Chapter 1481: Discussing (1) |
Kang Jin-Ho sighed under his breath at the sight of the Assembly’s executives that had gathered in the conference room. It certainly had been a while since everyone was in one place like this. What comforted Kang Jin-Ho about this situation was the fact that Choi Yeon-Ha was not one of the participants.
I didn’t think she’d return on her own volition, though.
Kang Jin-Ho was scared about Choi Yeon-Ha insisting on attending this meeting, but thankfully, that threat was “neutralized” rather easily.
“Noooo, Matriarch! You mustn’t! You mustn’t leave! Since time immemorial, the cult leader rightly holds all authority over the Cult’s important matters. However, if the leader must vacate his post for some reason, his authority temporarily falls upon his significant other! That is the correct way! That is why, Matriarch! You must quickly learn about the ins and outs of the Assembly and get involved in its opera… Matriarch? N-noooooo! Please don’t leave!”
Choi Yeon-Ha didn’t even look back once while running for the proverbial hills.
Such was her impatience to get away from here that, rather than waiting for a car to come and pick her up, she snatched Kang Jin-Ho’s keys away and made her getaway with his trusty Zoom-Zoom instead!
The fact that Kang Jin-Ho clapped in delight at this sight would remain a secret till his dying day, of course!
He glanced at Chang Min, a content smirk spreading on his face.
I heard that even dog poo can be useful for something, and it was true.
Even though Kang Jin-Ho achieved various things during his trip to America, all of them paled in significance to what Chang Min had achieved. Not only did he completely take over Japan and quell all the unrest, but he even set up a system where the Japanese would continuously pay tributes to the Assembly for decades to come.
Indeed, his success this time was undeniable. And on top of that…
“My liege! Here is the proposal detailing the revenue that will come through the organization I have set up.”
Kang Jin-Ho accepted the document Chang Min proudly presented and began perusing it. Soon, though, his eyes grew wider at what he had read.
“This… Really?”
“Yes, my liege. Really.”
Lee Hyeon-Su tilted his head in confusion. “Sir? What’s the matter?”
Kang Jin-Ho said nothing else while handing the proposal over. Lee Hyeon-Su quickly accepted the document and began perusing it himself. He then alternated his gaze between the proposal and Chang Min several times.
“R-really? Is this true? This much money?”
It was now Chang Min’s turn to tilt his head in confusion. “What’s wrong? Is it not enough?”
“N-no, of course not. It’s just that, uh…”
The problem with this was that Chang Min had done a too-excellent job!
Lee Hyeon-Su’s eyes powerfully quaked the more he stared at the document. The amount of money written on it was at least double the amount Lee Hyeon-Su had predicted.
Just what did he do to ensure we’ll get this much money consistently for as long as we can?!
Lee Hyeon-Su had never been “happy” about Kang Jin-Ho choosing Chang Min to sort out the Japanese situation. Of course, he understood that it couldn’t be helped, since no one other than Chang Min was available, manpower-wise, at the time. But the truth was… He never fully trusted Chang Min’s ability to handle a complicated and chaotic situation like this one.
So, for him to waltz back home with such an outstanding result in tow!
“H-how did you pull this off, Elder?”
“Oh, that? It’s easy. Here’s my detailed report on the matter. But… Why are you the one receiving it?”
Chang Min asked while furrowing his brow slightly. His question obviously meant, Who the hell do you think you are, daring to demand a report from me?
Chang Min was obviously Lee Hyeon-Su’s superior, so he had no obligation to submit a report to the latter.
Kang Jin-Ho cocked his brow. “Give it to him.”
“This servant shall obey, my liege!”
Chang Min speedily pulled out his detailed report and hurriedly handed it over to Lee Hyeon-Su.
“…”
Even though Chang Min had been acting this way ever since he came into Kang Jin-Ho’s life, getting used to his antics still seemed like a tall order.
As if he had predicted something like this might happen, Chang Min pulled out several copies of his report and tossed them to other directors in the conference room.
Lee Hyeon-Su quickly pored through the report before looking at Chang Min with pure, unadulterated admiration. Then, his gaze drifted toward Wiggins next.
Even Wiggins was staring at Chang Min in stupefaction, his jaw falling slightly.
“Okay, so…”
Chang Min’s original assignment was to finish off the remnants of the Japanese martial artists, then force the Yakuza into submission so that they could cough up regular tributes, but this… Not only did Chang Min sweep away the Japanese martial artists, he even took the extra step of forcibly cleaning up the Japanese criminal underworld and creating a unified command structure.
