Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 3

Piss and Scout (1)

* * *

The top floor of Roman Entertainment.

A strange atmosphere lingered in the CEO’s office on the 14th floor.

CEO Noh Joong-man, with his arms crossed, asked the head of the management division sitting across from him.

“What about that team leader?”

“I sent him to the hospital with one employee.”

“What did they say there?”

The head of the division looked like he didn’t know what to say.

“The symptoms point to hypoglycemic shock… The guy was drooling like a Jindo dog with a stroke. I thought he was having a nightmare.”

Noh Joong-man tapped his suit elbow with his thick fingers.

“A nightmare when he hasn’t even slept.”

“No, you saw it too, CEO. Oh Gwi-joon peed in the hallway. You wouldn’t go that far even if you were beaten up.”

“He might have had an underlying condition.”

The head of the division shook his head with conviction.

“I checked his medical records with the doctor. He was fine before, and he’ll be fine in the future.”

“Then they must have hit him somewhere.”

“…The employees there testified. And we checked the CCTV. Just like that soldier friend said, they didn’t touch a hair on his head.”

“That’s what’s so strange.”

“Pardon?”

Without answering the head of the division’s question, Noh Joong-man stood up from his chair. He had an intrigued look in his eyes, like he had discovered a new investment opportunity.

“He doesn’t have a disease, he wasn’t stabbed with anything, so how did they send him like that?”

*

Fifteen minutes earlier, the hallway in front of the public relations team was utter chaos.

“Oh, what do I do…”

The female employee of the public relations team, who had screamed without realizing it, covered her mouth.

Shortly after Oh Gwi-joon collapsed, three people walked down from the upper hallway.

The head of the management division, writer Eun Hee-wook who was visiting, and Noh Joong-man, the CEO of Roman Entertainment.

“The sound carries all the way upstairs. What are you all doing?”

The head of the division, with his small stature and silver-rimmed glasses, looked around and asked.

The situation was perfectly described as a chaotic mess.

A team leader was foaming at the mouth on the ground, and two men were standing in front of him. A tall man in military uniform and a small man in a green T-shirt like a middle school student.

The T-shirt guy looked anxious as if he had committed a crime, but the man in military uniform was relaxed from beginning to end.

Even though people who appeared to be executives showed up, he just stood there with his hands in his combat pants.

“Um, whether you guys or these guys, can someone explain what happened…”

The head of the division frowned, but CEO Noh Joong-man in a charcoal gray suit stopped him.

“Someone take care of him first. Call 119 [the emergency services number in South Korea, similar to 911 in the US].”

Both the guy who caused the commotion in the company and the owner of the company where the commotion occurred were calm as if it were someone else’s business.

Noh Joong-man walked through the crowd and stood face to face with the man in military uniform.

Noh Joong-man had a large build, with rumors of being from a gang, but the man in front of him was just as tall and large.

“I’m Noh Joong-man, CEO of Roman.”

“I’m Park Sun’s older brother, the manager.”

Noh Joong-man’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“What is the manager’s brother doing here?”

“That employee, Chief Oh Gwi-joon, has been constantly harassing and assaulting my brother for a month. The entire Wow Kidz [idol group name], including the leader, condoned and participated in it.”

“So?”

“I came to get an apology.”

Listening to their conversation, Seo Hee-taek, the head of the division standing in the back, thought.

‘…Is he crazy?’

Roman is still a large agency, ranking just below the top 3 entertainment companies, and Wow Kidz is a well-established 3-year-old idol group.

Without even needing to mobilize the fandom, the company’s public relations team alone could cover up a conflict with a new roadie.

But he suddenly comes in and demands that the people involved be brought to apologize?

‘Well, he has a good aura. The military uniform suits him well too.’

The funny thing was that, for that reason, the employees were just watching even though CEO Noh had appeared.

No one called security, as if they were watching a meeting between the CEO and an actor.

“Hmm.”

A small exclamation came from the side. Turning around, writer Eun Hee-wook had taken out a pen and was busily writing something.

Noh Joong-man’s gaze went down to Oh Gwi-joon, who was foaming at the mouth and convulsing.

A clear liquid had pooled around his pants, giving off the smell of urine, as if his bladder had opened.

“Did you hit him?”

“I didn’t touch a hair on his head.”

“But he collapsed and even peed his pants? That’s ridiculous…”

The head of the division interjected, but the man in military uniform naturally cut him off.

“Well, and well, it should all be on the CCTV, so please check it.”

He pointed to the CCTV in the hallway and patted his combat uniform collar. He had said everything he wanted to say, and his attitude was to call the police or security if they wanted.

Soon, Noh Joong-man’s order came down.

“Public relations team employee, anyone.”

A male employee who had been hanging back hurriedly stepped forward.

“Yes, yes!”

“Contact Chief Moon. Ask where Wow Kidz is.”

The female employee who had screamed earlier carefully raised her hand.

“…Um, I think all four of them are in the practice room. I saw them going down without going to the dorm earlier.”

Noh Joong-man nodded and made a phone call to someone.

“Hey, Chief Moon. Has the practice of harassing and kicking out new recruits become a thing in our company these days?”

A desperate “No, sir” could be heard from beyond the smartphone.

“The affiliated musicians are just playing around with the roadies because they’ve been around for a while, and the chief is not only not stopping them but also collapsing while harassing them together… It looks good. As if we’re not already being disparaged as a gangster entertainment company from all over the place.”

-I’m sorry, CEO. I’ll go to the company right away…

Noh Joong-man hung up without listening further.

Until then, the man in military uniform was standing leisurely. He was like an eagle among a flock of pigeons.

