Descent of the Demon Master

Chapter 796: Reform (1)

The Martial Assembly was shrouded in a strange atmosphere. Then again, seismic changes were always accompanied by such atmospheres.

One part beginning to change would immediately be detected by the other parts. If that change was for the better, the other parts would start to feel that they were being left behind.

A change to a single part always did not end there. A clearly noticeable change was bound to spread to the rest sooner rather than later. And that was the Martial Assembly's current atmosphere.

The arrival of the demon cult left the Assembly members feeling unsettled and uneasy, but Kang Jin-Ho's recent actions got them excited again. Everyone seemed to have accepted the Assembly's reforms.

On top of that, the Assembly began restructuring itself thanks to the efforts of Wiggins, Lee Hyeon-Su, and Lee Hyeon-Ju. The changes were no longer just subtle and unnoticeable but things that could be seen and felt on everyone's skin.

Some people were encouraged by this heated atmosphere and began voicing their thoughts and viewpoints. This meant Kang Jin-Ho now had to deal with even more work.

***

“Sir, please give me another rank, preferably something higher,” said Lee Hyeon-Su.

“...A higher rank?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head.

Since Lee Hyeon-Su wasn't good with beating around the bush, he didn't bother this time as well. “Sir, I don't want to be the Yeongnam Branch director. Not anymore.”

“Mm?”

“The Yeongnam Group has been almost fully integrated into the Assembly, sir. There have been some remnant hostile attitudes lingering around until recently, but I believe they have been all sorted out now.”

Ironically, it wasn't Lee Hyeon-Su nor Kang Jin-Ho who served as the catalyst in resolving the Yeongnam Group situation. It was actually the demon cult.

As ever, external foes led to internal solidarity. The Yeongnam Group had been stealthily opposed to the Assembly, and the two groups were silently keeping a wary eye on each other, but the sudden introduction of the Chinese demonic cultivators forced their hands.

From the demon cult’s point of view, both the Assembly and the Yeongnam Group were groups of Koreans. This indiscriminate ‘provocation’ meant the two Korean groups had to combine their forces to fight back.

“Also, once the restructuring is finished, it will no longer make sense to recognize who’s from where,” said Lee Hyeon-Su. “Everything will be thrown into the proverbial blender, after all.”

“Mm…”

“That's why it makes no sense to keep the Yeongnam Branch name, sir. Please give me another post.”

“Hmm…” Kang Jin-Ho was slightly taken aback while staring at Lee Hyeon-Su.

‘Right, Another post, is it? If that’s what you want, you should go for it. Sure. But, uh…’

What position should Kang Jin-Ho give to Lee Hyeon-Su now? Never mind a clue, he had absolutely no talent in things like this. Truth be told, Kang Jin-Ho didn't even know the ins and outs of the Assembly's operation, either! It was just that he chose to remain silent on this matter.

If he was told so-and-so was a department chief, Kang Jin-Ho nodded along and said sure. If someone said they were an executive director, Kang Jin-Ho thought, Oh, so this place also has one of those. That was the extent of his knowledge in this matter.

But now, Lee Hyeon-Su was politely demanding a new position for himself. Shouldn’t Kang Jin-Ho know what’s what first before he could do that?

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes and grimly asked, “What… is higher in rank than the manager of a branch office?”

“It’s the member of the board of directors, sir.”

“I see. Then, how about a spot on that board?”

“Eii~, I’m still way too young for that, sir. I mean, the Assembly’s board of directors are old farts whose teeth have started falling out, you know? Me joining them on the board feels wrong to me.”

If Bang Jin-Hun heard that, he'd have tried to tear out all of Lee Hyeon-Su’s hair.

After nonchalantly turning Bang Jin-Hun into a toothless old fart in mere seconds, Lee Hyeon-Su tried to wrap this little 'negotiation' up. “I've set up the Operations Management office during restructuring, sir. I'd like to be its chief officer.”