He utterly crushed all the countless Yakuza gangs and their diverse chains of command. Then, after bringing them under his control, he divided the group into two—the Kansai coalition and the Kanto coalition.
Next up, he created a controlling group, centered on the Japanese martial artists loyal to the Assembly, to oversee both coalitions. It went out saying that this group would be treated as the Martial Assembly’s Japanese branch.
With this chain of command, no one would be stupid enough to try pocketing a bit of tributes for themselves from now on.
When the Demon Cult elders and the Demon Flames stationed in Japan demand tributes from the Japanese branch, the martial artists of the branch would start demanding tributes from the Yakuza under their control. All the money pooled from that process would then be funneled into South Korea.
“This… This was possible?”
Chang Min tutted. “That’s a strange question. Aren’t you looking at the proof right now?”
He was right.
Chang Min was never about bluffing or putting on airs. And he certainly was not the type who used lies to inflate his achievements. Besides, he wouldn’t dare lie on a report meant for Kang Jin-Ho, anyway. That was simply not how he operated, after all!
That meant Chang Min really had achieved all this in no time at all!
Holy cow. This is unbelievable. Seriously!
Lee Hyeon-Su was forced to admit that he had been greatly underestimating Chang Min’s capabilities.
However, the truth should have been obvious if he had thought about it for a minute.
Chang Min was someone who had been supervising the Demon Cult, an organization boasting three times the number of members compared to the Martial Assembly, for over a century. And he did that without leading from the front, either; no, he somehow managed to keep the Cult going through verbal orders from a remote mountainside, all the while guarding the inheritances left behind by the previous cult leaders.
Considering the resourcefulness required to achieve such a feat, it might not be an exaggeration to say no one in the Assembly could rival Chang Min’s ability to lead a large organization. It was just that he acted like a fool blinded by his unquestioning loyalty and dedication to Kang Jin-Ho. But in reality, he was definitely not an incapable fool, nor was he a blind man who couldn’t see straight.
Actually, maybe even Mister Wiggins can’t hold a candle to Elder Chang in this regard.
Wiggins used to be a distinguished member of the Round Table and enjoyed the vast experience of supervising Britain’s martial society. However, Britain was tiny compared to China, now wasn’t it?
His experience couldn’t be compared to Chang Min’s, who somehow managed to supervise the huge number of demonic cultivators spread throughout the vast country of China and other Asian countries. On top of that, one mustn’t forget that the demonic cultivators were being discriminated against, too.
The more Lee Hyeon-Su thought about it, the more amazing Chang Min seemed.
“My liege, this foolish servant had to overstep his bounds several times to fulfill your command. Hence, this servant begs you to punish him appropriately! By punishing me, you will be upholding the time-honored laws of the Cult and preserving the dignity and honor of the demon emperor!”
Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow. “What… did you do, exactly?”
“This servant dared to command and even mentor your personal guards, my liege! According to the laws of the Cult, this is an act that infringes on the authority of the cult leader. And such a transgression deserves ten years of imprisonment, plus the severing of one’s tendons! However, this servant’s crime was born from the desire to serve you and protect your prestige, my liege. As such, I recommend that six months of probation will suffice.”
Kang Jin-Ho’s brow quivered. “Oh, so you want a six-month-long vacation?”
“N-no, that’s not…”
“Stop your nonsense and go sit over there.”
Lee Hyeon-Su groaned deeply at this sight.
If only Chang Min didn’t behave this way, I would’ve respected him more and looked up to him, but this…
No, wait a minute.
If that notion was flipped around, maybe because Chang Min was this way, he deserved more respect.
What if Chang Min wanted to preserve his authority and tried to oppose Kang Jin-Ho? Unifying the Demon Cult would’ve taken so much longer if he had done that.
Obviously, Chang Min wouldn’t be able to win against Kang Jin-Ho no matter how strong he was. But one must consider that the battlefield would be in China, not South Korea. That would mean the war for supremacy could have dragged on for years.
Because Chang Min unhesitantly gave up his authority and served Kang Jin-Ho as the sole leader, they had no problem with absorbing the Demon Cult. Thanks to him, the Demon Cult could be considered the strongest “division” within the Martial Assembly now.
That meritorious deed alone ensured that no one within the Assembly could match or surpass Chang Min. Not even someone like Bang Jin-Hun, who had handed the Assembly on a silver platter to Kang Jin-Ho, or Lee Hyeon-Su, who swore allegiance to the Yeongnam Group only to sell his services over to the Assembly, would dare raise their voices in Chang Min’s presence.
