We Do Business In Full Auto [EN]: Chapter 170

170

Trip to America (2)

“Chairman, Mr. George Hart insists on meeting you. What should we do?”

“George Hart?”

The name sounded familiar.

After a moment of thought, it suddenly clicked.

“Is that the screenwriter who adapted ‘The Emperor’s Bracelet’?”

“You recognized him right away.”

“Hmm. So, he’s in Korea?”

“Yes! He’s been camped out trying to meet you for days, but the security guards kept stopping him.”

“If he had business, he could have made a formal request. Why has he been camping out until now?”

“It seems he left the company and is working as a freelancer.”

“He hasn’t written a proper screenplay since ‘The Emperor’s Bracelet,’ has he?”

“He says he’s been sharpening his sword for ten years to complete the sequel.”

King Star’s novel, which opened the paradigm of medieval war fantasy, was remade into a screenplay and released, winning the Golden Lion at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011. It swept not only the Screenplay Award but also the Director’s Award and several other awards, and Max Entertainment made enormous profits.

Many people were looking forward to his next work, but he suddenly disappeared.

Rumor had it that he was writing a sequel to ‘The Emperor’s Bracelet,’ but it wasn’t an easy task.

Originally, ‘The Emperor’s Bracelet’ was a trilogy, and the movie thoroughly covered all three parts. Writing a sequel meant creating a new work within the world of ‘The Emperor’s Bracelet.’

Even though it shared the same world, creating a completely new work for the sequel was no different, so it was understandable that it took a long time.

I could guess why he wanted to meet me to some extent.

“How much time do we have left?”

“It’s tight. Since he flew all the way from America to meet you, why don’t we just take him with us? You can talk on the way.”

“That’s a good idea.”

I called George Hart to the rooftop.

On the rooftop, a homeless-looking man was standing with an old bag.

Even though it was 11 years ago, George, who was a successful screenwriter back then, shouldn’t have run out of money yet. But he looked like a beggar; I couldn’t imagine what he had been doing.

He seemed to smell, and I couldn’t tell when he had last washed his hair.

How did he even get on the plane in that state?

“Oh, Chairman! It’s an honor to meet you.”

“The honor is mine, meeting such a famous screenwriter. I’m sorry, but I have to fly to America right away. Would you like to come with me if you’re okay with it?”

“Really? Can I come along?”

“There’s no reason why not, especially if you’re going to America anyway.”

George’s expression brightened.

I think he was secretly waiting for me to ask him to come along.

While flying with George in the helicopter, he revealed why he had come to see me. It was something I already knew, but I decided to hear it directly from him.

“You’re the only one who can make my work a reality right now.”

“Why is that?”

“I heard that a large-scale set is being built in Paju, Korea, and that you’re preparing as many as 100,000 extras.”

“I haven’t acquired a film company yet.”

“Aren’t you going to acquire 20th Century Wolf?”

“That depends on the negotiations.”

“I believe you will acquire it.”

His eyes looking at me were very bright.

Just how large is the scale of his screenplay that he says only I can produce it?

Sensing that I was contemplating, George was busy explaining his work. He also told me why I had to make it.

“Chairman, this work is set 200 years after the events of ‘The Emperor’s Bracelet.’ It’s planned as a trilogy, and I’ve created a new world from the ground up.”

“There are many companies that can handle that scale.”

“There’s no place that can mobilize 100,000 extras.”

“There’s CG [computer-generated imagery], isn’t there?”

“Is CG perfect? It’s not.”

“Hmm.”

“You need real extras to bring out the magnificent feel. No matter how much CG develops, it’s still just CG.”

It’s true that CG has developed tremendously.

But no matter how much CG develops, there are bound to be limitations.

CG still couldn’t completely replace the real thing.

“Can you read it once and give me an answer?”

“It’s not difficult to read it.”

I can read it even at a fast pace.

But I have to train all the way. If it’s Lee Seul-gi, she can read it because there’s time on the way.

“First, I’ll look at the outline. And I’ll read it in detail tomorrow and make a decision.”

“That’s enough!”

Before I knew it, we arrived at the airport.

The chairman’s private jet sent by M Group had arrived, and the crew and captain came out to greet me.

“Welcome, Chairman! It’s an honor to meet you!”

The captain and crew greeted me.

However, they frowned as they looked at George, who was in a disheveled state.

Perhaps George’s appearance looked too shabby for the clean and luxurious plane.

“Do you have any clothes that would fit him?”

“We do have sportswear.”

“Is there a shower room too?”

“Of course.”

“Mr. George, new clothes and a shower room are prepared. We can provide them if you wish.”