“...Sure.”

“Then, I’ll take that as your permission, sir!”

Why did it feel like Kang Jin-Ho just got played? As a man who didn't know the difference between the head of a department and a branch manager, all Kang Jin-Ho could do was silently nod away.

‘...I’m sure nothing will happen.’

When he thought about it… Wasn’t Jo Gyu-Min also a Chief Secretary of the one-and-only Jaegyeong Corporation? Even if Lee Hyeon-Su took on the top job in the Operations… something, it shouldn’t cause an issue. The contents of his job would still be the same, anyway.

Besides, Kang Jin-Ho was the Assembly Master in name only. The actual management of the Assembly was handled by Lee Hyeon-Su, anyway. Kang Jin-Ho was in no position to refuse if Lee Hyeon-Su demanded to be the chairman of the whole operation!

Lee Hyeon-Su continued with his impromptu briefing. “Also, I've set up proper positions in the Assembly for Sir Vator and Sir Wiggins. They will be officially joining the board of directors.”

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow. “Mm? Weren’t they supposed to be that non-executive director or something? Are they the same thing?”

“No, sir. Sir Wiggins and Sir Vator are officially joining the board as full-time members. I admit that this should've happened a long time ago, but we missed the right timing. But the situation worked out in our favor as both men managed to earn enough fame and reputation within the Assembly. No one will object to them joining the board now.”

“Oh… Sure. Do what you think is the best,” Kang Jin-Ho replied half-heartedly. In all honesty, he couldn't wait for this conversation to finish.

Unfortunately, Lee Hyeon-Su was like a persistent hyena. It seemed he had no immediate plans to let Kang Jin-Ho go. At least not yet! “Also, I've rescinded the board membership of most of the existing members, sir.”

“Mm? Why?”

“There were too many board members, sir. Lee Jung-Geol over-issued board memberships in order to solidify his power base, you see? After Lee Jung-Geol was purged, most of these directors lost their influence, but they still retained their positions. I figured now would be a good time to get rid of them, sir.”

“I see. Then… How many board members do we have now?”

“Three, sir.”

“...Three?”

“Yes. Three.”

Kang Jin-Ho blinked his eyes, then reflexively looked at his fingers.

‘Okay, now let’s see. Excluding Vator, Bang Jin-Hun, and Wiggins…’

“...Wait a minute. You kicked everyone out?”

Lee Hyeon-Su coolly nodded. “Yes. Leaving them alone wouldn't have helped us, anyway. Even though all they have is a title with zero influence, we're still an organization that pays wages, sir. And board members need to get paid every month. I wasn't interested in taking care of a bunch of wage thieves.”

Kang Jin-Ho was a fan of shock-and-awe tactics. And he always favored charging ahead without looking back. That was his personality, after all. Even so, Kang Jin-Ho couldn’t help but think that Lee Hyeon-Su was…

‘...Too over the top?’

It was as if Kang Jin-Ho was looking at a bulldozer charging relentlessly forward.

“Eh, and one more thing…” said Lee Hyeon-Su.

Kang Jin-Ho blinked his eyes in astonishment. “There's more?”

“Do not underestimate the reform process, Assembly Master! We're trying to uproot the pillar of the Assembly that's rotten to the core and replace it with something newer, something much sturdier! The honest truth is, I have ten times more things I haven't reported to you, sir!”

In that case, couldn't Lee Hyeon-Su just take care of everything on his own? Why was he clinging to Kang Jin-Ho like this if he was planning to eventually handle everything, anyway?

“Also, I’m not exactly a fan of one of the reforms being pushed through, sir.”

“Eh?”

“You see, Sir Wiggins is strongly insisting we should upgrade the accounting office to a full-fledged accounting department, but…”

“Eh?”

“In my opinion, it’s still too premature for such an upgrade. Please block this move, sir.”

“Uh… How am I supposed to block it?”

