The Sacred Manager Life - Chapter 24

“Executive Director?”

“Gasp.”

Shim Jongho covered his mouth.

He had the look of someone who had accidentally said something he shouldn’t have.

<“Who is the executive director?”

“N-no. I misspoke. Forget it.”>

He was practically begging me to pay attention to it.

What an amateur.

<“Do you really want me to ask twice?”

“I told you, I misspoke! It’s true!”>

I cracked my knuckles and got up from my chair.

As my shadow loomed over him, he trembled and clutched his head.

<“P-please! If I say anything, the executive director will kill me!”

“And if you don’t talk, I’ll kill you first. Guess you didn’t think of that, huh?”>

I stepped forward, scowling as hard as I could.

<“Eek!”>

In the end, he slid off the couch.

*

<“It’s Executive Director Geum Taesang. He oversees the trainee unit.”>

Finally, I got a name.

This must be the executive who ordered the trainees to keep quiet.

“What’s his connection to Jinsaenggyo?”

“I don’t know what he does for the church, but he’s really close to the cult leader. He’s the one who called me there.”

<“Did you know it was a cult when you joined?”>

Cha Soyeon, standing behind me, asked the question.

<“No. I only realized it after joining. They said the end of the world was near and that God had descended in the form of the cult leader to save humanity. Only those who follow him can enter heaven.”>

A typical doomsday cult scam.

They must have used this heaven nonsense to extort money from believers.

And if the obsession went too far, they ended up like Sera’s mom—offering up their own children.

<“But you don’t seem too bothered, even after realizing it’s a cult. You weren’t a believer, were you?”>

I already knew he had no faith, but I was curious about his connection to Geum Taesang.

<“I don’t believe in that stuff.”>

<“Then why did you take Chie there? Even if it was an order from a superior, you still kidnapped someone. She was a trainee who trusted you.”>

<“T-that’s…”>

He fumbled for an excuse, saying he couldn’t defy an executive who held his career in their hands.

I grabbed him by the throat.

Chie’s face flashed through my mind—laughing and chatting with Rina at the dorm.

He had betrayed that trust.

<“Ghk… urk….”>

<“That’s not how it works. If your boss orders something like that, you refuse. If you can’t, you report it to the police! But you went along with it! You knew exactly what would happen to Chie, and you still did it!”>

I threw him to the floor.

<“What did Executive Director Geum give you? Spit it out. And if you try to dodge the question again, choking you will be the least of your worries.”>

<[He looks even scarier than the demon who went berserk before God. That man is feeling true terror right now.]>

‘Good. He should be. I actually want to kill him right now.’

Finally, Shim Jongho spoke in a trembling voice.

Chie wasn’t the first.

He had lured multiple trainees to the cult, using higher evaluation scores as bait.

Geum Taesang covered it up every time, so he kept doing it without hesitation.

SN Entertainment was being used as a human trafficking ring.

<“I got hefty bonuses each time. And….”>

<“You got women too, didn’t you?”>

Cha Soyeon cut in.

He hung his head.

<“Of course. Making you a participant makes you easier to control and gives them leverage over you later.”>

I stared at her.

<“Why are you looking at me like that? Do I look prettier now?”>

<“You seem oddly familiar with this kind of situation.”>

<“I’ve filmed a lot of thrillers.”>

She smirked and held out her hand to Shim Jongho.

<“Give me your phone.”>

*

I found Geum Taesang’s number and called him.

<“Oh, Jongho. Have you come to your senses—”>

<“Hello, Executive Director Geum. This is our first time speaking. I’m Shin Juwon from Pine Entertainment.”>

<“…….”>

<“You’ve probably heard my name in the news, right?”>

<“Why do you have Jongho’s phone? Put him on.”>

<“He’s not in the right state to talk. But don’t worry, I’m taking good care of him.”>

Geum Taesang didn’t know yet that Shim Jongho was back to normal.

<“Then why are you calling me?”>

<“I have some questions. You know I was at the Sky Palace, right?”>

<“So what?”>

<“I got curious about something. I thought you might have the answers. But if you don’t want to talk, I can always ask someone else.”>

<“Are you threatening me?”>

<“Threatening? Come on, how could a rookie manager like me threaten an SN Entertainment executive? I’m just genuinely curious.”>

“…….”

A pause.

“Meet me in the lobby. I’ll send someone to get you.”

As I hung up, I noticed Cha Soyeon staring at me.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do I look handsome all of a sudden?”

“You seem awfully good at this kind of thing. Why are you so good at making threats?”

<“I watched a lot of thrillers too.”>

I threw her words back at her.

She smirked.

“So, is Executive Director Geum willing to meet?”

“Yes. I’m heading to SN Entertainment now.”

