316: The content before Chapter 296 has been heavily censored, so it's been put in the comments.

Returning to the President's office in the new TG Entertainment building in Gangnam District, Jiang Zhiyu unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and rubbed his sore neck.

The clock on the wall pointed to 11:17 PM.

Outside the window, the night view of Seoul was as brilliant as a galaxy, but inside the office building, it was quiet enough to hear the humming of the air conditioner.

Most employees had already left work; only the lights of a few project teams were still on—it was the post-production team for twelve star envoys working overtime.

Jiang Zhiyu sat down at his desk, opened his computer, and began to arrange the official planning process for the crab.

He had been polishing this proposal for three months.

From the initial thought that popped up while walking along the Han River to the current complete worldview, character biographies, scene outlines, and even the completed scripts for the first three episodes.

the crab—a seemingly absurd title, but it actually metaphorically represents the protagonist walking sideways like a crab, struggling to survive in the cracks between rules and order.

The story is set in Busan after the 1997 financial crisis.

The protagonist "Withe" (code name, gender TBD) is a retired special forces mercenary who, tired of killing, chooses to live in seclusion in the port city, making a living by doing odd jobs and fishing.

However, a bizarre murder case at the dock drags him into a vortex—the deceased was his former comrade-in-arms, and all the evidence left at the scene points to him.

Pursued by the police, gangs, and a mysterious organization, Withe has to flee through the city while secretly investigating the truth.

In this process, he/she must not only face the external pursuit and interception but also confront the trauma and guilt deep within his/her heart.

Jiang Zhiyu typed the last line on the keyboard: [Project Positioning: Hardcore crime action film, exploring trauma, redemption, and the individual's struggle within the system.

Estimated Budget: 12 billion KRW (approximately 10 million USD).

Financing Plan: TG Entertainment invests 30% itself, with the remaining 70% seeking joint investment.]

He pressed the save button and let out a long sigh.

This budget was an astronomical figure for TG.

The company had been established for less than five years, and although it had earned quite a bit from several hit variety shows and music copyrights, taking out nearly 4 billion KRW at once would almost drain most of its cash flow.

But Kim Soo-yeon supported him.

"When it's time to bet, you have to bet." That young president had said so at the time, tapping her fingers lightly on the financial report, "TG cannot just do variety shows and music forever.

Movies are a threshold that must be crossed."

Jiang Zhiyu remembered asking at the time: "What if it fails?"

Kim Soo-yeon looked up at him.

In those eyes belonging to a seventeen-year-old girl, there was a calmness and decisiveness far beyond her years: "Then we'll earn it back.

We can afford to lose."

Thinking of this, the corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth curled up slightly.

Having such a partner was his good fortune.

A few days later, the official TG Entertainment account quietly released a message: [The new TG Entertainment film project the crab has been officially approved.

Actor recruitment is now open; please see the official website for specific requirements.

Special note: The gender of the protagonist is not limited, but they must unconditionally accept a three-month special training.

Training mentor: TG Entertainment President Jiang Zhiyu.]

The message was released at 8:00 PM.

By 10:00 PM, #TheCrabMovie had climbed to the 17th spot on the Korean trending search list.

By the next morning, #ImYoonaKillingFish#, #JiangZhiyuPersonalTraining#, and #TGNewMovie# had all entered the top ten.

The internet completely exploded.

A hot post on a famous entertainment forum: [Title] Rational discussion, is the the crab project TG preparing a big move?

[OP] As the title says.

First, let's talk about the known information: Director/Screenwriter: Jiang Zhiyu (TG President, formerly SM ace producer).

Genre: Crime action film (rumored to be very hardcore).

Protagonist requirements: Gender not limited, but must accept three months of special training, personally trained by Jiang Zhiyu.

Confirmed related information: Im Yoona was learning to kill fish a while ago (yes, literally killing fish), and was even filmed buying live fish at a traditional market.

At the time, everyone thought it was some kind of abstract art behavior, but now looking at it...

According to "relevant insiders," this script was written by Jiang Zhiyu specifically for Im Yoona.

[Floor 1] Written specifically for Im Yoona? Seriously?

Jiang Zhiyu is from 2001, Im Yoona is from 1990, that's an eleven-year gap!

[Floor 2] What's wrong with an age gap? Isn't a younger man great? (Dog head)

[Floor 3] The point isn't the age gap, it's the claim of "written specifically for her."

What is Jiang Zhiyu's status now? TG President, the Midas touch; a script he wrote personally specifically for one person... This relationship isn't ordinary, is it?

[Floor 4] I remember they collaborated on the destined kim hyo-soon special episode, right?

There was a lot of interaction back then.

