Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1729

“The data is too late.”

“I’m so sorry!”

Choi Tae-hyun immediately bowed deeply, his waist bent at a ninety-degree angle.

The beautiful woman sitting at the desk stared at Choi Tae-hyun with a blank expression before nodding slightly.

“The data is perfect, so I’ll let it slide this time. Try to be faster next time.”

“Yes? Ah, I understand!”

Choi Tae-hyun looked at the person in front of him with slightly surprised eyes.

Lee Hyun-joo.

The head of MK and the de facto power holder of MK. [MK is likely the name of the company or organization.]

Of course, above her is the president, Hwang Min-soo, and above him is the chairman, Kang Jin-ho, but the one who puts the most pressure on the employees is none other than Lee Hyun-joo.

Witch.

Various modifiers are added depending on one’s perspective, but this is basically the title used by MK employees when referring to her.

So far, no MK employee has ever said that this title is excessive, but Lee Hyun-joo’s reaction now was too mild to be called a witch.

“Is there a problem?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing!”

Lee Hyun-joo glanced at Choi Tae-hyun and spoke again.

“Tell me.”

“Yes?”

“You must have done some analysis while organizing the data. Tell me what you think.”

Choi Tae-hyun swallowed hard.

“Well, in my opinion…”

“Don’t cut yourself off.”

“Yes! In my opinion, the fact that sales are continuously increasing is very encouraging, but I think there are fundamental limitations.”

“Limitations?”

“Yes. In the first place, the distribution business is a cutthroat industry, isn’t it? Just look at the situation in our country.”

“That’s right.”

“But right now, MK is just taking over the existing market share. There is no strategy to take over the shares of other distribution companies. If this continues, I think we will soon reach a fundamental limit.”

Of course, just taking over those shares completely would guarantee enormous sales, but a company should never be satisfied no matter how much it earns.

“Hmm.”

Lee Hyun-joo tilted her head slightly. The tip of her crossed leg tapping lightly seemed to indicate her current mood.

“That’s a very obvious analysis.”

Choi Tae-hyun flinched and lowered his head slightly.

‘She suddenly asked me to do this.’

“And it’s not realistic either, Manager Choi Tae-hyun.”

“Yes, Madam!”

“You must know what the headquarters is going through right now, right?”

“Y-yes, I do.”

Everyone knows that the General Assembly is preparing for a large-scale conflict. No matter how much MK is now somewhat separated from the General Assembly, MK’s foundation is naturally the General Assembly. [General Assembly likely refers to the parent organization or a higher governing body.]

“So, are you suggesting we do something new? In a situation where we can’t even get support from the headquarters?”

“O-of course, I know it’s difficult.”

“And?”

Choi Tae-hyun gritted his teeth slightly.

The cold gaze of Lee Hyun-joo, who was looking at him, was putting pressure on him, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t say what he had to say.

“MK is an independent and autonomous corporation. The headquarters is not legally related at all. But if MK can’t try anything because there’s something going on at the General Assembly, can you even call that a company?”

“Hoo?”

Lee Hyun-joo frowned. It was as if she didn’t like Choi Tae-hyun’s words.

Seeing that, Choi Tae-hyun unknowingly swallowed hard.

“Is that so?”

“…Yes.”

“Okay. Then I’ll give you three days, so come up with a proposal.”

“••••••Yes?”

“I said, come up with a proposal.”

Lee Hyun-joo tilted her head slightly.

“You’re not thinking, ‘I don’t have any ideas, but if I complain like this, someone will step up and do it for me,’ are you?”

“Ah, no, I’m not.”

That was actually the case, but how many people in the world would answer yes here?

“Then you can do it?”

“W-well… Madam, I have other things I’m working on…”

“Drop everything and write the proposal.”

“If anyone says anything, tell them I ordered it. Or should I call them and tell them?”

“Ah, no. I will do it.”

Lee Hyun-joo smiled brightly.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Choi Tae-hyun slumped his shoulders and left the office.

‘She’s not a witch!’

Lee Hyun-joo, who was watching him leave after closing the door, slightly curled up the corners of her lips.

‘Interesting.’

Those who used to only do what they were told were now slowly starting to speak their minds. They were beginning to change from a learning position to a leading one.

This was a positive change for MK.

‘I need to adapt too.’

Until now, she had been pushing them a little too hard. She knew that there were complaints, but that was inevitable.

But now that the situation has changed, she needs to be a little more gentle.

Of course….

Lee Hyun-joo leaned back in her chair and looked at the ceiling.

‘I can’t say that there hasn’t been a change of heart.’

Lee Sung-hwi’s death must have left a mark on her heart like a brand. It would be stranger if she hadn’t been shocked.

So now, she no longer wanted to live a life where she only looked at her goal and risked everything. Because she had come to realize that what was important in the end was life, whether the goal was right or wrong.

‘Maybe I’ve become weaker.’

Knock knock.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

‘Who is it?’

There was no one who would come to see her now….

She composed her expression, cleared her throat, and opened her mouth.

“Come in.”

Bang.

Seeing the door open boldly, she seemed to know who it was.

“Are you busy?”

“No. I’m not busy.”

“Then, how about a tea time?”

“Come in.”

Lee Hyun-joo greeted Choi Yeon-ha with a voice mixed with laughter.

Clack clack.