<“I’ll go with you.”>

<“It would look suspicious if you were with me, Soyeon. Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”>

<“You said that guy was willing to kill people. What if he tries to do the same to you?”>

<“I’m not that weak. You saw me in the parking lot.”>

<“Still….”>

<“Soyeon.”>

“…….”

<“The power I received from ‘him’… it’s not just for healing.”>

Cha Soyeon’s eyes widened.

<“This is the middle of Seoul. It’s not like they can send 300 men to swarm me all at once.”>

<“Oh.”>

She finally understood what I meant, and her expression brightened.

<“Hide that bastard well and wait. We’ll need him soon.”>

I left the apartment and drove toward SN Entertainment’s headquarters.

*****

When I called from the first-floor lobby, a tall, slender secretary came down to escort me.

She walked ahead, swaying her hips—definitely someone used to handling executives.

<“Sit down. You look much sturdier in person than you do on screen.”>

<“Thank you.”>

He greeted me with a friendly smile, but soon dropped the act.

<“I didn’t know Pine Entertainment trained managers in blackmail. You’re pretty good at it.”>

<“Compared to SN Entertainment, that’s nothing. Your managers are out here kidnapping people.”>

His eyebrows twitched for a moment before he forced his friendly smile back into place.

<“You’re an interesting one. What do you want to know?”>

<“Nothing.”>

<“Are you messing with me?”>

<“You wouldn’t answer properly even if I asked. I don’t want to waste my energy playing mind games.”>

<“Then why are you here?”>

<“I have a proposal.”>

<“A proposal?”>

<“Yes. Two things.”>

< “Go on.”>

<“First, release Chie from her contract. I know she still has time left, but I’m sure someone of your position can take care of it.”>

<“And?”>

<“Make sure Sera’s mother never appears in front of her again. I know you’re keeping her close.”>

“…….”

Time to poke the bear.

<“With that actress-level face and perfectly toned body, she really knows how to work her hips on top of you, doesn’t she? She’s too good to waste. Keep her to yourself, but don’t let Sera see her.”>

<“You little bastard….”>

The friendly facade crumbled.

<“Don’t worry. I won’t say a word.”>

A brief silence followed.

He ran a hand down his face, then glared at me.

<“You said this was a proposal.”>

<“That’s right.”>

<“Then what’s in it for me?”>

<“I’ll return Chie’s manager to you. You were going to silence him anyway, right? Handle it however you like.”>

<“That’s all?”>

<“I’ll keep quiet about everything I saw and heard at the Sky Palace.”>

<“And you expect me to believe that?”>

<“You’ll have to. I’m the one holding the knife.”>

<“No matter how much you rant, who’s going to believe a lowly manager? Do you really think I’ll just let you walk around talking?”>

<“You’d probably try to ‘bury’ me, just like you did Chie’s manager. But here’s the thing….”>

I placed my hand on the table and leaned in.

<“If you want to bury me, you’ll need to send more than 300 men.”>

<“What?”>

<“You don’t actually believe the nonsense about the cult members fighting each other at Sky Palace, do you?”>

For the first time, Geum Taesang’s gaze wavered.

<“If you don’t believe me, handpick some of your best men and send them after me. I’ll return them to you with their limbs neatly removed.”>

<“You… you little bastard! Are you threatening me?!”>

<“Didn’t you just say Pine Entertainment trains its managers in blackmail? Turns out, I learned really well.”>

I stood up from my seat.

<“Once Chie’s contract is terminated, I’ll return her manager.”>

On my way down to the parking lot, I sent a text to Cha Soyeon: “It’s settled.”

I didn’t wait for a reply before leaving.

Geum Taesang had no way out.

And I wasn’t planning to expose everything just yet.

They had already cut off loose ends, so revealing anything now would just lead to endless lawsuits and court battles.

I needed to find a way to take Geum Taesang down completely.

SN Entertainment – Executive Director’s Office.

<“That punk might not be bluffing… Did he really take on 300 men alone?”>

Geum Taesang was connected to several gangs that controlled Gangnam’s nightlife.

He had planned to send some men to intimidate me.

But if what I said was true, using violence carelessly would be dangerous.

He pulled out his phone and made a call.

<“Hey, it’s me. Look into something for me. A manager at Pine Entertainment—name’s Shin Juwon. Yeah, that’s right.”>

After hanging up, he called his secretary.

<“Tell Manager Seo to bring me Matsuo Chie’s contract. Also… after that guy leaves, change into something nice. You know what I like.”>

*

Later.

<“That was easier than expected. The girl you mentioned—her contract is terminated. They claimed she violated company policy and left without permission, but they didn’t even bring up a penalty fee. SN never does anything out of kindness.”>

Baek Hakyung, the team leader, relayed the information after speaking with her contact inside SN Entertainment.

Geum Taesang had accepted my proposal.