Descent of the Demon Master

Kang Jin-Ho quickly returned to his usual lifestyle.

The events in China nearly succeeded in destroying his life back home, but the two countries were separated by international borders. Thankfully, entering Korea was enough to block out China's influence to a large degree.

Staring at the dust pollution blowing in from the west triggered the memories of the events in China, but Kang Jin-Ho had no problem coping with such 'side effects'.

However, returning to his old lifestyle meant he had to face the extremely familiar torture instead.

'...I don't have anything to do.'

This was a dilemma still plaguing Kang Jin-Ho.

Even though he was officially the Korean Martial Assembly's Assembly Master, Kang Jin-Ho remained as uninvolved as humanly possible in the organization's daily operations.

People like Lee Jung-Geol and Bang Jin-Hun practically grew up performing the Assembly's administrative duties. No wonder they held in-depth knowledge of the inner workings and hidden details of the Assembly's operations. And they were also good at issuing the right sort of commands and utilizing the manpower at their disposal.

However, Kang Jin-Ho took over the Assembly Master position through nothing but his brute strength.

What a nice-sounding title that was, the Assembly Master. Even though Kang Jin-Ho's administrative abilities were no better than that of a baby-faced employee fresh off a university. No, that wasn't quite right. Those employees might be better than Kang Jin-Ho!

At least those people graduated from universities with graduation papers to prove their qualifications. All Kang Jin-Ho could write on his resume was half a year spent in university, working in his father's cafe for a bit, and finishing off the mandatory military service. That was about it.

Even if Kang Jin-Ho's university happened to be well-known for all the right reasons, the Assembly seemed well-stocked with talented folks qualified enough to laugh at the mention of Jaegyeong Uni.

In short... There wasn't a lot Kang Jin-Ho could do.

Kang Jin-Ho rocked up to Lee Hyeon-Su's office to shoot some breezes, but...

“...How are things going?”

Lee Hyeon-Su curtly replied without even bothering to look back at Kang Jin-Ho. “I'm busy, sir.”

“Huh? But, uh, I only wanted to know how things are going...?”

“I said, I'm busy, sir!”

Kang Jin-Ho instantly grew dejected. Back when he wasn't the Assembly Master...

When Lee Jung-Geol—or, for that matter, Bang Jin-Hun—was still the Assembly Master, he enjoyed authority fitting his job title. Regardless of how competent he was, or whatever he was aiming to achieve, simply reaching the seat of the Assembly Master was enough to foster an atmosphere of respect.

But now, what about Kang Jin-Ho? Wasn't he like...

'Right. It's like I'm a third wheel, no? Maybe a wet blanket?'

Using such a sacrilegious term like a 'third wheel' to describe Kang Jin-Ho, the one and only Assembly Master and the undisputed leader of the demon cult, was being disrespectful, but that was basically his current situation.

That didn't mean he could openly express his dissatisfaction, though.

While busily rushing over here and there like a madman, Lee Hyeon-Su could be seen endlessly munching on vitamin pills and nutritional supplements like they were delicious candy.

Kang Jin-Ho had half a mind to ask why a man doing administrative work would need to run around like that. However, even he could tell that the disbelieving glare that silently screamed, 'Oh my god, how can someone be this clueless? And he's supposed to be our Assembly Master...?' would painfully burrow into his face.

Hence, Kang Jin-Ho was unwilling to disrupt Lee Hyeon-Su.

This story remained largely the same with Chang Min. Knowing how the demon cult's oldest surviving elder operated, he could have tried everything in his power to console Kang Jin-Ho's heavy heart. Unfortunately, even he was too busy to mind the situation of a third wheel (?) like Kang Jin-Ho.

These demonic cultivators lived their entire lives in China, so acclimatizing to life in another country would never be painless or straightforward. And they weren't on a group tour of South Korea or something. In other words, there were no guides to make their life easier. And no one had prepared facilities for their convenience, either.

Kang Jin-Ho's authority had largely suppressed their dissatisfaction, at least for the time being, but minor incidents kept rearing their heads.

Chang Min's job was to rush to the scenes of said incidents with eyes ablaze and sort them out as quickly as possible. His methods included much pacification and appeasement, occasional ass-kicking, and even dashes of threats and intimidation.

“Urgh! Euuuuuh... Those stinking immature bastards!” Chang Min roared in barely contained torment.

Those who had done it before would know how physically and mentally exhausting it was to soothe, threaten, and beat up stubborn fools. As an example, parents with unruly kids dreaded the weekends the most, didn't they!

Chang Min didn't need long to realize all those years he spent waiting for the demon emperor on a nameless mountainside had been a blessing in disguise, not a torturous self-imposed exile!

“M-my liege! I swear, I will never get married!”

