Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 188
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 188
Sweat drips down Simon Cowell’s flushed red face. He glares at the man across from him as if he wants to kill him.
A scoundrel who dares to take away his golden goose.
He wants to slap him across the face and throw him out.
But he can’t do that.
The lawyer dispatched from Lewis & Boris Law Firm smiles at him.
“Shall we give you a little more time to think about it?”
Simon Cowell looks at the stack of documents placed in front of him.
Evidence of tax evasion that could not only cost him everything he’s built but also land him in prison if it explodes.
Crack!
“I’ll… give up Camila.”
“That’s fortunate.”
That he won’t have to present evidence of other crimes.
“What?”
Instead of answering, the lawyer pointed to the contract termination document in front of him, and Simon Cowell, gritting his teeth again, picked up his pen.
Scratch!
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
“W-wait!”
“Do you have something to say?”
“…Which label is Camila going to!”
“Rocky.”
Thud!
“Rocky Management?”
“I trust you won’t do anything foolish like media manipulation.”
The lawyer tapped his bag and turned around, while Simon Cowell slammed his desk.
Bang!
The golden goose that would have brought him big money had flown away.
Meanwhile, at Rocky Management’s general planning office.
-Yes, client. We just received the contract termination document.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Andrew Pearson, who ended the call, looks at the subordinate employees staring at him.
“Let’s begin.”
Johann’s album release.
“Yes!”
They answered vigorously.
* * *
Buzz buzz!
The lobby of a building filled with people trying to leave.
The face of John Smith, a company employee in his 50s, is bright.
“See you tomorrow, Billy!”
“Oh. You seem to have something good happening today!”
“It’s about to happen, haha!”
The album of the performer he’s been waiting and waiting for is being released today.
Johann Jefferson, called the reincarnation of Paganini and Rachmaninoff.
A genius musician who conquered the Queen Elizabeth and Tchaikovsky competitions but had no official musical activities since, breaking the hearts of all classical music enthusiasts worldwide.
‘What level of skill will it be?’
The DVDs of the Queen Elizabeth and Tchaikovsky competitions sold out as soon as they were released, and even after five reprints, they all sold out in less than half a day, so John Smith, who could only shed tears of regret, quickens his pace.
But…
“Kyaa! His first regular album!”
“Ah! It can’t sell out before I get there!”
‘What, what’s this?’
There’s a long line at the large record store near his company.
More than 60 percent are teenage and twenty-something women.
‘Did Justin Bieber release an album or something?’
If not something like that, there’s no way women would line up like this.
“Tsk. Of all days… This is going to take a long time, isn’t it?”
Just as he picks up his phone to contact his wife that he’ll be late.
“John!”
“Jamie!”
A woman in her 40s who’s a member of the classical music club.
John Smith slyly squeezes in next to her. The people behind him give him looks, but he deliberately ignores them.
“Ahem. Someone must be making a comeback today.”
“Sigh. That’s not it. Performer Jefferson released a regular album.”
“…All these people lined up to buy a classical album?”
A thrilling emotion resonates in John Smith’s chest.
‘Is classical music about to experience a revival!’
As someone who loves classical music, it was a scene that couldn’t help but move him.
“That’s not it, he released both a pop album and a classical album simultaneously.”
“Ah…”
Then this scene makes sense. Though he’s called the reincarnation of great musicians, before that he already had the reputation of being an excellent pop singer.
“Phew. Then that’s fortunate.”
The young women won’t buy the classical album.
“Hmm… I think they’ll probably buy the classical album too.”
These are fans who like not Johann’s songs, but Johann himself.
Whether the album he released was classical or pop didn’t matter. They would want to collect whatever it was.
“What?”
John Smith, eyes widening, became urgent again.
“The next twenty people can come in!”
“We should be able to get in.”
“Oh!”
Once again grateful to the club member with a nod, he quickly enters the store.
“Ah! There aren’t many left!”
“Grab them quickly!”
“How many can we buy at once?”
“Only two copies per person! Please be considerate of those behind you!”
“Aah! Just one more! Can’t I buy just one more?”
“No!”
People gathered in one section where you could tell where Johann’s albums were without staff guidance.
John Smith also hurries his steps.
And he’s flustered.
‘Only a few left!’
He can see the bottom of the display rack. At most 40 copies.
John Smith panics.
‘Uh, which one is the classical album?’
An album with wolves with sharp eyes drawn against a dark forest background, and an album with wolves sleeping peacefully drawn lying in a field under blue sky.
Which one would be the classical album?
Is there no LP (Long Playing)?
“Mister, aren’t you going to buy it?”
