GIJS

Chapter 51

Everyone grew up watching Detective Conan, right?

Looking at the status window that appeared before him, Gunja was deep in thought.

[User: Yoo Gun-ja] [Appearance: A-] [Singing: B-] [Dance: B+] [Charm: A+] [Remaining Points: 3]
Although the status window was not a friendly companion, Gunja had gathered quite a lot of information by using this system.

There are two ways to increase the grade shown on the status window.

First, immediately raise the grade using the acquired points.

Second, improve the ability through continuous effort.

Gunja had experienced both methods. He had learned through past missions that singing and dancing grades could be improved through effort.

However, it was nearly impossible to improve appearance through effort.

Of course, before participating in the audition, Gunja had raised his appearance grade by tidying up his looks. But there were limits to raising the grade this way.

Otherwise, there was the method of receiving surgery from a skilled practitioner like Yang Jeong-mu.

"The body is the parents' gift, how could one dare to use a knife on the face..."

In fact, the idea of surgery was a bit scary.

Cutting and reattaching the face with a knife!

Understanding the reality made Gunja admire Yang Jeong-mu even more for enduring the pain for his appearance.

On the other hand, using the status window to improve appearance without using a knife was an incredible opportunity.

Considering various factors, it seemed reasonable to invest the newly acquired points in appearance.

Although it felt a bit unnatural to increase the appearance grade in this way, against the laws of nature.

['Appearance' grade increase is limited to the user's maximum potential for appearance.] [It is a different change from plastic surgery which goes against the laws of nature.]
The sentence newly displayed by the status window seemed to reassure Gunja.

"Yes, increasing the appearance grade here is the answer!"

After his mental victory, Gunja finally placed his finger on the status window.

Click, click-.

By pressing the 'Appearance' section twice, the remaining points were used, and the appearance grade increased. He could feel the skin around his face heating up and then cooling down.

"···Wow···."

Out of curiosity, he immediately looked into a mirror.

Honestly, the change was so subtle that it was hard to tell what was different unless examined closely.

The texture of the skin seemed slightly improved. The asymmetry of his features seemed slightly corrected.

Yet, there was a strangely improved overall impression.

Since the status window had never lied before, the change Gunja felt was surely true.

With two points invested, his appearance grade had risen to A+. Now he needed to decide where to invest the remaining point.

With appearance and charm both at A+, it seemed logical to invest in either singing or dancing.

However, while examining the status window, Gunja noticed something strange.

Despite the grade reaching the highest level of 'A+', the status window for 'Appearance' and 'Charm' was still active.

As if A+ wasn't the final level.

As if something existed above it.

Curiosity got the better of him. What would happen if he invested again in appearance? The alphabet grading system seemed to end at 'A', but was there something above that?

"···Ah, don't be greedy."

After much contemplation, Gunja decided to raise the 'Singing' grade, but his head and heart moved differently. Curiosity led him.

Click-.

His finger, half moved unconsciously, pressed the 'Appearance' section.

[Appearance: S-]
"—!?!?!?"

Seeing the changed status window, Gunja collapsed to the floor.

How could this happen? Was this the consequence of greed?

Though he had become a companion now, the status window (常太瘡) was originally a disease. A condition that could erupt at any time. Excessive greed had clearly angered the status window. To face such consequences for a foolish greed!

From A to S, how many grades had dropped? He couldn't even guess. His trembling hands covered his face. He needed to check the mirror but lacked the courage. Surely, his face had become so ugly that he wouldn't recognize it.

But he needed to check. He had to see the devastating price of his greed and reflect on it.

Standing in front of the mirror, he reluctantly opened his hands.

"Eh?"

Surprised by the result, Gunja tilted his head.

"···Why do I look pretty?"

* * *

It didn't take long to realize the truth. As soon as his parents saw Gunja's face, they exclaimed in awe.


"Wow, look at how pretty Gunjang's face looks now."

"He looks so much prettier after sleeping well."

