Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 705

“Most of the funds have been recovered. There’s a discrepancy with the ledger, about 3%. It’s unclear whether this is due to an unconfirmed transaction or a loss.”

“Can’t we just treat that amount as a loss?”

“It doesn’t match the ledger.”

“This wasn’t a task done with paperwork and reports. It’s not unusual for those who were moving things around to skim a little off the top. That money is probably being recovered under different names. We’re tracking down and recovering all the money the elders stashed away. It’s likely that some of the money with unclear origins came from there.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s fine, but…”

Lee Hyun-joo looked quite displeased.

She understood, but it seemed she didn’t like that the numbers didn’t add up perfectly.

It was almost an obsessive work ethic.

People with this style get the job done perfectly, but their obsession with work can ruin them.

‘Yeah, just like me,’ Lee Hyun-soo thought.

“Don’t get hung up on the small numbers. Efficiency is what matters.”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-joo nodded. It was a reluctant agreement. Seeing that, Lee Hyun-soo smiled wryly.

‘How ironic.’

The task Lee Hyun-joo was currently handling was recovering Lee Joong-gul’s slush funds [secret funds used for illicit purposes]. They had already recovered all the money that was publicly known or clumsily hidden, but it was impossible for Lee Hyun-soo, an outsider, to find all of Lee Joong-gul’s hidden assets.

‘The most suitable person.’

The person who knew Lee Joong-gul best was, without a doubt, Lee Hyun-joo. Not only was she his granddaughter, but she had also worked closely with him for a long time after coming of age.

Lee Hyun-soo had given her this task to test her. And Lee Hyun-joo, as if she understood his intentions, was sweeping up even the amounts that Lee Hyun-soo hadn’t even thought of.

Looking at the report, Lee Hyun-soo chuckled.

‘That old bastard really did a number on things.’

Kim Seok-il wasn’t this bad.

Of course, he had slush funds too. But Kim Seok-il ruled the Yeongnam Assembly in a way that was no different from a dictatorship. Unlike the visible world where even dictators had to undergo some scrutiny, the world of martial artists was indifferent to money. Or rather, they were forced to be indifferent.

That’s why Kim Seok-il didn’t bother to create large slush funds. Why bother creating slush funds when he could use the Yeongnam Assembly’s official funds as he pleased?

However, Lee Joong-gul ran the Assembly in a seemingly democratic way and had to undergo at least some audits. As a result, this situation was created.

‘How much is this?’

His eyes widened.

If this money hadn’t been siphoned off and had been used to strengthen the Assembly, the situation where they were being pushed back by the Yeongnam Assembly might not have happened in the first place. No, it probably wouldn’t have.

“Isn’t this a bit too much?”

“I think my grandfather had his reasons.”

“Huh?”

Lee Hyun-joo shrugged.

“The use of official funds is too transparent. But this industry doesn’t work that way.”

“Hmm.”

“If my grandfather had lived a life of luxury, there would be no excuse, but that wasn’t the case. And it wasn’t money he was going to leave to me. If the power had been transferred smoothly, wouldn’t that money have gone to the next Assembly leader?”

“So, it’s like an official slush fund?”

“That’s the least unpleasant name for it.”

Lee Hyun-soo didn’t bother to argue with Lee Hyun-joo.

There’s no such thing as a good slush fund. Money that isn’t used where it should be, regardless of the good intentions behind it, should be called black money.

But there was no need to point that out and provoke Lee Hyun-joo. She was doing a great job. If Lee Hyun-soo had done the work himself, he wouldn’t have been able to recover the money so meticulously.

Everyone has their uses, but her usefulness exceeded even Lee Hyun-soo’s expectations.

‘Her work is so clean.’

If he looked at her objectively, not as Lee Joong-gul’s granddaughter but as a person named Lee Hyun-joo, she was very capable. The only problem was…

“So, what should I do now?”

Her attitude was as if she was about to devour him.

‘Like a cat with poison.’

There was nothing to criticize about her work. There were minor issues, but that would be the case no matter who he worked with. It wasn’t a matter of ability but of method. No matter who he brought in, no one could completely satisfy Lee Hyun-soo.

Knowing that, he wanted to overlook the minor issues.

When you think about it, there was no reason for Lee Hyun-joo to be friendly to him. Lee Hyun-joo and Lee Hyun-soo were only connected professionally. If feelings of goodwill got involved, it would only cause problems.

“‘What should I do now’… It’s as if you’ve finished everything I’ve asked you to do.”

“I have finished, haven’t I?”

“Finished?”

Lee Hyun-soo looked at Lee Hyun-joo with slightly cold eyes.

“What if I find funds that you haven’t found? What will you do?”

Lee Hyun-joo couldn’t answer. She wanted to say that it was impossible, but it seemed possible with this man.

“If it’s something I can do, you should be able to do it too. Are you planning to live your whole life falling behind me?”

“No.”

“Then find it.”

Lee Hyun-soo said in a monotone voice.

“Don’t think about working like everyone else. Don’t be satisfied with being a little better than others. That’s just an excuse to say that you’re doing your part. You know best whether you’re really doing your job properly.”

“…Yes.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded, seeing that Lee Hyun-joo seemed to understand.