“I, I will buy it!”
If he hesitates, he won’t be able to buy it this time either.
John Smith grabbed both albums and rushed to the counter.
Beep! Beep!
“Excuse me, by any chance which one is classical…”
“40 dollars. Next!”
“Ugh.”
He paid the price as if he had no choice and turned around. Telling the club member he’d see them next time.
“I’m back.”
“You’re home? What about dinner?”
“Please take care of it.”
He quickly went to the restroom to wash up and immediately headed to the study.
His wife who only starts cooking dinner after he gets home from work. He should be able to listen to about three songs comfortably.
“Hehe.”
His number one treasure speaker that he bought with a fortune.
Standing in front of the speaker he bought for a whopping 10,000 dollars, he examines the two albums again.
‘It’s quite thick?’
It seems like there are two CDs in each.
“…There’s no playlist written either.”
‘Was this to prevent buying just one?’
“Tsk.”
It was when he had no choice but to unwrap both albums.
“Sniff sniff? Already?”
The smell of food wafts in. This means cooking is almost finished.
He reluctantly took out any CD and put it into the player.
Whirr!
Do I really have to do this? Ah, this is embarrassing.
“Oh no.”
It seems to be a pop album.
He reached toward the player.
“Dad! Mom says to come eat… Oh! It’s Johann’s song!”
His lovely 15-year-old daughter, so precious he wouldn’t mind if she poked his eyes.
“Dad, don’t tell me you bought Johann’s album… you did!”
The girl quickly snatched the album from John Smith’s hands.
“Kyaa! It’s a different card!”
A small photo card taken while sitting on a car hood wearing a sleeveless shirt and jeans.
John Smith wondered.
“…You know performer Jefferson?”
“Of course! These days if you don’t know Johann, you get ostracized!”
A genius who stands out in various fields like sports, art, and music.
And with a lovely appearance and beast-like body, a truly wild real man from birth.
That’s why he got the nickname Wolf Knight, Prince of Reversals.
Whenever she met with friends, stories about Johann would come up first.
“Were you also Johann’s fan, Dad?”
“Of, of course.”
“Really?! Wow!”
He was moved by his daughter’s surprised eyes.
His daughter who had been spending more time alone since puberty hit at age 11.
How long had it been since he had a conversation like this with his daughter, since he received such a look?
“…Want to listen together?”
“Really?”
“Come, sit here.”
John Smith gave up his sofa, and as his daughter quickly sat down, he sat next to her and looked at her.
“Listen. This part is the highlight!”
-Do you know-! You changed me-!
“Whoa.”
A heart-piercing sorrowful high note.
‘The lyrics are… not bad either.’
John Smith smiled warmly, feeling grateful for the song that created memories with his daughter.
* * *
-I want to say what kind of rap can an Asian do… but I can’t.
└Black people, come out.
└If there’s a black person who can diss this, that guy’s ears are messed up.
└Or they’re legends like Jay-Z or Eminem.
└Ha! Even without profanity, every word touches the heart.
└There’s no pointless money bragging either.
-Why did lyrics written by a 17-year-old make 35-year-old me cry?
└It’s okay. I cried too.
└It seems like lyrics written for a friend… but to me it felt exactly like my late mother talking to me. 🙁
└For me it was Grandfather. I cried with my younger brother. Grandfather raised us.
-Anyone see the photo book included in the album?
└At first I thought it was expensive! But the moment I saw it, 20 dollars wasn’t a waste!
└I feel like I bought it too cheap! Even the photo books of the two albums are different!
└But the random photo cards are a bit… where did they learn this kind of marketing.
└To call it marketing, there were only too high-quality photos.
└Especially the Paganini photo in the classical album looked so real!
└That’s not a photo, it’s a drawing! Only the photo cards are photos!
└Really? My goodness.
└The production process was all shown in the documentary that just started airing on Mr. Warner!
└It’s true. He’s really drawing everything… but why does it look like a photo?
└It’s called hyperrealism.
-Watching Johann’s documentary reminded me of the past. Those innocent times when just being with friends made me laugh.
└Isn’t it amazing? To be this successful…
└Camila Cabello is pretty.
└Get lost.
-Why did Camila leave Fifth Harmony!
-Johann’s album tracks. They seem like stories he experienced himself, am I the only one who thinks so?
└I was just thinking the same thing.
└My goodness. Then “Letter from Heaven” is…?
└Well. It could be a friend’s story, not family. Sometimes friends can be like family to someone.
-After a long time, I spent happy time with my teenage daughter. Performer Johann Jefferson. Thank you so much for creating good songs.
└I also listened to songs with my son.
