Chapter 1479: Going Home (4) |
Han Eun-Sol couldn’t help but keep staring at his new surroundings in curiosity.
Wow, it’s so strange here.
The impression he got could be summarized as “weird.”
MK’s headquarters’ location was smack dab in the middle of Seoul’s wealthy Gangnam. The building was ultra-modern, its interior just as sleek. If one took into account the building’s design and ease of use, it’d probably rival the headquarters of some of the largest IT companies in the country.
On the other hand, as far as Han Eun-Sol could see, the Martial Assembly’s HQ was…
“…An abandoned school?”
“…?”
“I-if not, maybe a disused military installation?”
In the center of everything was a drab, feature-less gray slab of concrete several floors tall. Below it were several smaller, just as drab, structures to the left and right of a two-lane road snaking down the mountainside.
“I guess we should’ve re-modeled this place some time ago,” Lee Hyeon-Su replied while chuckling wryly.
It had been over fifty years since the Assembly’s HQ was built. Considering the level of construction technology available in Korea back then, building a structure of that size in the middle of a nameless mountain couldn’t have been easy or cheap.
The Assembly probably hired only a few architects and specialists to draw up a blueprint, then forced its martial artists to lug the material around and even build the whole thing by themselves!
That might sound haphazard and maybe even dangerous, but in reality? Since this place was meant to serve as their new HQ, the martial artists were especially more careful with constructing the Assembly’s main building. No corners were cut, and everything was done by the book—meaning, the main building was even sturdier than others of similar size built in the same era.
However, that was the only positive thing about that building.
Yeah, even I think it looks like a matchbox…
Honestly speaking, even the interior layout resembled an old school’s. The architects responsible shouldn’t be blamed for it, though, since the only large-scale buildings they could have copied from in those days were probably schools, anyway.
Choi Yeon-Ha furrowed her brow and spoke in slight displeasure. “You guys are loaded, right? Couldn’t you have rebuilt this whole place?”
Lee Hyeon-Su sighed deeply. “That’s not as easy as it sounds, ma’am.”
He, too, was oh-so tempted to knock that ghastly building down and rebuild everything from the ground-up along with the new dormitory buildings.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the main building was like the face of the Martial Assembly. Even though this place never really received visitors over the years, how could Lee Hyeon-Su, currently in charge of the day-to-day operation of this place, be satisfied by such a building?
Just as Choi Yeon-Ha had alluded to just now, it wasn’t as if the Assembly lacked the funds, either.
But there was a very, very good reason why his efforts got thwarted every single time.
Bang Jin-Hun: “Remodeling? New buildings? Why? Why would martial artists need pretty buildings to help them train? This is exactly why you Yeongnam Group idiots can be so difficult to work with. Didn’t that stupid bastard, Kim Seok-Il, always obsess over flashy stuff like that? Remind me, what happened to him in the end? Did he say the waters off the East Sea were warmer than he thought?”
Lee Hyeon-Su had no problem with understanding Bang Jin-Hun’s sentiments.
Bang Jin-Hun was born and raised within the Assembly’s hallways, after all. He must’ve been displeased by the idea of Lee Hyeon-Su, who was originally an outsider, trying to knock down the main building and replace it with something new. After all, that building was like the foundation, the heart, of the Assembly.
Even if Bang Jin-Hun had overcome most of his old grudges and hard feelings, this was not about being reasonable, but more about his emotions influencing his decisions.
Vator: “Constructing a new building is unnecessary. Having said that, do something about the bloody doorways, will you? Widen them by at least double their current widths.”
For Vator, buildings’ appearance or their history had no bearing whatsoever. But he did care, a lot in fact, about needing to perform acrobatics to enter the main building. Since his position basically boiled down to, “Fix the doorways, and I won’t care either way,” he wasn’t much of a help.
But the biggest problem was…
“Why should we?”
“B-but, sir. The appearance of the…”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Since time immemorial, a well-presented dish is more delicious than…”
“How so?”
“…Assembly Master? Forget I said anything.”
Yes, it was Kang Jin-Ho!
Lee Hyeon-Su’s boss, who had been blessed with a fatal lack of aesthetic sense, simply couldn’t understand the concept of beautifying a building’s appearance for other people’s benefit.
Explaining this concept to someone like that was pretty much impossible.
That’s right! If he was someone capable of understanding that, he wouldn’t be waltzing around in the three-stripes tracksuits for several years straight! Especially when his bank account is bursting at the seams!
This was why Lee Hyeon-Su had to give up in the end.
At least he wouldn’t be this aggrieved if the problem was with the lack of funding or other technical issues. But they had more than enough funds. And new residential buildings and dormitories were being built right now, so there were no technical problems to worry about, either!
No wonder it felt like an imaginary heartburn was burning a hole in his stomach!
Choi Yeon-Ha cocked an eyebrow. “What could possibly be the problem?”
“That’s, well…” Lee Hyeon-Su sighed deeply again, only for his head to shoot up abruptly. He suddenly began staring intensely at Choi Yeon-Ha.