“Just give me the order to block it, sir. That’ll be all.”

“S-sure. Do what you want.”

“Thank you very much, Assembly Master!” Lee Hyeon-Su enthusiastically bowed. “Now that you've granted me the role of chief of Operations Management, I swear to work even harder for your sake!”

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly blinked his eyes.

‘Did I… really grant you that position? Isn’t it more like you wrestled it from me?’

Regardless of what Kang Jin-Ho felt, it seemed Lee Hyeon-Su was in a great mood as he turned around to exit the Assembly Master's office. He energetically opened the door… Only to freeze up on the spot.

“…!”

“H-e-l-l-o t-h-e-r-e, Director... No, Chief Lee?”

Cold sweat began dripping down Lee Hyeon-Su’s forehead. That was because… Lee Hyeon-Ju was standing right outside the doorway. While letting out an aura like a scary specter’s, no less!

Anyone who saw her like that would have no choice but to acknowledge her as Lee Jung-Geol’s granddaughter.

Lee Hyeon-Su uncharacteristically stuttered, “W-why a-are you here?”

“What do you mean, why? Of course I'm here to give my report. The report on the Assembly's budget, that is.”

“...O-oh, really?”

Lee Hyeon-Ju retorted sarcastically. “In any case, congratulations, Chief of Operations Management.”

“Y-you were eavesdropping on the conversation of your superiors?”

“I wasn't eavesdropping on anything, though? You were the one enthusiastically yelling at the top of your lungs. Mister Chief, of, Operations.”

“…”

“In any case, I'd like to go inside, so please step aside. I'll speak to you later. I mean, why would a Chief, of, Operations, waste time speaking to insignificant middle management like me? Am I wrong?”

“N-no, well, that’s, uh…”

“Why haven't you stepped aside already, sir?”

Lee Hyeon-Ju’s forceful aura prompted Lee Hyeon-Su to urgently stick very closely to the wall next to him. Lee Hyeon-Ju coolly walked past him without sparing him a single glance.

The bone-chilling air emanating from her even made Lee Hyeon-Su’s soul shiver!

Lee Hyeon-Su tried to say something. “I was, uh…”

“Please close the door behind you, Chief. I need to make a private report to the Assembly Master… You understand, don’t you?”

“...Yes, ma’am.”

Lee Hyeon-Su obediently closed the office door and left. But Lee Hyeon-Su didn't seem to care, judging from how she approached Kang Jin-Ho with a bright smile etched on her face. “Assembly Master, I've brought you the Assembly's budget report.”

“...Oh, okay.” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded as a powerful realization washed over him.

‘I see now. All women have something in common…'

The way Lee Hyeon-Ju was acting right now eerily resembled when Choi Yeon-Ha was pissed off. Kang Jin-Ho wasn’t sure what had riled Lee Hyeon-Ju up to this degree, but there was no denying that she was angry.

Maybe Kang Jin-Ho should praise her for smiling like that while her blood boiled, although he wasn't sure if that was the wise thing to do right now!

“Kuh-hum. So, what report are you bringing me?”

“The Assembly’s budget, sir.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to discuss the budget with Lee Hyeon-Su… I mean, Chief Lee? It’s not like I’ll understand what’s going on even if I look at your report, anyway.”

“Assembly Master,” said Lee Hyeon-Ju in a gentle voice, although her eyes locked on Kang Jin-Ho remained firm. “I can still remember the first time I met you. You were truly terrifying back then.”

“...It’s in the past now.”

“A leader cannot lead if his underlings take him for a pushover, sir. People fear your power and wisdom, and that's why they are following you like this. It's the same story for me as well.”

Kang Jin-Ho quietly listened while nodding away.

“But lately… It feels like you’re being too friendly with the Assembly members, sir. Chief Lee’s attitude while addressing you just now was simply unacceptable.”

“Y-you think so?”

