Ch.103Traitor: Seed of Corruption

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

After easily completing the bungee jump punishment for the Run! Rushman! filming.

“I really enjoyed today. I definitely want to come back next time!”

“M-me too! You must have been frustrated working with me, thank you for being so considerate!”

Sujin and I bowed politely, bringing the filming to a warm conclusion.

As we headed home under the sun after a long time,

I poked Sujin in the side.

“Ah, Kim Donghu! Are you crazy? Poking your senior’s waist like that?!”

“No, why did you jump too? I deliberately saved you because you said you were scared.”

Sujin had done the bungee jump.

She said it would be too disappointing not to do it after coming all this way.

Ignoring her trembling legs, she closed her eyes tight and jumped.

She claimed to be scared, but where did that go?

I don’t know what gave Sujin the courage,

but she jumped right after my turn.

“…I was worried you might get criticized.”

When I asked her why,

her answer surprised me.

“What? Why would I get criticized?”

“You’re really oblivious about these things? Viewers don’t like it when someone looks too cool.”

Sujin said it was all part of her senior wisdom,

and reached out to pat my hair.

Of course, she couldn’t quite reach, so she had to stand on her tiptoes.

I deliberately lowered myself to make it easier for her to pat me.

*Pat pat*

“I know you deliberately lost because of me, and if I just stood there, it would look weird.”

“Come on, why worry about that? People who want to criticize will do it no matter what.”

“I know, but still.”

Sujin grabbed my cheeks with both hands,

making my lips pucker like a fish, and continued with a bright smile.

“What can I do? I just can’t stand by and watch people criticize you.”

“…”

What does that even mean?

I suddenly became curious about Sujin.

What was the real reason she did the bungee jump,

and what did she mean by those words just now?

Just as I was about to shift into direct gear.

“I’m going ahead!”

After saying that, Sujin didn’t give me a chance to speak and quickly slipped into the van.

“…Why am I suddenly feeling so hot?”

As I stood there blankly watching her walk away,

I habitually opened my phone.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

-[Defeat is unforgivable!]

-[Even if it was deliberate!]

-[Even if it was based on chivalry for a woman!]

-[I’ll let it slide just this once.]

-[But it’s still unforgivable.]

-[Downloading application ‘Tarzan’.]

I immediately read Sims’ scolding message.

Checking the time, it seemed to have been sent right after our defeat in the game.

As if defeat was absolutely unforgivable,

he had gotten angry once before after losing in sparring.

Sure enough, he immediately added a new talent.

‘Tarzan, so something like parkour and intuition, I guess.’

I don’t understand why he hates losing so much.

It’s puzzling.

‘But why does it feel like it’s been so long since I got a message from Sims?’

Maybe there just hadn’t been any reason until now.

But I felt it was time to return to my main job.

Or more precisely, I wanted to act again.

‘The boxing competition is in September, right.’

I’ll take it easy until then,

and ask Seokho hyung what casting opportunities are available.

Just as I came to that conclusion.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

As if waiting for that very decision.

Sims’ messages came in succession.

-[September Boxing Selection Tournament, Heavyweight Devil Kim Donghu Descends “4 Consecutive 1st Round KO Kills”]

One was about me being called the devil of the heavyweight division, sweeping everyone away.

-[Kim Donghu’s Next Project?! Return to Screen with “Traitor: The Root of Corruption”!]

And the other was about me appearing in a movie.

‘Traitor?’

As soon as I heard the name, I remembered what movie it was.

It was one I had enjoyed watching.

‘Looking forward to it.’

I was really curious about what role I would play this time.

+++++

“A handsome face needs to be exposed on screen frequently. Not doing so? That’s deception.”

At the film production company <Masterpiece>.

The employees nodded in agreement with CEO Ju Myeonghwa’s words.

“In that sense, we absolutely! Absolutely! Must cast Kim Donghu.”

There was a strong determination in Ju Myeonghwa’s words.

A resolve to do it no matter what, willing to pay any price if necessary.

As Ju Myeonghwa was presenting the plan for “Traitor: The Root of Corruption” through a simple PowerPoint,

one employee raised their hand.

“Oh, yes, do you have a question?”

“Yes, it’s actually quite… simple in a way.”

“What is it? Don’t beat around the bush, just say it.”

“Well… this is about common people cutting off the roots of corruption, right? A kind of rebellion.”

