Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1589

Men with sturdy muscles sat huddled together, each wearing only a towel.

Their half-wet hair and pulsating muscles made it seem like a high-end gym’s shower room, but of course, these men were members of the Assembly [a martial arts organization].

In front of them, kneeling on the floor, sat Kang Jin-ho, also wearing a towel, on a large, flat chair.

Amidst this scene…

Crunch, crunch.

Kang Jin-ho slowly turned his head to look at someone doing something next to him.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah… It’s a boiled egg.”

“It’s delicious.”

Oh, okay.

The atmosphere already feels like a sauna; this is just perfect.

“Here!”

Kang Jin-ho took the boiled egg, revealing its white flesh, and tossed it into his mouth. They were being sincere, so he had to eat one.

Just as Kang Jin-ho finished chewing and swallowing the egg and was about to say something…

Fss!

A can of cider, already opened, was held out in front of him.

“Hehe.”

That guy’s going places.

Kang Jin-ho chugged the cider, slammed the can down, and opened his mouth.

“Alright. Is everyone done showering?”

“Yes, Assembly Head!”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“I know there’s been a lot of complaints lately because I’ve been so busy.”

“No, Assembly Head!”

“That bastard is the weird one.”

“Just say the word. We’ll melt him down to his bones within an hour.”

That doesn’t sound like a joke at all.

“…It already feels like a bunch of gangsters are having a meeting in a bathhouse, so could you guys choose your words a bit more carefully?”

“We will correct ourselves!”

“We will keep that in mind!”

Don’t use those words!

They don’t understand what I’m saying!

Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply.

Well, what’s the point of blaming them? The Assembly has always been like this.

“Originally, I should be saying this to everyone, but it’s cumbersome, and gathering everyone is not easy, so I’ll just tell you guys. Listen and pass it on to the other members.”

“Yes, Assembly Head!”

“I’ll record it.”

“Is this guy interrogating me!”

The person who pulled out his phone was punched by someone next to him and collapsed.

Ah, they were always this rough. I forgot because they all looked so cute. Come to think of it, each one of them, if released into society, could take down any major organized crime group in a day and use them as doormats.

The Assembly keeps them in check, but their essence is beyond human weapons, more like human tanks.

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and opened his mouth.

“Anyway, I understand that everyone is feeling neglected.”

“No, Assembly Head!”

“Don’t talk nonsense. I would have felt neglected too.”

“That’s…”

The person in front scratched his head and said,

“It’s not so much neglect… well, it’s because you’re so busy.”

“Yeah.”

“But please don’t misunderstand. We’re not kids, and it’s not that we’re neglected because you don’t pay attention to us.”

“Then?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at the speaker with a questioning gaze.

“To be precise, it’s that if we had even a little more time to learn from you, we could become stronger, but we’re upset that we can’t.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at everyone with a new perspective.

“Yes. Of course, we know. Isn’t that how the world works? You have to focus on the ones who are efficient and produce good results first. In that sense, we know we’re a lower priority.”

“It’s not exactly like that.”

“We’re not complaining. It’s just that… we’re working really hard too. So, we just think that it would be nice if you could check our progress once in a while and give us some direction.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at everyone.

Those who haven’t shown any particular talent.

They’re not learning any special martial arts, nor are they exceptionally talented. They don’t have any unique qualities that would make them stand out.

They are, in a word, ordinary.

However…

‘This is the foundation.’

They are the pillars of the Assembly.

Something special only has meaning when it’s supported by the ordinary. A house built on sand collapses with a single wave. If they don’t support the Assembly, no matter how many masters are created, the Assembly cannot become strong.

‘It’s the same here too.’

Just as Kang Jin-ho had gone back to the basics, the Assembly also needed to reinforce its foundation.

“I’m sorry.”

Kang Jin-ho lowered his head.

“Whoa, Assembly Head!”

“Why are you doing that, it’s scary!”

“Don’t do that! Why are you apologizing, Assembly Head!”

“No, you bastard! It’s because that guy is spouting nonsense with his big mouth that this is happening!”

Some of them were even going crazy seeing Kang Jin-ho lower his head.

Seo Jae-gyeom, who had caused all of this, couldn’t even lift his head.

‘How was I supposed to know!’

If he had known Kang Jin-ho was there, would he have said such a thing?

He was just expressing a bit of dissatisfaction; who knew things would escalate this far?

“I’m sorry, Assembly Head. I spoke carelessly.”

Kang Jin-ho slightly narrowed his brow.

“I said that’s not the issue.”

“But…”

“Can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

Kang Jin-ho’s face hardened slightly, and everyone tensed up and straightened their backs.

“No, sir!”

“We understand!”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“It’s not something to blame, but something to be thankful for. Some things are bound to be buried forever unless someone brings them up. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have reflected like this. So, don’t lower your head.”

“Yes, Assembly Head.”

“And the same goes for everyone else. There shouldn’t be any picking on each other because of this incident.”

“Yes!”

