The name on the screen stared back at him like a ghost from a past life. 'Ghost'.
The anonymous producer of "Monster." The SS-Rank talent who had given Mina her first weapon. Yoo-jin had always assumed he was some industry veteran hiding his identity for tax purposes or contractual reasons.
But this message wasn't from a collaborator. It was from a spy.
The photo was undeniable proof. I know you're working for TK Group. The words were a direct threat, a blade pressed against the most vulnerable secret he had. TK Group was his lifeline and his prison. If his connection to them was exposed, Director Park would have all the ammunition he needed to destroy him.
And the question... who are you really working for, Han Yoo-jin?
It implied something deeper. That Ghost knew this wasn't just a simple corporate sponsorship. That he could see the strings of the 'Awakened' world.
"Producer-nim?" Mina's soft voice broke through his trance. "Is everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
The irony was so thick it was suffocating. "I'm fine," he said, forcing the words out. "Just... processing the meeting."
He had to meet him. He had no choice. This wasn't an invitation; it was a summons.
He quickly typed a reply, his thumb unsteady. Where and when?
The response came back instantly. Midnight. Namsan Tower, the east observation deck. Come alone, or the photo goes to every reporter in Seoul.
Classic. Dramatic. This 'Ghost' clearly had a flair for the theatrical.
That night, the air at the top of Namsan Tower was thin and cold. The sprawling, glittering metropolis of Seoul stretched out below like a fallen constellation. It was a beautiful view, but Yoo-jin felt none of it. He felt like a man walking to his own execution.
He had activated 'Fated Stage' before he left, running a simulation of the meeting. The results were terrifyingly inconclusive.
[Outcome: 48% Probability of a New Alliance. 52% Probability of Immediate Betrayal.]
It was a coin toss. His life was literally a coin toss.
He saw a figure leaning against the railing, looking out at the city. The person was hooded, their face completely obscured by shadows. It was an almost comical adherence to the spy movie cliche.
Yoo-jin stopped a few feet away, his hands shoved in his pockets. "Ghost, I presume."
The figure turned. It wasn't a man.
A young woman, probably no older than Mina, pulled back the hood. She had sharp, intelligent eyes that seemed far too old for her youthful face, and her hair was dyed a shocking, electric blue. She was chewing bubblegum, which she popped loudly in the quiet night air.
This was the legendary SS-Rank producer? A kid who looked like she belonged at a Hongdae punk rock show?
He immediately activated his skill.
[Name: Kang So-young]
[Occupation: Producer / Information Broker]
[Potential: SS-Rank]
[Title: The Ghost in the Machine]
[Unique Skill 1: Sonic Weaver (Lv. 9) - The ability to hear the 'sound' of data. Can intuitively understand and manipulate digital systems, from music software to encrypted servers.]
[Unique Skill 2: Network Phantom (Lv. 7) - Can navigate digital networks almost undetectably, leaving no trace. A master hacker.]
Yoo-jin felt his blood run cold. She wasn't just a producer. She was a hacker. An information broker. The photo wasn't a lucky shot; it was a deliberate act of surveillance. She hadn't just seen him with Director Ahn. She had likely listened to their entire conversation.
"Han Yoo-jin," she said, her voice a nonchalant, unimpressed drawl. "The SSS-Rank rookie making all the noise. You're taller than I expected."
She knew his rank. The knowledge hit him like a physical blow. No one should know that. Not even the system had revealed it to him until recently.
"How do you know that?" he asked, his voice tight.
She popped her gum again. "My skill lets me 'hear' things. Data has a sound. And you, Producer-nim, are screaming a very, very rare frequency. SSS-Rank. The same as Jung Sae-ri. The same as Titan Entertainment's precious Isabelle Moon."
She pushed herself off the railing and began to circle him like a shark. "Which makes your situation all the more fascinating. An SSS-Rank 'Awakened', a player with the highest possible potential, acting as a pawn for a corporate dinosaur like TK Group. It doesn't make sense."
