Big Life

Chapter 232. It’s A Declaration (1)

“Ah, Records of the Murim Master...” Ha Jae-Gun muttered blankly.

It felt like he could suddenly understand the Mandarin written on the stack of papers after listening to Liu Bao's explanation. The countless characters in his view were being translated in an instant.

He had once spent countless nights alone writing this novel, even though it had been a long time ago, so there was no way he would forget it.

“I’m surprised to see this here out of the blue.” Ha Jae-Gun choked as he continued, “I’ve never imagined that Records of the Murim Master would appear in this discussion. I’m really surprised. Hahaha...”

The interpreter smiled and conveyed Liu Bao’s words. “He loves martial arts novels a lot, and he is confident that he likes those novels much more than many other fellow Chinese. He has even read every single novel by Writer Kim Yong and is well-versed in them. He still looks for martial arts novels whenever he has free time on hand.”

“I see...”

The smile on Liu Bao's face was erased soon afterward, and he started speaking with a serious look. He spoke with so much enthusiasm that he even gestured with his hands as the veins on his neck bulged.

“Martial arts are the genres of fantasy stories that adults enjoy. There are a variety of characters with unique stories that meet in the world of Gangho[1], intertwining in that tough reality that attracts readers to a point of trance. Good martial arts novels have a kind of lingering effect as they consist of romance, loyalty, and righteousness.”

“Yes, I feel the same, too.”

Liu Bao suddenly reached out his hand, pulling back the stack of paper from Ha Jae-Gun and saying, “After knowing Mr. Ha from Storm and Gale, I came across Records of the Murim Master and fell in love with it in an instant. The story progressed quickly and straight to the point without much elaboration.

"Even readers unfamiliar with the genre of martial arts can easily understand the story. What an amazing piece of work.”

Ha Jae-Gun gnashed his teeth inadvertently as he couldn’t seem to control his exploding emotions. He was receiving praise from the Chinese for his martial arts novel, where the genre originated from, and on top of that, the praise had come from the head of the Central Publicity Department.

He couldn't quite describe the feeling. Records of the Murim Master was a novel that he had written during the darkest time of his life when tomorrow felt bleak.

It was also his first novel that gained recognition by the public as Poongchun-Yoo. It was the same novel that gave him the amazing experience of going through a reprint.

‘Elder... You’re seeing this now, right?’ Ha Jae-Gun asked inwardly as he thought of Seo Gun-Woo.

Ha Jae-Gun didn’t receive good reviews at the start when he penned Records of the Murim Master, as Kwon Tae-Won told him not to hold high expectations for the novel’s performance.

Ha Jae-Gun was even crying on the day when he attended the alumni gathering with Park Jung-Jin and had drinks. On that fateful night, Ha Jae-Gun coincidentally met Elder, and his circumstances had changed entirely since then.

The overflowing inspiration and keen judgment allowed him to type ten thousand characters in an hour, allowing him to remodel the entire novel.

The results earned him Kwon Tae-Won’s compliments for the first time in his life and also made him cry a second time that day.

His wallet was paper thin, but he recalled stepping out to buy Rika’s feed, which turned out to be ridiculously expensive.

The phone call from Kwon Tae-Won at the time telling him that the novel was entertaining made him bawl on the streets with Rika in his arms. Ignoring the strange looks cast by passersby, Ha Jae-Gun sniffled as he walked down what seemed to be the longest road on his way home.

It was one of the most unforgettable days in his life.

“...”

Everyone else at the table stared quietly as Ha Jae-Gun reminisced about the past.

Liu Bao broke the silence after a while.

“He likes both the second and third parts of the series as well.”

“...Pardon?” Ha Jae-Gun looked up with his nose scrunched, his eyes meeting the interpreter’s eyes.

The interpreter explained, “He has read the entire Records series and is very satisfied with them.”

“Ah, so he has read all of them,” Ha Jae-Gun exclaimed.