Kang Jin-Ho almost yelled, 'How can you even talk about marriage at your age?!', but the dazed, soulless look on Chang Min's face stopped the yell from breaking free of his mouth.

When Kang Jin-Ho asked if he could assist with something, Chang Min unequivocally declined the offer, saying that he wouldn't dare force the noble demon emperor into doing sundry chores.

Even though Kang Jin-Ho repeatedly said it was fine, Chang Min was adamant about rejecting the offer while yapping on and on about how the demon emperor's authority and prestige touched the heavens and stuff.

Kang Jin-Ho read the subtle hints of 'You butting in will only make things more complicated for me, so please, please! Sit still and do nothing, please!' from Chang Min's desperate gaze.

...And so, all Kang Jin-Ho could do was take his frustration out on the blameless ground with a few aimless kicks.

'I'm completely useless, huh...'

Back in the past, when he was sitting on the throne of the demon cult's leader, Kang Jin-Ho didn't go out of his way to find things to do. He simply... reigned as the top dog.

Although, calling what he did 'reigning' over his subjects was being kind to him. The truth was, most of the work was saddled on Azure Demon's shoulders. Kang Jin-Ho would either sit on his throne and act the part of the arrogant boss or lounge around in his chambers like a lazy bum. The rest of his time would be devoted to cultivation... or trying to drown himself in liquor.

In the modern parlance, Kang Jin-Ho would be designated as a wastrel. People of the past would've called him a layabout.

Back then, Kang Jin-Ho didn't see his behavior as wrong. That was because the previous cult leaders had been all lazy wastrels.

The demon cult back then was such a sausage fest that even the most macho Italian Chads would've looked adorable in comparison. The cult leader was treated as the real man among men, so how could he dirty his hands with such demeaning work? Indeed, such things were delegated to soldiers/schemers of the cult referred to as Demon Strategists.

The cult leader was supposed to spend his days pursuing even greater strength and only show up when threats appeared and soundly beat the living daylights of the enemies to earn his keep.

After Kang Jin-Ho returned to the modern era, though... That way of doing things no longer applied.

All the bosses he had met... Whether it was Hwang Jeong-Hu, Lee Jung-Geol, Bang Jin-Hun or even Kim Seok-Il, they were all roll-up-your-sleeves-type leaders. They set the future course of their respective organizations and didn't hesitate to jump into the thick of things to reach their goals.

Kang Jin-Ho needed to follow their example and change, too. Yes, he knew that, but...

'...But, I really don't know anything.'

There were two types of workplace superiors existing in this world.

Every superior ordered the subordinates to do this and that. That was their job, after all. Superiors who knew what they were doing and relied on clear plans and blueprints to order their subordinates around were subjected to much admiration and respect.

On the other hand, superiors who always tossed work they couldn't handle to their underlings, then constantly butted in with unwelcome advice, would become an undying legend from how everyone talked behind their backs.

Even if such superiors reached the end of their physical lifespan and had to crawl inside a coffin, they would end up as punchlines shared during rounds of drinks by the people who still remembered their exploits, thereby ensuring that their punishment would remain evergreen.

Kang Jin-Ho had zero thoughts of becoming another undying legend. The lives he had lived so far already were way too long for his liking, anyway! He couldn't let his current life get 'extended' that way!

No wonder he was stuck for things to say or do. The best he could do was say some random nonsense about stuff he had no idea about!

'I should've learned more about administration...'

Kang Jin-Ho suddenly realized that sucking on thumbs and doing nothing was a lot harder to do when surrounded by dedicated, passionate people.

That was when Vator shoved the door open and waltzed inside Lee Hyeon-Su's office. “Uh-whew!”

Kang Jin-Ho's expression brightened instantly.

Vator frowned in confusion and stared at Kang Jin-Ho. “Master? What are you doing here instead of the Assembly Master's office?”

“...!”

Since he couldn't reveal that his boredom had forced him to camp out on the couch inside Lee Hyeon-Su's office, Kang Jin-Ho kept his mouth shut. His boredom might have a good reason for existing, but a sane-minded person should not declare something like that publicly.

Kang Jin-Ho tried to coolly shrug his shoulders. “I somehow ended up here.”

“Hmm. You have a lot of free time, then.” Vator disinterestedly muttered.

However, that 'observation' still stabbed Kang Jin-Ho's heart rather painfully.

A lot of free time, now was it? Only Kang Jin-Ho enjoyed free time as everyone else in the Martial Assembly was seemingly drowning in work!

Kang Jin-Ho testily asked Vator, “You shouldn't be busy either, so what's going on?”

“Haaah?” Vator looked back in dismay while plopping his large frame on the couch. By enduring Vator's weight, this couch proved without reasonable doubt that it was a top-quality item. “Master.”

“Yeah?”

