39: Chapter 39 Eliminating the Enemy Without Leaving Any Future Trouble

The corridor backstage at KBS was always a place of dim lighting and murky air, a mixture of cosmetics, sweat, packed lunches, and the dust stirred up by countless hurried footsteps.

It had witnessed too much glamour on stage and exhaustion off it, and it bore the weight of countless unseen undercurrents, deals, and grudges.

At this moment, in a narrow stretch of corridor leading to the exclusive waiting room for Girls Generation, the air seemed to have solidified, carrying a heavy, suffocating tension like the calm before a storm.

The nine members of Girls Generation had just finished a thrilling, physically and mentally exhausting live broadcast and an encore. Their stage makeup was slightly smudged by sweat, and their eyes still held the excitement from the performance, the determination from their statements, and the exhaustion and lingering fear of having barely survived.

Im Yoona was being carefully supported on either side by Kim Taeyeon and Kwon Yuri, the dried, dark-red blood seeping through the gauze on her right hand looking particularly jarring against the white bandage.

The other members were mostly silent, their steps slightly unsteady, just wanting to return to the relative safety of the waiting room to treat their wounds and calm their nerves.

However, just as they rounded the last corner and the door to the waiting room was within sight, the group of people they least wanted to see—like a persistent nightmare—blocked their path.

The six members of Jewelry, along with their manager and assistants—about a dozen people in total—blocked the already narrow corridor completely. They had clearly just returned from somewhere, and their faces were all ghastly.

Kim Hye-rim, who was leading them, had her heavy makeup mottled from anger and prolonged agitation, and her carefully styled hair had a few loose strands. Her eyes were so dark and gloomy they seemed to drip with malice, and she stared fixedly at the nine members of Girls Generation approaching, especially at Im Yoona, who was being supported and had a blood-stained bandage wrapped around her hand.

They had met on a narrow road; there was no way to avoid it.

The members of Girls Generation subconsciously stopped and tensed their bodies. Kim Taeyeon took a deep breath, stepped forward half a pace, and shielded Im Yoona behind her, but she did not lower her head, simply looking ahead calmly. The other members also stood silently; though exhausted, their spines were straight, and no one retreated.

At both ends of the corridor, some TV station staff and assistants from other artists peeked out upon hearing the commotion, but as soon as they saw these two groups—especially the livid Kim Hye-rim—they immediately retreated, fearing they might get dragged into trouble. The air was filled with the prying eyes of onlookers and a cold sense of distance.

Kim Hye-rim's gaze swept over the faces of the nine members of Girls Generation like a viper, finally landing on Kim Taeyeon. The corners of her mouth twisted into a smile full of hatred, and her voice was hoarse and broken from extreme anger:

"Very good... truly excellent. Im Yoona, Kim Taeyeon, and all of you..."

She took a threatening step forward, her high heels clicking sharply and ominously against the polished floor tiles.

"Going off-script during a live broadcast, publicly accusing your seniors, inciting fan emotions... You've really grown capable, haven't you? Your wings have hardened, and you think you can act lawlessly just because you have a new backer, right?"

Her voice rose sharply, shrill and piercing, echoing through the empty corridor:

"I'm telling you, you are completely finished! From today on—no, from this very moment! In South Korea's entertainment industry, there will no longer be any place for you, Girls Generation! KBS, MBC, SBS... every TV station, every music show, every variety show!

I will let you know what happens when you offend me, Kim Hye-rim, and offend the people behind me! I will make you suffer ten thousand times worse than the Black Ocean last year! I will make you..."

Before she could finish her hysterical curses and threats, a calm, even slightly languid male voice from behind the Girls Generation group clearly and unmistakably interrupted her:

"Ms. Kim, you are blocking the way. Also, your voice is too loud; it is disrupting the normal working order of the TV station."

The voice was not loud, but it acted like an invisible barrier, instantly cutting off all of Kim Hye-rim's vicious venting.

The members of Girls Generation subconsciously stepped aside, revealing a path.

Song Tianhao walked through the gap they had cleared at an unhurried pace. He was still wearing that crisp dark gray suit, his hands casually stuffed in his trouser pockets, with no expression on his face, as if he were merely passing by an insignificant argument.

