Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

Chapter 161: Park Eun-Sung (1)

After losing Park Eun-Sung, the two thugs ended up gasping for air and looking helplessly at each other.

"Hey, Myung-Hoon. It looks like we lost him. What do we do now?"

"What do you mean what do we do? We're totally screwed. Let's report back first."

"Damn it. We're going to get it big time."

A year ago, Choi Kang-Han, the leader of Kanghan Inc. which dominated the area around Ansan and Gyeonggi Province, liquidated all his assets. However, he managed to retain some major nightclubs in the metropolitan area and across South Chungcheong Province centered around Daejeon.

Declaring his intention to wash his hands off illegal activities, Choi Kang-Han used the funds from winding up his previous business to establish Kanghan Entertainment.

The newly formed Kanghan Entertainment then used its substantial cash reserves to acquire undervalued small entertainment companies. Among these was Blue Entertainment, to which the famous actor Park Eun-Sung was signed.

But as Park Eun-Sung, the prized asset of Blue Entertainment, kept delaying his re-signing, coercive measures were employed.

That's where things started to go wrong.

They had intended to scare him a little, but they didn't expect the quick-witted Park Eun-Sung to flee. The two former gangsters, now novices in the strange profession of talent agents, were flustered by the unexpected setback.

"B-but the punishment should be better than before, right? We're no longer part of an underground organization but a legitimate company. So we'll probably just get hit a few times."

"Let's make the call first," said the thug named Kim Myung-Hoon who then picked up the phone.

"Yes, yes. Boss. We lost him...No, I mean, we have committed a grave sin!"

Kim Myung-Hoon couldn't even finish speaking and bowed deeply. It was a mistake to have reassured themselves that things had changed.

"Yes, yes! We'll definitely find him and bring him in."

Kim Myung-Hoon's face turned pale after hanging up the call.

"H-hey, what's wrong? You're making me nervous," stuttered the other thug named Park Sung-Jong.

Kim Myung-Hoon replied in a trembling voice, "If we don't bring him in, they said they'll bash our heads in and throw us into the sea."

"B-b-but aren't we not gangsters anymore?"

"It seems this is an exception."

Both of them were losing color in their faces.

"Let's go back and grab that guy's talent agent first and ask him."

"Yeah, let's do that."

Changing their target, the two headed to the cafe where Lee Yung-Cheol, Park Eun-Sung's talent agent and the former president of his agency, was waiting.

They had to find Park Eun-Sung tonight at any cost and bring him to the company as their own lives were at stake.

***

Having rescued Park Eun-Sung from a near-abduction, I arrived at the Intercontinental Hotel's underground parking lot.

I immediately got out of the car and called Jung Soo-Hyuk, the Finance Director. To recruit Park Eun-Sung, we needed assistance from Kang Gam-Chan's Information Team.

-What's the matter at this hour? Don't tell me you already have a favor to ask?

When I explained what had happened to Park Eun-Sung, Jung Soo-Hyuk asked in surprise for my current location.

-Where are you right now?

"I'm at the Intercontinental Hotel."

-The Intercontinental Hotel? Then I'll call Manager Choi Han-Song. And contact me once you're in your room, I'll need to send a bodyguard.

"Thank you. We won't let the caught fish slip away with this."

-Don't be complacent and make sure to finish this. It's not uncommon to lose hold of what's half-caught.

"I'll keep that in mind."

After hanging up, Manager Choi Han-Song, informed by Jung Soo-Hyuk, contacted me shortly after. We could enter the suite without unnecessary exposure thanks to his guidance.

Click!

As soon as the door closed, Park Eun-Sung slumped onto the sofa. "Sigh...thank goodness."

I called Jung Soo-Hyuk again to inform him that we were in Suite 1217. With the security guards on their way, my task was to proceed with the operation to recruit Park Eun-Sung.

Seated across Park Eun-Sung, I poured some of the welcome wine into a glass and handed it to him, along with some Emmental and Camembert cheese as appetizers.

"Here. Have some snacks with it," I said.

Though the welcome wine might not fully satisfy a wine aficionado like him, he still drank it, perhaps due to the ordeal of the chase.

When Park Eun-Sung was slightly tipsy, I asked him what had happened.

"Well..."

He started to tell me about how his agency tried to abduct him because he refused to re-sign the contract with them.

Although I was already aware of the situation, I acted as if I was hearing it for the first time and offered sympathetic responses.

"It's a relief you weren't hurt."

"Yes. I never expected them to go this far."

"Just relax and take it easy for today, Mr. Eun-Sung."

At that moment, Park Eun-Sung glanced at me hesitantly and then began to speak.