She stumbled back a little. “W-what’s wrong?”
“Ma’am. Director Choi…!”
Why! Why didn’t Lee Hyeon-Su think of this before? After all, here was the most powerful human forklift capable of getting rid of the seemingly immovable obstacle in his way!
Better still, this forklift named Choi Yeon-Ha could not only get rid of the boulder named Kang Jin-Ho but also deal with a couple of tumors called Wiggins and Bang Jin-Hun in one fell swoop, too!
“Ma’am! The Assembly Master said there’s no need to remodel, that what we have is perfectly fine!”
“Really? What’s the matter with him?!”
When Choi Yeon-Ha frowned deeply in displeasure, Lee Hyeon-Su inwardly screamed, Yes! It’s happening!
Choi Yeon-Ha was an actor, which meant she possessed an above-average aesthetic sense. To someone like her, the drab scenery offered by the Assembly HQ must’ve been like an unbearable torture.
Choi Yeon-Ha asked in dismay, “I get Mister Jin-Ho, but what about other people? Are they happy with this situation, too?”
“Don’t even mention it, ma’am. The water pipes are so old that when you turn the tap on, you get brown water filled with rust. Whenever it rains, water leaks everywhere, and you get this moldy smell on top of that. And the toilets… The toilets! Awooo…! I don’t even want to talk about those damn toilets!”
“Seriously? Yet, everyone here doesn’t mind any of that?”
“Of course not. They are all unhappy, but who would dare speak up? Did you know that the people working here are deeply jealous of those who got transferred to MK? I even heard that the toilets in MK have bidets, too?”
“…!” Veins bulged noticeably in Choi Yeon-Ha’s forehead. “Are you telling me Mister Jin-Ho hasn’t lifted a finger even after receiving the reports of all the complaints?”
“Unfortunately, those reports never reach the Assembly Master’s desk.”
“What? Why not? What have you been doing, Chief Lee?”
“Ma’am, it sounds like you’re overestimating my official position, but even I have to go through the Assembly’s directors before gaining access to the Assembly Master’s office. Besides, this is a surprisingly delicate matter, so…”
While saying that, Lee Hyeon-Su put on the most sorrowful and heart-wrenching expression his face could possibly make.
Holy cow! To think that a day like today would finally come!
Kang Jin-Ho was like the deus ex machina of the Martial Assembly. And Lee Hyeon-Su had a direct line to such a man. However, if that notion was flipped around, it meant that when Kang Jin-Ho said no about something, his incredible power and authority would ensure his “no” would remain a no forever!
However, today…! For the first time ever in the Assembly’s history, another authority figure with enough clout to oppose Kang Jin-Ho had made her entrance!
Was this why politics always utilized the tripartite system? Or the multi-party system?
In any case!
“Hmm, so that’s the story?” Choi Yeon-Ha muttered, her frown deepening in dissatisfaction. “Any other problems besides those?”
“Would you like me to compile a report for you, ma’am?”
“Thank you. I’d appreciate it if you do. But am I supposed to receive reports like that? Isn’t this above my pay grade?”
“Of course not, ma’am!” Lee Hyeon-Su theatrically feigned shock and raised his voice. “Ma’am, you might be the MK Entertainment’s director, but you’re MK’s director, as well. Which makes you… the Assembly’s director, too.”
Choi Yeon-Ha tilted her head slightly. “Really? Who decided that?”
“I did.”
“…”
“That’s how I’ve reported it to the authorities, anyway.”
Lee Hyeon-Su playfully winked, prompting Choi Yeon-Ha to stare at him, her jaw slightly falling.
“My intention wasn’t to exploit you in situations like this, ma’am. I simply figured doing so would be good for MK overall. A company boasting a scale above a certain threshold requires a number of directors, after all.”
“Oh? So, what now?”
“You definitely have the right to receive reports regarding this matter, ma’am.”
Choi Yeon-Ha helplessly chuckled. “Fine. I get it, so let me have a look-see at the report. If I find something that’s not acceptable, I’ll nag Mister Jin-Ho about it.”
“Thank you, director!”
Lee Hyeon-Su stared at Choi Yeon-Ha as tears of appreciation almost flooded out of his eyes.
To think he’d been trying so hard to prevent his messiah from coming to the Assembly until now! What an idiot he was!
If he was honest with himself, just how much suffering did he have to endure until today?
Being “pragmatic” and favoring “aesthetics” weren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, one could find a perfectly acceptable middle ground if one tried.
Unfortunately, the higher-ups of this damn “company” didn’t possess one iota of interest toward anything aesthetics-related. But it was finally time to put an end to their unreasonable stubbornness and stop sticking to pragmatism!
“I agree. It is a bit dreary in this place,” said Han Eun-Sol.
Lee Hyeon-Su hurriedly replied, feeling genuinely happy now. “You think so too?”
“But, uh…” Han Eun-Sol muttered dubiously, his probing gaze scanning his surroundings. “Is that really because of the buildings?”
“…?”
