Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 513

‘How bland.’ That was Vinsant’s first impression of the office. In Vinsant’s current situation, any sight should be quite refreshing. That was the norm. Because Vinsant had just been able to take a shower for the first time since being dragged here. Even though they were treated relatively humanely, it was too much to expect a shower service for the prisoners locked behind bars. They had been left unwashed until now. Of course, he hadn’t even hoped for that much. After the dramatic, or rather, futile negotiation, Kang Jin-ho turned away without a word. But as soon as he left, the man who had come with Kang Jin-ho earlier brought people in. He introduced himself as Lee Hyun-soo and released them, guiding them to the showers. After showering, as if they had expected this to happen, clean new clothes were prepared. After discarding his soiled underwear and clothes and changing into new ones, and after a simple meal, Vinsant was finally guided to the conference room. It was a bit uncomfortable to leave his subordinates in the dining hall, but he made it clear that he didn’t want to go alone, so bringing Mathieu was the best he could do. Anyway, if even Vinsant, who was feeling refreshed for the first time in a long time, found it bland, then this building must be truly unremarkable. Old, worn, and bland. There was no sense of aesthetic appeal whatsoever. And it wasn’t even practical… “The sense is terrible.” “You shouldn’t say such things out loud.” Vinsant nodded silently at Mathieu’s reprimand. ‘This place is still foreign.’ The sense of liberation from the excessive pressure that had finally led to a conclusion was relaxing him. But it wasn’t time to relax yet. A negotiation could go wrong at any time. Just because an agreement has been reached between the parties doesn’t mean everything is settled. That’s why he and Mathieu were here now. Vinsant already knew that the negotiation had begun. The fact that they were just sitting in the conference room like this was probably one of their psychological tactics. ‘They’re using shallow tricks.’ They probably thought that leaving them in the conference room for a while would make them anxious, but it was a miscalculation if they thought that would work. He was the proud leader of the Chevaliers [a knightly order]. He wasn’t someone who would fall for such petty psychological warfare. He could stay like this for an hour, two hours… Bang! At that moment, the door burst open, and Kang Jin-ho, Lee Hyun-soo, and the large man he had seen before entered. “Ah, sorry. I’m sorry. I just went out for a smoke.” “Why aren’t you answering your phone!” “Well, I just went out for a quick smoke, I didn’t think anything would happen, so I left it in the office.” “What kind of situation is this!” “Hey, I said I’m sorry.” …Wasn’t it psychological warfare? Vinsant was a little flustered. But the other side seemed even more flustered than Vinsant. It was difficult to understand exactly what was being said because they didn’t bring an interpreter, but from the atmosphere, it seemed like the situation was just a little messed up… and for some reason, that felt a bit… ‘Should I take it as a good thing that they didn’t use clumsy tricks, or should I see it as pathetic that they were late for the negotiation because of a communication mix-up?’ It was a truly subtle situation. “I’d like to introduce myself again. My name is Lee Hyun-soo. I am the head of the Yeongnam branch within the General Assembly [likely referring to a regional branch of a martial arts organization]. And this is our Chairman.” ‘Fluent French.’ This man seemed to be the intellectual and the brains. As the man gestured, the large man smiled kindly and extended his hand. “My name is Bang Jin-hoon.” There was no need for a translation. Vinsant jumped up from his seat and shook Bang Jin-hoon’s hand. Even if this wasn’t the situation, the chairman of the Martial Arts General Assembly, which dominated Korea, was someone of a higher status. “Vinsant.” Bang Jin-hoon shook his hand and then sat down, smiling. “I don’t think I need to explain this one separately.” Of course. And if possible, he didn’t want to hear any explanations about Kang Jin-ho. There was no good in hearing it. “I don’t know how to start.” Lee Hyun-soo also sat down. Vinsant realized that Lee Hyun-soo was the one leading this meeting. With Lee Hyun-soo in the center, Bang Jin-hoon and Kang Jin-ho were leaning back slightly, as if they were leaving everything to him. ‘So, I have to have a battle of wits with this man.’ Just because a choice has been made doesn’t mean everything is decided. How they would cooperate, and what they would have to give up to be released, had not yet been decided. From now on, they had to adjust that part. “First of all, thank you for making a good choice.” If they hadn’t, their heads would have been on the line. It was a formal expression of gratitude, but the words didn’t sound pleasant at all. Perhaps his discomfort was showing, as Mathieu nudged his side. Vinsant cleared his throat and responded to Lee Hyun-soo’s words. “Ahem, no problem. We made the choice because we also had something to gain. I hope it was a choice that will benefit both of us.” Lee Hyun-soo smiled gently. But Vinsant didn’t miss the sharp glint hidden in that kind smile. “We will guarantee as much as possible what we promised, no matter how the negotiation