Chapter 714. Squashing (4)
Kang Jin-Ho immediately issued an order for the demonic cultivators to assemble. He figured that dragging this matter out wouldn't do anyone any good. If something needed to be done urgently, one should not dilly-dally and get right to it.
Besides, things like this tended to take forever to finish if a delay occurred somewhere.
However, it seemed Chang Min had a slightly different idea.
“My liege, how about taking a break first by having a fulfilling meal?”
Kang Jin-Ho shook his head. “We don't have the time for that.”
“My liege... Yes, you certainly don't need the time, but your children do. Even now, they are stewing in confusion and uncertainty born out of your sudden entry into their lives. They need time to discuss among themselves and accept their new reality.”
“Hmm...” Kang Jin-Ho frowned a little. He wasn't sure about this, but at the same time, he had to admit that Chang Min had a point. “However, I can't grant them all the time in the world. Three hours. They need to settle their confusion in three hours.”
“Yes, my liege. Your wish is my command.”
Chang Min quickly left the office to convey Kang Jin-Ho's decision to everyone. That prompted Vator and Zhang Dajing, who had been AWOL for a while now, to enter the office instead.
Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “Where have you been?”
“Master, we've been standing outside like a pair of dummies while you were getting your ego stroked,” said Vator.
“...”
“Not even unloved pets wouldn't be abandoned and forgotten like us. Don't you think that was uncalled for, master?”
“...I had no idea.”
“Tsk...” Vator loudly tutted. “It seems you got overly excited by the prospect of encountering your fellow demonic cultivators after such a long time.”
“It would've been nice if that was the case,” Kang Jin-Ho ruefully shook his head.
“Well, that reply doesn't surprise me. I'm sure you've died a little inside at the pathetic martial prowess of these folks. However, there is no need to worry, master. I'm here, aren't I? Who needs them when I'm around?”
Kang Jin-Ho chuckled at that. “Indeed. You're right.”
He wasn't trying to make Vator happy here. Kang Jin-Ho was actually serious. Just one top-tier expert could brush aside hundreds of average martial artists. Vator had amply proven that already. On the basis of the current power level, one Vator was worth far more than the entire demon cult minus Chang Min.
Even if Kang Jin-Ho's evaluation was wrong and Vator couldn't actually win against the entire demon cult, the big man's usefulness was still in another dimension altogether. If a lone individual could handle a job requiring the mobilization of thousands... Well, how could anyone dare question that individual's worth?
“...At least for now, that is,” Kang Jin-Ho smirked meaningfully.
Vator chose not to retort to that. His common sense said what Kang Jin-Ho hinted at could never happen. However, Kang Jin-Ho always managed to surpass all common sense until now. In that case, the situation this time should largely be the same. Confidently boasting something now would only get eggs on Vator's face later down the line.
That was when the office door opened again, and people began bringing in plates of food inside.
Vator glanced at them. “For now, let's fill our bellies first. It feels like the skin on my stomach will kiss my spine from how starved I am.”
Kang Jin-Ho looked at the big man weirdly. “...I don't think such a thing will happen any time soon.”
Even as a figure of speech, Kang Jin-Ho had a hard time accepting that notion since the distance between Vator's stomach and back was far too great. So much so that even a game of football could be played in there!
“Whatever. Let's dig in for now, master.”
“Sure. Let's.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded and picked up his chopsticks when others picked up their utensils.
***
“...Chang Min,” said Kang Jin-Ho while facepalming. At the same time...
“Kuh-huph!” Vator hurriedly covered his mouth to stifle his laughter.
“Why...?” Kang Jin-Ho could only groan while checking out Chang Min, who had switched his attire during the trio's mealtime.
Before the meal, Chang Min was in a familiar set of duds: hemp clothes that the Chinese of the yesteryear often preferred to wear, with his hair neatly bound into a bun above his head. This neat and graceful attire presented an entirely-different image to Chang Min's previous cave-dwelling pauper cosplay from their first encounter. Anyone who saw Chang Min in those duds would have sensed the dignity and elegance of an old expert from Gangho. But this...!
Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly scanned Chang Min from head to toe.
'Well, it's... not bad. Yes, it really isn't bad, but...!'
What was this? This subtle yet undeniable disharmony?
Chang Min's current attire? It was a set of pitch-black gentleman's suits. Not only that, but a slim-fit, too! Obviously Chang Min was a martial arts expert, which meant his physique would embarrass some of the hottest, fittest young fitness trainers out there. Muscles shaped for practical purposes, in this case martial arts, densely packed his entire body. So, the slim-fit had resulted in ‘drip’ that was just about picture-perfect. So much so that people might mistake Chang Min for an idol if they saw him from behind!
'Okay, I can get on board with all that. Fine. However! Why... Why can't the people in this line of business stop wearing that floral shirt?!'
Under Chang Min's slick black jacket, Kang Jin-Ho could see a colorful shirt. Of course, he had no problem with that. It was all good as far as he was concerned. A man could try to relive the glory of his youth. And no one should criticize him for that. Not really.