└My dad was surprised, asking if I was a millennial.
└Millennial refers to those born from ’81, right?
└I hugged my mother. Her health is getting worse, and I felt sorry for not coming home often and not listening well.
└Express that heart to your fullest. Don’t regret it later like I did.
-I came to ask how Johann Jefferson’s performance of Paganini’s La Campanella was… What are these posts?
└Buy and listen to Johann’s pop album.
└I recommend listening with your family.
The wave caused by Johann’s album swept across America.
* * *
Murmur murmur
Inside a tent where people wearing leather clothes or cowboy hats walk around carrying instruments.
Johann catches his breath while watching them.
‘First regional event performance.’
LA County Fair, which he rushed to right after promoting his new song release on radio channel KIIS-FM 102.7.
An event held at the Fairplex exhibition hall in Pomona, one of the oldest and largest county fairs in America.
An agricultural and livestock festival that attracts hundreds of thousands of people annually.
Johann wrinkles his nose at the savory smell that stimulates his nostrils.
‘There are no famous people here.’
Famous singers like Bruno Mars or Ariana Grande.
But in terms of recognition alone, that’s not entirely true.
Johann gets up and approaches the cowboys nearby.
“Hello. I’m Johann Jefferson! I’ve just released a regular album!”
“I’m Camila Cabello who did the featuring!”
“Oh. Nice to meet you. We’re called Out Laws.”
“I know!”
A band that few among middle-aged men in the American South don’t know.
“I really enjoyed listening to It’s About Pride!”
The sound and lyrics that seemed to say this is what Southern rock is.
The content expressing the identity, roots, and pride of the band, hometown, and music genre like the title was truly impressive.
“Heh heh! It’s really nice that such young folks recognize us. Hey, Chick! This young friend knows us!”
“I’m surprised you guys don’t recognize that friend! Don’t you know Johann Jefferson? The avatar sent down by the god of rock! A documentary about him aired recently too!”
“…Wow. Wow, wow wow! It really is! Hey, everyone gather around!”
“I was waiting for you to say that! Haha, nice to meet you. I’m…”
Singers approaching him to shake hands.
Johann was suddenly surrounded by singers but didn’t panic and introduced himself while exchanging albums.
Among them were singers from Rocky Management too.
“But how did you come here? You’re not someone who should come to places like this.”
“This is my first time doing official activities.”
“Ah, so you’re trying to get experience.”
“Yes.”
He wants to say there’s no separate stage for famous people and another for those who aren’t, but that’s not something to say to singers who only do these regional events.
Because for them, stages like this are everything.
“Your thinking is properly grounded.”
Everyone smiles warmly.
“Enjoy it to your heart’s content. Regional events like this have their own unique flavor.”
Camila also sends a look that says she agrees.
“That’s right! Once you get a taste for this flavor, you can’t escape!”
“Oh, the young lady knows well?”
“I used to perform on stages like this a lot in the old days!”
That’s why she’s very excited right now.
“Mr. Johann Jefferson, Ms. Camila Cabello! It’s time to go up!”
“Oh. Good luck!”
“Thank you!”
As they exit through the drawn tent entrance, a savory smell that crushes the nose.
Stepping on the clanging metal stairs and looking to the side makes him laugh.
“The audience age group is quite high, right?”
Most are people over 40.
Since it’s an agricultural and livestock festival, they were all people from that field.
Seeing them wearing cowboy hats regardless of gender makes him think about trying on a cowboy hat.
-Johann Jefferson! Camila Cabello!
Clap clap clap clap clap!
‘They don’t know who I am.’
They don’t know who he is, but they applaud because someone came up to sing.
“Huh? Huh huh huh?”
Young people among them recognize him and rush over frantically, making him laugh again.
‘I want to make myself known.’
He wants to imprint the singer Johann Jefferson in their minds.
Screech!
A stage that’s closer to the audience because of its low height.
As the song began, Johann picked up the microphone and approached them.
Thus began Johann Jefferson’s full-fledged singer activities.
* * *
“Why not?”
Rocky Management’s parking lot.
Emily glares with fierce eyes.
Johann sighs.
“Of course not.”
“Propose. Now. Right now.”
“You know we can’t take her even if we get married. She’s still a minor.”
“…Annoying.”
“I love you.”
“Just try looking at another woman! Rick, you absolutely can’t let your eyes wander! Film 24 hours a day! And… Tch!”
Johann sighs after comforting and sending away Emily, who became teary-eyed looking at Camila.
Rick Bottom pats his shoulder.
“We’ve finished the LA and San Francisco schedules… Where do we go next?”