In fact, even a single loud harrumph from Chang Min would be enough for both men to hurriedly lower their heads.
Even though all of this was true…!
“My liege! This loyal servant does not wish for a vacation! If you command me to do so, I shall devote my entire being to your cause until my final brea…”
Kang Jin-Ho yelled back. “I get it, so go and sit down already!”
“My liege!”
“What now?!”
“After being in the presence of the future demon empress today, my tears blur my vision, and I can’t keep my heart from racing away in excitement, my liege.”
Where was Chang Min going with this?
“My liege! Your lack of interest in the opposite sex is commendable, but on the other hand, this servant is deeply worried about it as well! But this servant is truly overjoyed now that you are finally accompanied by someone who will become the future matriarch of the Cult! That is why! My liege, you must tie the knot as soon as possible and produce a potential heir to the…”
“Awooo, seriously?!”
Unable to hold it in anymore, Kang Jin-Ho got up and kicked Chang Min.
With a loud “bang!” Chang Min clattered against the far wall. However, like an unkillable cockroach, he quickly recovered and crawled back toward Kang Jin-Ho before kowtowing again.
“This is no laughing matter, my liege! The matter of securing one’s heir is of paramount importance! Even more so when we’re trying to continue to the noble and peerless bloodline of the demon emperor! Please remember, my liege. What happened to the Cult in the ancient past after you lost your life through treachery and had no heir to carry on the legacy? We must prevent the repeat of… Eh?”
Kang Jin-Ho suddenly grabbed Chang Min.
“M-my liege?”
Without saying another word, Kang Jin-Ho threw Chang Min outside the open window.
“M-my lieeeeeege?!”
Chang Min’s scream gradually grew fainter and fainter with the distance until it couldn’t be heard anymore.
After watching this spectacle play out, Lee Hyeon-Su slowly shook his head in helplessness. If only it weren’t for stuff like that! He would’ve genuinely respected Chang Min a lot more.
Of course, he also understood that this comedy routine was Chang Min’s way of displaying his undying loyalty toward Kang Jin-Ho.
Kang Jin-Ho sighed deeply. “Can’t we send him back to Japan again?”
Wiggins chuckled good-naturedly. “Unfortunately, no, my lord. There isn’t much he can do in Japan now. His presence in Japan would certainly have prevented fools from trying something unwise, but… Hmm, even so, someone of Elder Chang’s capabilities being confined to Japan will be an extreme waste of the Assembly’s resources.”
To look after a place that only required good management, one would only need a qualified manager. Chang Min certainly qualified as a top-tier manager, but his capabilities were too good for a mere managerial job.
“Besides, having Elder Chang around will benefit you greatly, no?”
While saying that, Wiggins glanced at a spot behind Kang Jin-Ho. He could see a single drop of cold sweat trickling down the forehead of the Blood Demon, who had been silently standing at attention on that very spot.
That man is enough evidence of Elder Chang being no pushover, isn’t it?
The Blood Demon was someone who never lost his flippant attitude in front of Wiggins or Vator. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he only respected Kang Jin-Ho in this place. However, even he cowered in Chang Min’s presence like a little mouse before a cat… No, a Siberian tiger!
In other words…
It means Elder Chang is a truly terrifying existence when not in the presence of my lord.
The Martial Assembly’s executives only interacted with Chang Min in Kang Jin-Ho’s presence, and that was why they hadn’t experienced the true terror of the man yet. However, that wasn’t the case with the Demon Cult believers. To them, Chang Min was like a gentle, caring parent who could morph into a vengeful Asura in the blink of an eye.
Who would dare treat someone like that casually?
“Also, we now know Elder Chang can serve another, more unique purpose as well. Isn’t that a good thing, my lord?”
Kang Jin-Ho could only grin bitterly at that. He had to admit that, yes, that was unfortunately true!
Never in a million years did Kang Jin-Ho predict that Choi Yeon-Ha would feel deeply uncomfortable around Chang Min. Of course, it wasn’t as if Kang Jin-Ho planned to use that discomfort to his advantage, but…
Merely knowing that Choi Yeon-Ha wouldn’t frequent the Assembly’s hallways anymore was enough for him to breathe a sigh of relief.
Just as his thoughts reached that far, however!
Slam!
“My liege! You mustn’t make light of this servant’s counsel!”
Kang Jin-Ho urgently massaged his forehead. Maybe it was better to have Choi Yeon-Ha around instead?
