Chapter 27: Making the Best Use of Everything

Liu Menglong's face instantly turned pale, and cold sweat poured down his forehead. The surrounding trainees all looked at him with pity. Today was the day he held the highest status among the trainees. But at the same time, he had fallen from the peak of joy to the depths of despair in an instant.

This drastic change from extreme joy to extreme sorrow was unbearable for anyone. Li Yunzai felt a mix of emotions at this moment. He really wanted to compete with Liu Menglong on stage, but it now seemed impossible.

A trainee who was originally destined for a bright future had become dim in the stars due to a single decision by Lee Soo-man. Liu Menglong's heart plummeted to the lowest point.

"President... why me?!" Liu Menglong tried to find a reason, not willing to accept his fate.

Lee Soo-man gave him a deep, piercing look, as if his sharp gaze could penetrate his entire body. Then he coldly said, "This is a decision made after discussion. Although you have performed well in the company, I gradually feel that you are not suitable for staying in S.M. Perhaps Tae Hong is more suitable for you!"

The words "not suitable" cast Liu Menglong into the "cold palace." Everyone couldn't help but shiver, thinking that the president's methods were truly decisive and ruthless.

"President, I am not convinced... You ignore my three years of hard work with just a word of 'not suitable.' Why am I not suitable? In terms of appearance, I am not inferior to others, and in terms of ability, I am among the top trainees. Why am I not suitable... You brought me into the company and made me train hard for three years, and now you want to kick me out of the company just because you say I am 'not suitable'?!"

Everyone was shocked. Liu Menglong's face turned red, and he was extremely agitated, confronting Lee Soo-man. Although his actions were bold, anyone in his position might have done the same. All the trainees sighed inwardly, suddenly realizing that perhaps everyone was just a pawn in the company's hands, to be placed wherever the company wanted. It was a sad and helpless situation.

Lee Soo-man's face darkened, his eyes sharp like two beams of light piercing Liu Menglong. Liu Menglong met Lee Soo-man's gaze but subconsciously took a half-step back. The aura Lee Soo-man emitted made everyone feel suffocated, and Li Yunzai looked at Lee Soo-man in surprise.

"Reason... The reason is that I am the president of the company, and you are just a trainee. You must obey the company's arrangements! Another point, no one is allowed to form cliques in the company, thinking that with seniority and strength, they can do whatever they want, bullying others and ignoring the company's rules! Whoever violates the rules will be punished. My tolerance has limits, and once you cross the line, you must bear the consequences of your actions!" Lee Soo-man's strong voice echoed, firm and resounding.

No one in the room was foolish; they were all very smart and could understand the implications of Lee Soo-man's words. Liu Menglong, with his abilities and seniority, had disciplined many of the other trainees, except for a few in Class A whom he dared not provoke. It seemed that these actions led to his transfer to Tae Hong Entertainment. He had dug his own grave and jumped into it...

Liu Menglong collapsed on the ground. He had always thought that as long as he was outstanding and worked hard, he would be valued by the teachers and the president, and he could dominate the company. But now, it seemed that his previous misdeeds were not punished because they had not crossed the company's bottom line. Now that he had crossed that line, the consequences had come. But... what exactly was the company's bottom line? It shouldn't just be bullying a few weak trainees to be kicked out of the company. This was too unfair. Liu Menglong was confused and had a big question mark in his mind.

"Today, I will say it again. The company's rules and regulations must be followed by everyone, regardless of who they are, how outstanding they are, or what their background is. As long as they follow the rules, they can stay in the company; but if they cross the line, they must leave! Without rules, there is no order. To debut, it's not just about ability; it also involves many other aspects, including performance in daily activities!"

Everyone was shocked and realized that they needed to train harder in the future. It wasn't just about being strong to have a chance to debut; for the sake of debuting, training hard was a small price to pay.

"Alright, that's the first important thing I wanted to say today. The second thing is not directly related to everyone, but it is very important for BoA. The company plans to send BoA to Japan for a three-year training program within a week!"

Wow...

Another wave of surprise swept through the room. Everyone looked at BoA in disbelief, and even Wen Zhenghe and others were unsettled. They had just been discussing BoA's trip to Japan, and now it had become a reality.

Japan, the most developed country in Asian entertainment, was where BoA would be sent for training. This clearly showed the company's high regard for her and indicated that BoA would definitely become a debut singer, a powerful and influential superstar in Asia. Envious eyes stared at BoA, filled with admiration, jealousy, and resentment.