"But, his face seems to have changed quite a bit."

"Yeah... I guess so? Haha, he must have been really tired."

Even Gunjang's parents praised his looks. Maybe the alphabetical grading system he knew was wrong. Asking questions when you're curious is always the answer.

"Mother, Father, I have a question."

"Hmm, what is it?"

"Is there a grade above A?"

"Of course."

"!?!"

"S-grade, EX-grade... These are grades higher than A."

"Was S-grade really higher than A-grade?"

"Yes."

With that, all of Gunjang's suspicions were resolved. It had always been puzzling why people spoke of S-grade as if it were the highest. Now he understood the hidden secret!

"S-grade, EX-grade..."

"Yes. You didn't know because you don't play games?"

"Yes, I was ignorant."

"Haha, even though he's my son, he's so cute."

As his parents laughed, Gunjang laughed along. Discovering something new was always enjoyable.

With his eyes sparkling with curiosity, Gunjang asked once more.

"So, are there grades that combine the two, like S and EX?"

"Uh?"

"If you combine S-grade and EX-grade, there would probably be the ultimate grade, S-E..."

"No, no, I don't want that combination!"

"Why not...?"

"Well, hmm, haha..."

"After the audition, let's learn English quickly! Hahaha!"

Even though he was rejected for suggesting a new grade, Gunja was happy with the fact that S-grade was indeed higher than A-grade.

While Gunja and the other final survivors were on their vacation.

PD Kim Seok-hoon was putting all his efforts into editing episode 9.

Episode 9 included the preparation process for the third round of competition. The highlight of the preparation process was the 'practice room dispute.'

After starting the sale of practice room rights, many participants were seen excluding the 'breakthrough team.'

Of course, PD Kim Seok-hoon's goal was to air this conflict vividly.

In survival programs, nothing sparks interest like conflict.

As the audition approached its climax, the participants' exposed desires were like a treasure to PD Kim Seok-hoon.

But it wasn't easy.

There was considerable opposition to airing the situation where participants excluded each other.

Firstly, several agencies, including Starworld, were against it. Moreover, even the top executives of the broadcasting station were taking a negative stance this time.

"PD Kim, let's cut out the practice room stuff, okay? There's still plenty of interesting content without it."

"What? But that part is almost the core of episode 9, if we cut that..."

"Entertainment is good, but they're still kids. We need to protect them."

"Director, all the kids involved in the practice room incident are 22 or 23 years old. Why are you treating it like middle school kids causing trouble? And if you're so concerned, who will protect Gunja and the others, huh?"

"Hmm..."

"Gunja was lucky to overcome it with his own abilities. If it wasn't for that, he would have been eliminated. If the fact that they were excluded isn't revealed... Ugh, if I were in his place, I wouldn't be able to sleep."

"So, would airing it clear their grievances?"

"It would be somewhat better, I guess?"

"PD Kim, let's be honest. Are you doing this to resolve their grievances?"

"Of course. How could I not care about the kids?"

"Then why make them buy practice rooms with coins?"

"Excuse me?"

"You caused this mess in the first place. Why put a price tag on the practice room they were using? Huh?"

"Ah, well..."

"Honestly, was this your original intention? Didn't you set this up to get a specific outcome?"

"W-What are you talking about? I'm not that cunning."

"Anyway, if it's not possible, it's not."

"Director, please reconsider. Gunja lost his practice room due to unfair treatment. But through adversity, he created a special choreography! And the original songwriters are showering him with praise! The forces that excluded him were once again defeated! Are you telling me to give up this crazy story? Huh?"

"You really wrote the script, huh?"

"So, will you give up?"

"Well, just showing the effort should be enough, don't you think?"

"Enough is not enough! It needs to be extremely interesting!"

"I don't care, it's already decided."

"!"

"Anyway, I clearly said it, right? Remove all the practice room conflict footage, related interviews, and just edit with pure practice scenes."

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Director!"

"What now?"