"Um...given how things have turned out, a thought occurred to me about moving to Hoop Entertainment... "

"To our company?"

"I don't really have a choice since my current company was bought out by gangsters. I'm not asking for special treatment or anything. Maybe just a bit more than what I'm getting now."

The tipsy Park Eun-Sung mentioned the idea as if it was an inconvenience he was passing on to me.

This was Park Eun-Sung's biggest flaw. He was impressionable and impulsive. He also had a bad habit of shirking responsibility and making excuses.

If the gangster talent agents from Kanghan Entertainment were to threaten him again, it was clear he might flip sides once more.

I needed to make Park Eun-Sung more desperate to prevent this from happening. After all, the one who was more desperate was often the one who lost in any game or contest.

I poured Park Eun-Sung another drink as he leaned back comfortably on the sofa.

"I understand what you mean, but I didn't save you with the intention to recruit you."

When I cut off his request abruptly, Park Eun-Sung stumbled over his words with a perplexed expression. "Th-then why did you save me? Just out of goodwill with no reason at all?"

"Yes. Helping someone in trouble just seems like the right thing to do, doesn't it?" I responded.

The flustered Park Eun-Sung burst out in frustration. "Ah, geez! How embarrassing! I thought you were interested in recruiting me! This isn't funny at all!"

He was acting like a child. Of course, this level of impulsive behavior was nothing but a minor quirk. In this line of work, it was common to encounter people who resorted to violence when things didn't go their way.

Park Eun-Sung, who had been pampered as a top star for so long, had very little patience.

"Also, the security guards are just temporary. You should contact a security firm tomorrow and arrange for personal bodyguards."

Only then did Park Eun-Sung start to grasp his situation. He realized he was merely a target for abduction by his agency to force a contract renewal.

The previously assertive Park Eun-Sung began to show his vulnerability and sneaked glances at me.

"Um, alright. Then can we discuss my agency transfer now and..."

Ding dong.

That's when four bodyguards sent by Jung Soo-Hyuk arrived with perfect timing.

I ignored Park Eun-Sung's words on purpose and welcomed the bodyguards. After showing their faces, two of them left after indicating that they would alternate every 12 hours.

With the bodyguards positioned at the entrance and the living room, I laid down on the sofa without further conversation with Park Eun-Sung.

"I've been working all day and am quite tired. I'll sleep on the sofa. You should get some rest too, Mr. Eun-Sung. We can talk more tomorrow," I said as I reached for a thin blanket.

I finished my sentence and covered myself head to toe with a thin blanket I had prepared in advance.

"But..."

Park Eun-Sung seemed to want to say more, but I had no intention of listening. To successfully close the deal, it was crucial to make it clear to Park Eun-Sung who was in a more desperate position.

Park Eun-Sung might have been able to guess my intentions under normal conditions. But with the excitement yet to wear off and the alcohol in his system, making a sound judgment was unlikely.

After all, I hadn't offered him wine for no reason.

In the end, Park Eun-Sung couldn't say anything further and headed to the bed with slumped shoulders.

Click.

Sleepiness began to creep in as the lights went off.

***

In the headquarters of Kanghan Entertainment located on the top-floor executive office of a 15-story building in Apgujeong, a stout man looked down at three men kneeling before him.

No longer referred to as chairman but as president, this man was Choi Kang-Han who had once managed the nightlife around Ansan and Gyeonggi Province.

"Please spare us, Mr. Choi!"

"Please have mercy, hyung-nim!"

The two employees who had been following Park Eun-Sung and Lee Yung-Cheol, the president of Park Eun-Sung's former agency Blue Entertainment, clasped their hands together and pleaded desperately.

A deep smile began to form on Choi Kang-Han's face as he observed them.

"You want me to spare your lives?"

The two thugs fell flat to the ground in terror.

"Please, Boss!!"

At the mention of boss, Choi Kang-Han burst out in anger.

"Why are you still calling me boss? Do you think I'm still a gangster?"

At that moment, Lee Yung-Cheol quickly corrected his address.

"Mr. President, please forgive us!"

"Well, at least you're educated. You react quickly. But that aside..."

Choi Kang-Han glanced at a young man by his side and smiled.

"Eun-Gi. Even though we've transitioned to legitimate business, we still need to enforce strict discipline, don't you think?"

Kang Eun-Gi, once number three in line in the Kang-Han Inc, nodded.

Choi Kang-Han instructed, "Handle them appropriately. Make sure not to kill them."

Kang Eun-Gi nodded. "Yes, sir."

As a menacing aura appeared on Kang Eun-Gi's face, the three men turned pale with fear.

