The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 171

The fourth evaluation of Targeting Star wrapped up on a high note.

Thanks to the impressive lineup of song providers, and the sheer pressure of performing a legendary senior’s song, the trainees pushed themselves beyond their limits.

Maybe it was because of that intensity?

[1st – Laki <Teen Spirit>

2nd – Jeong Yeon Woo <Groggy>

3rd – Lee Se Ryeong <Diving>

4th – Pyo Je Yeol <Spontaneous Escape>]

Even after the results were announced, not a single trainee cried or showed any major disappointment.

“It’s a bit of a shame, sure! But I’m really happy I got to perform such a great song!”

“I’ve always been a huge fan of Lee Se Ryeong seonbaenim… I’ll remember this until the day I die. Thank you so much!”

Some of the trainees’ comments began to take on a tone that hinted at the end.

I probably won’t debut here.

But I’ll give it my all until the end.

Targeting Star was a truly valuable experience for me, and so on.

All that remained now was the live broadcast.

And before that, they’d gotten the chance to stand onstage with something they were proud of—something that had helped them grow.

“……”

And yet, not a word was spoken. One trainee didn’t speak a single line—not even when handed the mic by Choi Gaon, who had been briefed by the production team.

“Did you get a look at Liu Wei’s face? Heard he checked his phone right before going on. Looked like he knew.”

Just then, Joo Cheol Yeong handed Do Jae Chan a vending machine coffee with a bright smile.

He’d lost weight over the course of filming, but his eyes were sharper than ever.

‘Tch. What a cold-blooded guy. He finds out his survival contestant has a fiancée and enjoys it. Guess that’s how he manages to keep cranking these shows out.’

Clicking his tongue in secret, Do Jae Chan took a slow sip of the coffee and finally responded.

“…I noticed. For someone who supposedly knew, he held it together well. Did fine on stage too.”

“Well, maybe that’s what it takes to get engaged and still go on a survival show like it’s nothing.

For me, ratings are up, Shin gets knocked down a peg, so I’m happy. And this isn’t even the end.”

“…Wouldn’t it be enough if his rank drops from here? The narrative’s already in place.”

It wasn’t that Do Jae Chan hadn’t already thought about what Joo Cheol Yeong said.

There was only one reason Director Shin Ki Ho had gone so far out of his way, using shady tactics, to debut Liu Wei.

With AG Global’s Chinese trainee lineup, he had promised investors the most talented and promising one—Liu Wei—would debut.

But if that very “talent and promise” were to collapse? Then things changed.

‘If it had been known he was engaged, we never would have agreed to push him in the first place.’

He’d even had his secretary look into the fiancée’s background and found out that she was the daughter of one of those same investors.

‘This was all rigged from the start. So why the hell should we keep our end of the deal? We can renegotiate from here. Maybe even go back to the original plan—have him debut in the Zhonghua group.’

As for Director Shin Ki Ho? Well…

It was his picture-perfect plan from the start. No wonder his whole world was on fire right now.

From Do Jae Chan’s perspective, it was actually a win—he now stood on equal footing with the investors. A gain, if anything.

As Do Jae Chan’s expression brightened slightly while lost in thought, Joo Cheol Yeong snapped his fingers with a sharp click and murmured.

“We can’t have that, President Do. It’d be a problem if you’re already thinking everything’s going to go down that smoothly. If it were that easy, I wouldn’t have bothered dragging you to the Music Days HQ in the first place.”

“……”

Do Jae Chan leaned back into the chair slowly, signaling for him to go on.

Now that the assistant directors, writers, and his secretary had all stepped out, only the voices of the two men echoed quietly in the room.

“As I said—this isn’t over yet. There’s still the live broadcast stage, yes, but we’ve also got a final mission. Plus a shoot where the trainees share their thoughts and resolve. You know… classic narrative selling.”

“Of course, I know that. But what kind of story could Liu Wei even sell at this point? He has a fiancée. That’s not rumor—it’s fact. Not like the whole rumor about Kim Chunyong before.”

“Ah… so you do remember that.”

“What, you think I wouldn’t know our own trainee? Anyway, that’s not the point. Director Shin’s still scrambling to suppress the articles, but how long can he keep that up? I can just wait him out.”

“And what if Liu Wei debuts anyway?”

“…What?”

Do Jae Chan faltered, and Joo Cheol Yeong’s eyes sparkled.

It was like a predator that had finally gotten its prey by the ankle.

He was someone who knew exactly how to handle people who were impulsive, easily flustered, and not exactly thick-skinned—people like Do Jae Chan.

“Liu Wei’s sitting at fourth place right now. Unless some other trainees pull off something dramatic, his rank’s not going to drop that much. Probably… sixth?”

At the word sixth, the muscle in Do Jae Chan’s jaw twitched.

“Sixth is still within the debut line. You could… adjust it—”

“Oh, you’re asking me to rig the rankings? Sure, if you toss in a lunchbox during my jail stint, maybe I’ll consider it.”

“That’s not what I—”

Suddenly, Joo Cheol Yeong leaned in, each word sharp and deliberate.

“But lucky for us, there’s a better option.”

A way to make sure Liu Wei can’t possibly debut. A way to force Director Shin to reconsider and turn toward President Do instead.

Seeing the glint in Joo Cheol Yeong’s eyes, Do Jae Chan downed his now-cold coffee in one go and rolled his eyes upward.

“…Let’s hear it first.”

Joo Cheol Yeong shot up from his seat, waving a well-worn idea notebook in front of him with a sly grin.

“One trainee disappointed you. So then…”

Wouldn’t it be easier to just give you someone else to love?