Behind him followed two middle-aged men dressed appropriately, carrying briefcases and looking serious—they were clearly professional lawyers.

The appearance of Song Tianhao brought Kim Hye-rim's roar to an abrupt halt. She stared fixedly at him, her eyes filled not just with hatred, but also with a sense of uncertainty and faint guilt. She had not expected Song Tianhao to appear at this moment, in this manner.

Song Tianhao did not even spare Kim Hye-rim a second glance, as if she were merely an obstacle on the side of the road.

He walked straight up to the members of Girls Generation, his gaze sweeping over them and resting for a brief moment on Im Yoona's blood-stained bandage, before he spoke calmly: "Go back to the waiting room to rest first; the air here is bad and will affect the healing of your wound."

These words were both a show of concern and an invisible declaration. I will handle things here.

Upon hearing this, the members of Girls Generation felt as if they had been granted amnesty, but they still looked at their President and then at the ferocious-looking Kim Hye-rim opposite them with some worry. Kim Taeyeon bit her lip, bowed slightly to Song Tianhao, and then signaled for her sisters to support Im Yoona well, preparing to walk around the side.

"Stop! Who gave you permission to leave?!" The manager of Kim Hye-rim, that arrogant and domineering middle-aged woman from before, stepped forward, attempting to block them.

However, before she could finish speaking, one of the lawyers behind Song Tianhao stepped forward, using his body to perfectly separate her, while simultaneously pulling a document with a law firm's letterhead from his briefcase and handing it to her in a flat, emotionless tone:

"Ms. Park Misuk, this is a legal notice for you. You are suspected of assisting and abetting Ms. Kim Hye-rim in issuing personal threats against others during today's conflict, damaging the property of Ms. Jessica Jung by destroying her phone, and attempting to obstruct witnesses from testifying and seizing Ms. Choi Sooyoung's phone to destroy evidence.

We have officially filed a lawsuit with the Seoul District Court; this is a copy of the relevant documents, please receive it. Now, please do not continue to obstruct my client and the related personnel from leaving."

This sudden, professional, and cold legal procedure left that manager Park stunned. Staring at the legal notice held out to her, she didn't know whether to take it or not, her face flushing red and then turning pale.

Taking advantage of this gap, the nine members of Girls Generation quickly and silently passed through the crowd, walked to the nearby waiting room, and closed the door, temporarily shutting out the storm in the corridor.

Now, only Song Tianhao, the two lawyers, and Kim Hye-rim and her team remained in the corridor.

More staff members were peeking from afar, but no one dared to approach.

In the corner of the ceiling, the red indicator light of the surveillance camera blinked rhythmically, recording everything.

Kim Hye-rim watched her manager get humiliated, then looked at the composed manner of Song Tianhao, who seemed to have everything under control, and her inner anxiety and anger reached a breaking point.

She forced herself to remain calm and sneered, trying to regain some ground: "President Song, quite the tactic. Bringing lawyers to intimidate people? Do you think you can scare me with this? I tell you, that matter with the live broadcast today is not over! I will have my lawyer..."

"Ms. Kim Hye-rim." Song Tianhao interrupted her again. This time, he finally turned his gaze toward her. His gaze was calm and waveless, yet it made Kim Hye-rim feel an inexplicable palpitation. He ignored her shouting and simply signaled to the other lawyer behind him.

That lawyer stepped forward and took two bound documents out of his briefcase. He did not hand them over directly as he had to manager Park, but instead displayed the documents to Kim Hye-rim, while speaking in a clear, steady tone:

"Ms. Kim Hye-rim, I am entrusted by my client to formally serve you with the following legal documents."

He picked up the document on top; the cover was stamped with the court's emblem and case number.

"The first one is a subpoena issued by the Seoul Central District Court. You are officially being sued for suspected intentional injury, causing second-degree burns to Ms. Im Yoona's hand; making false accusations, insults, and defamation against all members of Girls Generation in public; and attempting to force the other party to accept unfair conditions through threats of blocking their entertainment career, constituting attempted extortion. The trial date is in three weeks; please appear in court on time. This is a copy."

