Bamboo Forest Manager

- Anonymous111: Yes.

Looking at the response from Popo yesterday, I calmly stood up from my seat.

It was a refreshing morning.

Today, it seemed like I had to skip the lecture.

- Kim Woojin: Please attend on my behalf.

Not long after sending the message, a reply quickly arrived.

- Seo Yerin: ? Sent it to the wrong person.

- Kim Woojin: I sent it to you on purpose.

- Seo Yerin: ??? How can I attend for you?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

- Kim Woojin: Isn’t that possible if you learn how?

- Seo Yerin: I’m an aspiring actress, and impersonations are for comedians, you fool.

Being called a fool by Seo Yerin strangely stings.

I felt slightly annoyed, but even if I looked for someone else, no one else attends the same lecture.

The emptiness of my contact list makes my heart ache, so to speak.

I wanted to just lie in the dormitory today, forgetting about everything, but I barely managed to pull myself together.

- Seo Yerin: Not attending the lecture today?

- Kim Woojin: I have something to do. Like a mission, perhaps?

- Seo Yerin: Then at least stock up on some snacks in the room. It was a bit boring last time.

- Kim Woojin: Didn’t I say I have a mission?

- Seo Yerin: Don’t know, don’t care.

She must be thinking lightly of the situation because she doesn’t understand the seriousness.

With a hat pressed down, wearing a black coat, I stepped out of the dormitory.

There was no need to go elsewhere. I headed straight to the city by taxi.

Since Popo was attending Gahyeon University, she would have been staying nearby.

I had already solved all the mysteries.

Anonymous300 was a stalker but said he didn’t know where Popo lived.

But the key was actually with me.

‘The first thing a person in crisis should do is call for help.’

The very first signal Popo sent was an explanation of the current situation of being trapped.

Then what’s next?

“Of course, a location briefing.”

If you said you were trapped, it’s only natural to say where you are.

“I’m trapped.”

I might have focused too much on the word “trapped” and just glossed over the words that followed.

But a person requesting rescue wouldn’t speak nonsense.

According to my deduction, “yo” referred to the place or vicinity where Popo currently was.

And now I am.

Standing there.

Café ‘eat yo’.

Initially, I struggled quite a bit to find it, but it was easy to locate once I translated the Korean into English.

“I could have been a detective.”

Thinking seriously that I could have been a detective, I survey the area around the café.

The building is a total of six stories.

There is a café on the first floor, and a hot pot restaurant on the second floor. Above that, from the third floor, there were no separate signs or nameplates.

From a distance, I observed silhouettes of people in the windows or caught glimpses of someone smoking.

The thrill of solving the mystery was fleeting.

Eventually, reality comes to me.

Even if it was confirmed, there was nothing I could personally do.

Should I report it to the police?

Should I tell Yoon-ji?

None of it felt right.

Perhaps that’s why.

While sipping a cup of coffee at the café, after a brief contemplation.

‘Well, why not give it a shot.’

I started moving immediately.

A few days later.

Yu Arin, who recently became quite famous even in the university, takes a deep breath and looks at the café in front of her.

Caféeat yo.

The name seemed to deliberately attach ‘yo’ at the end to appear trendy, which was off-putting.

It was a shop rumored to not even have good coffee.

‘I’m more nervous than I thought.’

The operation is about to begin.

A few days ago, Yu Arin’s shorts went viral, and word spread through Oh Yoon-ji’s company’s internet broadcasters.

It didn’t take long for Rainbow’s side to contact Yu Arin.

Yu Arin also agreed to consider it positively and came to meet right away.

‘Now we just need to go together, find out the location, understand the internal situation, and then it’s over.’

She is really just playing the bait role.

Once she goes in, there’s nothing more she needs to do, but Yu Arin is an ordinary person.

She couldn’t help but be nervous.

“It’s okay.”

And because of that.

Oh Yoon-ji patted her back with a smile.

“I’ll be with you. Don’t worry. We also have company security.”

“Yeah, nothing to be nervous about.”

Of course, it was dangerous for Yu Arin to infiltrate alone.

Oh Yoon-ji volunteered to accompany her.

Her appearance was outstanding, yet she wasn’t famous enough for her face to be widely recognized.

She planned to disguise herself as a friend who wanted to do internet broadcasting together.

As they entered the café, a large bald man recognized them and waved immediately.

“This way, please.”

The man greeted them with a friendly smile.

Yu Arin and Oh Yoon-ji greeted him warmly and took their seats.

“Oh, you look much prettier in person. I’m Han Oh-seok from the Rainbow Marketing Team.”

“I’m Yu Arin! Nice to meet you!”

“And who is this?”

Han Oh-seok’s gaze quickly turned to Oh Yoon-ji. It seemed he was interested, as Oh Yoon-ji’s appearance was striking at first glance.

Oh Yoon-ji skillfully introduced herself with a smile.

“I’m Oh Yoon-ji. I’m a college friend of Arin’s. I also really want to do internet broadcasting!”

“Ah! So you came along with a friend? Yoon-ji, you have an outstanding appearance too?”

Han Oh-seok barely managed to hold back from having his lips stretch into a wide grin.

Yu Arin and Oh Yoon-ji.

In internet broadcasting, being pretty is half the battle, and these two were the type who could make money just by appearing on screen.

Swallowing the saliva pooling in his mouth, Han Oh-seok began explaining with a smile.