Records of the Murim Master was the first part of the trilogy, and Ha Jae-Gun wrote the next two parts after seeing the success of the first. The second part of the trilogy, Records of the Modern Master, was not murim but a story and its main character set in the modern era, with the main character from the first part appearing as a side character.

The third installation of the trilogy, Records of the Other World, included the main characters from the first two parts. As per the title, the story was set in a foreign world. The two characters started off on the wrong foot upon entering the third world, but they soon confessed their most sincere feelings to each other and joined hands to eventually face off a common enemy.

“A single worldview served as a strong focal point across all three parts. Records of the Modern Master was set in Korea, so it wasn't as appealing as the first part, but the third part was very interesting. The chemistry and growth shown between the two characters in that last part had touched me.”

“Thank you. Actually, the last novel performed the worst in Korea.” Ha Jae-Gun smiled wrily despite making it a light joke. It was inevitable, as the last installation had both main characters from the first two parts of the trilogy and required knowledge from them before one could make sense of what was going on.

Liu Bao smiled as he listened to the interpreter and nodded.

The interpreter then conveyed. “He understands as well. If he had read the third part first, he wouldn’t have enjoyed the story as much as he had. And so... Please wait a moment, Mr. Ha.”

The interpreter turned to Liu Bao, and they began a short conversation. A few moments later, Liu Bao nodded. The interpreter turned back to Ha Jae-Gun and said, “From now on, I’m going to speak as per what I’ve been told in advance instead of interpreting.”

“Ah, sure. Please go ahead.”

Ha Jae-Gun sat up straight in his chair, sensing that it was time the discussion had arrived at its main point.

“Mr. Liu Bao would like to utilize the Records series in its entirety in China.”

“Utilize it in China?”

“Yes, Mr. Ha. From novels, movies, webtoons, and, if possible, drama and games. He would like to introduce the series to the Chinese market via the above mediums.”

“...?!” The others at the table reacted first before Ha Jae-Gun. Was it because of their ginormous population that made the scale of their proposal relative as well?

The interpreter then pulled out a set of documents that had been prepared in advance and continued. “Our highest bet is placed on the movie trilogy, as China is second to Hollywood.”

“Mm, I see.”

“Records of the Murim Master will do well on its own. However, the second part's setting was Korea, so we’re unsure of how well the Chinese audience will accept it. Although the Korean Wave is also taking China by storm at the moment.”

Ha Jae-Gun nodded as he continued to listen.

“Many of the currently trending movies in China include more fantasy elements rather than traditional martial arts. Part two of the Records series is set in modern times, so if we were to do a movie adaptation, we think that it would be better for part two to be the first to get released, and part one should follow after it. The third part will come last as per the original.”

The interpreter then looked at CEO Mao Yen and added, “This was suggested by CEO Mao Yen. She has read the entire series as well.”

“It’s an honor.” Ha Jae-Gun looked at Mao Yen. They shared a smile full of trust which they had built between them through Storm and Gale.

The interpreter then continued, mostly sharing Liu Bao’s views on the novels. Ha Jae-Gun continued taking down notes, and he wrote down every single word from Liu Bao.

***

“Thank you for listening to my long sharing today.”

The meeting finally came to an end, and it was time for the invited reporters, including Sung-Beom, to hold their interviews.

Ha Jae-Gun responded to all their questions sincerely and began to make his way out of the Korean Tourism Organization building at the end of the day.

He then said his goodbyes to the delegates, including Liu Bao, the staff from the Chinese Embassy in Korea, and the assistant secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

“Jae-Gun, you’re heading back to Yeoui-do from here, right?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Where in Yeoui-do?” Hong Ye-Seul chimed in.

“To Cheonrihyang, a Chinese restaurant. The food there is delicious; you should look forward to it.”

Aside from the prominent figures, everyone else left in their vehicles and headed toward where Oh Myung-Suk and Nam Gyu-Ho were waiting. It was normal to have a more informal conversation with businessmen after the first round of international cultural exchange. And in order to not let the attendees feel exhausted, reporters weren’t invited to the informal setting.