“Oh! Thank you. I can’t even remember when I last showered.”

George said with a smile.

I don’t know how a person can become like that.

As soon as we boarded, George went to take a shower.

“Stewardess?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Please bring some simple meals here.”

“Understood.”

He was so skinny in that disheveled state.

I felt sympathy for him.

Of course, I was more interested in the work that George had been working on for 10 years.

I handed the dirty screenplay to Lee Seul-gi.

“Read it.”

“Ugh. It smells like pee.”

“You have to focus on the work.”

Lee Seul-gi didn’t seem to like it.

We decided to look at the synopsis first.

The sequel to ‘The Emperor’s Bracelet,’ ‘The Bracelet Expedition,’ is set 200 years after the original.

It dealt with the late Middle Ages, which was slightly more developed than the Middle Ages, but industrialization did not occur due to the development of magic.

The protagonist moves to destroy the bracelet that reappeared in the world. And the confrontation between the villains to take it, in the process, the entire race is caught up in the war.

I fully understood why so many extras were needed.

When I had almost finished reading the synopsis, George, with a neat face, came out with a refreshed look.

He looked grateful when the meal was served.

“Oh, I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Eat. I don’t want to hear that I treated guests stingily.”

“Then I’ll enjoy the meal.”

It seemed like he had thrown away any sense of shame.

The synopsis was good.

If the story progresses like this, it may surpass the original.

In fact, what I need is not the success of the movie. No matter how successful the movie is, it will only be a small part of the money I earn.

I just need a smokescreen.

I needed a way to train the troops.

If the movie is filmed according to the synopsis, I think I can make good use of 100,000 people. Because scenes of political strife appear all the time.

There is enough justification for training.

At this point, I had already decided to adopt George’s screenplay, whether the movie was successful or not.

Still, formal procedures were necessary.

“Secretary Lee, read it in detail and report back. I need to get some sleep.”

“Hoo. Okay.”

Lee Seul-gi was only less busy than at the company, but it didn’t mean she had nothing to do.

There was plenty to do.

In this situation where so many companies are being acquired, it doesn’t make sense to have nothing to do. But still, I could spare this much time.

First, I erased the thought of the movie and focused on training.

I practiced hand seals for the past two days and was able to manifest Poison Nova.

But I still couldn’t draw the hand seals in my head and activate them. I have to succeed by tomorrow no matter what.

Even sleeping time is precious.

I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, but I was focused on practicing drawing the hand seals thousands of times in my head so that I could activate them.

Washington Dulles International Airport.

It was about 50km away from Washington DC and located in Dulles, Virginia.

It takes about 14 hours to fly directly from Incheon to Washington, but it took only about 12 hours on a private jet.

I left at 12 o’clock, but when I arrived here, it was only 1 o’clock.

Then, shouldn’t I meet Chairman Merck to acquire 20th Century Wolf today?

I was devoted to practicing for 12 hours coming here, and I was able to draw it in my head to some extent. But I think I need to practice for another day or so.

Anyway, the showdown was tomorrow at dawn, so if I practiced until then, I thought I could somehow manifest it.

Before getting off the plane, Lee Seul-gi barely takes her eyes off the first part of the screenplay.

“How is it? Did you read it carefully?”

“Honestly… it’s amazing.”

“Really?”

“If you meet a good director and produce it well, it could be a big hit.”

“Oh! Really!?”

George was very happy at Lee Seul-gi’s words.

I think Lee Seul-gi was the first person to read the screenplay.

Lee Seul-gi nodded.

“However, the problem is that producing a movie of this scale requires a huge investment. It’s also true that you need a lot of extras. You can replace it with CG, but you need extras to properly capture the feel of the movie.”

Clap!

George, who had changed neatly, clapped his hands together.

“That’s what I’m saying!”

“Okay, let’s get off.”

There were some reporters gathered at the airport exit.

Even without having to check, I could guess that Chairman Merck had leaked the information to the reporters.

I was about to start negotiations soon, but it was still more advantageous to create a big buzz for the sale.

Reporters flocked like clouds.

Filming began, and someone recognized George.

“Oh? Aren’t you Mr. George, the writer?”

“Hahaha! That’s right! I wrote the screenplay for 10 years and went to Korea to show it to Chairman Lee Yoo-sung here, and I was able to get a good answer!”

“Then, Chairman Lee Yoo-sung! Are you going to acquire 20th Century Wolf right away this time!? I think Mr. George’s work will be on a different scale!?”

I look around the crowd.

The expectant gazes of the people.

I sighed lightly and opened my mouth.