BoA was also stunned, her mind temporarily blank. Japan was a place that was both unfamiliar and distant to her, but it was also a place she longed for. South Korea, being close to Japan, was deeply influenced by Japanese entertainment culture. Many Japanese stars had a large fan base in South Korea, and BoA was one of them. Being able to go to this entertainment-rich country for training was a great opportunity, but the good news came too suddenly, leaving her momentarily speechless, as if a large pie had fallen on her head.

At this moment, the trainees who had regained their composure seemed to realize something and looked at each other. BoA, Liu Menglong... These two names echoed in everyone's mind, and they suddenly had an epiphany.

No way... Everyone groaned inwardly.

Liu Menglong was transferred to Tae Hong Entertainment, and BoA was sent to Japan for training. What had caused these sudden changes? Why had there been no prior rumors? Even the company's insiders had not heard any hints. At this moment, everyone thought of one reason—Liu Menglong's pursuit of BoA had reached Lee Soo-man's ears.

Thinking about this, everyone felt that the more they thought about it, the more likely it seemed. BoA was the most important trainee to Lee Soo-man. Even a slight closeness to a male trainee of the same age would make Lee Soo-man sensitive. Now, Liu Menglong's "bold and reckless" public pursuit of BoA was like digging his own grave. Perhaps this was also the reason Lee Soo-man decided to send BoA to Japan.

"That damn Liu Menglong!" Choi Seong-hee clenched her teeth and muttered angrily.

After announcing the two matters, the monthly exam was over. The three of them stood up, and Lee Soo-man said, "The monthly exam is over. The transfer students should go to the dormitory to pack their things and report to the new company this afternoon! I believe you will be valued in the new company! Dismissed!"

Today's events were too numerous, leaving all the trainees numb. Lee Soo-man's dismissal made everyone feel a sense of relief, and a chill ran down their spines, realizing they had broken out in a cold sweat without even noticing.

BoA left the practice room amidst envious looks, and Liu Menglong, under the gaze of many who were gloating, slunk off to the dormitory to pack his belongings. At least he was being transferred to another agency as a trainee, and with his abilities, he would surely be valued by the company and become a candidate for debut.

Perhaps, this wasn't such a bad thing for him! Many people sighed inwardly.

Li Yunzai silently returned to the practice room and continued training. BoA's trip to Japan was a piece of news he found hard to accept. Although they were friends, they weren't close friends, but they had a good relationship. He felt conflicted, wanting BoA to go because it would benefit her in the future, but also not wanting her to go because he wouldn't see her for three years.

...

Meanwhile, Wen Zhenghe and the others looked grim. Although they had been prepared, they hadn't expected that as soon as they finished talking, Lee Soo-man would announce BoA's trip to Japan.

"It's all Liu Menglong's fault... Pursuing BoA so openly, crossing the president's tolerance line. Not only did he ruin himself, but he also dragged us down..." Liu Xiuying said angrily.

"Perhaps the president decided to send BoA to Japan earlier because of this... If only it had been a few months later! At least let us debut first..."

"You know the president's character, with great ambition, doing three things at once... Tsk tsk, a regular agency can't handle it. Just sending one trainee to Japan is enough to drag down the entire company! The investment in Japan and in-house training is on a completely different scale..."

"Brother, why don't you go to Jinyong and ask him? Maybe he knows something!" Shin Hye-sung suggested.

"Why don't you go yourself!" Wen Zhenghe rolled his eyes. He wasn't a gossip person and had no right to ask about this. Could he just go up to someone and ask, "How much will it cost to send BoA to Japan? Will it affect our debut budget? Will it affect our debut plan?"

"Let it go... Since the president has made the decision, he must have a solution. This isn't something we should worry about!" Wen Zhenghe said calmly.

...

On the other side, in Lee Soo-man's office.

"Lee, aren't you being too impulsive, making such a hasty decision!" Yu Yong-jun and Kim Sung-woo walked into the office, frowning. Lee Soo-man's earlier talk of discussion was just a formality; he hadn't actually consulted them. They had been silent just now, stunned by Lee Soo-man's words.

