Chapter 1364 – 1364. God’S Atlantis
I tortured Robert for 30 minutes without any back-and-forth.
I used electric shocks, pulled out his fingernails, tore his lips, and cut away the skin on his thighs with a knife. I even plucked out his right eye and forced him to eat it.
“Ugh, ugh… Please forgive me… I was wrong… Just kill me…”
I grabbed Robert’s left ear and tore it off, asking, “Why did you do it?”
“Nar… David, the manager at Nar Entertainment, contacted me, saying he’d buy the Pobeats video for a high price…”
“So you installed a hidden camera?”
“Yes, yes. I needed the money. I’m sorry. Please, just this once, let me go. I’ll turn myself in.”
After a bit of conversation, he seemed to have gained some hope, changing his plea from wanting to die to wanting to live.
*Zzzzzap.*
As a reward, I sent a jolt of electricity through him.
I paused for a moment, lost in thought.
Nar Entertainment.
Along with Lilith Entertainment, it was one of the top entertainment agencies in District 6,700. It used to be a small to medium-sized agency, but recently, it was considered much better than Lilith Entertainment.
‘Did they tell this guy to leak the hidden camera footage? Or were they planning to use it to blackmail them?’
Either way, it was a shitty move that I didn’t like.
*Thud.*
I kicked Robert. He stumbled and fell to the bathroom floor. The bathroom floor was covered in blood. All of it was Robert’s.
“David, the manager at Nar Entertainment… Director Jackson, do you know anything about him?”
I asked Jackson, who was huddled in a corner, trembling.
“Ah, yes, I do. Actually, David gave me money yesterday…”
“What? Why would he give you money?”
“He… he asked me to film Pobeats’ music video carelessly.”
“You son of a bitch. That bastard is up to something again?”
“David is the kind of person who does that kind of thing. He handles all the dirty work at Nar Entertainment. Because of that, David’s reputation isn’t good, but his lobbying skills are top-notch.”
“Ugh, this is annoying. Should I go to Nar Entertainment and kill them all? Hey, Jackson, are you going to make a crappy music video?”
“N-No, absolutely not! I will put my heart and soul into making Pobeats’ music video! I’ll give all the money I received from David to Producer Sung.”
“I’m not interested in that petty cash. Just make a good music video for our girls. If the music video turns out like garbage? Then you…”
I pointed to Robert, who was lying on the floor. Jackson saw Robert’s gruesome state and wet his pants.
“I-I will definitely make it a masterpiece!”
“I’ll trust you, Director Jackson.”
I pulled a knife out of my pocket. It was time to finish things. I grabbed Robert’s neck with one hand and ruthlessly swung the knife I held in reverse.
*Thwack! Thwack thwack thwack! Thwack thwack thwack!*
I repeatedly stabbed Robert’s body with the knife. Even after Robert’s breath had stopped, my hand didn’t. I continued to stab the corpse as if I was venting my anger.
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
“You son of a bitch! How dare you install a hidden camera! You bastard!!”
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
I stopped only after swinging the knife about 120 more times. I got up, looking at Robert’s corpse, which had become a lump of meat. My whole body was sticky with blood.
‘I should put the corpse in my inventory for now and dump it somewhere suitable.’
The blood-soaked bathroom could be cleaned with water. If the corpse wasn’t found, Robert would be treated as missing, and the murder wouldn’t be a case at all. Of course, that was only if Jackson, the witness, kept his mouth shut.
“Director Jackson.”
I called out to Jackson. Jackson, who had been trembling with fear, immediately raised his head.
“Yes, yes, Producer Sung. What is it?”
“Let’s make a good music video. Okay?”
“Yes, yes! Just leave it to me! I’ll pour my soul into it to make the best masterpiece!”
“If you don’t, you’ll be envious of what happened to Robert.”
“P-Please believe me!”
“I believe you. I do. Now, let’s go shoot. Oh, before we go, clean up the bathroom.”
“M-Me?”
“Then who else would do it? You son of a bitch?”
“Ah, no! Of course, I’ll do it!”
***
Director Jackson sat in his director’s chair, looking like he had aged 10 years. He stared at his soaked clothes. They were stained with blood. No matter how many times he washed them with water, the bloodstains wouldn’t disappear. The smell of blood soaked into his clothes was the same.
“Director?”
A brown-haired woman approached him. It was Rebecca, Robert AD’s replacement.
“You don’t look so good… Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Ah. That’s a relief. Have you seen Robert AD? I haven’t seen him since earlier.”
Robert.
Hearing that name, Director Jackson reflexively trembled.
“Who cares about that bastard. Let’s just start filming.”
Rebecca shut her mouth at Jackson’s irritable reaction. Provoking Jackson at a time like this was insane. In the worst-case scenario, the filming could be canceled. Rebecca started working without Robert AD.
“Filming starts! The maknae, bring Pobeats here!”
Pobeats appeared with Producer Sung Yoo-jin.
Jackson felt a surge of fear as he looked at Sung Yoo-jin, who was grinning. His heart was beating fast.
‘He just brutally killed someone… How can he smile like that? That guy is a madman…! A madman you shouldn’t associate with…!’
