The Daughter of a Conglomerate Family Has Debuted - Chapter 350
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Chaebol’s Daughter Debuted
Chapter 350
“Hmm, every group has its complications, I suppose. Crunch didn’t have it easy either.”
I’d hoped to hear more about Crunch, but Han Da-min cut off the conversation before Jeon Ye-jin could say anything further.
It seemed she felt the topic was sensitive, and that it wasn’t right to discuss such matters with me present.
‘That’s true—Han Da-min doesn’t know what I’ve been through.’
It would be awkward to speak of such things in front of someone unfamiliar with the darker side of the industry.
I couldn’t force the conversation to continue with people who clearly didn’t want to discuss it.
Jeon Ye-jin responded to Han Da-min’s words.
“Right. It wasn’t easy. It was terrible. Both the people who do such things and those who accept them. That’s why you’re remarkable. You succeeded on your own without such experiences. I’m envious.”
That last word—envious—came out as barely more than a whisper.
Han Da-min smiled silently, her expression indescribable.
She seemed uncertain whether she had the right to smile or to respond.
Had she wanted to become a singer who could stand on her own without such trials, without coercion?
If she could have, would she have refused to give up?
Probably. Just as I would have.
The conversation ended there. Han Da-min hadn’t wanted to broach this subject, and Jeon Ye-jin saw no reason to press further.
We finished our work and dispersed to our respective homes.
“Ji-ye, don’t let what Ye-jin said today weigh on you too much.”
Han Da-min spoke from inside the car. I nodded in acknowledgment.
‘I already know everything.’
I was merely curious to hear it directly from Jeon Ye-jin; I’d already pieced together the full context of what happened with Crunch.
All of Crunch had received sponsorship offers, and most members rejected them to strengthen their unity, but Han So-dam alone succumbed to intense pressure and accepted one.
As a result, she was treated as a traitor by her members, and her sponsor tormented her in turn.
Han So-dam withered away day by day under isolation and pressure.
The extreme depression, frustration, and suicidal impulses I’d felt in my dreams—
Those would be dreams that came after all of it had transpired.
Then, through some incident, Han So-dam died.
I couldn’t be certain of the cause, but it seemed connected to the CEO of Golden First’s son.
Ryu Jin-woo had indirectly confirmed that much for me.
But how could I dig deeper into this matter?
Ryu Jin-woo seemed to want me to not only drop this investigation but erase it from my mind entirely, and he couldn’t even understand why I was curious about it in the first place.
I’d asked Choi Gyo-young (Reporter) to look into it, but he was now completely intimidated and reluctant to investigate.
As for Gu Beom-tae…
Well, he knows quite a lot about various fields, not just the entertainment industry.
‘…Wait, why haven’t I thought of that?’
Now that I thought about it, I’d never considered asking Gu Beom-tae.
I’d only ever thought of him as a Wreckers who exaggerated and spread entertainment gossip.
I got information from Choi Gyo-young, and I only contacted Gu Beom-tae when I occasionally needed to sway public opinion.
Most of the videos he uploaded were manipulated to fit the celebrity’s image within the prevailing internet atmosphere.
So during this investigation, I never had personal contact with Gu Beom-tae.
But thinking about it now, where did all those videos he knew about come from? Where was the source when he first obtained information at the beginning of his wrecking activities?
His parents, who were reporters in the Social Affairs Department and Information Department.
And the various stories he hears working as a Variety Show PD.
His Rekka Channel covers quite a few videos about various celebrities’ sponsors.
‘He might be even more thorough than Choi Gyo-young.’
At least regarding information related to this place, he might bring me more than Choi Gyo-young could.
Moreover, unlike Choi Gyo-young who goes on and on about drum barrels all day, Gu Beom-tae has no fear.
As soon as I finished thinking, I contacted Gu Beom-tae.
There’s something I need investigated urgently. Tonight at 9 PM, will contact.
Gu Beom-tae replied two hours later.
Gu Beom-tae
I have filming at 9. It ends at 2 AM. I’ll contact you tomorrow morning.