Despite being only 27, Kang Eun-Gi's decisive actions had once dominated the streets of Ansan at night. Despite his handsome appearance, Kang Eun-Gi, who stood at 185 cm with a robust build, was known for his terrifying nature.

This left the three trembling and unsure of what to do.

Click.

Kang Eun-Gi pulled out a pair of pliers from his coat and approached the three. The head of the plier with its red handle was stained with dried blood, creating a patchy pattern.

Lee Yung-Cheol turned pale as a ghost and waved his hands frantically.

"D-Director Kang! Wait just a moment Wait!"

"Don't make me soft-hearted and just open your mouth. I'll only pull out one since it's your first time," Kang Eun-Gi said with a smirk.

Kang Eun-Gi let out a sinister laugh as he grabbed Lee Yung-Cheol by the throat with one hand.

In a frantic struggle, Lee Yung-Cheol desperately rubbed his hands together and shouted. "No, please! Director Kang! Don't do this! Uff!"

Kang Eun-Gi chuckled as Lee Yung-Cheol clenched his mouth shut.

"Just open up if you don't want your tongue pulled out as well."

Lee Yung-Cheol hastily shook his head while keeping his mouth shut.

"You're really making things difficult."

Just as Kang Eun-Gi was about to force his mouth open, Choi Kang-Han burst into hearty laughter.

"Are you still carrying that around? You're always so grim. Remember, we're not gangsters anymore. Put it away!"

Kang Eun-Gi reluctantly slipped the pliers back into his pocket. He had only intended to scare them, after all.

Sure enough, Lee Yung-Cheol's pants slowly began to stain with urine.

"Let's be professional, Mr. Lee. It's uncomfortable for me too, to do this to someone of your age," Kang Eun-Gi said.

"Yes, yes. Of course. Director Kang, I understand you completely. It's all my fault and it won't happen again!"

"Alright. I'll give you another chance."

"Th-thank you."

Kang Eun-Gi released Lee Yung-Cheol's neck with a cold laugh.

"Don't thank me just yet. If you don't bring Park Eun-Sung tomorrow, this will be you."

"Huh?"

At that moment, Kang Eun-Gi suddenly kicked one of the kneeling thugs.

Thud!

A thug, likely over 190cm tall, foamed at the mouth and collapsed from a single kick by Kang Eun-Gi. Kang Eun-Gi then landed a punch straight into the face of another thug beside him.

Whack!

With a clean straight punch, the thug fainted while still on his knees.

When Kang Eun-Gi wiped his bloodied hand with a smirk, Lee Yung-Cheol started to tremble uncontrollably as he regretted the hasty decision to sell his shares for several times their worth.

"Let's not embarrass each other and just do our jobs properly, shall we?" Kang Eun-Gi said in a menacing tone.

"Yes, yes. I understand, Director Kang!" Lee Yung-Cheol replied with his head bowed.

Lee Yung-Cheol was now using honorifics for someone 20 years younger than him.

"You may leave," Kang Eun-Gi ordered.

Lee Yung-Cheol left the president's office as fast as he could.

Then Choi Kang-Han shook his head as he looked at the two men collapsed on the floor.

"There's no one useful. Just no one."

"I'm sorry, sir," Kang Eun-Gi said.

"What are you apologizing for? Anyway, find out who took Park Eun-Sung. We need to at least know who blindsided us, right?"

"Understood, sir."

Choi Kang-Han smiled contentedly as he watched Kang Eun-Gi bow his head.

"You've really mellowed out. I was worried you might pull out a healthy tooth again."

Kang Eun-Gi offered a bitter smile. The reason for pulling out a perfectly healthy person's tooth with pliers is simple: to instill fear and pain.

Coming from an orphanage and being a third-rate thug, he chose pliers as his tool to stand out and catch the boss, Choi Kang-Han's, attention. Back then, he believed that a notorious thug needed a symbolic nickname. Indeed, he was called Plier hyung-nim by his underlings and rival gangs.

"Now that you have moved into legitimate business, I should also try to shed more of my gangster ways. I apologize." said Kang Eun-Gi as he looked at Choi Kang-Han.

Choi Kang-Han smiled warmly as Kang Eun-Gi faltered.

"Tsk. If only the others thought like you. They just can't seem to let go of their thug mentality..."

Turning his head, Choi Kang-Han continued to speak to Kang Eun-Gi.

"As you know, we don't have much time. We need to acquire as many companies and actors as possible. The sooner we establish our position, the further we get from the prosecutor's radar. Don't forget that."

"Yes, sir."

A strange gleam flashed in Kang Eun-Gi's eyes as he bowed and stepped out of the office.