Chapter 133
Last Man Standing.
An unexpected event occurred on the local quiz show, which was one of the most well-known in Hollywood.
"In 1997, what was the name of the work that exposed corruption in a small community and caused a sensation at the Venice Film Festival...?"
"The answer is number 3, Entry Gun."
"...Correct. Lee Min Ki takes additional points."
One man was answering correctly at a speed that seemed almost insane.
Was he even thinking it over?
"In 2000, what is the name of the animation that was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame?"
"Number 1, The Sims Family."
"Correct."
The speed was absolutely incredible.
As soon as the question was posed, he revealed the correct answer.
"Is that even possible?"
"He's answering correctly before the question even finishes coming out of the host's mouth."
"That's already seven correct answers in a row."
What could one even say?
It seemed as though the answers were imprinted directly in the man’s brain.
'This is easy.'
Indeed, Lee Min Ki thought so.
Most of the questions were about things he already knew.
To be precise, the answers came to him before the host even finished reading the questions.
'Wait, isn’t this something I watched a long time ago?'
Exactly.
Lee Min Ki had already seen this episode of Last Man Standing as a viewer.
When?
Before he fell backward down the stairs, hit his head, and died.
'Out of hundreds of episodes, I can’t believe the one I watched happened to come up.'
He knew the format of Last Man Standing.
It was a quiz show based on a battle royale system.
While the system changed slightly every season, making victories unpredictable, it coincidentally turned out favorable for him.
However.
‘I expected this would happen.’
Everything so far was within Lee Min Ki’s predictions.
Specifically, from the moment he first met Jeffrey Rogers and negotiated at the Excalibur Burger.
[What’s the question format for this season?]
[You know it’s a seasonal show?]
[I figured as much. American TV shows usually follow that structure, right?]
[Not incorrect.]
From the beginning, he had dived in expecting a format that would favor him.
And the current questions aligned with that expectation.
"This question will be descriptive. Listen to the line and write down the title of the movie. Reveal your answer as quickly as possible."
The MC, who had replaced Jeffrey Rogers, slowly began to read a line.
"Old man said that there is an angel with a shotgun..."
Before the line was even fully spoken, Lee Min Ki raised his board at lightning speed.
"Correct."
The answer was Painkiller.
Once again, he got it right.
"Unbelievable."
"Is that guy from the future or something?"
"A genius has appeared! Bow down to the king of the quiz show!"
Amid the murmurs of the audience and the exaggerated reactions of the guests, Lee Min Ki clenched his fist with a confident smile.
‘I watched this with Tae Yang before. We even debated it all night.’
It was an incredible coincidence.
But it was also inevitable.
Such a feat was only possible because it was Lee Min Ki.
Last Man Standing was a show with hundreds of episodes.
Just because someone happened to watch an episode in passing, it didn’t mean they would remember the details accurately.
It was a one-in-a-million chance among the thousands and tens of thousands of works he had consumed.
This was purely due to Lee Min Ki’s unique capabilities.
‘Lucky me.’
Lee Min Ki, a man obsessed with films, had practically seen everything out there.
His mind held an enormous database of information.
Even if he hadn’t seen this episode, the result likely wouldn’t have changed much.
The faint memory merely gave him confidence.
‘I feel like I’m cheating.’
He wasn’t even aware of it himself.
"Now, only 15 contestants remain. Out of 100, there are 15. Congratulations. Your names will go down in Wikipedia in one line. You must be proud. Now, for the next question... (cut short)... Guess the name of this work."
"Odin’s Eye."
"It’s getting tiresome saying ‘correct’ at this point."
Lee Min Ki’s dominant streak continued.
However.
A single person’s dominance doesn’t always bode well.
‘This isn’t good.’
From the perspective of the person directing the show, it wasn’t.
Leonard Moore, the legendary figure of American comedy shows and now a director creating another ongoing legacy, felt that way.
‘What did Jeffrey Rogers bring here?’
He sensed the show was faltering.
While it was true that Jeffrey Rogers had successfully hosted the show alongside various guests, securing its success, there was a problem.
‘This isn’t right.’
Leonard Moore, deeply rooted in prejudice as an old-school racist, didn’t like the current situation.
‘Did he leak the answers? All for some Asian actor?’
He already suspected Jeffrey Rogers of rigging the show.
It must be for the sake of promoting the work.
But unfortunately, that wasn’t true.
Leonard himself had been secretly helping another contestant.
‘That idiot keeps missing their turn.’
The contestant in question was a world-class model from Argentina.
He had struck a deal to let her win, giving her an intellectual image boost.
Although she barely avoided elimination and made it to the top 10, it wasn’t enough.
There was a business agreement tied to her agency regarding investment and marketing.
Winning was essential.
"Ugh."
Leonard sighed quietly.
‘If it comes to this, I’ll have to intervene.’
He decided to introduce a twist to the show.
Of course, a twist that would disadvantage Lee Min Ki and favor the model.
Creak.
The giant of American comedy rose from his worn, aging seat.
The MC shouted with a loud voice.
“The final three contestants remain. Congratulations! Just out of curiosity, would any of you consider giving this honor to another participant?”
The three remaining guests exchanged glances, smiling awkwardly as if the suggestion was absurd.
“Hahaha!”
The laughter soon spread across the audience.
The MC instinctively felt that the impromptu joke had landed successfully and briefly reviewed the script.
‘Unintentional, but at this rate, that handsome Asian guy is going to win.’
When Jeffrey Rogers was brought in as a special guest, the MC wondered what his deal was.