“Welcome.” Both Nam Gyu-Ho and Oh Myung-Suk greeted Ha Jae-Gun and the group. Everyone’s seats were prepared in the VIP room of the Chinese restaurant, which was located on the top floor of a high-rise building in Seoul, overlooking the city.

“Mr. Ha, here’s your seat.” Nam Gyu-Ho pulled a chair out for Ha Jae-Gun. He had lowered his honorifics and formalities with Ha Jae-Gun on a personal level, but he still had to keep it up in front of others.

“Thank you, Director.” The same went for Ha Jae-Gun, as he replied respectfully before taking his seat.

The informal meeting began after everyone took their seats; everyone felt much more at ease as compared to the first round at the Korean Tourism Organization.

The first person to speak was CEO Mao Yen from Teencent Pictures.

“I couldn’t ask the most important question earlier with Mr. Liu Bao around. Is Mr. Ha Jae-Gun keen on accepting our proposal?”

“Hm... Yes.” Ha Jae-Gun contemplated for a while before giving his answer. If his participation weren’t significant, the burden on him would have been small, but there was no guarantee that it would go according to his expectations. He shared the same worries with Liu Bao on whether Records of the Modern Master would work in China.

‘There’s also no guarantee that the English manuscript of The Breath for the U.S market will get straightened out soon.’ It wasn’t that Ha Jae-Gun found writing an annoying job. He was about to turn thirty this year, but he still had several big and small events waiting for him. He didn't want to be so busy.

His older sister would get married soon, and he would soon have to prepare for his own wedding afterward.

“I don’t mean to rush, so there’s no need for you to feel burdened.” Mao Yen’s words were conveyed by the interpreter. “But I hope you'd understand one thing and keep it in mind. We want to use the Records series; more specifically, we want to turn it into a movie, as it is a national interest.”

Mao Yen’s eyes shone as the interpreter conveyed the final part of her sentence.

Ha Jae-Gun listened intently as he recalled her life that she had shared with him before, about how she was born in an impoverished area called Suzhou in China, and how she had made a successful career for herself.

“...In other words, it’s an international business. I, along with Teencent Pictures, would like to turn Mr. Ha’s Records series into various media to serve China’s interests. I sincerely hope that you will give a positive response without having to feel burdened over it.”

“I understand what you are getting at. Thank you.”

Mao Yen did not push further throughout the meal after that, but Ha Jae-Gun still felt like he was suffering from indigestion, pressured to give them an answer before this meal was over.

“I’ll excuse myself to use the washroom for a while.” Ha Jae-Gun escaped momentarily from the table and washed his face with cold water. Nam Gyu-Ho appeared before him just as he pulled a piece of disposable towel.

“What’s wrong, brother-in-law? Are you feeling hot?”

“No. Wait, am I? I’m just feeling a little heat.”

The conversation definitely turned more comfortable when it was just the two of them. Nam Gyu-Ho then said as he unzipped his pants at the urinal, “Are you unsure of what to do?”

“Yeah. There’s no guarantee how many revisions they will request from me.”

“Indeed. The job seems easy, but things might snowball as time passes.”

“It’s especially so for Records of the Modern Master. It wouldn’t take me long to revise parts of it if it was just to fit the Chinese market, but if they want me to redo the entire manuscript, then I would like to decline it. At least for this year.”

Nam Gyu-Ho frowned but still had a smile on his face, while Ha Jae-Gun let out a soft sigh.

“The words international business sounded quite scary, and they're still ringing in my ears. It’s making me worry even more than I should.”

“Look, brother-in-law.” Nam Gyu-Ho pulled out a 100-won coin from his pocket.

Ha Jae-Gun looked at the portrait of Yi Sun-Shin emblazoned on the coin and asked, “What’s with the coin, brother-in-law?”

“It’s a national interest.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s a business for the benefit of the country. But if you flip it over...” Nam Gyu-Ho flipped the coin and held it out to Ha Jae-Gun. “It just becomes a disgrace.”