“When you want to assign duties to people, why don't you thi... Kuh-hum. I'd appreciate it if you could be more considerate.”

Vator probably wanted to say something like, 'Why don't you think first before doing something, you fool?' Saying that to his master was obviously very rude, but Kang Jin-Ho didn't feel like criticizing Vator.

After all, Kang Jin-Ho felt a little emotional that Vator was actually willing to converse with a lazy bum like him!

“...Did something happen?” Kang Jin-Ho cautiously asked.

“It's Chang Min! That bloody Chang Min! You shouldn't have given that old fart any responsibilities whatsoever!”

“What? Why not?”

Vator unhappily slapped his knee. “That old fart is also a demonic cultivator, master! He's just as insane as everyone else!”

“...What happened?”

“Humans should have common sense, no?! But why! Why did you ask that insane old fart to keep the demonic cultivators in line? When he goes around beating up folks searching for a toilet to deal with their nature's calls and threatens them to never come outside their rooms ever again!?”

“...”

“Good thing I discovered what was happening before it was too late! If not, the lodging would've been...!”

“Okay, that's enough.”

Kang Jin-Ho heard enough. It seemed he had made a huge mistake by not seeing through Chang Min's real personality. He genuinely thought Chang Min operated more or less according to common sense, but no! Then again, having common sense didn't automatically mean someone was sane, now did it?

The demon cult was like this in the past. And it'd continue to be like this in the future, too.

“O-okay, so what were you doing?” Kang Jin-Ho asked Vator again.

“Going around putting out various fires, that's what. The demon cult elders have been causing too much friction with the rest of the Assembly. As you can imagine, we're facing a flood of issues right now. Wiggins is trying to mediate various situations as much as he can.”

“I see. Good work...” Kang Jin-Ho grimaced and sheepishly turned his head away when Vator glared at him with a face full of dissatisfaction.

Vator wasn't done, however. “Master! You knew you were about to accept a large number of people into the organization, so how could you fail to make adequate preparations beforehand?”

“But you also agreed to do this, didn't you?”

“I figured you'd have made at least the bare minimum of preparations!”

Kang Jin-Ho ruefully smacked his lips.

'The bare minimum preparations, you say?'

Of course preparations had been made ahead of time. Unfortunately, those preparations didn't work as well as Kang Jin-Ho had hoped. And the man responsible for those preparations was stuck behind his desk, busy issuing various orders through five separate phones while subsisting himself mostly with convenience store hot dogs!

Anyone willing to criticize such a man for the lack of preparations should check their humanity first to see if it hadn't expired already. Kang Jin-Ho might be a demonic cultivator, but he still cherished his humanity!

“By the way...” Vator cocked an eyebrow. “Why are you here lounging around instead of resting at home, master?”

Although the accusation of 'lounging around' got on Kang Jin-Ho's nerves... Vator hadn't embellished anything, now did he? Actually, it'd be more correct to say that the truth was getting on Kang Jin-Ho's nerves instead!

Since time immemorial, it was fact, not blade, that hurt the most as it stabbed through a person's heart.

Kang Jin-Ho grimaced a little. “Well, staying at home right now is a bit...”

“What is it?”

“Since I haven't called home for over a week and all, it's kinda...”

Vator wordlessly stared at Kang Jin-Ho. However, that was fine. The big man's eyes said all the things that needed to be said, after all. And there were lots of things...

While sensing his dignity as a human being crumbling a little, Kang Jin-Ho silently pulled out a cigarette and mouthed it.

'Yup. I need to learn more about administration.'

Doing so should weaken the intensity of people's criticizing glares!

Kang Jin-Ho figured that asking Lee Hyeon-Su now for some guidance would only worsen the poor man's hectic workload. In that case, should he call Jo Gyu-Min once the chaos had quietened down a little?

Just as his thoughts reached that far, Kang Jin-Ho's phone suddenly began ringing inside his pocket.

“Mm?”

Kang Jin-Ho frowned at the number he didn't recognize appearing on the phone's screen. He was thinking of ignoring the call as it could be spam, but...

That number belonged to a mobile device. So, Kang Jin-Ho decided to answer it and see who could be calling him.

“Hello?”

-Is this Kang Jin-Ho?

Kang Jin-Ho frowned a little.

'Chinese?'

Indeed, the person on the other side of the line spoke Chinese. And it sounded like it was coming from a native Chinese speaker, no less. In that case, who could it be?

“Who am I talking to?” Kang Jin-Ho asked curiously, only for his expression to freeze a little at the reply.

-I'm sure you've heard of my name before. I am Cai Kechang.

The stiff-faced Kang Jin-Ho slowly enunciated every word.

“Sorry. Don't know who you are.”

-...

“...?”

The atmosphere grew a little chillier just then.

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