"Intentional injury? Defamation? Extortion?!" Kim Hye-rim acted as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world, but her smile was extremely stiff. "Song Tianhao, do you think you can take me down with your petty little video tricks? My husband is a KBS director! I..."

Her voice was suddenly cut off, as if gripped by an invisible hand, when the lawyer picked up the second document and flipped to the first page to show it to her.

The title of the second document was "Divorce Agreement." Party A: Director Li Zaiming. Party B: Kim Hye-rim.

Next to Party B's signature line, the signature of Party A, "Director Li Zaiming," was clear and forceful. Moreover, next to the signature was a striking, numbered seal from a notary public! This meant that this agreement had been notarized and was legally binding!

What made Kim Hye-rim's blood freeze instantly was the additional clause in the main body of the agreement, clearly written in bold font:

[If Party B, Kim Hye-rim, has committed any illegal or criminal acts during the marriage or prior to the signing of this agreement, including but not limited to theft, receiving stolen goods, fraud, intentional injury, etc., and if these are verified by judicial authorities, it shall be considered a major fault on the part of Party B. Party B shall automatically forfeit all rights to property division under this agreement and the Civil Code and shall bear the reputational and economic losses caused to Party A, Director Li Zaiming.]

Automatically forfeit property division! And also bear the husband's losses?!

Kim Hye-rim's face turned paper-white in an instant, drained of all color. She widened her eyes in disbelief, staring fixedly at the agreement, her body beginning to tremble uncontrollably. She had thought that Song Tianhao would at most release the video publicly, use public opinion to apply pressure, or use his status as a shareholder to apply pressure within the TV station.

She never imagined that the other side would act so ruthlessly and decisively, bypassing all conventional squabbling and negotiations, and attacking on two fronts: filing a criminal lawsuit against her personally while simultaneously dismantling her greatest support—her marriage and property—from the inside!

And, her husband Director Li Zaiming had actually signed it? And notarized it? How could he... How could he...

Just as she was in deep shock, barely able to think, the lawyer had already flipped the "Divorce Agreement" to the last page.

In the blank space on the last page, there was a line of handwritten text that pressed through the paper. Kim Hye-rim knew that handwriting all too well—it was the handwriting of her husband, Director Li Zaiming! There was only a short line of text, but it was colder and more piercing than any legal clause:

[Take care of yourself, and don't implicate me.]

"Boom—!"

Kim Hye-rim felt the world spinning, a buzzing sound ringing in her ears. Her husband's words, so utterly heartless and eager to distance himself, were like a red-hot iron, searing deeply into her heart!

So, in the face of a real crisis, Song Tianhao's status as a shareholder, and the even more lethal evidence he might possess, the marriage and backing she thought were unbreakable were actually so fragile!

Her husband hadn't just failed to protect her; he had taken the initiative to discard her like a piece of refuse in the most ruthless way possible! Perhaps even... he had wanted to get rid of her for a long time, and this was just the perfect excuse!

"No... impossible! This isn't real! You forged this! This is forged!" Kim Hye-rim suddenly lifted her head, her eyes wild, reaching out to snatch the agreement, her voice shrill and distorted.

"Ms. Kim, please remain calm. This agreement has been legally notarized and carries full legal force. If you have any objections regarding its authenticity, you may hire a lawyer to verify it." The lawyer calmly retracted the document while blocking her with his body.

"Director Li Zaiming! You bastard! You coward! You'll get what's coming to you!!" Kim Hye-rim completely broke down, the last shred of dignity and reason she had been clinging to vanishing into thin air.

She shrieked like a shrew, tears and snot streaming down her face, her makeup ruined. She tried to scratch the lawyer but was hurriedly restrained by her own team. The massive blow, the fury of being betrayed, and the fear of future criminal litigation and being left with nothing instantly crushed her.

From the forced sneer when she saw the subpoena, to the stunned bewilderment upon seeing the divorce agreement, and finally to the complete breakdown and screaming after seeing her husband's heartless postscript, her emotions had ridden a violent roller coaster in a short span of time.