Ah, okay.
Gu Beom-tae’s weakness is that he’s nearly impossible to reach.
While I was lost in thought, the car arrived at the Dormitory.
We were currently in an official break period.
Once the work was finished, there wasn’t much to do.
I went straight to my room and searched for Han So-dam on the internet.
“…Nothing. There’s nothing at all.”
The article about her motorcycle accident death had long since been buried under articles about someone else with the same name.
Sadly, no information about Han So-dam appeared.
Only when I searched for ‘Crunch’ did Han So-dam’s name come up, and that was it.
Han So-dam, former Member of Crunch.
That was the only information about the Unfortunate Idol obtainable in reality.
***
Gu Beom-tae called around 6:30 in the morning.
Was that supposed to be as fast as possible? It was usually the middle of sleep at this hour, so wouldn’t the standard protocol be to wait a bit and call around 10 or 11 even if things wrapped up by then?
Anyway, I groggily answered the phone and complained about why he was calling at this hour, but the conversation ended without incident.
“Please look into the relationship between Golden First and Han So-dam, the former Crunch member.”
I skipped the build-up and went straight to the main point, speaking bluntly.
Gu Beom-tae fell silent for a moment, seemingly trying to grasp the context of this sudden statement.
Then he spoke in a somewhat annoyed tone.
[Isn’t that what Reporter Choi Gyo-young does?]
Information gathering was Choi Gyo-young’s domain, while public opinion manipulation was Gu Beom-tae’s—they had a strictly divided labor system, and his question about why I was asking him to do someone else’s job reflected a thoroughly corporate mindset.
“He says he’s scared of the Drum Barrel.”
[What are you talking about?]
“He’s afraid that if he touches it, he’ll end up inside the Drum Barrel. The information he brings back isn’t helpful.”
Gu Beom-tae laughed as if it were absurd.
[Looks like you’ve watched way too many movies.]
“Seems like it.”
It was the same when I first recruited Choi Gyo-young. I brought him to a private room in the Cafeteria and stationed a few large men outside the door, and his face went pale before he immediately surrendered.
Gu Beom-tae pondered for a moment, then spoke in a slightly lowered voice.
[Golden First probably has people connected to organized crime. In that case, the Drum Barrel concern is actually reasonable.]
So Gu Beom-tae knew about Golden First too.
Well, given that they supposedly had their hands in sponsorship deals extensively, it would be a company that Rekka was watching carefully.
“Are you perhaps scared of the Drum Barrel yourself?”
At my question, Gu Beom-tae let out a hollow laugh.
[If I were scared, would I be doing Wreckers work?]
“Then please look into it. The relationship between Crunch’s Han So-dam and Golden First.”
[It was probably a sponsorship arrangement. Why are you asking me to investigate?]
“Because she died. Suddenly.”
[…I don’t know. How far I can dig into this. I’ll look into it and contact you if there’s anything to report. Don’t get your hopes up.]
“I’ll be hopeful. Thank you—”
Click.
Gu Beom-tae must find me that annoying. He hung up without even saying goodbye.
Anyway, judging by Gu Beom-tae’s manner of speaking, the fact that he didn’t refuse meant there was something he could look into.
That was enough.
As for Choi Gyo-young….
‘That damn Drum Barrel.’
It would be better not to expect anything from him regarding this matter.
He seems to be avoiding my calls lately, genuinely frightened….
I sighed and was just putting my Mobile Phone down when—
Ding!
[The eighth Mission has arrived!]
‘Uncover the secret’
You are drawing closer to the secret of the Unfortunate Idol.
Indeed, through the power, wealth, and connections provided to you, how much will you be able to uncover?
Take the risk and investigate the death of the Unfortunate Idol.
Completion Condition: Discover the cause of Han So-dam’s death
Reward: Seongbuldo 15%
“Ah….”
I drew in a sharp breath without thinking, startled by what I was seeing.
For the first time, a mission had appeared—not about my own dreams and aspirations, but about the Unfortunate Idol.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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