The sound of Choi Yeon-ha’s shoes walking in echoed neatly in the room. From head to toe, she was as impressive as ever.

“Director.”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Of what?”

“Every time I see you dressed up like that for work, I get tired. Why don’t you wear something more comfortable?”

“Shh!”

Choi Yeon-ha put her finger in front of her mouth and shook it back and forth.

“You shouldn’t say things like that carelessly. This is work.”

“Yes?”

“I only wear training clothes at home. But this is outside. Even at the company, I meet people, and even if I go to a convenience store on my way to and from work, there are people. So, I have to show them the image of me that they expect.”

“It’s a bit annoying, but… well, what can I do? This is my job.”

Lee Hyun-joo looked at Choi Yeon-ha with a renewed sense of admiration.

‘She’s an amazing person.’

People who don’t know Choi Yeon-ha well think that she succeeded simply because she was born with beauty. And that she was lucky enough to be born with acting skills as well.

But those who have watched Choi Yeon-ha’s life would not dare to say such things. If they knew how hard she worked for her life.

“When did you arrive?”

“This morning.”

“You must be jet-lagged.”

“Not really. I can just work without thinking about day or night.”

Lee Hyun-joo chuckled softly.

There were many times when she was flustered by her straightforward and unreserved way of speaking.

Of course, she had lived a rough life as a warrior, so she was somewhat used to rough language.

‘But it’s a different story when a swear word comes out of that mouth.’

Basically, people have an image, don’t they?

“Still, I survived because of you, Director.”

“Me? Why?”

“Sales have been good lately. If it weren’t for the entertainment division, I would be having a headache right now.”

“There you go again, whining. I know that the cafe and the Japanese side are doing really well. Compared to that, can we even call our sales sales? It’s just a drop in the bucket.”

“The important thing is net profit, not sales. The cafe gives away too much, so there’s nothing left, and the Japanese side hasn’t even recovered its investment yet. It will take a lot longer. I’m really surviving because of the entertainment division.”

“Then I should put some strength in my shoulders?”

Choi Yeon-ha raised her shoulders excessively.

She was joking, but the sales that Choi Yeon-ha was generating were a godsend for MK.

“I used to not understand why major corporations were trying to enter the entertainment industry. But after seeing you, Director, I think I understand. This is completely…”

“A great business?”

“It’s like taking candy from a baby?”

“…Hey, taking candy from a baby!”

“There are no overhead costs. It’s completely high-efficiency.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

Choi Yeon-ha smiled brightly. Just looking at that smile made Lee Hyun-joo, who was also a woman, lose her mind.

“You’re raking in the money.”

“What’s the point? The chairman has a hundred times more money.”

“Hey, it’s cheating if you bring up the chairman’s name.”

It was ironic.

Kang Jin-ho, who might be the person who needs the least money in the world, was making so much money.

As Choi Yeon-ha sat on the sofa, Lee Hyun-joo got up from her seat and made coffee from the coffee machine.

When the room was filled with the scent of coffee, Lee Hyun-joo, who had made two cups of coffee, sat down across from Choi Yeon-ha.

“Thanks!”

Choi Yeon-ha took the coffee from Lee Hyun-joo and took a sip.

“…Ah! It feels like my stomach is settling.”

“…Did you have rice soup?”

Why does this unnie [older sister or female friend] act like an old man with that face?

Did she catch it from Chairman?

“Coffee is definitely Korean.”

“…That’s Peruvian.”

And that bean goes to the US too. Get a grip, you.

“Well, anyway.”

Choi Yeon-ha put down her coffee cup and crossed her legs.

“How are things on your end?”

“It’s chaotic.”

Lee Hyun-joo sighed deeply.

“It seems like every day is a war. Of course, the real war hasn’t even started yet.”

Choi Yeon-ha stared at Lee Hyun-joo with a calm gaze.

“Hyun-joo, you’re going through a lot.”

“It’s not that I’m going through a lot…”

Lee Hyun-joo sighed.

“I don’t regret coming here. This is where I can shine the most. If I had stayed there, I would have become an ordinary person. Even if I went back to that time, I would have come here. But…”

“There are times when you wish you were there?”

“That’s it. Exactly that.”

Lee Hyun-joo looked straight at Choi Yeon-ha.

“Of course, I know that what I’m doing is important too. But… when I see them struggling over there, I feel a little weird.”

“Not because your boyfriend is struggling?”

“He needs to struggle a bit.”

“…You’re cold.”

Lee Hyun-joo quietly looked at Choi Yeon-ha before opening her mouth.

“Director.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you regret it?”

“What?”

“Meeting Chairman.”

Lee Hyun-joo continued in a slightly lower voice.

“I sometimes think about it. If I hadn’t been born into this family, what would I be doing now? How would I be living? But I couldn’t help it. But you’re different, Director.”

“Hoo.”

Choi Yeon-ha rested her chin on her hand and looked at Lee Hyun-joo as if she was amused.

“So you’re asking if I regret meeting Jin-ho?”

“It’s not that I regret it, but anyway…”

“It would be a lie if I said I didn’t have those feelings. But what can I do? That’s my fate.”

Choi Yeon-ha said indifferently.

“A woman with a bad fate has no luck with her husband.”

“It’s not that I regret that….”

Choi Yeon-ha opened her mouth with a slightly subdued look.

“It’s when I feel like I’m not helping at all.”