Real Man

Chapter 689

Yoo-hyun laughed as he recalled the old memories.

“I remember when you had your debut match.”

“Oh... When you were a rookie?”

“Yeah. You were so nervous the night before, you called me for an hour. And then you called me again before the match.”

“I didn’t know anything back then. I felt like everything was dark whenever I thought about the match.”

“More than now?”

Yoo-hyun’s question made Lee Jang-woo’s expression very serious.

This was the biggest crisis of his career as a fighter.

“I heard you know about my situation.”

“You can’t train properly, you have trouble with your diet, and you haven’t even analyzed your opponent yet?”

“It’s not just that.”

“Why? Does it seem like everything is pushing you towards defeat?”

“...”

Lee Jang-woo’s eyes wavered for a moment.

It seemed that Yoo-hyun had guessed some of the problems that Lee Jang-woo was aware of.

Yoo-hyun asked him bluntly.

“Are you scared?”

“Yes. I’m honestly scared.”

“Why? Because you might lose?”

“Because I might disappoint the many people who support me.”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

“The news is already out. I get phone calls non-stop, worrying about me. My parents can’t sleep at night and pray for me.”

Lee Jang-woo was telling the truth.

The contents that the parties had just learned were openly revealed to the media.

They had no way to refute the malicious content.

All this situation was suffocating Lee Jang-woo.

How hard must it be?

Yoo-hyun didn’t know the weight that the champion carried on his shoulders.

He could only guess that it was more than he could imagine.

He looked into the eyes of his beloved junior and gave him sincere advice.

“So? Are you going to stay like this, all depressed?”

“No. I don’t want to do that.”

“Then. Straighten your shoulders. Be confident.”

Tap tap.

Yoo-hyun tapped his shoulders, and Lee Jang-woo asked him.

“Senior, do you think I can do it?”

Yoo-hyun chuckled at his unconfident voice that didn’t suit him.

“You’re funny. Why are you asking me that?”

“Because I think you can give me an answer.”

“Do you really want me to answer?”

“Yes. I want to hear your answer.”

Lee Jang-woo had a serious expression.

It was similar to the feeling when he first relied on Yoo-hyun.

If he wanted to feel relieved that way, Yoo-hyun was willing to help him as much as he could.

However, the method was a bit different.

“Then turn around and sit next to me.”

“Why?”

“You said you wanted to hear. Just do it. Face your back towards me.”

Lee Jang-woo tilted his head, then turned his body.

Swoosh.

Yoo-hyun blew on his palm, then slapped Lee Jang-woo’s back hard.

It was the same intensity as the back smashing he had done in the ring before.

Slap!

Along with the feeling of his hand flattening, Lee Jang-woo jumped up.

“Ouch!”

“Wake up and straighten your shoulders. No matter what anyone says, you’re Lee Jang-woo.”

“You could have just told me that.”

“You sound better now. Let’s go.”

As Lee Jang-woo stuttered and rubbed his back, Yoo-hyun got up and touched the same spot.

Smack.

“Ow!”

“Stop whining.”

“It really hurts.”

“You should be grateful. When will I ever get to hit a champion like this?”

“Isn’t this the second time today?”

“What can a rookie like that, who has no fighting experience, do in a match with me...”

He countered the opponent’s provocation without backing down.

“I don’t have any experience of losing like some people...”

The psychological warfare intensified, but the host didn’t stop them.

He seemed to rather encourage the fight for the sake of issue making.

As if to live up to the expectations, Martin Yorte stepped forward.

He grabbed his own t-shirt with the agency logo on one hand, and pointed at Lee Jang-woo’s plain t-shirt with the other, taunting him.

“It seems like you don’t have an agency, how can you prepare? Can you even manage your weight properly?”

-Don’t worry about unnecessary things.

Lee Jang-woo calmly replied, but Martin Yorte didn’t let go of his prey.

He persistently attacked Lee Jang-woo’s weakness in front of the reporters.

-Well. What agency would take you in, when you’re from a small country with no reputation, playing around like a frog in a well? You must have been kicked out. ṟΆΝоᛒÈṡ

-...

Lee Jang-woo didn’t say anything, so the host asked.

-How do you rent a coach or a gym without an agency? How do you practice?

-Haha! How can he do that? He’s a rookie who barely makes any fight money. No one is stupid enough to invest in a hopeless case.

Martin Yorte rudely intercepted the answer, but Jeong Da-hye didn’t translate this part.

She placed her hand on Lee Jang-woo’s trembling back of the hand and reassured him.

“Don’t worry.”

“...”

She whispered and looked at Yoo-hyun behind Lee Jang-woo’s gaze.

Yoo-hyun was talking to a man.

It was an opportunity she created, but it was up to Yoo-hyun to seize it.

She pushed away the doubt that it wouldn’t work.

She believed that Yoo-hyun would find a way.

She counted in her mind.

This was the best moment to make a splash.

‘3, 2, 1.’

The countdown ended, and it was time to give an answer, whatever it was.

Just then, an okay sign came from Yoo-hyun.

Nod.

She saw Yoo-hyun’s smile and confidently opened her mouth.

“Who said he doesn’t have an agency?”

“He does? What crazy agency would stick to a fat tank?”

It was when Martin Yorte sneered.

Thud. Thud.

A man walked onto the stage and turned his body to the reporters and said.

“Here I am, the crazy agency.”

Suddenly, a reporter exclaimed in surprise.

“Mark Colvin!”

“Wow! Super Punch?”

“This is exclusive!”

Swish. Swish.

The camera flashes went off one after another at the sudden appearance of the world’s top agent president.

It was the moment when the somewhat lackluster press conference turned into a hot issue.

Soon, related news poured out.

The netizens of Korea also reacted to the news.

-Awesome! Isn’t this the first time Super Punch signed an Asian?

-It is. Lee Jang-woo finally got some recognition.

-He was too underrated for what he did anyway. He didn’t get many matches either.

-He was lucky to get out of Smack Sports. But doesn’t Super Punch only care about star quality? They even make movies.

-Super Punch’s training is world-class. There was no fighter who entered there and didn’t rank.

-But how did he sign with Super Punch? They must be very picky.

Many people were surprised and curious.

How did he sign with them?

Yoo-hyun’s phone receiver heard the voice of the person who played a decisive role.

-Steve, so you became the official sponsor of Super Punch out of the blue.

“Yes. Paul, it’s thanks to your help.”

-What did I help you with?

Yoo-hyun called Mark Colvin’s number, which he learned from Jeong Da-hye.

And he had a conversation with him for less than five minutes at the press conference.

That was all.

He didn’t show any money, or offer any contract.

But Mark Colvin trusted the words of a stranger from the East.