[Floor 5] More than that!

In squirtle water gun battle, the two of them were practically dating on the company's dime (not).

Im Yoona was chasing Jiang Zhiyu spraying water, and Jiang Zhiyu had an expression that was helpless yet doting; I took a hundred screenshots!

[Floor 6] Come to think of it, did Im Yoona learn to kill fish for this role?

That's too dedicated...

[Floor 7] She has always been very professional.

But if it's true, then this role must be very hardcore.

Im Yoona playing a mercenary? Just imagine...

[Floor 8] Can't imagine it.

Her face is fine for playing an idol drama heroine, but playing a mercenary? Please, no.

[Floor 9] Don't be so quick to deny it, upstairs.

Im Yoona's acting skills are considered very good among idols, and the fact that she was willing to learn to kill fish for a role shows that her attitude is at least there.

[Floor 10] The point is "personally trained by Jiang Zhiyu"!

Who wouldn't want to be personally trained by Jiang Zhiyu for three months?

Looking at that face every day, and still being able to learn things...

[Floor 11] And Jiang Zhiyu is single, right?

Born in 1999, now 21 in Korean age, 19 in actual age, young and promising, handsome, talented... If feelings develop during the training period...

[Floor 12] Stop your fantasies!

Jiang Zhiyu belongs to all of us!

[Floor 13] Seriously, the buzz for this project has already started.

Regardless of who the protagonist ends up being, this wave of marketing by TG has won.

[Floor 14] Indeed.

Now the whole internet is guessing who the protagonist is; Im Yoona is the most likely, but a dark horse cannot be ruled out.

[Floor 15] I heard that several actors have already approached TG.

Not just idols, but serious actors too.

[Floor 16] Really?

TG is a small company after all, and this is their first movie...

[Floor 17] So what if it's a small company?

TG is currently riding high.

And the gimmick of Jiang Zhiyu personally training people is too tempting—even if the movie isn't a success, being able to establish a personal relationship with Jiang Zhiyu is a huge boost for future development.

[Floor 18] The person above hit the nail on the head.

TG is not just an entertainment company now; it is synonymous with "the future."

VR concerts, AI variety shows, virtual idols... who doesn't want to get on this ship?

[Floor 19] So this actor recruitment is, to some extent, also TG screening for partners?

[Floor 20] What a big game Jiang Zhiyu is playing...

Just as netizens speculated, the actor recruitment for the crab caused a response that exceeded expectations.

The application channel on the TG Entertainment official website was open for three days and received over two hundred resumes.

Among them were not only idols and rookie actors, but even a few young actors who were already somewhat famous in the film and television industry submitted their materials.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the shortlist organized by Kim Soo-yeon, somewhat surprised.

"So many people?"

Kim Soo-yeon sat opposite him, wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit skirt, her hair meticulously tied in a low ponytail.

She pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose—a habit she had recently developed, saying it made her look "more professional."

"Forty percent higher than expected." Kim Soo-yeon said calmly, "Thirty percent of the applicants don't value the movie itself, but the label of 'personally trained by Jiang Zhiyu'."

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow: "Is my face that useful?"

"Your face, your age, your single status, and your reputation and resources in the industry." Kim Soo-yeon listed them one by one, her tone like she was analyzing a financial report, "For many people, this is the best opportunity to get close to you."

Jiang Zhiyu gave a wry smile: "So I'm bait?"

"Very fragrant bait." Kim Soo-yeon rarely cracked a joke, although her expression remained serious, "But this is good too.

We can screen out truly potential partners from it, not just actors, but possibly future investors or strategic partners."

She paused and added: "I will be responsible for the interviews.

You focus on preparing the training plan and script revisions."

Jiang Zhiyu breathed a sigh of relief: "Thanks."

He really didn't have time to deal with so many interviews.

Besides the crab, he had a pile of things on his hands.

In the next few days, Jiang Zhiyu entered a crazy work mode.

First was the preparation for the second season of IZ*ONE's twelve star envoys.

After the first season aired, the response was enthusiastic, with ratings peaking at 5.7%, which was quite a brilliant achievement for a cable variety show.

More importantly, the show successfully created distinct "constellation personas" for each IZ*ONE member, greatly enhancing individual recognition.

Although IZ*ONE was about to disband, the already signed variety show projects would not be stopped because of this.

After consultation, the agencies of each member decided to arrange the filming of the second season to be completed before the disbandment—after all, no one wanted to give up this exposure opportunity with explosive popularity.

Jiang Zhiyu conceived a new theme for the second season: Star Palace Reconstruction Plan》.

"The first season was survival, the second season is construction." He explained the concept at the project meeting, "After the twelve star envoys gain a foothold in the mortal realm, they begin to rebuild their own Star Palace.

