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Join the ServerKim Unseong had originally worked as an entertainment journalist for a major newspaper.
He had hoped to join the politics or economics department out of a sense of journalistic duty, but the competition there was far too intense.
Following his senior in the entertainment department, he had witnessed far too many ugly things.
By that time, he was becoming disillusioned with the profession itself.
Digging into the private lives of celebrities and public figures to the point where he no longer knew if he was a journalist or a paparazzi was not meaningful work.
Then something happened that completely altered the course of his life.
‘If you delete that photo, I will pay you this amount.’
‘……!’
It was undeniably irresistible.
An amount far too large for a single photo.
Enough to let him live comfortably for ten years.
He had accidentally caught a celebrity meeting secretly with a chaebol heir—who unfortunately was a married man with children.
They were having an affair.
Someone from the man’s side contacted him, offering money for the deletion of the photos.
Kim Unseong sold them.
He realized then that selling photos privately was far more profitable than turning them in to the newspaper.
From then on, he took photos purely for blackmail.
He wandered like a hyena, trailing celebrities and conglomerate heirs, using the photos to extort them.
Despite being a journalist, his published articles became pitifully few.
Then he was caught badly once.
While attempting blackmail, he was sued instead.
It turned out he wasn’t the only one who had taken photos of that famous figure.
Realizing it would be impossible to cover up, the celebrity publicly revealed the scandal themselves and sued all the journalists who had attempted blackmail.
‘Damn it.’
He was fired, and after losing the trial, he paid massive damages plus legal fees.
All the money he had extorted over the years vanished.
Of course, the main reason he went bankrupt was because he spent recklessly, easily blown money, and most of it was gambled away—but Kim Unseong blamed only the celebrity who had sued him.
‘Just one big catch… that’s all I need.’
Even afterward, he didn’t get his act together.
Rumors had spread, and no newspaper wanted him.
As a freelancer, he drifted like a starved hyena seeking prey.
Just one big catch.
One jackpot, and he’d leave this miserable world behind.
He repeated that mantra daily.
‘Damn it, stop confusing me.’
But even as he followed celebrities and public figures, he kept coming up empty-handed.
When he was nearly at the point of starving, something caught his eye.
[Moonseong heir Joo Hyunwoo, sudden move to the U.S.]
It was during the height of national uproar over Hyunwoo’s abrupt departure.
Kim Unseong had heard the news too.
His eyes gleamed like a predator who’d found prey.
There was definitely something there.
His instinct, sharpened from years of chasing celebrities, whispered that he must not miss this opportunity.
He scraped together what little money he had left, bought a plane ticket, and flew to America with nothing but his body and his camera.
When he first arrived in Texas, he saw multiple journalists attempting the same thing—dig into Hyunwoo’s U.S. life, especially around his workplace.
But Hyunwoo was quick-witted and evasive.
He switched hotels and avoided journalists skillfully.
Since he had no entourage here unlike in Korea, it was easy to lose him.
“……!”
Then finally, he spotted something strange.
Hyunwoo had not met anyone in the U.S. until now, yet suddenly he greeted some man cheerfully right outside the company.
A fellow East Asian, no less.
Kim Unseong recognized him.
He had seen him multiple times beside Hyunwoo back when he followed celebrities in Korea.
He had heard they were both alphas, and that Lee Seunghyuk was a friend of Hyunwoo’s younger brother, which explained why they hung out often.
So he didn’t find it too strange at first.
But something felt… off.
Why travel all the way to the U.S. just to see him?
Especially when the younger brother wasn’t even here?
That didn’t make sense.
Suspicion grew into certainty, and Kim Unseong secretly followed them.
Soon, he got the perfect shutter moment.
“Hahaha!”
Hyunwoo dating another alpha!
And having secret meetings in the U.S.!
If this went public in Korea, it would explode into a massive scandal.
He needed an even bigger shot.
If the two were staying at the same hotel, a photo of them entering together would be priceless.
But finding Hyunwoo’s hotel was the problem.
They switched cars and took complicated routes every time.
Still, he was determined to uncover it eventually.
As he burned with ambition—
[Excuse me, mister.]
“Huh?”
While waiting near Hyunwoo’s company again, a white man he didn’t know approached him.
Startled, he looked up.
“E-excuse me?”
[Ah, your English isn’t very good, I see.]
“Haha….”
Despite studying English all his school years, the words stuck awkwardly in his throat.
He had spent his time in the U.S. wandering in shabby clothes like a homeless person, so he never expected a stranger to approach him.
He became tense.
[This is who I am.]
“……?”
Philip handed him a business card with a blank expression.
Kim Unseong, though bad at speaking English, could read it well enough.
Moonseong U.S. Branch Manager, Philip Smith.
A manager was essentially a mid-level executive—not someone low-ranking.
Kim Unseong stiffened.
[D-do you need something from me?]
He asked in clumsy English.
Philip silently pointed at his camera.
[If you don’t delete the photos, you’ll regret it.]
“W-what?”
Startled, he blurted out Korean.
Philip continued, unfazed.
[A lawyer will contact you soon.
If you don’t delete the photos, you’ll face legal consequences.
Even if you return to Korea, the lawyer there will reach you.]
“…Shit.”
They had already investigated him.
A bitter curse slipped out.
His past lawsuit flashed through his mind, making him hesitate.
[I—I didn’t… hey, do you have proof I took anything?]
Philip’s eyes drifted to the camera.
Kim Unseong instinctively hugged it close.
[If you’re innocent, then let’s go to the police station and check it together.]
“Wh-what?”
[I suddenly have a lot of free time.]
Philip checked his watch casually.
The office was probably a mess right now.
It was more productive to handle the paparazzi than go back.
“Shit!”
Kim Unseong turned and ran.
He limped—perhaps from long days wandering the streets without money—but he sprinted desperately.
[Oh dear….]
Philip watched his fleeing back.
He looked physically frail, yet his running was desperate.
It was almost pitiful.
But pity had nothing to do with Philip’s job.
He signaled subtly to the men waiting nearby.
He had done this countless times under Abram.
Nothing new.
He always tried to end things politely, but why did everyone insist on running and making it harder?
Philip clicked his tongue and followed slowly.
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, Villainess, You're Supposed to Be Evil, So Stop Oozing Hearts! is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : Villainess, You're Supposed to Be Evil, So Stop Oozing Hearts!
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