Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 848

‘You’ve arrived!’

‘We greet the Clan Lord.’

Kang Jin-ho, acknowledging their greetings, walked towards the sofa. As Lee Hyun-soo started to rise to offer the seat of honor, Kang Jin-ho gestured for him to remain seated.

‘Skip the unnecessary formalities.’

‘Yes!’

‘Intriguing. Continue.’

Chun Tae-hoon looked slightly flustered.

This was actually meant for Lee Hyun-soo, not a direct address to Kang Jin-ho.

Lee Hyun-soo and Kang Jin-ho were different.

There was a time when Lee Hyun-soo was treated like a grim reaper in the General Assembly. In fact, that treatment hadn’t changed much. But his status was incomparable to Kang Jin-ho’s.

If Lee Hyun-soo was a grim reaper, Kang Jin-ho was King Yama [the ruler of the underworld in East Asian mythology].

Usually, even if there were complaints, people would vent to the grim reaper, not directly to King Yama.

‘Well, it’s not like I have any particular complaints…’

‘Just speak your mind.’

‘…Yes.’

Chun Tae-hoon pursed his lips.

‘How should I put this?’

Facing Kang Jin-ho made him feel like his brain was being bleached. He didn’t want to speak at length. Keep it as concise as possible.

‘I don’t know how much you’ve heard…’

‘I’ve heard everything.’

How could he have heard everything?

Did this guy have a listening device installed in this room?

‘Well, then that’s all. There’s nothing more to add.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Yes.’

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

‘Then what’s the solution?’

‘…Solution?’

‘If you’ve thought about the problem that much, you must have considered some kind of solution. Even if it’s not a clear solution, there must be some idea that things would improve if done this way, right?’

‘Ah, yes. I do.’

‘Good. Let’s hear it.’

Chun Tae-hoon, having licked his parched lips several times, straightened his posture.

‘Since we’re ordering smart pads anyway, I think we should introduce an electronic disclosure system.’

‘…Huh?’

Chun Tae-hoon’s words began to flow.

‘The General Assembly, to put it nicely, is an old-fashioned place, and to put it badly, it’s failing to keep up with the times. Looking at how people live here, it’s no different from the 80s.’

Kang Jin-ho and Lee Hyun-soo exchanged glances.

‘Really?’

‘That’s what he’s saying?’

‘O-okay, let’s say that’s true.’

‘Look.’

Chun Tae-hoon pointed outside.

The two, not knowing what to look at, craned their necks.

‘There’s a notice board in the middle, right?’

‘Yes, there is.’

‘In a place where so many people gather, who uses a notice board to convey information?’

Both of them were speechless.

‘Some people commute daily, but many don’t come to the General Assembly unless there’s something special. Those people only find out what happened after several days.’

‘Uh… I guess so.’

‘I don’t understand why they handle things this way when they could just send a group text. This isn’t the Stone Age.’

The two, feeling guilty, hunched their shoulders.

‘Even these days, you get event texts just by visiting a local store and signing up. In this day and age, is it even reasonable to post notices on paper? The General Assembly doesn’t even have a website. When information is passed down, you can’t even check what was said before.’

‘Uh…’

Lee Hyun-soo was sinking deeper into his chair.

The complaints he had expected to hear were not like this; they were going in an unexpected direction. Of course, the different direction wasn’t a problem. If there were things to fix, they should be fixed.

The problem was that this criticism was hitting him right in the gut.

‘I’d understand if the old geezers were running things. They might feel like these changes in the world are someone else’s problem. But we have a Clan Lord in his 20s and a Chief Secretary in his 30s.’

Well, no, the Clan Lord is in his 20s, but…

His soul is an old man’s, though?

‘I thought things would naturally change with young people in charge, but nothing has changed. I don’t understand why you’re trying to maintain this outdated system. Is there a special reason?’

Kang Jin-ho and Lee Hyun-soo looked at each other.

Chun Tae-hoon’s questioning gaze was too much to bear.

What reason was there? They just thought it was normal.

‘So…’

Kang Jin-ho’s voice trembled.

‘The electronic? The e… huh?’

‘Electronic disclosure system.’

‘Simply put, develop a common app for the association… Of course, there would be security issues, so we could make it mandatory to open it with fingerprint recognition. Everyone can just get the latest phones.’

‘An app?’

‘Yes, an application. An app…’ Chun Tae-hoon’s face slightly contorted.

‘Don’t tell me I have to explain what an app is? Seriously?’

‘No, no! I know, an app. An application.’

‘I played with them a lot when I was young.’

Chun Tae-hoon’s face was filled with despair.

Seriously, how old are these guys that their understanding of electronic devices is so non-existent? Chun Tae-hoon, having grasped the root of all the problems, began to feel exasperated.

‘It wasn’t that there was a problem with the old system, so you adopted it.’

‘It wasn’t that we couldn’t. We just didn’t know.’

The highest authority in the General Assembly and his right-hand man were being scolded by a young member.

‘The times are changing rapidly, but how can we move forward if the higher-ups are so ignorant?’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘We were wrong.’

The two shrank back dramatically, but Chun Tae-hoon wasn’t about to let up.

‘I understand that the General Assembly is a place where people learn martial arts, and there’s a tendency to cling to the past, but you two are not just reforming the Assembly, you’re turning it upside down. How can you be so oblivious to such basic things…’

‘We’re sorry.’

