41: Chapter 41 SM Scandals

The midday sun of the city had just begun to fade the lingering night as it streamed into the top-floor office at Tianxing headquarters.

Chen Mo was going through documents when Zhang Kai knocked and entered, his expression cautious.

"Boss Chen, there's something I need to report to you."

"Go ahead."

Chen Mo flipped through the files without even looking up.

"That Kwon Ji-yong from yesterday... his manager woke up in the hospital. No injuries were found, just general weakness and lack of strength. Their company sent someone to pick him up and take him back to Korea this morning."

Chen Mo let out a faint "Hmm," not giving it a second thought.

He had controlled his strength precisely, only severing a few minor meridians. No external injuries were visible, and the hospital couldn't detect anything. In a year or so, the body would naturally deteriorate—completely undetectable.

"Also..."

Zhang Kai paused.

"SM Entertainment sent a vice president over. He's already in the city and wants to meet you in person to apologize, begging you to be lenient and not shut down their operations here."

"No."

Chen Mo refused outright.

"Do I need to personally deal with such trivial matters?"

He saw right through the Korean company's little schemes:

The apology was a pretense; their real fear was losing the Dragon Kingdom market.

"Understood. I'll decline right away..."

As Zhang Kai was about to turn and leave, Chen Mo suddenly remembered something and looked up:

"Among those girl group members yesterday, was there one named Im Yoon-ah?"

"Yes, Boss Chen. She's the most popular and the prettiest in that group."

A slight smile touched Chen Mo's lips as an idea formed in his mind.

"Hold off on declining for now. I need to 'prepare' something. Help me arrange a meeting with their vice president this afternoon. Find a quiet place—not at the company, not at a hotel. Use my vacant private villa."

"Understood. I'll arrange it immediately."

After Zhang Kai left, Chen Mo opened his laptop and began typing rapidly.

In his previous life, he had heard about the pile of dark secrets within Korean entertainment companies, but no one dared to expose them.

Now, with his Grandmaster-level programming and hacking skills, breaking into a company chairman's private computer was child's play.

Within minutes, he easily cracked the encrypted hard drive of SM's chairman.

Inside were densely packed videos, audio recordings, and confidential agreements. Even Chen Mo couldn't help but click his tongue at the sight.

"As expected, not a single one is clean."

He selected the most explosive videos involving multiple high-level executives and top artists, saved them separately, and encrypted backups.

After finishing, he leaned back in his chair, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Did they want to play games with him?

SM was still too green.

That afternoon, in a quiet, standalone villa on the city's outskirts.

The SM vice president stood at the door precisely on time, accompanied by Im Yoon-ah, both looking tense and respectful.

The moment the vice president saw Chen Mo, he immediately bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle, his tone dripping with humility:

"Boss Chen, my deepest apologies! It was our artist's lack of understanding and the manager's arrogance that offended you. On behalf of all of SM, I offer our sincere apology!"

Im Yoon-ah stood to the side, head bowed, fingers clenched slightly, her heart a mess of panic and confusion.

She had been forced to come by the company—officially to accompany the apology, but she knew the truth in her heart:

She was being offered as a "gift of apology."

Chen Mo sat on the sofa, holding a teacup. He took a slow sip before finally lifting his gaze to the two.

"Your apology is noted. However, an apology alone is useless."

The vice president hurriedly stepped forward:

"Boss Chen, rest assured! From now on, all our artists coming to the Dragon Kingdom will strictly adhere to their contracts and will never dare to make any unreasonable demands again!"

Chen Mo gave a faint nod:

"At least you know your place."

The vice president breathed a sigh of relief, then cautiously added:

"Boss Chen, SM values the Dragon Kingdom market immensely. We plan to hold concerts, appear on variety shows, secure endorsements here... We hope you can show mercy and give us a path forward."

His meaning was clear:

As long as Chen Mo agreed not to blacklist or target them, they were willing to pay any price.

Chen Mo set down his teacup, his gaze falling on Im Yoon-ah, looking her up and down.

The girl was indeed beautiful, with a clean aura, yet her eyes held hidden fear and unease.

"Is this Im Yoon-ah?"

"Y-yes, it's me."

Im Yoon-ah quickly responded in a small voice, her heart pounding with nervousness.

The vice president immediately chimed in:

"Yoon-ah is our company's most valued artist. Trained from a young trainee, she's clean, pure, has never been in a relationship, and has no negative news..."

On the surface, it was praise, but the underlying message was clear:

We're giving her to you—clean and ready to use.

Im Yoon-ah's face paled slightly, but she didn't dare to refute.

In the eyes of Korean companies, top artists were premium commodities to be gifted when necessary.

Chen Mo suddenly smiled, looking at the vice president:

"Since you're so sincere, I'm not unreasonable. However, some things need to be made clear."

He turned his laptop around, screen facing the vice president, and opened an encrypted folder.

"Take a look at this first."

Puzzled, the vice president leaned in. With just one glance, his face instantly turned ashen, cold sweat breaking out all over his body.

On the screen were clear, complete videos of SM's chairman and several major shareholders and executives engaged in improper transactions with female artists—times, locations, and individuals all documented.

