Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1601

MK was like a battlefield.

People with their eyes half-closed were typing away at their keyboards, breathing heavily.

“The report? Is it done?”

“Not yet! I need five more minutes!”

“Are you crazy? The director told us to bring it by 2 PM! It’s 2:10 now!”

“Five minutes! Five minutes is all I need!”

“…I’m the one going in, you idiot!”

The piles of coffee cups and caffeine drinks showed the hell they were going through.

They were all from the martial arts world, so their basic stamina was incomparable to ordinary people, but their faces now resembled zombies.

“Report! The report is out!”

“I’m going in!”

The person sitting at the head of the table jumped up and grabbed the report. Then, they started sprinting towards the director’s office. Even in the midst of all that, they showed their focus by checking the report for any errors before knocking on the director’s door.

“Director! It’s Deputy Chief Choi!”

“Come in.”

“Yes!”

Deputy Chief Choi burst into the director’s office.

‘I need to say something.’ Is it because they were angry about working overtime until 2 AM?

Not at all.

The important thing isn’t that it’s 2 AM right now. It’s that Deputy Chief Choi last went home three days ago.

Even if they were martial artists with plenty of stamina, this was unacceptable…

Deputy Chief Choi, who had entered the director’s office, closed his mouth.

“…You’re here?”

Lee Hyun-joo looked up at him.

Dark circles reaching down to her chin. Bloodshot eyes with burst capillaries.

Her hair was greasy and matted, and a pair of socks lay crumpled on one side of her desk, emitting a foul odor.

“…Director, when did you go home?”

“I don’t remember? Uh… when did I go? Uh?”

Let’s stop.

Complaining to this person is just cruel.

“You’ll die if you keep this up.”

“I’m… I’m still okay, still. More importantly, how are the employees?”

“…They’re holding up.”

If the employees heard this, they would have coughed up blood and shouted, ‘If this is holding up, then who in the world is having a hard time?!’ But right now, Deputy Chief Choi couldn’t bring himself to complain to Lee Hyun-joo.

No human could do that.

“So… the report?”

“It’s here. But there’s no need to print it…”

“I can’t see the screen well…”

You’ll die if you keep this up.

Lee Hyun-joo took off her glasses and sighed, then gulped down the half-cold coffee next to her.

She was a martial artist, so caffeine wouldn’t have much of an effect, but it was still better than nothing.

“Hmm, with this, the personnel is roughly confirmed.”

“Yes. The key is which people will be going to Japan.”

“I’ll have to go, I guess.”

“I-if you go, Director, we’re screwed.”

“There’s no other way. Chairman Hwang absolutely can’t be absent right now, and there’s no one else… Especially since this job requires a connection between martial artists and businesses, and I’m the only one who knows both and can coordinate them.”

“Ugh, that’s true, but…” Lee Hyun-joo stared at the report for a moment, then nodded.

“Proceed as planned.”

“Yes, Director. Please go home and get some sleep.”

“I’ll finish what I was doing. Tell all the employees outside to go home.”

“Yes!”

Deputy Chief Choi bowed politely and went outside.

“Hey! Go home! Go home! Go home!”

“…We’ll go when the work is done.”

“The director told you to go home!”

“Does going home mean we can just go home? We still have work to do.”

“Just go! Do it tomorrow! I’ll take responsibility, so everyone come in the afternoon tomorrow!”

“…Really?”

“I said go!”

Only then did the atmosphere lighten up a bit.

Lee Hyun-joo, who was listening to the conversation from inside the director’s office, chuckled.

‘Everyone’s working so hard.’

But it couldn’t be helped.

When running a company, there are times when you have to put everything aside and focus on speed. The hard work can only be compensated with bonuses and vacations.

“Haa…”

Lee Hyun-joo sighed softly and got up from her seat.

Then, she walked slowly to the window and opened it wide.

The cool night air flowed into the room. Feeling refreshed, Lee Hyun-joo looked down.

The night view of Seoul came into her sight.

‘It’s amazing.’

Just two years ago, could she have ever imagined that she would be working here like this?

“They say you never know what life will bring.”

Of course, she had wanted to become the head of the Assembly. She was an ambitious person, after all.

To actively use her position as Lee Jung-gul’s granddaughter to become the head of the Assembly. And to develop the Assembly into a more modern place.

That was the dream she had.

But Kang Jin-ho, who suddenly intruded into her life, blew away all her dreams and led her down a new path.

So, is she regretful now?

Not at all.

Lee Hyun-joo was satisfied. She was confident that her current life suited her better and made her happier than the life she had dreamed of.

Besides, she might have been able to handle the Assembly when it was just bickering with the Yeongnam Association for control of Korea, but the current Assembly was beyond Lee Hyun-joo’s capabilities.

She didn’t want to swallow a huge prey that she couldn’t handle and die from a burst stomach.

‘I just need to do my best where I am.’

It’s not that she doesn’t think about the past sometimes, but she likes Lee Hyun-joo, the director of the Assembly, much more than Lee Hyun-joo, the granddaughter of Lee Jung-gul.

Knock knock.

“Yes.”

The door opened slightly.

“Director, we’ll be heading back now.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“Please go home soon.”

“Yes, I will.”

The door closed.

Lee Hyun-joo smiled faintly and looked back out the window.

‘What would Grandpa think of me now?’

This was something she couldn’t figure out.

Perhaps he would look at her with satisfaction for finding her own happiness, or perhaps he would resent her for not carrying on his legacy.