“After proceeding with a half-day schedule in San Diego, we plan to stay for a day in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.”
Phoenix, Arizona’s representative city, and Tucson, the second largest city.
After that, they plan to proceed with a day’s schedule in Albuquerque and Deming, New Mexico, then move on to Texas.
“Johann, how about removing the small city schedules?”
It’s a long race of about 4 months.
Phoenix with a population well over 1 million, and Tucson and Albuquerque with about 500,000 residents.
However, Deming’s population doesn’t even reach 20,000.
If they removed schedules for such small cities, they could improve work efficiency and Johann’s condition management would become much easier.
“There must be fans of mine in those places too?”
Fans who, if not met when there’s a chance, might not be seen again.
“And those small towns and cities might not know who I am.”
Small-scale towns and cities where time seems to have stopped, with virtually no change. Most of the songs flowing from the shopping districts are old traditional country music.
Places that other famous singers don’t visit often, so the person who plants their flag first can be the winner.
It’s an opportunity to imprint the existence of Johann Jefferson on them. There was no reason not to go.
“Hmm… I understand.”
Johann said that since these were towns and cities where time had stopped long ago, if he approached them first, he could imprint himself on them, but Rick Bottom’s thoughts were different.
Just because the population was small didn’t mean they didn’t have smartphones or PCs. Their time had stopped simply because they couldn’t find a reason to keep up with the flow of the times.
Bringing new change to such places was more difficult than expected.
Moreover, music was something consumed like a trend. Even if it received a great response this time, there was no telling how long that would last.
And it wasn’t possible to visit every small town and city for activities every time.
In the end, it was much more likely that things wouldn’t go as Johann thought.
However, even that would be experience for Johann. That’s why the higher-ups allowed such a schedule.
If Johann’s will was firm, all Rick Bottom could do was support his intentions as much as possible.
“I’m fine with it too!”
In fact, it was good.
It felt like returning to the beginning, to the time when he was nurturing his dream of becoming a singer.
Rick nods at Camila’s words.
“Let’s get in.”
To proceed with the schedule in San Diego, they had to leave now.
Rick Bottom gets into the camping trailer.
“I’m going, Larry.”
“Call if anything happens.”
“Yeah. You and Ada have a good time too, Larry.”
“Wh-what…!”
Ring ring! Ring ring!
Larry, who was greatly flustered, looks at his phone with confusion.
“What’s the matter, Andrew Director? Yes? …Johann.”
Larry’s eyes tremble as he looks at Johann.
“Check Eminem’s Fatalbook right now.”
“Eminem’s?”
Johann, who turned on his phone with a puzzled expression, widens his eyes.
It feels like I’ve heard a proper song after a long time. An artist I want to work with. Contact me, Jefferson.
“…Wow.”
‘Did he realize it was a song written for him?’
That couldn’t be, but it was praise that made his eyes pop out.
‘He might have been instinctively drawn to it.’
“Now anyone who criticizes my songs will…”
“Be dismissed as tone-deaf.”
The two couldn’t come to their senses from Eminem’s supportive bombardment.
* * *
Johann devoured 10 chimichangas and two pieces of fried chicken in one sitting! Even eating them Phoenix-style with plenty of green chili!
After dinner, he inhaled 5 Sonoran hot dogs! Ice cream too?
Johann ate 8 green chili cheeseburgers in Albuquerque. Where is his next destination?
Vroooom!
A national highway with dust blowing.
Rick Bottom, gripping the steering wheel in the rapidly moving camping trailer, calls out to Johann.
“What? Huh? Wow!”
At his silent gesture pointing out the window, Johann turns his head and sees a landscape that looks like white snowflakes have settled in his eyes.
A magnificent sight of white snowflakes growing from the ground, cotton bolls covering the earth.
When Rick Bottom stops the car, Johann quickly jumps out.
The staff members following behind also come out puzzled and are surprised.
“Wow.”
Cotton fields stretching to the horizon.
Everything visible is filled with nothing but white cotton bolls.
‘In the old days, all of this was…’
“In the old days, black slaves picked all of this, right? Hmm. Yes! My Lord!”
“Haha! Hey! It’s cheating when a black person sings that song!”
“Oh. I don’t know what you mean, master!”
Johann also bursts into laughter, and Rick has a slight smile on his lips.
“Johann.”
“Yes?”
“That’s Littlefield over there.”
Littlefield, with a population of about 5,000, called the cotton capital of the world along with Lubbock, Texas.
It was the place Johann had suggested going to when setting the schedule.
Johann looked at Littlefield, faintly visible in the distance, and fingered the dog tags in his pocket.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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