Kang Jin-ho nodded and spoke again.

“I don’t want to make excuses. It’s true that I was negligent.”

“We know you’re busy.”

“That’s also an excuse.”

Kang Jin-ho gave a bitter smile.

“From now on, I’ll visit the places where you train more often, so I hope you can understand my past indifference.”

“Of course, Assembly Head!”

“And…”

Kang Jin-ho said firmly.

“It’s not because you complained that I decided to visit. It’s because I was missing something. You are the foundation of the Assembly. If you don’t become strong, the Assembly won’t become strong no matter what we do.”

“Those who stand out at the top are just a handful. Their strength doesn’t determine the strength of the Assembly. Your strength determines the strength of the Assembly.”

It was something he knew.

But he had forgotten.

That raising the demonic flame, creating a magic unit, and having Bator train disciples wouldn’t make the Assembly stronger.

They were just a part of it.

The ones who will play the biggest role in the upcoming battles between organizations are here.

Kang Jin-ho, realizing this fact anew, let out a low sigh.

‘I didn’t see it.’

Martial arts, organizations.

He had emphasized the importance of the basics so much, yet he himself had neglected them.

“Thanks to you, I’ve been able to think again. So, I hope you all will put more effort into your training.”

“Of course, Assembly Head!”

“Thank you!”

Kang Jin-ho smiled slightly.

Of course, this wouldn’t solve everything.

If he lowered his head in front of them, most problems would be buried. But that doesn’t solve the fundamental issues.

He had to move and solve these problems himself.

“Then, are there any other issues?”

“Uh…”

The members looked at each other, holding their breath.

Seeing this, Kang Jin-ho smiled wryly.

“Anything is fine.”

“I can’t think of anything right now… Ah, Assembly Head. Most of us are living in the dorms right now.”

“That’s right.”

“It wasn’t like this originally, but the other day, Chief Lee said it was hard to manage us, so he rounded us all up and put us in the dorms.”

“That’s right.”

“Then… how are we supposed to get married?”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes widened at the question he had never considered.

“What?”

“We can’t live in the dorms even after we get married. There are some of us who are getting close to that, and everyone is worried about it.”

“…How are you guys even dating?”

They train all day without weekends and go back to the dorms, and they have someone to marry?

Do they have two bodies?

“Even on the battlefield, spring comes [a Korean idiom meaning love can bloom even in difficult circumstances].”

“You guys are capable.”

“Some of us had girlfriends before, some just happened to start dating, and some even fell in love here.”

“…Here?”

“There are female martial artists, you know. Not many, though.”

“Oh, right.”

There are some female martial artists like Lee Hyun-joo. It’s a very small percentage, like female officers in the military.

“Anyway, so if we get married, we’ll need to set up a separate household…”

“Then just do it?”

“Chief Lee won’t give us permission. He said, ‘How can you think about marriage in this situation? Get lost!'”

Seriously, what is that guy…

How far can a human be so cruel?

“…I’ll resolve it quickly.”

“Please, Assembly Head!”

“Yeah, okay.”

Kang Jin-ho made an awkward expression. He hadn’t expected this kind of question…

“I, I have one too.”

“Huh?”

“We have a day off once in a while, and after training, we want to go to other places… Can we drive cars?”

“Just drive them.”

They even expanded the parking lot, why aren’t they driving?

“Chief Lee said no. He said, ‘What’s a martial artist doing with a car? If you have business, run there!’…”

“It’s okay to take the bus during the day, but at night or early morning, it’s so remote that there’s nothing to take. Last time, I was so busy that I ran for two hours to get to a place where taxis come.”

“Who said no?”

“Chief Lee did.”

“Why?”

“He said if everyone drives cars, the parking lot will get too crowded.”

Is he out of his mind?

This isn’t the military.

“Uh… I’ll resolve that too.”

It seems like I need to deal with Lee Hyun-soo.

“I…”

“Huh?”

“I also have something to say about Chief Lee…”

“Assembly Head, I also have something to report because of Chief Lee.”

“Can we speak honestly?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at everyone with a troubled expression.

This wasn’t supposed to be this kind of meeting; it feels like a people’s court…

‘What on earth has he been doing?’

No, he’s busy too, so he couldn’t have been going around to torment them on purpose. This is a problem with his usual behavior.

“Wait a minute.”

“Yes?”

“It doesn’t seem like this is the way to handle this. Who’s the representative here?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to the person in the front. Seo Jae-gyeom, who had caused the trouble, looked at Kang Jin-ho with a bewildered expression.

“Is there something you want me to do?”

“Go and make a metal box.”

“Yes? A metal box?”

“Yes. Make a big metal box and put holes in it. Then put it where the dorms are, and tell the guys to write down all their complaints about Lee Hyun-soo anonymously and put them in there.”

“Got it?”

“Yes!”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled at the loud response.

‘It’s not the military, but still.’

He never thought he’d end up creating a suggestion box.

Now, Kang Jin-ho was curious about what kind of content would come out of it.