Lee Hyeon-Su silently chased after Han Eun-Sol’s gaze and spotted a…
Clomp, clomp!
…A hulking dude sporting a buzz cut and a gold chain around his neck walked past them. His hands were in his pockets, while a scary scowl was etched on his face. The thing was, though… He wasn’t alone.
Behind him were a group of cigarette-smoking neighborhood big bro-types in distinctive hooligan tracksuits. Not just one group, either, but there were several of them, to boot!
Lee Hyeon-Su’s expression cramped up. “Even though I’ve repeatedly told them to dress more sensibly…!”
“I don’t think it’s the matter of how they are dressed. Ordinary people in such a get-up would’ve been perfectly fine, you know?”
“Y-you… think so?”
“Thuggish” was a good way to describe the faces of these men. Not in a figuratively-speaking manner, either. They all really looked like thugs!
With a face like that, it didn’t matter how they dressed. Even if they wore a clean-cut smart business suit, they still shouldn’t be allowed to walk around in the streets at night. Because every person running into them would immediately whip out their phones, dial 112, and ask for SWAT to be dispatched instead![1]
Lee Hyeon-Su cautiously asked, “Should I… get them cosmetic surgery?”
Choi Yeon-Ha casually shrugged. “That’s not gonna change the foundation, though. I mean, even a moron would think they are hardened criminals.”
“Um…” Lee Hyeon-Su dazedly stared, unable to find a way to refute that accusation. Half of these people all boasted some kind of criminal records, after all!
Choi Yeon-Ha pointed at one of the passersby. “For instance, that dude over there.”
But when she did that…!
“Hiiiiieeeek?!”
One of the thuggish men, who had been trying to avoid drawing attention to himself while making a slightly tense face, jumped up in fear and stood at attention when Choi Yeon-Ha pointed at him.
“…!”
Stunned by that explosive reaction, Choi Yeon-Ha stared at the frightened man in sheer flabbergast. Here was a man with a huge frame and facial features that would prompt the local gangsters to kowtow first in his presence. Yet he was trembling pathetically like a puppy that pushed its luck a bit too hard and got scolded by its owner!
Choi Yeon-Ha blinked her eyes. “W-what’s gotten into you?”
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! It was all my fault! I won’t do it ever again, I promise!”
“…” Choi Yeon-Ha’s head cocked to the side. “By any chance, do you know who I am?”
“Y-yes, ma’am! You’re Miss Choi Yeon-Ha! N-no! I’m sorry! You’re Director Choi!”
Choi Yeon-Ha grew stupefied once more. “Excuse me, but why are you reacting… this… way… Mm?”
She looked around, hoping to find someone capable of explaining what was going on here. However, every person she looked at hurriedly lowered their gaze in a desperate attempt not to get noticed by her!
“…?” Choi Yeon-Ha dazedly muttered, “What’s gotten into all these people?”
Lee Hyeon-Su fake-coughed to clear his throat. “The, uh, rumors were… Mm, I’m not sure how to explain.”
Sometimes, rumors only contained falsehoods. At some other times, rumors were exaggerated truths.
MK’s employees were mostly from the Assembly. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that those employees stayed in touch with their former colleagues in the Assembly.
Anyone who worked at MK would have witnessed the scenes of Choi Yeon-Ha bossing Kang Jin-Ho and Lee Hyeon-Su around. Such a thing would have been inevitable.
Rumors tended to become warped the more they got passed around between people. And in this case, they got warped to the point where people who had never met Choi Yeon-Ha until now thought of her as some kind of three-headed, six-armed demonic entity!
Who cared about cultivation realms and whatnot?
What everyone did care about was the fact that a person with no cultivation could boss Kang Jin-Ho around. At least Kang Jin-Ho was her girlfriend, so him being under her thumb more or less made sense. However, what about Lee Hyeon-Su, then?
He had no relationship with her, yet he still had been avoiding interacting with her all this time, didn’t he?
In that case, how would rank-and-file Assembly martial artists even dare to stand in her presence?
“M-ma’am, I’ll fix this oversight right away,” said Lee Hyeon-Su, his voice sounding a little panicked.
No one would be happy with being treated like a monster. That was why he tried to pacify Choi Yeon-Ha and bring the situation under control, but…
“Hoh-oh~?”
…But Lee Hyeon-Su froze still on the spot after noticing the look on Choi Yeon-Ha’s face. Because she was grinning in pure satisfaction right now!
“I kinda like this place?”
“…”
“Chief Lee?”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“If you have a spare office, I’d like to use it as mine from now on.”
“…”
“What’s wrong? Can’t do it?”
“…No, ma’am. It’ll be done.”
“Hnnng~? Looks like it might be nice to commute to this place every once in a while.”
With the eyes of a predator calling dibs on her prey, Choi Yeon-Ha began studying the Martial Assembly HQ.
For some reason, Lee Hyeon-Su’s back was getting soaked in cold sweat at this sight.
1. 112 is the emergency number for the police in South Korea. 119 is for emergency medical help. ☜