Her manager, Park Mi-sook, was also panicking, wanting to comfort her but not knowing where to begin. The look she gave Song Tianhao and the lawyers behind him was full of fear. She was still clutching her own legal notice, unable to even save herself.

Just then, Soyeon, who had been standing silently behind Song Tianhao, looked at Kim Hye-rim's disheveled and broken state, a complex emotion flashing through her eyes. There was relief, there was pity, but more than anything, it was a cold sense of finality.

She seemed to want to step forward to say something, but Ham Eunjung beside her gently tugged her wrist and shook her head slightly, signaling her not to create unnecessary complications at this moment, as the President had his own arrangements.

However, Soyeon gently pulled her hand away from Ham Eunjung. She took a deep breath, stepped forward twice, and stopped just a few paces away from the broken Kim Hye-rim.

She looked at this senior who, not long ago, had been arrogant and overbearing, but now sat slumped on the floor like a stray dog, her face covered in tears and snot, her eyes unfocused.

Soyeon's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached Kim Hye-rim's ears, as well as the ears of everyone in the hallway who had been pricking up their ears to eavesdrop:

"Senior Kim Hye-rim."

"That diamond bracelet you're wearing is truly beautiful. But wearing the wrong things comes with a price."

"Three months ago, the theft at the V brand flagship store in Cheongdam-dong—the police should be restarting the investigation very soon. Good luck."

These words were like the final boulder smashing down on Kim Hye-rim's already collapsed mental defenses. She looked up sharply at Soyeon, then touched her bare wrist; the bracelet had been removed at some point, and the last spark of light in her eyes extinguished, leaving only boundless despair and desolation.

So, they even knew about this...

She didn't even have the slightest room left to bite back or make excuses...

From start to finish, Song Tianhao had his hands in his trouser pockets, calmly watching the "play" he had directed. From Kim Hye-rim's arrogance to her bluster upon seeing the subpoena, to the shock of seeing the divorce agreement, and finally, her complete collapse.

There was no superfluous expression on his face—no satisfaction, no pity—as if he were merely handling a trivial matter whose outcome had been predicted long ago.

Not until Kim Hye-rim was half-dragged and half-pulled away by her team, and her crying and cursing faded into the end of the hallway, did he act as if he had finally finished taking out the trash, nodding to the two lawyers: "Thank you for your hard work; follow up according to the plan."

"Yes, President." The two lawyers nodded, packed up the files, and turned to leave.

Only then did Song Tianhao turn and walk toward the waiting room of Girls Generation. As he passed the surveillance camera that was still showing a red light, he glanced up almost imperceptibly, then withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened.

He pushed open the door to the waiting room, and it was completely silent inside. The nine girls, some sitting and some standing, clearly hadn't recovered from the more shocking real-life "legal and ethical drama" that had just taken place in the hallway. Im Yoona's wound had been re-dressed, with fresh gauze in place.

Everyone looked at him, their eyes filled with shock, lingering fear, and an indescribable, deep awe at his methods and planning.

Soyeon followed in last and gently closed the door, shutting out everything outside.

Then, under everyone's gaze, Soyeon walked up to Song Tianhao and bowed deeply and formally.

"President," her voice was a little tight, but clear and firm, "I'm sorry."

Song Tianhao raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at her: "Why are you apologizing?"

Soyeon straightened up and lifted her head, her eyes very bright. The impulsiveness from before was gone, replaced only by clear reflection and admiration: "I apologize for my previous impulsiveness and shortsightedness. When I obtained the video and the bracelet evidence, I was only thinking about exposing it immediately and retaliating in the most intense way possible, almost... disrupting your entire plan. It was my lack of consideration; I only sought momentary satisfaction and didn't think as deeply or as far ahead as you did, President, nor did I prepare... so many layers."

She was referring to the fact that Song Tianhao had prepared not just a single blow, but a combination of strikes: criminal litigation to destroy her personally, and the divorce agreement and the stolen goods lead to dismantle her family and backing—solving the enemy completely, cleanly, and without leaving any future trouble.