"Yes, Liu Menglong has great potential. Although he is somewhat arrogant, it can't be denied that among the company's trainees, only a few can surpass him. He was recruited before the company was even established. We spent so much effort cultivating him, and now are we going to let Tae Hong benefit? Besides, Tae Hong has only been established for a few months. How could they have trainees that can match Liu Menglong?" Yu Yong-jun said, somewhat agitated.

"And BoA's matter!" Kim Sung-woo continued, "Although it was planned, BoA was supposed to be sent to Japan only after S.E.S and Shinhwa debuted. Why did you move this up? This disrupts our plans! Moreover, the company's funds are tight. Just the two groups are enough to drain the company's funds. Now you want to send BoA to Japan, which is an investment equivalent to training thirty trainees in Korea. Where will the company get the money? Don't tell me you're going to cut the debut budgets of S.E.S and Shinhwa... Those are non-negotiable!"

Seeing the anxious expressions of his two trusted subordinates, Lee Soo-man laughed and said, "Look at you, so worried. When have I ever made a decision without being sure? I won't do anything without a plan. Although it will be tough, the long-term benefits will be significant. A little hardship now is nothing; one day, it will all be worth it!"

Seeing Lee Soo-man's confident demeanor, Yu Yong-jun and Kim Sung-woo asked anxiously, "What's your plan...?"

Hehe... Lee Soo-man chuckled and continued, "I didn't want to send BoA to Japan so soon, but Yang Hyun-suk and Park Jin-young contacted me, which made me change my mind!"

"Did they talk about exchanging trainees?" Yu Yong-jun asked in surprise.

Lee Soo-man shook his head and said, "No, not exchanging trainees, but buying trainees!"

"What!!!" Yu Yong-jun and Kim Sung-woo were so shocked that they stood up from the sofa, looking at Lee Soo-man in disbelief.

"Lee, say that again... Did I hear wrong or did you say wrong?" Yu Yong-jun stammered.

"No... I said buying trainees!" Lee Soo-man chuckled and said, "They want to buy trainees from our company to fill their gaps... especially Tae Hong Entertainment, a company that has only been established for a few months, with a significant gap in trainees. I don't know how Yang Hyun-suk and Park Jin-young got together, but they called me, wanting to buy our trainees!"

"Lee, you wouldn't do something that would bury your own company..."

Trainees are the foundation of an entertainment agency. High-quality trainees can bring high returns to the company after debuting. They are the company's treasures. How could they be sold so easily!

"Calling it burying the company is a bit exaggerated! I'm not stupid. The trainees I mentioned are just mid-level in the company. Selling them won't cause any loss!" Lee Soo-man said nonchalantly.

"But Liu Menglong is a very capable and promising trainee. Selling him like this, don't you think it's a waste?" Kim Sung-woo countered.

Lee Soo-man slowly shook his head and said, "Waste? No, not at all! Although Liu Menglong has talent, he is too proud and doesn't take the company's rules seriously, repeatedly violating them. Now he is even publicly pursuing BoA. I have seen all these things. I didn't act before because there was no opportunity, and the company couldn't afford major changes at this stage.

Now, with such a good opportunity, I have no reason not to sell... Sending BoA to Japan requires money, and Shinhwa and S.E.S debuting also require money. Now, only HOT can't support everything alone! Do you know how much Park Jin-young offered to buy the Class A trainees?"

Yu Yong-jun and Kim Sung-woo shook their heads in a daze. Lee Soo-man slowly extended one finger.

"One hundred million won!"

Sss... Yu Yong-jun and Kim Sung-woo both sucked in their breath. One hundred million won was not a small amount, and with Liu Menglong's abilities, it was not enough to be worth one hundred million won. At this moment, even Yu Yong-jun and Kim Sung-woo were tempted.

"Four trainees, two hundred and fifty million won! This money is enough for BoA to spend her first year in Japan, with some left over for Shinhwa and S.E.S to debut. So, this deal is very worthwhile! Liu Menglong has also contributed to the company, and I am also using this opportunity to set an example, reminding all the trainees that even if they have ability, they cannot act recklessly in the company. Those who do not follow the rules will be expelled!"

At this moment, Yu Yong-jun and Kim Sung-woo couldn't help but give Lee Soo-man a thumbs up. This move achieved multiple goals, not only temporarily easing the company's financial strain but also deeply discouraging Liu Menglong's pursuit of BoA, and setting an example for all the trainees, emphasizing the company's rules.

Lee Soo-man truly made the best use of everything...

Page AD starts

Page AD ends