Transcendent Choi Junho can achieve this. I merely applied the right recipe that suits the finest ingredients.”
Jin Se-jeong said humbly.
One thing was certain.
Lee Se-hee’s advice to form the Choi Jun-ho team was what I just needed, and Jin Se-jeong’s ability to turn around the negative public opinion of me into a positive one was also remarkable.
Today, after finishing the special call, I planned to have an interview about paying taxes.
A few days ago, I received the first settlement for the Big Bang series. The amount I owed in taxes exceeded 100 billion won.
It was just paying taxes like everyone else.
I was about to pay it without a fuss, but Jin Se-jeong said that I shouldn’t let this good opportunity pass by. So, I brought Go Ye-jin to set up a special interview.
I couldn’t understand why it was a good thing to pay what I owed.
No, perhaps I didn’t like the idea of embellishing it like this, instead of just a straightforward interview.
The interview was conducted by Go Ye-jin.
“Hello! I’m Go Ye-jin from Media Force! It’s an honor to have an interview with Transcendent Choi Jun-ho today.”
“This is Choi Jun-ho.”
“Today, you brought truly amazing news! Can you believe it, Transcendent Choi Jun-ho has declared that he will pay over 100 billion won in taxes without any tax evasion! Is it true?”
“Yes, it’s true.”
“Do you have a reason for this?”
I didn’t think tax evasion was wrong. I just felt there was no need to complicate things by constantly calculating and trying to save a little more when the line between legal and illegal was unclear.
If you prioritize money, there’s a tendency to carefully assess and minimize the amount you pay.
“I paid it because it was the tax I owed.”
“As expected of Transcendent Choi Jun-ho!”
“I just did what I had to do. Paying taxes is a citizen’s duty, you know.”
“Well, well! That’s right.”
Why was she laughing so awkwardly?
“Do you not think it’s a waste of money, though?”
“No, I don’t. I hope this tax is put to good use. But…”
It seemed like there were many people who didn’t pay their taxes properly if I was being praised like this for something that should be done naturally.
“Listening to the stories around me, there is a lot of resistance to taxes. I hope we can become a society that pays what it owes.”
But how should those who didn’t pay their taxes properly be treated?
If people didn’t voluntarily pay their dues, the country lose revenue, and there’s unnecessary administrative waste. Wasn’t this a behavior akin to leeching off the nation? In that case, couldn’t they be treated as villains too?
As I was thinking like this, I suddenly realized that a heavy silence had descended upon the surroundings.
“Did I say that out loud?”
“…Yes.”
The people who were observing the interview were frozen in place.