He explained that they create the best environment for internet broadcasters and even run a dormitory system to facilitate exchanges among them.

“Well, it’s not far at all. We use the entire three floors above. You can go home whenever you feel like it.”

It was obviously a lie at first glance.

Yu Arin and Oh Yoon-ji nodded vigorously, pretending to be as naive as possible.

The anticipation that they could debut on an internet broadcast and pursue their dreams at any moment.

“Aren’t singers or idols required to have a long preparation period? It costs a lot to learn as well. But not with internet broadcasting.”

Han Oh-seok began to elaborate extensively with content that seemed capable of mesmerizing the two people.

“There’s nothing to learn here, and it doesn’t cost any money. Just a computer or a phone, and you’re set! No risk even if you fail! Instead, high return!”

Was he thinking the atmosphere had ripened enough? Han Oh-seok pulled out a contract slyly.

“Please read it carefully. If there’s anything you don’t understand, let me know. I’ll explain it to you well.”

“Okay.”

Oh Yoon-ji carefully and thoroughly examined the contract. At first glance, it seemed fine, but there were toxic clauses mixed in here and there.

‘Bastards.’

He knew exactly how to treat internet broadcasters as slaves.

Most of them are students or kids who just graduated starting internet broadcasting.

If you present such a long and complex contract, no matter how much you explain, it will be hard for them to understand properly.

“The contract seems fine, but….”

Oh Yoon-ji hesitated and cautiously asked.

“Can we see what the dormitory is like? I’m a bit curious.”

“Right! I’m curious too!”

Yu Arin immediately chimed in with an assist.

The nuance was that they would sign the contract if only they could see that.

“Oh, of course!”

Han Oh-seok quickly nodded and got up from his seat.

“Shall we go up and take a look?”

‘Seeing how confident he is, it must be prepared just for show.’

With the intention of just taking a quick look inside, Oh Yoon-ji and Yu Arin headed upstairs with Han Oh-seok.

“……”

Yu Arin, more nervous than expected.

She clenches her fists tightly to hide the sweat pooling in her palms.

She thought that if Oh Yoon-ji hadn’t been there with her, she might have acted much more awkwardly than expected.

Even while climbing the stairs, Han Oh-seok didn’t stop talking.

Most of it was boasting about their company.

“Since we have celebrities, we don’t put up signs. The obsessive fans follow them, you know? You know Popo, right? Last time, the fans just kept following-

“To be honest, we’re about to move soon. The facilities are already good, but we’re moving to an even better facility. Our investor highly values Rainbow’s vision.

“It might be a bit farther away, but it won’t be inconvenient to live there. If our affiliated broadcasters have any inconvenience, we’ll find a way to help.”

Oh Yoon-ji and Yu Arin enter the third floor, listening to the sweet-talking words.

The interior is as neat as if it were a private study room.

Rooms were packed tightly on both sides of the long hallway.

Through the windows on the doors, the interiors were visible, mostly empty, but there were a few people broadcasting.

“We provide a room for each person to broadcast individually like this.”

The two followed Han Oh-seok as he walked further inside.

The facilities didn’t seem to have any major issues at a glance.

If they had simply reported it, they might have just cut off the tail or not inflicted any real damage.

They needed to gather solid evidence.

After passing a short hallway, they came upon a large room.

It looked like a lounge.

“Broadcast, rest a bit in the lounge, that’s how it goes. We provide all the refreshments and coffee.”

Han Oh-seok was explaining the lounge, but Oh Yoon-ji’s gaze was fixed on the door at the end of the lounge.

It looked like an office. Who could be inside there?

As she pondered the question.

“Alright. Let’s handle things a bit more promptly, shall we?”

“Yes! Understood!”

Voices of men coming from inside.

In that moment, Oh Yoon-ji felt a peculiar sensation.

“But the money hasn’t come in yet…”

“You’re worrying unnecessarily. It’ll come in by the end of this month, right? When’s the end of this month? Just three days left?”

“Y-yes, that’s right!”

“What, Mr. Hwang, do I look like I’m going to run off with the money? Do I seem like that kind of person? Don’t you know who I am? Is the vision of Rainbow just that small?”

“No, sir!”

It was unmistakably the conversation of thugs.

Before she knew it, Yu Arin had also turned her head to look at the door.

Just then, the door rattled open and two people emerged.

“Would you like to go have dinner?”

One was a body covered in muscles.

A thug with a solid physique that seemed capable of knocking someone out with one punch.

The other one was.

“Oh, never mind.”

A young man wearing sunglasses.

Even Han Oh-seok, upon seeing him, immediately left Oh Yoon-ji and Yu Arin to quickly bow and greet him.

“Hello, Investor! These are the new recruits!”

“Ah, the ones we’re going to sign a contract with…”

The man’s mouth suddenly stopped.

His sunglasses slid down slightly, meeting eyes with the two.

Many things Oh Yoon-ji wanted to say flashed through her mind in an instant.

’What are you doing here, Woojin?

’What do you mean by investor?

‘Why are the thugs bowing to you?’

And so on.

There were so many things she wanted to say, but Oh Yoon-ji bit her lips and bowed her head.

“Hello? I’m Oh Yoon-ji?”

“Ahem?! Uh, okay. Let’s do well.”

Watching Kim Woojin awkwardly receive Oh Yoon-ji’s greeting.

Suddenly.

Yu Arin had such a thought.

‘If that guy weren’t the chairman’s son, how on earth would he have lived?’