But no matter what Lee Jung-gul thought, Lee Hyun-joo had no intention of changing her way of life.

Knock knock.

Lee Hyun-joo answered without turning around.

“Come in.”

Squeak.

The door opened.

“You haven’t gone home yet? Go home soon.”

“It’s too late to talk about going home.”

Lee Hyun-joo’s face hardened.

Was it because the voice was unfamiliar?

No.

It was because the voice was not unfamiliar.

With a distorted face, she slowly turned her head.

The face of someone familiar but unfamiliar came into her sight.

“It’s been a while.”

It was familiar because it was a face she had seen for too long. It was unfamiliar because his emaciated appearance was so different from the past.

“You…”

“Coffee will do. You must have some instant mix, right? I hope you won’t say you can’t offer a cup of coffee while working in such a nice building. I’d be too disappointed.”

A cold, subdued voice.

Lee Hyun-joo stared at the person in front of her.

Lee Sung-hwi.

Lee Jung-gul’s top disciple.

Her senior.

The one who had crossed the line he shouldn’t have while opposing Kang Jin-ho.

And…

‘The enemy of the Assembly.’

As she glared at him with a stiff face, Lee Sung-hwi raised both hands slightly. As if to say he had no intention of fighting.

“I wish you wouldn’t look at me like that. Of course, I admit that our relationship isn’t what it used to be, but surely you don’t think I came to harm you, do you? I’d be disappointed again.”

“Do you even have the ability to?”

“Ability…”

Lee Sung-hwi chuckled.

“Compared to the person you serve, it’s probably the size of a mosquito.”

It was a cynical voice.

When Lee Hyun-joo didn’t offer him a seat, Lee Sung-hwi pulled out a chair and sat down himself.

“The Assembly is stingy with hospitality.”

“This is MK.”

“Is there a difference?”

Lee Hyun-joo, who had been glaring at Lee Sung-hwi, sighed and pressed the button on the coffee pot. The capsule machine started whirring and making coffee.

Lee Hyun-joo, holding the cup of coffee, handed it to Lee Sung-hwi.

“Here.”

“No syrup?”

“No.”

“I like things sweet. Whether it’s coffee or relationships.”

Lee Sung-hwi smirked.

Seeing his twisted smile, Lee Hyun-joo sighed.

‘Why did it turn out like this?’

Once, Lee Sung-hwi was like the sun.

As Lee Jung-gul’s top disciple, his position was unshakeable, and among the young martial artists, no one surpassed him.

No matter how hard Lee Hyun-joo tried, if time had just flowed as it was, the person who would have become the head of the Assembly would have been none other than Lee Sung-hwi.

A bright and cheerful personality, and enough charisma to lead people.

There was a time when he seemed to have gathered all the brightness of the world…

Lee Hyun-joo shook her head.

The past could not be found in the current Lee Sung-hwi. All that remained in him now was a gloomy darkness and a twisted madness.

“After doing such a thing, you dare to come to Korea.”

“Is it strange for a Korean to come to Korea?”

“It’s not strange. But it wouldn’t be strange if your neck was twisted right now, would it?”

“There are risks in taking an adventure.”

Lee Sung-hwi shrugged.

“Let’s not talk nonsense. I didn’t come here to share regrets with an old friend. As you know, no matter what we talk about, nothing will change. Isn’t that right?”

“Then why did you come?”

“For various reasons.”

Lee Sung-hwi shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.

“It’s bitter.”

It probably wasn’t just the coffee that was bitter.

Lee Sung-hwi, who had frowned, put down his coffee and looked at Lee Hyun-joo.

“First… I wanted to know what you’re doing.”

“I wanted to see if it was true that you were living well under the guy who killed our master.”

“I thought we were done with this conversation?”

“Ah, I hope you don’t misunderstand. I’m not trying to criticize you. I understood a long time ago that it’s not something to criticize. Even if Master was alive, he would have recommended the same thing to you. That’s the kind of person Master was.”

Lee Sung-hwi, who had mentioned Lee Jung-gul’s name, looked a little lonely.

“If the world has changed, you have to accept it. I was just stupid not to know that.”

“I wish you’d shut your mouth.”

“Whether you couldn’t accept the world, or you were just overwhelmed by your inferiority complex. Those aren’t excuses you can make. From the moment you sided with Japan and invaded the Korean martial arts world, you lost the right to make any excuses.”

“I know. I’m not trying to make excuses.”

Lee Sung-hwi turned his head slightly and looked at Lee Hyun-joo.

The coldness in her eyes made Lee Sung-hwi calm down a bit.

There was a time when warmth was in those eyes.

She may not have felt anything romantic for Lee Sung-hwi, but there was definitely affection as a sibling.

But now, only coldness remained in those eyes that once held affection.

“I came to warn you.”

“Warn me?”

“Leave the Assembly.”

Lee Hyun-joo’s eyes turned cold.

“I told you not to talk nonsense, didn’t I?”

“I wish it was nonsense too. But this is the last favor I can do for you. Leave the Assembly. No, leave the martial arts world. Then you might be able to live.”

“…What are you talking about?”

Lee Sung-hwi stared at Lee Hyun-joo for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“Where do you think I came from?”

“You don’t know. What true fear is, who is behind all of this.”

Lee Hyun-joo frowned.

“Did you switch sides again like a traitor?”

“It’s not a side. He is the ocean.”

Lee Sung-hwi twisted the corners of his mouth.

“The deep blue ocean. Yes, that’s why he is the Ocean King.”

Lee Hyun-joo’s body froze.