“After confirming the facts, finish the processing with our legal team. They’ll coordinate the treatment costs and settlement money.”

“Severance pay too.”

“He’s only been with the company for a month?”

“It’s another word for compensation for emotional distress.”

Noh Joong-man raised one eyebrow, then called Eun Hee-wook, the writer who was writing something diligently.

“Let’s go, writer.”

Soon, CEO Noh Joong-man and writer Eun Hee-wook disappeared into the elevator.

The head of the division, with a reluctant expression, pointed to one of the chiefs and instructed.

“You, Choi Jong-hoon. Take that person… take those people down to the practice room and have the Wow Kidz apologize. The CEO said it, so there must be something to it.”

“Yes!”

“Take care of the aftermath. What a mess in the middle of the night… tsk.”

After the chief who received the order ran off, the people who had gathered also slowly dispersed.

Someone brought a mop to wipe up Oh Gwi-joon’s urine, and someone went down to see if the ambulance had arrived.

One employee muttered.

“From tomorrow on, it’ll be Oh Piss-joon, not Oh Gwi-joon.”

*

“So, what happened?”

The head of the division smacked his lips.

“I took care of it before the CEO came back, what else? I made the Wow Kidz apologize, and since I confirmed that they were innocent, I gave them the legal team’s business card. That new manager seemed more burdened.”

“Good job. That’s enough.”

“No, but did you already know?”

“What? Wow Kidz?”

“Yes. When the CEO immediately took action, I thought there was something wrong with them. You usually protect the agency’s family unless it’s certain.”

“Only when they’re worth protecting.”

Noh Joong-man, replying, turned his gaze to the wall of the CEO’s office.

On the marble wall, there was a row of photos of the people who were leading Roman Entertainment, the representative actors, and the idols who were active in various places.

Baek Ha-ni, Gu Shin-seung, Jin Ji-yu, Choi Pil-rip… At the end of the photos, there was a unique scroll and a sword.

强弩之末 (Kang No Ji Mal) [A powerful crossbow’s arrow cannot reach far; a spent force], 困獸猶鬪 (Gon Su Yu Tu) [A cornered beast will fight to the death].

Noh Joong-man, staring blankly at the idioms, asked.

“How much time is left on Ji-yu’s contract?”

“It’s probably until the end of this year. Hang-wook will be until next summer.”

“Tell Chief Yoo Joon-il and the team leaders under him to take care of the actors whose exclusive contracts are not long, for sure. There will be several tempting offers coming in.”

Even though Roman is big, it still has a thinner talent pool compared to the firmly established top three agencies.

There’s no way the CEOs of rival entertainment companies wouldn’t know that. When the contract renewal season comes, they will try to poach top-tier talent by any means possible.

This time next year. Who will remain on that wall, and who will newly enter?

The head of the division nodded and said, as if he suddenly remembered.

“What about writer Eun? You went to dinner together, but only the CEO came back.”

“It’s been temporarily postponed.”

“Did something else come up?”

CEO Noh Joong-man smiled.

“How could you eat after seeing that?”

“Pardon?”

“He’s an unknown talent scout. That man’s scouting instinct is that of an entertainment CEO, not a writer.”

“Ah, he went to do some legwork.”

The light of understanding dawned on the head of the division’s face as well.

Noh Joong-man leaned back on the sofa and muttered.

“He’s probably already started working. This industry is surprisingly sweet, he says.”

*

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend], what did you talk about with that writer?”

On the way home, Park Sun in the passenger seat asked with a face that looked like he was dying of curiosity.

He had opened and closed his mouth a dozen times since earlier, and it seemed like he couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Just, he asked me something.”

“Asked? You?”
The light changed. Gun nodded and stopped in front of the crosswalk.

It was when they came out of the Roman building.

The man they had seen earlier was standing in front of the main gate.

Long hair, a skinny body, and a modified hanbok [traditional Korean clothing] that looked like it was patched together from rags, he was a human who had ‘I’m an artist’ written all over him at first glance.

-Um, manager.

Park Sun was startled when the man spoke.

-Yes, yes?

-I’m Eun Hee-wook. Can I talk to your brother for a moment?

Of course, Gun didn’t know, but judging by the way his brother’s eyes widened, he seemed to be a famous person.

Bbang bbangㅡ

The horn sounded from behind. Park Sun, who was impatient as if it were his own business, urged him.

“Could it be that? A scout? Asking if you’re interested in acting and telling you to come for an audition?”

“Is he a great person?”

“Of course! Eun Hee-wook has been known since before hyung enlisted. He received the CBC Award for his debut work, and he had back-to-back hits last year as well… No, but what did you talk about!”

“He asked me. If I know how to fight.”

Park Sun’s expression, which had been full of anticipation, went blank.

“…Fight?”

“Yeah. Then he wrote down his contact information and left. He tore it out of his notebook because he didn’t have a business card.”

“Fight… Why did he ask you that? Is he going into the action genre this time?”

Even if it’s a supporting role, an extra is not good, no, but still, Eun Hee-wook’s filming set pays well… Next to his brother, who was muttering to himself while holding his head, Gun recalled the past.

ㅡHey, are you the warrior?

A giant man waiting under the temple with a stone hammer wrapped around him after the story with the royal family ended.

ㅡLet’s see if it’s worth shortening the saintess’s life by ten years.

Less than two hours after being transferred to another dimension. Calling the new warrior who didn’t even know how to use Hapki [Korean martial art], that bastard actually smashed his skull.

With a random hammer wrapped in chains.

Without hesitating or worrying.

That was the first death of warrior Park Gun.

“I don’t know. Maybe he needs a bodyguard.”

*