Jackson had been harassed by gangsters because of his gambling debts. Even then, he wasn’t this scared. At least gangsters had some sense of boundaries when killing people. But Sung Yoo-jin was different. He was the kind of guy who would kill someone just because he was annoyed.
“Director?”
“…Start.”
Exciting music began to play.
The Pobeats members were wearing refreshing outfits that resembled tennis uniforms. Brightly colored clothes and flowing skirts. The outfits were pure in themselves. However, their figures were far from pure. They all had large breasts and hips. Pure outfits, pure songs, pure choreography… It was pure in itself, but there was a strange sexiness to it. Jackson thought that was Pobeats’ charm.
‘Sexiness hidden within purity… Not bad.’
Pobeats’ debut song, ‘Date,’ was about the excitement and youth of a first date. Although the song title was ‘Date,’ no other men appeared in the music video.
‘They’re good dancers too. Pobeats will be a hit as soon as they debut.’
Jackson let out a sigh of relief. With this much, he could create a good piece that would satisfy Sung Yoo-jin through editing.
“Cut! The group choreography scene is perfect! Pobeats, please go change your outfits!”
There were three outfits prepared. This meant they had to film the group choreography three times with different outfits.
Jackson gave Pobeats 10 minutes.
However, even after 10 minutes, Pobeats didn’t appear on set. Rebecca glanced at Jackson. Usually, Jackson would curse at celebrities at times like this.
“D-Director. Should I go yell at Pobeats for you?”
“What?! Why would you yell at Pobeats?! Are you crazy?!”
“Huh? W-Well, it seems like they’re taking too long…”
“Don’t do useless things and just stay still. They can be a little late when changing clothes. Why are you trying to be so proactive?”
“……Yes. I’m sorry.”
Rebecca, who had lowered her head, bit her lip tightly. She had tried to match Jackson’s tendencies, but she had only been scolded. Considering Jackson’s usual behavior, it was unfair.
That’s when it happened. Sung Yoo-jin approached Jackson, yawning widely. Jackson straightened his back.
“Our girls didn’t have lunch. They’re going to eat something first. Is that okay?”
“O-Of course. I’ll wait as long as you need.”
“But did the footage we shot earlier come out well? Show me.”
“Yes, yes. Here it is. Pobeats is a really outstanding girl group. I’ve filmed dozens of music videos, but this is the first time I’ve filmed such an outstanding girl group as Pobeats.”
“Wow. The video came out great.”
Pobeats appeared an hour later. Jackson reflexively almost cursed, asking how they could eat lunch for an hour, but he swallowed his words when he saw Sung Yoo-jin next to him. Sung Yoo-jin was protective of Pobeats. If he said something wrong, he would be the one to get burned.
“L-Let’s start filming!”
Filming continued until the afternoon.
Music videos were different from stage performances. You couldn’t just show a video of them dancing continuously. To capture people’s attention, you needed a story. That story was a date, just like the song title.
Yuria & Elena.
Miryeong & Joo Seo-hyun.
They were divided into two groups and filmed dating scenes wearing casual outfits.
The important thing here was to capture each member’s individuality and charm in the video.
‘Even if the story is lacking, the visuals themselves are art.’
Art was something that you were drawn to, even if you didn’t know it well. The completed Pobeats music video would capture the public’s attention.
Yuria & Elena’s date was like that of mature women. It wasn’t that it was lewd. They ate at a high-end restaurant and walked quietly together on a dark park path. The atmosphere was mature.
On the other hand, Miryeong & Joo Seo-hyun’s date was lively. It was like friends hanging out. Miryeong led the atmosphere by holding Joo Seo-hyun’s hand, and Joo Seo-hyun was awkward but got along well with Miryeong. They had a simple meal at a convenience store and had fun at a clothing store.
Filming ended at 10 PM.
Jackson went to his studio and started editing the video. He had to edit the video and create the music video within two days. Time was tight.
‘Originally, I would have edited with Robert AD, but…’
That Robert AD was dead. Sung Yoo-jin had taken the corpse, so he didn’t know what happened to it.
‘…If the music video doesn’t please him… I’ll end up like Robert. I have to create a masterpiece… Fortunately, the video is satisfactory, so with my editing skills… it’s possible!’
*Vrrrrr.*
Jackson’s smartphone vibrated. Jackson, who was focused on editing, frowned and checked his smartphone.
It was David, the manager.
He hesitated before answering the call.
“Hello.”
-Director Jackson. This is David. I’m the manager. You’re in your studio right now, right? I want to meet and talk… I’m heading to your studio now.
“You’re coming to my studio? Are you crazy?”
-It’s urgent. I also have some questions about Robert AD. And about Pobeats as well. Actually, I’m almost there.
Jackson looked out the window. Three black cars were coming to his studio.
‘This bastard… Did he realize something was wrong and is planning to threaten me?!’
If it was David, he was more than capable of doing that. Jackson thought of the police.
‘No. If it’s David, that bastard would have bribed the police too.’
Jackson hesitated before sending a message to Sung Yoo-jin. He didn’t dare to call Sung Yoo-jin.