“Ah...” Ha Jae-Gun soon understood what Nam Gyu-Ho was getting at and nodded. This was something Nam Gyu-Ho had emphasized to him in the past.

“No matter how many times I bring this up, it’s still insufficient. Dignity, or honor, is key when dealing in business with the Chinese.” Nam Gyu-Ho glanced outside the entrance and continued, “I don’t mean to speak ill of CEO Mao Yen. She is indeed an amazing woman and is also a talent in business. But she has also used the dignity of many others as a stepping stone to reach her current heights.”

Nam Gyu-Ho shifted his gaze to Ha Jae-Gun. “And she has helped to save your dignity today. She must be hoping quietly for you to give a positive response without having to scratch any one’s dignity at the table today. Including herself, Liu Bao’s, and her relationship with Liu Bao.”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled wryly. Nam Gyu-Ho wiped his hands dry with a towel and patted lightly on Ha Jae-Gun’s back.

“She’s not asking you for an answer today, so let’s discuss this in more detail another time.”

“Okay, thank you, brother-in-law.”

“I should be the one thanking you.”

Bzzt!

“Ah, let me answer this call first.”

“Okay. I’ll head back first, so take your time.” Nam Gyu-Ho left the washroom first.

Left all alone, Ha Jae-Gun answered the call from his best friend. “Why did you call Jung-Jin?”

— Why are you answering the call like this? I’m hanging up.

“Why are you so sensitive? What’s up?”

— I’m working, of course. Anyway, Jae-Gun, I’m planning to marry Hyo-Jin around May.

“Really?”

— Would it be too hasty? I called just to tell you this. You’re the first person I told about this plan, so be honored.

“Congratulations, Jung-Jin. Have you thought of where to start and all?”

— We’re going to pool our money together and take out a loan. Then, we're going to look for a yearly lease apartment. Maybe a smaller-sized apartment or a spacious villa. I won’t be able to commute to and from work if I stay outside of Seoul.

Ha Jae-Gun swallowed. He was financially independent and thus would like to help his best friend out. However, he couldn’t bring it up as well, taking into consideration his friend’s pride.

— I know what you’re thinking right now.

Park Jung-Jin’s chuckle broke the silence.

— Don’t worry. It’s only meaningful because we’re doing this on our own. It's not like I won't ask you for help if I'm really starting to struggle.

“Jung-Jin, since we’re on the topic, I'll lend you as much as you need...”

— Are you deaf? I just said it, so why are you still trying to lend me money? I’m really good, we’re both stable in our own jobs. I think it’s meaningful when we start things together and maintain them together as well. I appreciate your thoughts.

“You don’t have to pretend to be cool.”

— I am better than you, and slightly taller too. Hyo-Jin thinks that I’m more handsome than you are, too. Hahaha.

Ha Jae-Gun leaned against the wall, smiling brightly. Just hearing Park Jung-Jin’s voice made his fatigue go away. Feeling guilty for not being able to meet his best friend as much, Ha Jae-Gun said, “I should give you a present then.”

— Hehe, I won’t reject a gift. I won’t mind whatever you get me. But what are you doing? Are you working?”

“Yeah, I’m talking to the businessmen about the Records series.”

— Records series? What about it?

Ha Jae-Gun briefly summarized what had happened that day, and Park Jung-Jin reacted with excitement.

— Wow, that’s amazing! So the Records series is getting a movie adaptation? That’s the first bestseller under Poongchun-Yoo! Do you remember? I told you that our section chief even skipped lunch just to read it, and I was so surprised that I called to ask you about it.

“Of course, I remember that.”

— Wow, I’m looking forward to it. So it’s a huge trilogy franchise of a martial arts movie? I love your works, but I love martial arts and fantasy genres the most! It’s awesome, Ha Jae-Gun. I love it a lot, really!

Ha Jae-Gun looked up as he kept his phone to his ear, seeing his smiling reflection in the mirror. The excitement his best friend was showing made it surprisingly simple for him to make his decision.

1. Usually known as ‘Jianghu’ in Chinese novels ☜