"What do you want?" Yoo-jin cut to the chase.
"Information," she said simply. "And a partnership. You see, I have a... professional rivalry with TK Group. Their security is a nightmare. Best in the country. I've been trying to get inside their servers for years, but their digital 'firewall' is almost alive. It's an absolute work of art."
So that was it. She wanted an inside man.
"You think I have access to TK Group's servers?" he scoffed. "I'm a producer at a failing entertainment company. I'm not a corporate spy."
"Not yet," she said with a sly grin. "But you will be. Chairman Moon isn't investing in your little team for fun. He's grooming you. An SSS-Rank talent is a strategic asset. Sooner or later, he's going to pull you into his inner circle. And when he does, I want to be in your pocket."
This was insane. He was already juggling the demands of Hana and TK Group. Now a rogue hacker wanted to add herself to the mix.
"And what do I get out of this?" Yoo-jin asked. "Besides you not leaking that photo and destroying my life."
"Protection," she said, her tone suddenly serious. "And information. You think your only enemies are Director Park and Titan Entertainment? You're a guppy swimming in a tank full of piranhas, Yoo-jin. The world of the 'Awakened' is not a friendly place. There are factions, old rivalries, powerful players who would crush you just for being a potential threat."
She stopped in front of him, her sharp eyes boring into his. "TK Group is one of those factions. But they're not the only one. And they're not your friends. They're your owners. I'm offering you a chance to have your own intelligence network. A way to know what your masters are planning before they do."
She was offering him a lifeline. A way to not just be a pawn, but a player.
He ran a quick, desperate simulation in his mind using 'Fated Stage'.
[Scenario: Alliance with 'Ghost']
[Immediate Threat Level: Decreased by 80%]
[Long-Term Risk Factor: Increased by 300%]
[Potential Reward: Access to critical information, potential for autonomy.]
It was a deal with the devil. She would save him from the fire, but only by pushing him into the frying pan.
"Why should I trust you?" he asked. "You're an information broker. You sell secrets to the highest bidder."
"True," she admitted without shame. "But I have a code. I never betray a client. And more importantly, I find Chairman Moon and his whole corporate empire incredibly boring. Taking them down a peg would be a lot more fun than selling you out."
Her motivation was chaos. She was an anarchist in a world of kings, and she wanted to hand him a bomb.
He thought of Hana's ultimatum. He thought of Director Ahn's commands. He was trapped, serving two masters who both had him on a leash. This girl, 'Ghost', was offering a third leash. But she was also offering him a pair of scissors.
"Fine," Yoo-jin said, the word feeling heavy and final. "We're partners. The photo gets deleted. Permanently."
A wide, genuine grin spread across her face. "Excellent! I knew you were smart." She pulled out a burner phone and tossed it to him. "Encrypted. My number's the only one in it. Don't lose it. I'll be in touch."
She turned to leave, then paused. "Oh, and one more thing. A freebie. A sign of good faith."
"What is it?"
Her expression turned serious again. "Your new project. The OST for Jung Sae-ri's movie. Be careful. The director, Yoon Tae-min... he's not what he seems."
"What do you mean?" Yoo-jin asked. "He's just a perfectionist."
Ghost, Kang So-young, shook her head. "His 'Visionary's Insight' is a powerful skill. But he has another one. One he keeps hidden. It's called 'Muse Drain'."
The name was horrifying.
"Every masterpiece he creates," she explained, her voice a low whisper, "is fueled by the potential of the artists he works with. He doesn't just demand perfection; he consumes it. He's a vampire, Yoo-jin. He'll push your girl, Choi Mina, to her absolute limit and beyond. He'll draw out every last drop of her SSS-Rank talent for his film... and he might just leave an empty husk behind."
She pulled her hood back up, melting into the shadows. "Welcome to the game, Producer Han. Try not to get eaten."