“Use every method you can. If there’s even the slightest suspicion, investigate every speck of dust in the closet. It’s not about the money. We need to show everyone that it’s impossible to hide the Assembly’s funds.”

“I understand.”

Lee Hyun-joo slightly lowered her head. Her inner thoughts were a little different.

‘He told me to treat it as a loss earlier.’

Of course, she knew it was a different matter.

The amount that couldn’t be recovered from the investigated parts could be treated as a loss, but for the parts that hadn’t been investigated yet, he meant to stick with it until the end.

But she couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

On the other hand, she also thought.

‘So, that’s how this person became the real power of the Yeongnam Assembly.’

Before Kang Jin-ho appeared, the Yeongnam Assembly was clearly ahead of the General Assembly. In terms of size, the number of masters, and even support from China… There was nothing that the General Assembly was ahead in.

Lee Joong-gul was called a cunning fox. No one could deny his ability to create the General Assembly from the ground up. The Yeongnam Assembly had surpassed Lee Joong-gul’s General Assembly.

Kim Seok-il’s contribution was significant, but Lee Hyun-soo’s contribution couldn’t be ignored either. From a practical standpoint, Lee Hyun-soo should be credited with more than half of the achievement.

When she removed her emotions and looked at Lee Hyun-soo objectively, she realized how amazing this person was.

‘So weak, though.’

A martial artist, but not a martial artist. If she wanted to, the current Lee Hyun-joo could beat Lee Hyun-soo to a pulp. She had received intensive training because she was Lee Joong-gul’s granddaughter, and she possessed a strong martial power compared to her peers.

It was incomparable to Lee Hyun-soo, who couldn’t even be considered a martial artist anywhere.

And yet…

“Don’t think about other things.”

“Yes? Ah, yes!”

Lee Hyun-joo was startled and straightened her back.

“Work requires focus. Working for a long time doesn’t mean you’re doing a good job. When you’re working, focus on the task without any distractions. And it’s important to take breaks at the right time.”

“You don’t take breaks at the right time, sir.”

“I’m trying to take breaks at the right time too. It’s just that I can’t. Theory and reality are different.”

“I wouldn’t work like this if I had a little more leeway. And you have to create that leeway. Don’t be sloppy, stay focused and follow me. Got it?”

“Yes!”

Lee Hyun-joo nodded frantically.

He was a man who couldn’t even be considered a handful, but he had his own aura. She couldn’t dare to object to his words. Considering the animosity she had towards Lee Hyun-soo, even this snappy response was incredibly mild.

Lee Hyun-joo bit her lip slightly.

She had no talent for martial arts. Despite Lee Joong-gul’s efforts, she couldn’t surpass being slightly better than her peers. Eventually, Lee Joong-gul stopped forcing martial arts on her.

She was aware of that herself.

If she put everything into martial arts, she might reach the upper level, but she couldn’t reach the highest level. The limits of her talent and the physical limitations of being a woman were too clear.

But she couldn’t just give up.

If she couldn’t reach the top as a martial artist, she had to be recognized as a practitioner. That was the path Lee Hyun-joo had to take. And right now, in front of her, was the best practitioner she knew.

‘I have to learn.’

She had to learn to the point of copying everything.

She wouldn’t question anything. If he said to crawl, she would crawl. If he said to lick the floor, she would lick the floor. If she kept learning, she would eventually absorb all of his abilities and know-how.

‘Even the lifestyle aspects.’

Lee Hyun-joo’s eyes sparkled.

Resentment?

Of course, she couldn’t say she didn’t have any. Even though her grandfather was criticized by people, he was a gentle and benevolent grandfather to her. She couldn’t look kindly on those who had driven him to his death.

But she had no intention of expressing that resentment.

To be precise, she was trying to forget it. She wasn’t hiding a knife in her stomach, waiting for the right moment to stab. She had to forget everything and be reborn as Lee Hyun-joo, the human being, not Lee Joong-gul’s granddaughter. Her grandfather would want that too.

She could now understand her grandfather’s choice to isolate her and not keep her close. Her grandfather was afraid that if things went wrong, Lee Hyun-joo herself would get caught up in it.

‘So, I have to succeed. To show them.’

Lee Hyun-joo clenched her teeth and looked up at Lee Hyun-soo. What did she need to do to go further, to go beyond this?

The answer was obvious.

She had to learn more about this person. She had to learn how he could invest so much passion in his work, how he could do such a perfect job.

Not his ability, but his attitude.

“Um, sir.”

“What.”

“When do you finish work today?”

“I’m finishing a bit early today. I have something to do tomorrow morning.”

“Is that so?”

Lee Hyun-soo slightly raised his eyes.

He had told her to focus on work, so why was she asking such unnecessary things? He needed to warn her again…

“Then, would you like to have dinner with me?”

“I told you not to think about other things… What?”

Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes widened as he looked at Lee Hyun-joo. Then, Lee Hyun-joo replied with a nonchalant face.

“I’m asking if you want to have dinner together. Is that not okay?”

Lee Hyun-soo’s precise, circuit-like brain overloaded at the suggestion he had never heard before in his life.

“…Your face is red.”

Lee Hyun-soo learned today that a person could die of embarrassment.