Song Tianhao looked at the unfeigned sincerity and reflection in her eyes, and the layer of habitual calm on his face seemed to melt slightly. He curled the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a very pleased smile.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Soyeon." He spoke slowly, his voice a little gentler than usual, "In that situation, wanting to retaliate immediately and protect your teammates is human nature, and it is also courage. The key clue you provided regarding the bracelet was even more crucial."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over all the girls in the waiting room who were listening intently.

"It's just that I, personally, am in the habit of... leaving a few extra preparations. Especially when facing those who think that because they have a background and backing, they can do whatever they want."

"The first layer was the live broadcast statement and the potentially exposed video—the stage retaliation and public pressure placed in the open to make them hurt and make them chaotic."

"The second layer," he looked at Soyeon, "was the stolen bracelet evidence provided by you and Eunjung that could shake their foundation, along with the dual blow of the subpoena and the divorce agreement in both legal and practical terms, to make them afraid and to make them collapse."

Then, he turned to Ham Eunjung, who had been standing quietly to the side holding her phone since he entered.

"Eunjung," Song Tianhao's tone returned to its usual indifference, "the 'third layer' I asked you to prepare... how is it?"

Upon hearing this, Ham Eunjung stepped forward and turned the phone screen toward Song Tianhao, while also allowing Soyeon, Kim Taeyeon, and others who were close by to see it.

The screen displayed a concise email sending interface. The recipient column listed three email addresses, each with a suffix representing the entertainment news departments of the three top-tier, most influential newspapers in South Korea.

The email subject line had only a few simple words: "Regarding materials on Jewelry's Kim Hye-rim and KBS Director Li Zaiming."

Below the email body, the words "Sent successfully" were clearly displayed, with a timestamp precise to the second next to it—just a few minutes ago, right when the confrontation in the hallway had just ended.

"President, the 'third layer' has been sent according to your request. The email contains the complete video of today's backstage conflict, a comparative analysis of Kim Hye-rim wearing the stolen bracelet and the surveillance screenshots from the jewelry store theft, as well as..."

Ham Eunjung's voice was as steady as ever, "a summary of evidence leads regarding Director Li Zaiming using his position in recent years to secure improper broadcasting resources for the Jewelry group and its affiliated companies. All materials have been technically processed to ensure the source cannot be traced back to us, but the core information is clearly discernible."

"Based on the consistent efficiency of these three newspapers and their sensitivity to such explosive news, the relevant news reports and in-depth investigations will appear on the headlines of online and print media as early as tomorrow morning."

"The 'third layer' of public opinion is ready."

In the waiting room, there was silence. Only the sound of the air conditioning vent and the girls' slightly heavier breathing due to shock could be heard.

So, what the President said about "leaving three layers of preparation" was real! The first layer: open stage retaliation; the second layer: covert legal and practical strangulation.

And this third layer was to use the pervasive media public opinion to completely define and amplify this matter, forming a final, irreversible tsunami of public opinion that would completely drown the other party's remaining reputation, connections, and any thoughts of retaliation!

Song Tianhao looked at the successful email sending interface and nodded almost imperceptibly. He put away his phone and his gaze swept over the fifteen young girls in the room again, including the six members of T-ara, who had also been listening quietly.

"This matter ends here." He said slowly, his tone carrying a sense of relaxation after the matter was settled, yet hinting at a new order, "From now on, no matter how big the waves rise outside, how the media writes, or what others say, it has nothing to do with you directly."

"What you need to do is rest well, adjust your state, and prepare for the upcoming schedule. The promotional period for 'Genie' hasn't ended yet; the subsequent music shows, variety shows, and interviews—none of them can be messed up."

"I want everyone to remember: artists of Sky Entertainment can be hurt, they can be wronged, but they will never be hurt or wronged in vain. And after retaliation, what we must do is not dwell on past grievances, but continue to move forward, stand higher, and go further."

"Use the stage and your achievements to make everyone who is waiting to see a joke, or who tries to kick you while you're down, shut up completely."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes!" The fifteen girls responded in unison, their voices still carrying exhaustion but unusually loud and firm. The way they looked at Song Tianhao was filled with unprecedented conviction, reliance, and a solid sense of belonging that had emerged from having weathered a storm together and witnessed his thunderous methods.

Outside the window, the night was deep. But the nights in Seoul were never truly calm.