ends. However, please note that cell phones that can be used to contact the outside world can only be returned after all negotiations are completed.” “Of course.” He wasn’t even hoping for that much. “There are two things I think about in this negotiation. Items and duration. Isn’t that right?” “That’s right.” Mathieu answered instead, stepping forward. From his point of view, even though they were dealing with the chairman of the General Assembly and Kang Jin-ho, he didn’t like the fact that someone of a lower rank was talking to his leader. Vinsant smiled, feeling very proud of that. Then, a low whisper came. “Just keep your mouth shut for now, you might make a mistake.” …It wasn’t loyalty? He was told to shut up because he might mess things up? Vinsant, feeling a little sad, shrank back. “The items need more discussion. We don’t have information on exactly what we can gain.” “But I don’t think we have an obligation to tell you that. Isn’t that your ability?” “Of course, but still.” Mathieu and Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes met in the air. “It seems like the item part will take some time. Then, what about the duration?” “What are your thoughts?” “I’m thinking about two years?” “Two years… That’s long.” “I think two years is a short time to teach the martial arts of the Chevaliers, which has a long history?” “It depends on the ability of the learner. If the learner is excellent, one year is enough. Surely you’re not asking us to teach our skills to just anyone?” Lee Hyun-soo frowned slightly. It would have been easy to solve if it was against Vinsant, but with that Mathieu guy around, things were getting a little complicated. He had considered that if he only called Vinsant for negotiations, the others might be dissatisfied with Vinsant… ‘If Vinsant loses his control, it won’t be good for us either. But I didn’t expect such a variable.’ He was very sensitive to losses. And he also knew how to express his opinion in such a high-pressure situation. “Okay. So, the duration is one year, and during that time, we will find out your skills and ask you to teach them, is that your position?” “You could say that.” “I see.” Lee Hyun-soo smiled. It seemed like a strategy to start strong and get the most profit… ‘We’re not interested in such strategies.’ They had a cheat key, a cheat key. Lee Hyun-soo smiled and turned his head to explain the situation to Kang Jin-ho. After hearing all the explanations, Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at Mathieu and Vinsant. Mathieu and Vinsant’s faces began to turn pale. They were getting scared even though he hadn’t put any pressure on them. ‘They should know their place.’ Lee Hyun-soo wanted to laugh. How comfortable it was to be able to sit at the same table as Kang Jin-ho. They weren’t even basically prepared. Lee Hyun-soo had pushed everything he had into the abyss and even put his own neck on the line to stand before Kang Jin-ho. To come to negotiate with Kang Jin-ho without that level of determination, he wanted to applaud their recklessness. “It seems like you’re mistaken…” Lee Hyun-soo immediately began to translate Kang Jin-ho’s words. He didn’t know if these words would reach their ears, though. “You need to look at your situation a little more objectively.” Kang Jin-ho began to pour liters of cider [a metaphor for harsh words] into Lee Hyun-soo’s chest. “You should think about what the breakdown of negotiations means. Do we have to persuade you? You’re the ones who should be doing the persuading.” With those words, Kang Jin-ho closed his mouth. He wanted to push them a little more, but everything in moderation. It was best when it was a little lacking. A long-winded attitude could give the impression that they were the ones who were desperate. The effect was immediate. Mathieu and Vinsant started whispering to each other. The slightly overbearing attitude they had maintained until now was gone, and their faces were extremely urgent. Words poured out at a terrifying speed. After a conversation that even Lee Hyun-soo couldn’t understand, a decision was finally made, and Vinsant turned to Kang Jin-ho and Lee Hyun-soo with a stiff face. ‘Now, what will they say?’ It was like scratching a lottery ticket that was already a winner. Just knowing that there was no losing ticket made him feel so comfortable. Vinsant seemed to hesitate for a moment, then sighed deeply and opened his mouth. “What can we do for you?” Bingo. Lee Hyun-soo desperately suppressed his twitching lips. The best answer he had expected came out. It was very simple, without having to say much. Had he ever had such an easy negotiation in his life? Lee Hyun-soo vowed to never leave Kang Jin-ho’s side for the rest of his life and smiled. “You don’t have to think too hard. If we solve simple problems first, we can reach a good result together.” Whether it’s good for you is up to you to decide. Lee Hyun-soo opened the cap of the bottled water on the table and gulped it down. Lee Hyun-soo put the water bottle down on the table and said with a smirk. “Then, shall we start with a general explanation of French martial arts? Don’t worry about the time, just tell us everything. It seems like it will take quite a while, so we’re preparing dinner. We can talk while having a nice French dinner together.” At Lee Hyun-soo’s words, which meant he would look at everything they had, even their underwear, Vinsant let out a deep sigh from the depths of his soul.