"Do you really have no sense of entertainment?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Phew!"

Now, even the top executives were pressuring PD Kim Seok-hoon.

Though displeased, he had no choice but to follow the instructions. No matter how rogue the PD was, he couldn't defy the decisions made by upper management.

"Ugh, next time I should just make a documentary instead of entertainment..."

PD Kim Seok-hoon, sitting in the editing room with editor Kwak Myung-soo, sighed deeply and reviewed the edited footage.

"Myung-soo, let's review episode 9 footage from the beginning."

"Are we cutting out all the practice room related footage?"

"I guess so."

"I knew it."

"Stop rubbing it in."

"Hey, hurry up and play it."

"Yes."

With a gloomy expression, PD Kim Seok-hoon buried himself in the back of his chair and slowly reviewed the footage of episode 9. It was clear that removing the mentioned footage would conceal the exclusion situation.

"Cut this part, cut that part."

"Yes."

"Ugh, it hurts my heart."

"Should we add subtitles for that?"

"No, I mean my heart hurts."

"Oh."

However, as the editing progressed, PD Kim Seok-hoon's expression began to change.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

"Wait, we cut everything, right?"

"We can't cut more or we won't meet the broadcast length."

"Yeah, we cut everything, right?"

"Yes."

"Then why... Huh, haha."

PD Kim Seok-hoon laughed heartily while watching the edited footage. Kwak Myung-soo blinked in confusion, but Kim Seok-hoon's laughter only grew louder.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"No, I'm perfectly sane."

"Then why..."

"Myung-soo, have you ever heard of 'Yizhang Peitian'?"

"Eh?"

"Our country's netizens. Maybe because they grew up watching Detective Conan, their deductive skills are almost at the level of Namdo-il."

"What does that even mean?"

"You'll soon find out~"

"...?"

* * *

Episode 9 ultimately could not escape the editing blade.

The problematic 'practice room dispute' footage was completely removed, and interviews with the involved participants were also cut.

After receiving the neatly edited footage, the Music Planet executives nodded in approval. All that remained were the scenes of the participants diligently practicing in the practice room.

This was considered the best the broadcasting station could do.

Viewers watching the broadcast seemed to have missed any signs of exclusion.

[ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Can't wait for the military version of Suit Upㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ] [How did you know I'm into military uniforms again] [Even though the kids' teams were torn apart, they look so harmoniousㅋㅋㅋ] [Yeahㅋㅋㅋ They must quickly become friends since they're still young] [Ha hyun-jae is really amazingㅋㅋㅋ] [He'd fill the audio even if locked up with six others] [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [Why does Jeong-mu's expression look so badㅠㅠㅠ] [Suit Up 1st team battle choreography practice.gif] [Joo Ha-sung's dance lines are amazingㅜㅜㅜ]

However, after the main broadcast.

The mood started to change dramatically during the immediately following re-broadcast.

[But isn't Gunja's practice room a bit different?] [Eh] [The wall color is slightly different] [And why aren't the kids looking at the mirror] [It's a bit strange;] [Aren't the edit points a bit odd?] [Yeah, it's PD Kim's pick, but why is the footage so lackluster?]

Doubts arose and evidence was quickly gathered.

The previously quiet community began to boil once again.

[Suit Up 2nd team CCTV shots, overhead shots GIF collection] [Eh?] [Look at the right and top corners of the CCTV shot] [Mirror?] [???] [What is this;;] [So strange?] [The background of the other kids is too different] [Ehㅋㅋㅋㅋ It's probably just different practice times] [ㅋㅋㅋ Anyway, it's all indoors, so what's the difference in time] [Then why is only their practice room different] [Where's the mirrorㅋㅋㅋ] [Could it be that they practiced in a room without a mirror?ㅜㅜ] [Ah, that's impossible]

Monitoring all the reactions, PD Kim Seok-hoon, sitting in a recliner, wore a satisfied smile.

"Welcome, Detective Conan fans."

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