Perhaps he had been bribed?
But things were working out well in the end.
He was fulfilling his role magnificently.
‘It’s almost suspicious, as if he had access to the answers. But then again, he did get one question wrong midway.’
Now, only three contestants remained.
A supermodel from Argentina.
A professor from a prestigious university renowned worldwide.
And Lee Min Ki.
One of these three would be crowned the winner.
The MC, ready to move on to the next phase, spoke up.
“We’re just one step away from the championship. I’d like to hear what you’d do with the prize money if you win—just one word, though. Two words will get you eliminated.”
The model, who walked up to the MC, took the microphone and cleared her throat.
Then, she spoke.
“I’ll buy a big house and give it to my parents. I have a huge family.”
Two words.
Still, her short response elicited cheers of admiration from the audience.
The MC chuckled and commented.
“Can you buy a house with $100,000?”
“Houses are cheap in the countryside of Argentina.”
“Amazing! That’s very harmonious. Isabel Montes, your love for your family is as beautiful as your appearance.”
Her graceful demeanor, combined with her heartfelt words, won over the crowd.
Turning his attention to the professor, the MC asked.
“Tom, what about you? Surely you won’t give a boring answer like using it for research funding?”
“Research isn’t boring.”
“That response is boring. Thank you for your one word. While you’re at it, perhaps you could focus on researching a cure for baldness?”
“My answer isn’t finished ye—”
“Alright! Next!”
The MC casually dismissed the man’s earnestness and handed the microphone to Lee Min Ki.
No commentary, just the mic.
‘This isn’t easy.’
With the microphone right in front of him, Lee Min Ki deliberated.
He hadn’t thought about how he would use the prize money but felt compelled to respond.
A boring answer wouldn’t do.
He didn’t want to suggest something materialistic either.
Being new to this scene, it could damage his image.
‘If I leave room for interpretation, they might turn it into a joke. That would be unpleasant.’
Was there a good answer that wouldn’t leave room for ridicule?
Something that could also boost his image?
After a brief pause, Lee Min Ki had an idea.
‘Ah.’
He opened his mouth with the perfect response in mind.
“If I win, I’ll donate the prize money to a foundation for lung disease research.”
“……!”
The audience erupted with gasps of surprise.
A donation?
Not something for himself, but a donation?
Even the MC, who had been poised to make a joke, hesitated, now deep in thought.
‘Mocking a donation could lead to boos.’
Perhaps he could probe further.
The MC smiled broadly and pressed on.
“Wonderful! But doesn’t it feel a bit mismatched? A handsome Asian model making a donation—it seems like an improvised answer for a quiz show, doesn’t it? What do you all think?”
He handed the microphone back to Lee Min Ki.
“Haha, do I have to explain my reasoning?”
“You can decline if you don’t want to contribute to the broadcast time.”
Lee Min Ki gave a small, wry smile.
‘So, that’s how you want to play it.’
They couldn’t let him off the hook.
Unfortunately for the MC, this was all within Lee Min Ki’s expectations.
With a faint smile, he began to speak.
At that moment, all eyes in the audience locked onto him, eagerly awaiting his next words.
And then, he dropped a line that could be described as nothing short of a trump card.
“Yesterday, on the flight to LA, a passenger beside me collapsed from a lung condition and nearly died.”
“……!”
It was a fresh, firsthand account.
Even the MC’s mouth hung open as Lee Min Ki scratched his head sheepishly.
“He collapsed without any warning. I barely managed to save him.”
“Wow, you saved him yourself?”
“Yes. At that moment, I realized something. That man was lucky to be in business class with someone nearby who knew how to respond.”
Lee Min Ki took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and continued.
“But not everyone is that fortunate. Some wouldn’t even know why they died, let alone have a chance to survive.”
“That’s true.”
“So, I decided to donate the prize money to this cause. I hope it can be used meaningfully.”
The longer he spoke, the louder the waves of applause and cheers rippling through the audience grew.
It was a flawless answer.
Not only did it enhance his image, but it also underscored a pressing issue.
How could anyone criticize such a response?
‘How can someone be so kind?’
‘K-pop stars must receive excellent moral education.’
‘He’s different from Hollywood’s debauched celebrities.’
‘He embodies the essence of Eastern values.’
In the United States, Lee Min Ki’s image was already shifting in a positive direction.
From simply entertaining to genuinely admirable.
‘Wow.’
Even the MC let out an incredulous laugh.
‘I’ll have to wave the white flag.’
How could he ridicule him now?
The entire audience was on Lee Min Ki’s side.
The atmosphere grew solemn.
Though the MC disliked such sentimental moments, there was no way to avoid it now.
And more than anything—
‘Even I want to root for him.’
That growing sense of wanting to be on Lee Min Ki’s side stirred within the MC.
“Well then, onto the next questio—”
Before the MC could proceed to the final round—
Thud.
A hand reached out and snatched the microphone away.
A plump, wrinkled hand.
The hand belonged to a man with a chubby face full of determination.
An unexpected guest.
But someone everyone in the room would warmly welcome.
“Leonard Moore?”
Leonard Moore.
A legend in American comedy shows and the producer of this program, he had made a surprise appearance.
“Leonard’s on stage.”
“Is this part of the act?”
As the audience murmured in astonishment, Leonard Moore savored their reactions before speaking.
“Donating is commendable—for tax benefits and publicity. But those come after winning, don’t they?”
“……That’s true.”
As Lee Min Ki nodded, Leonard narrowed his eyes and declared.
“I’ll present the final question myself.”