Each person is responsible for one area—Kwon Eunbi's leadership, Jang Wonyoung's fashion sense, Miyawaki Sakura's creativity, Choi Yena's affinity... through tasks, showcasing their professional abilities and personal charm."

The accompanying theme song has also been written, with the working title "The Moment a Meteor Streaks By, the Vow Made with You."

It is a mid-tempo ballad with a warm yet powerful melody, and the lyrics tell of an eternal promise made during a fleeting encounter—it fits the atmosphere of IZ*ONE's impending disbandment very well.

Next is the follow-up plan for "the collapsed daily life of Red Velvet."

Jiang Zhiyu did not intend to make this project long-term.

SM's investment in Red Velvet was clearly not as much as in aespa; this could be seen from the frequency of team comebacks to the allocation of individual resources.

Relying on "ae training camp" and their own efforts, aespa had already firmly secured the position of one of the "Top Five Girl Groups" (ranked alongside BLACKPINK, TWICE, IZ*ONE, and ITZY as top-tier girl groups), while Red Velvet... seemed to have entered a period of stagnation.

Jiang Zhiyu planned a total of only three episodes for Red Velvet: one pilot episode and two regular episodes.

It was just the right amount; it wouldn't increase the burden on SM, and it would also maintain a certain level of exposure for the members.

He had already sent the proposal for the second episode to SM, with the theme "Red Velvet's One-Day Part-Time Job Experience."

The members would each try different part-time jobs—convenience store clerk, barista, pet shop assistant, etc.—to showcase a different side of them off-stage.

But these were not the most urgent matters.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the financial statements on the computer screen, his brows slightly furrowed.

The current cash flow on the books for TG Entertainment relied mostly on two sources: first, the revenue from song copyrights he had sold in large quantities during the early stages of his startup (those songs sold to major companies under aliases like "Z," "Y," and "Mario" were still generating royalties to this day), and second, the returns from short-term financial products invested in by Kim Soo-yeon.

This was not stable enough.

For the company to develop, it had to broaden its revenue channels and establish a more solid network of partners.

And the cooperation intention from JYP had become the most ideal choice at the moment.

A few mornings later, Jiang Zhiyu stood in front of the Loen Entertainment building.

He was wearing a well-tailored dark blue suit today, with a white shirt, no tie, and the collar slightly open.

His hair was meticulously styled, and he wore a perfectly appropriate professional smile on his face.

He still had to go to JYP in the afternoon to discuss cooperation, so time was tight.

Regarding the cooperation with JYP, the news coming from within was quite interesting.

It was said that at a senior management meeting, Park Jin-young had said this:

"As the President, I am very worried about the current direction of K-pop development! Homogenization is severe, creativity is drying up, and everyone is copying successful models while forgetting the essence of music."

"TG Entertainment has an inextricable bond with us at JYP (referring to the fact that Lee Tima once worked at JYP), and now it is a hot, trending creative company. I think as the President, I should first go and understand the specific processes—after all, practice is the source of true knowledge."

These words sounded high-sounding, but Jiang Zhiyu knew Park Jin-young's "ulterior motive."

That founder of JYP was still a singer at heart who longed for the stage.

He had seen the successful cases TG had created for aespa and IZ*ONE, and seeing TG's integration capabilities in music, variety shows, and concept planning, he had become interested.

He wanted TG to tailor a comeback project for JYP's artists—or perhaps for himself.

This was an opportunity for TG.

If they could establish a deep partnership with JYP, it would not only bring stable income but also elevate TG's status in the industry.

But the prerequisite was to handle the person in front of him first.

Jiang Zhiyu adjusted the hem of his suit, took a deep breath, and walked into the Loen building.

The receptionist clearly recognized him and bowed with a smile: "President Jiang, IUxi is already waiting for you in the conference room."

"Thank you."

Jiang Zhiyu walked toward the elevator, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the USB drive in his suit pocket—it contained the full version of the "white horse" adaptation proposal, as well as three demos he had written for the drama.

The elevator doors slowly closed.

His face was reflected in the mirrored doors: young, handsome, with a calmness and sharpness in his eyes that transcended his age.

Nineteen years old in actual age, twenty-one years old in Korean age.

The President of TG, the producer with the Midas touch, the "future" that countless people wanted to get close to.

But at this moment, he was just going to meet a difficult partner—a "financier" who was very interested in his script, his music, and him personally.

The elevator ascended.

The numbers jumped: 3, 4, 5...

The corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth curled up slightly.

The game had begun.