“That’s right.”

“…But aren’t the corrupt officials too handsome?”

“Hmm?”

Ju Myeonghwa glanced at the screen at the employee’s words.

The current representative of handsomeness, actor Jin Yuseong.

And the rising star of handsomeness,

with looks so perfect they were incomparable to anyone else, Kim Donghu.

Putting these two together, they didn’t look villainous at all.

If anything, the rebels who were supposed to defeat the corrupt officials might look like the bad guys.

“But, but putting handsome guys together is really good!”

“In what way?”

“It’s very similar to how two roses are better than one!”

Ju Myeonghwa proudly declared, flipping her long hair.

She couldn’t refute the employee’s point,

but the roles of the officials had to be played by Jin Yuseong and Kim Donghu.

Especially Kim Donghu’s role was the kick of the movie.

“Not an official who somewhat understands the situation! But a young master born as a perfect superior who can’t understand the feelings of the inferiors, who else but Kim Donghu could play such a role!”

The employees kept their mouths shut at Ju Myeonghwa’s firm character setting.

When their CEO got like this, no one could stop her.

“Make sure to contact Kim Donghu!”

“Um… CEO?”

“Yes? What?”

“We got a reply.”

“What?! It hasn’t even been a day since we sent it?”

“But… we got one.”

“What does it say?”

“He says he’ll do it.”

The detailed contract would need to be discussed in person,

but Kim Donghu said he really wants to do the project, could you please relay that?

At her subordinate’s words, Ju Myeonghwa clapped her hands in delight.

“Let’s aim for 10 million viewers too!”

There was a rumor circulating in the entertainment industry recently.

Honestly, it seemed absurd,

but his track record made it a powerful superstition people wanted to believe.

‘Just filming with Kim Donghu guarantees a hit.’

Ju Myeonghwa desperately hoped that rule would apply to their film as well.

+++++

<Traitor: The Root of Corruption, B>

I looked at the grade of the fresh script I had just received and estimated its performance.

‘At least 10 million viewers.’

I wasn’t sure if it became a B-grade because of the synergy from my participation,

or if it was a B-grade from the start.

But what was certain was that it had tremendous potential as a film.

‘Well, let’s dive in after a long time.’

I grabbed the script right away.

‘Immersion.’

Without hesitation, I entered the world of the script.

++++

Whoosh!

In an instant, the surroundings changed,

and the first thing I saw was.

“Please… please spare my life… I’m begging you.”

A servant covered in blood, prostrated on the ground.

“I can’t. If I let you live, other lowly ones will look at you and have hope.”

A cold, arrogant smile.

Without hesitation, I plunged my sword into the prostrated servant’s back.

Thunk!

Stabbed from behind, his lungs were pierced, preventing him from making any sound.

“Heuhhh…”

A life vanishes pathetically.

But it didn’t matter.

How could a servant be called a life?

Life should have value,

and in that sense, these things before me had no value.

Like passing grass, crumbling leaves,

similar to dog droppings on the street.

“I’ve been so displeased with the look in your eyes lately.”

They say even a worm writhes when stepped on?

What a ridiculous notion.

A worm is still just a worm no matter how much it writhes.

How dare it bare its teeth at a dragon?

Such impudence.

That’s why I took matters into my own hands.

Normally, I would call executioners to handle this,

but there’s a reason I personally took up the sword.

Slash!

“Where were you planning to go if you escaped? Did you even have anywhere to go?”

With just two sword strikes, the worthless candles are extinguished.

A fate of crawling under others’ feet even if they existed.

Perhaps dying earlier and going under the soil was a blessing in disguise.

Five remained.

As if by agreement, none answered my question.

Was it because their lives had so little value?

Even with death before them, they clung to useless principles.

“Judging by the look in your eyes, you’re thinking of becoming traitors, aren’t you? Planning to rise above your station through rebellion?”

“How would a bloodclot like you know! The suffering of the common people! How hard we struggle to live!”

“Of course I don’t.”

I laughed loudly, finding it too absurd.

It was quite comical to hear such words from someone with their limbs bound.

Moreover.

“I don’t see why I should know that.”

The very idea was quite petty.

“Why should a phoenix understand the will of a sparrow?”

These insufferable inferiors.

It seemed like killing them all would be the only way to feel satisfied today.

Slash!

The dance of the young master, Joseon’s executioner,

mercilessly tramples the common people.