‘We were wrong.’

Chun Tae-hoon let out a hollow laugh.

He didn’t know how things had turned out this way, but Kang Jin-ho and Lee Hyun-soo were cowering as if they were being punished.

‘Things have changed a lot.’

Seeing this, Chun Tae-hoon realized how much the General Assembly had changed. He also bickered and joked with Bang Jin-hoon, but he had never dared to challenge Bang Jin-hoon on a serious policy or direction.

He couldn’t bring himself to do it.

The General Assembly was a place where teachers and superiors were like the sky. If he had seriously challenged Bang Jin-hoon’s direction, Bang Jin-hoon wouldn’t have tolerated it.

Conversely, it meant that Kang Jin-ho and Lee Hyun-soo were that open-minded.

‘It really could change a lot.’

Making the General Assembly stronger was everyone’s responsibility. But who could take the lead was already decided. But the problem Chun Tae-hoon was pointing out now was different.

Everyone could participate in making the General Assembly a more systematic and efficient place.

‘Then, what do we need to do to make that app or whatever?’

No, it seemed like he was mistaken. At this rate, nothing would change.

‘I think we should start by recruiting a programmer.’

‘A programmer?’

‘How do we recruit those people?’

It was hopeless.

Chun Tae-hoon felt like he had been dropped in the middle of the desert.

He had to build a house, but all he could see was the desert. There were no materials, no workers. How was he supposed to start here?

‘This is, um…’

As Chun Tae-hoon hesitated, Kang Jin-ho and Lee Hyun-soo realized the problem.

‘Clan Lord, it seems like we’re not of any help.’

‘I agree.’

‘How about just giving him full authority?’

‘I agree.’

Chun Tae-hoon’s eyes widened.

‘Huh?’

Lee Hyun-soo said firmly.

‘We’ll create a department for you, so take responsibility and develop it.’

‘Ah, no, how can I do that?’

‘Why not? It’s all done by people.’

‘No, wait a minute. It’s not something you can just do because you want to. And if I take charge of a department, there will definitely be people who look at me with resentment. You have to consider my position too.’

‘Hoo…’

It was difficult.

At that moment, Kang Jin-ho’s eyes lit up.

‘So, what you need right now is someone who can understand you and set the direction of the work, right?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’

‘Then it’s simple. We just call them.’

‘Huh?’

Kang Jin-ho took out his phone and started typing a message.

Watching him, Chun Tae-hoon was impressed.

‘Wow, he knows how to use a messenger app.’

A person who doesn’t even know what an app is knows how to use one. Isn’t this the irony of the world?

‘I’ve called him.’

Kang Jin-ho put down his phone and looked at Chun Tae-hoon.

‘So, if we build that system you’re talking about, efficiency will increase, right?’

‘Yes. The communication will be faster.’

‘Hmm, but is that such an important issue?’

Where should he even begin to explain?

‘If you just look at that one thing, it’s nothing special. But the utility of an app isn’t just that. If you create an anonymous bulletin board, all the problems the Chief Secretary is worried about will be solved. People will express their complaints anonymously.’

‘Hmm, I see.’

Chun Tae-hoon sighed.

He was thirsty, so thirsty.

‘There are many problems right now, but the biggest problem is that the hierarchy is divided, and the people in those hierarchies can’t communicate with each other. And the biggest problem will also be solved.’

‘Solved?’

‘Translation.’

Chun Tae-hoon said firmly.

‘There’s too much mixing of languages. We can handle English, Chinese, and Korean somehow. But French is also being mixed in.’

‘That’s right.’

‘If people can’t understand each other, there’s no way to have a discussion. If we can post things in writing and have them automatically translated, we can have a clearer direction.’

‘Oh…’

Kang Jin-ho looked at Chun Tae-hoon with curiosity.

‘There’s a function like that?’

Should he just give up?

It felt like he was teaching a caveman how to use a computer. Just as he was thinking that this wouldn’t work, there was a knock on the door from outside.

Knock knock.

Everyone’s gaze turned to the entrance.

‘It seems he’s here.’

Kang Jin-ho smiled brightly.

‘We’ve called an expert, so let’s talk together.’

‘An expert?’

‘You’ll see. Come in!’

Chun Tae-hoon’s eyes held a hint of anticipation.

An expert?

There shouldn’t be anyone in the General Assembly who is an expert in electronic devices or programming?

It seemed like there was someone he didn’t know about.

But the moment he saw the person who entered, Chun Tae-hoon’s face was distorted beyond recognition.

A neat suit.

Shiny shoes.

A slim tie falling straight down between the two-toned shirt.

A neatly styled two-block cut [a popular Korean hairstyle with short sides and longer hair on top].

He was a man who knew how to dress. He was undeniably trendy.

Except for one thing.

His hair was completely white.

‘Oh Great Demonic Lord, you summoned me!’

Chun Tae-hoon’s mouth fell open as he watched Jang Min prostrate himself on the floor.

‘An expert?’

That guy?

Turning back with a bewildered expression, Kang Jin-ho grinned.

‘He’ll understand you.’

Something was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

‘Alright.’

Jang Min, who had jumped up from his seat, curled up one corner of his mouth as he looked at Chun Tae-hoon.

‘What was the problem again?’

You. No, me. No…

Here.