"B-Boss Chen... what is this..."

The vice president's voice trembled.

If this material were exposed, SM would collapse on the spot, all its artists would be implicated, and the entire Korean entertainment industry would be shaken to its core.

"Don't be nervous."

Chen Mo's tone was flat.

"Someone else stumbled upon this and sent it to me. Found it quite interesting, so I kept a few copies."

The vice president's legs went weak.

Stumbled upon?

By someone else?

Who are you trying to fool?!

This was clearly a targeted hack, striking right at their Achilles' heel!

"Boss Chen... whatever you want, we'll agree!"

The vice president completely capitulated.

"As long as you don't leak this material, SM is willing to pay any price!"

Chen Mo looked at the stunned Im Yoon-ah beside him and spoke calmly:

"Yoon-ah, you take a look too."

Im Yoon-ah hesitated, then cautiously leaned in. After just a few seconds, she covered her mouth, her face deathly pale, her whole body trembling.

She recognized every person in the videos.

The company chairman, high-level executives, even seniors who had always been kind and friendly to her.

Those dirty, disgraceful, dark transactions shattered all her illusions about the entertainment industry.

"This... is this all real?"

Her voice quivered.

"What do you think?"

Chen Mo looked at her.

"Your company claims to protect you, but in reality, the day you're no longer popular or useful, your fate won't be much better than theirs."

Im Yoon-ah's legs gave way, and she almost lost her balance.

She had always believed that as long as she was popular enough and worked hard enough, she could protect herself.

Now she understood: in the eyes of capital and the higher-ups, she was merely a commodity to be sacrificed, traded, and played with at any time.

Seeing Im Yoon-ah on the verge of breaking down, the vice president hurriedly tried to smooth things over:

"Boss Chen, these are isolated incidents. Our company..."

"Isolated?"

Chen Mo sneered, clicking open a few more videos.

"Here we have trainee exploitation, contract traps, tax evasion records, overseas money laundering flows... Would you like me to play them all for you?"

The vice president completely collapsed onto the sofa, unable to utter a word.

Chen Mo closed the laptop, his gaze returning to the two. His tone was calm yet carried an irresistible pressure:

"I'll give you two paths.

"First, I send all this material to Korea's major media outlets, the Procuratorate, and the National Tax Service tomorrow. SM dissolves on the spot, and everyone goes down together.

"Second, Im Yoon-ah continues her entertainment activities as usual, but all unreasonable schedules, drinking parties, social engagements, and private transactions are canceled.

"Anyone who forces her will answer to me. SM is only responsible for normal entertainment arrangements. You will no longer treat her as a commodity to be gifted or traded."

The vice president's face alternated between green and pale:

"Boss Chen... our company's artists have packed schedules. Seven or eight appearances a day is the norm..."

"Then streamline them."

Chen Mo's tone brooked no argument.

"What she doesn't want to do, no one can force her. Otherwise, I won't mind making SM disappear from the face of the earth."

He paused, then added, his voice cold as ice:

"Don't tell me your Korean shareholders won't sell their shares or that they're exclusionary. If I really want to move against you, I don't need an acquisition. A single video is enough."

The vice president shuddered, no longer daring to bargain.

"I... I agree! I agree, Boss Chen!"

Chen Mo looked at the silently trembling Im Yoon-ah, his tone softening slightly:

"What about you? Are you willing to stay here with me, under my protection, where no one will dare touch you again? Or would you rather go back and continue being a pawn in their hands?"

Im Yoon-ah looked up, her eyes reddening. She glanced at Chen Mo and gave a slight nod.

"I... I'm willing to follow Boss Chen."

She understood clearly: this man before her was the only lifeline she could grasp—and hold onto.

Compared to returning to Korea to be manipulated and sacrificed at will, staying by Chen Mo's side, even if just being "kept hidden," was the best outcome she could hope for.

Chen Mo nodded in satisfaction, looking at the vice president:

"Alright, it's settled. Go back and tell your chairman to behave. The Dragon Kingdom is not a place for you to run wild. If there's a next time, I won't mind personally visiting Korea to 'greet' your entire entertainment industry."

"Yes, yes! I'll definitely convey that! Definitely!"

The vice president felt as if pardoned from a death sentence. He scrambled to take his leave, not daring to stay a second longer.

Only Chen Mo and Im Yoon-ah remained in the villa.

Im Yoon-ah stood in place, unsure what to do, her cheeks slightly flushed, her heart racing.

She knew that from this moment on, her life had taken a completely different path.

Chen Mo merely glanced at her, picked up his phone, and casually instructed:

"Zhang Kai, arrange temporary accommodations for Im Yoon-ah in the city. Somewhere safe, no disturbances. From now on, Tianxing will provide full escort for all her domestic schedules."

"Understood, Boss Chen!"

After hanging up, Chen Mo looked at Im Yoon-ah, his tone calm:

"Stay here peacefully. Under my protection, no one can bully you."

Im Yoon-ah looked at this man before her—powerful in presence yet giving her a sense of security—and gently lowered her head, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum:

"Thank you... Boss Chen."

In her heart, she knew very clearly: she had made the right move.