But Lee Hyeon-Su was more like a friend instead of a subordinate, so…

“When in a private setting, yes, his attitude is permissible. However, we are not in a private setting, sir. You can't say it's private when discussing the organization's matters.”

Kang Jin-Ho could only nod along after Lee Hyeon-Ju’s forceful aura had suppressed him, too.

“The explanation for Chief Lee’s attitude is simple enough, sir. He believes you won’t be able to operate the Assembly properly without him. And his belief has been reinforced by what you said earlier about not knowing much about the Assembly’s operations.”

“…”

“You need to know this, sir. Please don't repeat the mistakes of my grandfather. After seizing power, my grandfather gradually forgot to keep improving himself. As the Assembly Master, you must keep improving yourself in every aspect, not just in martial arts.”

“You’re right,” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded in agreement.

“I'll keep bringing you all the reports concerning the Assembly's budget, sir. Please don't dump it on someone else's shoulders, and… How about we study it together? Besides, I heard you've been attending a business management course. In Jaegyeong Uni, if I remember correctly?”

“...Yeah, you’re right.”

“So, how can you not know anything about running an organization?”

“Well, I only attended it for half a semester before taking a sabbatical, you see…”

“Hmm…” Lee Hyeon-Ju frowned slightly before suddenly clapping her hands rather energetically. “Well, it shouldn’t matter. Yes, knowing the theories will help, but what actually matters is on-field experience, after all! How about this? I’ll drop by at your office once a day to explain the budget to you, starting from the simplest stuff.”

“Mm…!” Kang Jin-Ho rubbed his chin while pondering his options. Although he was unwilling, Lee Hyeon-Ju made a good point.

It might be okay for him to be clueless now, but should he stay that way until the end? Of course not. Only a fool would leave something alone just because it was a bit annoying to deal with right now. “Okay, I'll be in your care, then.”

“Thank you. By the way…”

“Mm?”

“Now that that’s been arranged, I must start teaching you, the Assembly Master, but doing so as a measly section chief is a bit… You know what I mean? And it’s not a good look for the boss of an organization to learn from a section chief, too.”

“I see. Then, what?”

“I think… How about promoting me to the Director of Accounting?”

Kang Jin-Ho briefly shook his head. “Lee Hyeon-Su’s right about this one. I can’t promote you without any significant work experience or achievements.”

“Sir, it's not because I desire to become the director of my department, but…”

“But?”

“It's a little cumbersome to do this kind of thing as a section chief, you see…?” Lee Hyeon-Ju sneakily extracted a bank balance book from her jacket pocket and presented it to Kang Jin-Ho.

His gaze immediately sharpened. “What’s this supposed to be?”

Lee Hyeon-Su subtly smiled. “It’s not a bribe, sir. It’s your official funds.”

“Official, you say?”

“Yes, official,” said Lee Hyeon-Ju while gently nodding. “Whether it's the President of our nation or the Assembly Master… The head of an organization usually is provided with what's commonly known as 'special activities' funds.”

“...Special activities?”

“Yes. Getting the accounting department's approval could take too long if you're in urgent need of cash. This fund is for when you can't afford to wait, sir. Don't worry, everything is above board this time. You can spend it however you see fit.”

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly picked up the bank balance book, then confirmed the amount printed within its pages. “...S-so much?”

What he saw was enough to flabbergast even Kang Jin-Ho, who already had a crap ton of money deposited in his personal bank account.

“This fund will be replenished quarterly, sir. I’ll have to personally handle the payment, but… There will be limitations as a mere section chief, you see? My team is also tasked with monitoring the other departments’ expenses, but my rank is…”

“Oh… Mm.” Kang Jin-Ho dazedly nodded. “Sure. You're now the Director of the Accounting department.”

“Yes! Nice!” Lee Hyeon-Ju clenched her fist and quickly punched the air.

A short while later, the rumors of Kang Jin-Ho being open to bribes quickly swept across the Martial Assembly.