— — Sweet traps and out-of-control possessiveness

The LOEN Entertainment conference room was more modern than Jiang Zhiyu remembered.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was the bustling cityscape of Seoul, and the interior used a minimalist off-white and dark gray color scheme; the long conference table was polished to a mirror finish, and each seat was equipped with a smart tablet.

The air was filled with the scent of high-end fragrance—a certain woody note mixed with faint cedar, which was LOEN's consistent style.

Jiang Zhiyu stood at the doorway, feeling a moment of trance.

The last time he came here was four years ago.

In 2017, he had just transmigrated into this world not long before.

Seventeen years old, penniless, with only a crumpled 1,000 won note on him.

The meager stipend for an SM trainee couldn't even cover the monthly rent for an old studio in Gangnam District, let alone meals.

He remembered when he was so hungry he felt dizzy, he could only shamelessly tag along to the "celebratory dinners" of three little girls: Karina, Minjeong, and NingNing.

Those girls were still trainees at SM, and their family backgrounds were quite good; their pocket money was enough for them to go out and eat well every few days.

Jiang Zhiyu could always find a reason—"Karina, you changed the color of your braces this time? Must celebrate!" "Minjeong, the vocal teacher praised you today, right? Such big progress, it wouldn't make sense not to celebrate!" "Ningning, got an A on the dance evaluation again? Let's go, go, go, Oppa will treat you... ah no, wait, you guys treat Oppa!"

The girls actually knew he was sponging off them, but they never pointed it out.

Karina would pretend to accidentally order an extra steak, Minjeong would silently push the dessert toward him, and NingNing would say in her not-yet-fluent Korean: "Oppa, eat more, you're too thin."

Those warm, embarrassing, yet human-filled memories now felt like a lifetime ago.

But embarrassment couldn't put food on the table.

To survive, and to accumulate his first pot of gold, Jiang Zhiyu started a side business without SM's knowledge—under the anonymous producer identity "Z," he submitted the song "White Frost, Bright Moon" to LOEN.

He still remembered the phone call from IU's Manager after listening to the demo, the surprise and excitement in their tone: "This song... you wrote it? Are you interested in working with us?"

What followed was a matter of course.

"White Frost, Bright Moon" became a huge hit, and Jiang Zhiyu not only received generous copyright royalties but also established a deep partnership with IU under the identity "Z."

He helped IU plan the "IU Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" personal online account operation strategy, integrating her music, daily life, and fan interactions into a complete IP system, making IU's image in the digital age more three-dimensional and vivid.

From the initial doubts of the LOEN executives, to their full support later, and finally to treating him as an honored guest today—Jiang Zhiyu only took two years for this process.

And now, he was the President of TG Entertainment, the "producer with the Midas touch" holding multiple hit projects in his hands, and a genius producer recognized by the industry.

"President Jiang, please come in."

The secretary's voice pulled Jiang Zhiyu back from his memories.

He smiled slightly, nodded in acknowledgment, and stepped into the conference room.

Inside the conference room, the senior management of LOEN was already seated.

On one side of the long table were the board members, the head of the investment department, and the content strategy director of LOEN, and the other side was left for the TG representative.

In the main seat, IU was already sitting there.

She was wearing a light beige knit sweater today, paired with white wide-leg pants, her long hair loosely tied behind her head, with a few strands of hair hanging by her cheeks.

Her makeup was light, almost invisible, but the delicacy and aura between her brows and eyes made her the focus of the whole room even while sitting quietly.

Seeing Jiang Zhiyu walk in, everyone's eyes focused on him.

Those gazes held scrutiny, curiosity, assessment, and also undisguised amazement.

Too young.

Even though they had long known Jiang Zhiyu's age, seeing him in person still felt unreal—this face, this figure, clearly still had the appearance of someone between a boy and a young man.

But his eyes were calm and sharp, exuding a calmness and sense of control that transcended his age; his steps as he walked in were composed, his suit was well-tailored, outlining a tall and straight figure, with every detail demonstrating a meticulously groomed professionalism.

In just a few short years, from an anonymous contributor to SM's ace producer, and now to the President of TG Entertainment... the speed of this young man's rise was as fast as a dream.

Jiang Zhiyu greeted everyone politely, his voice clear: "Hello everyone, I am Jiang Zhiyu of TG Entertainment. Thank you for taking the time to attend this meeting today."

His Korean was standard and fluent, with a faint, imperceptible American accent—this was a trace of his upbringing in the United States, which actually added a touch of international elite flair at this moment.

The LOEN board member stood up first to shake his hand: "President Jiang, I've heard much about you. Please sit."

After the pleasantries, Jiang Zhiyu sat down in the main seat on the TG side.

His assistant—a capable-looking young man—quickly set up the laptop and materials.