What Kang Jin-Ho had problems with was Chang Min's new hairstyle. The sides had been shaved while only a little bit was left on top to create an undercut hairstyle.
Anyone over the age of thirty would start struggling to pull that look off, yet an old man nearly two centuries old was putting on a clinical demonstration of how it was supposed to be done. Just looking at Chang Min was enough to blow Kang Jin-Ho's sanity to the Andromeda Galaxy and back!
After coughing softly to clear his throat, Kang Jin-Ho frowned a little. “...Don't tell me you got a haircut in such a short time?”
Chang Min blinked his eyes. “I'm sorry? Oh, Did you mean my previous hairstyle, my liege? That was a wig, sire.”
“A... wig?”
“Yes, my liege. As we were welcoming you back to the demon cult, I tried my best to follow the established custom. I feel so much better now, though! I will never truly understand why clothes from the past can be so uncomfortable to wear. Tsk...”
“...”
Kang Jin-Ho had no choice but to acknowledge it. This 180-year-old grandpa was younger than Kang Jin-Ho! Not in terms of age, obviously, but in mindset!
“Even so... Don't you think that's a bit of an overkill?”
“I beg your pardon?” Chang Min narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable. His face was eerily similar to what a new recruit at a company might make while staring at the department head busy criticizing his hairstyle.
Kang Jin-Ho panicked slightly.
'W-wait a minute. Am I acting like a boomer here?'
The situation did look that way, didn't it? After all, Kang Jin-Ho was the superior here, while Chang Min was the subordinate. So, this situation was definitely a boomer-ish superior criticizing a subordinate's fashion sense. But... But!
'Hang on a bloody minute! This is not right!'
Kang Jin-Ho didn't want to be called a boomer, so he tried his hardest to emulate a young man's lifestyle, but this situation was not something his common sense could deal with.
Chang Min suspiciously asked, “Is there something wrong, my liege?”
“W-well... Isn't your attire a bit too... I don't know, excessive?”
People might believe Chang Min if he introduced himself as an entertainer at this rate!
“Ah, you meant my choice of wardrobe!” Chang Min smiled proudly. “My liege! I have to say, I'm genuinely in love with current fashion trends. These clothes are so much more practical and pretty to look at.”
“...Is it?” Kang Jin-Ho falteringly nodded. Well, if Chang Min said so, it must be right, no? Kang Jin-Ho was in no position to dispute that since he knew how much of a walking, breathing fashion disaster he was. “S-still, kids are watching, you know?”
The best avenue of attack was dragging other people into the conflict. However, Chang Min asked back instead in surprise, his eyes wide open. “My liege? But... Isn't this the demon cult's time-honored tradition?”
“T-tradition?”
“Yes, my liege. Didn't the demon cult always stay ahead of the trends of the day? I believe all the past cult members were particularly interested in fashion trends, weren't they?”
“...Oh, that!” Kang Jin-Ho hurriedly nodded. Listening to Chang Min reminded him of something.
The demon cult people's attires were always excessively ahead of the era they lived in. For instance, completely shaving heads was a fairly popular trend among the demonic cultivators back then, even though that was something even the modern-era folks were not so keen on. Some even blatantly ripped and tore their perfectly fine clothes to create that... 'damaged' look for some unfathomable reason.
Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “...Hang on, didn't they do that because they were all crazies?”
“Hahaha! My liege, you have a good sense of humor!”
“...” Kang Jin-Ho decided to clamp his mouth shut because he hadn't been joking just now. And revealing how serious he was didn't seem like a good idea.
Chang Min explained while smiling away. “The demon cult has always been a gathering of ethnic minorities and outsiders. Which means all sorts of cultures and customs will intermingle. It's no wonder the cult believers will become more attuned to fashion trends in such an environment. And the popular fashion trends that started off in the demon cult would inevitably spread out to the rest of Zhongyuan. Isn't that so?”
'But, uh... I thought that was simply madness infecting others like a plague?'
Was that why Kang Jin-Ho noticed quite a few orthodox faction idiots who openly mocked the demonic cultivators for their eccentric attire adopting the same look a bit later on?
Kang Jin-Ho held his head in confusion. Whether it was now or back then... He was still having a tough time acclimatizing!
“...Okay, that's enough about fashion, then.” Kang Jin-Ho sighed in resignation.
Chang Min blinked his eyes in confusion. “My liege? But... I thought you'd understand since your companion's fashion sense is also nothing to scoff at?”
Kang Jin-Ho pouted and turned his unimpressed gaze toward his companion in question.
Vator, currently only wearing a pair of pants and going topless like a pervert, tried to defend his fashion sense like a man wrongly accused. “My clothes were damaged during the battle, master. Remember that I'm not like other people. I can't just stop at a corner store and buy a new shirt!”
“...Right. You have that problem to worry about,” Kang Jin-Ho muttered in defeat, then turned his head to the front. 'I want to go back to Korea ASAP...'
Hanging out with these people gave him a fresh reminder that Korea's martial artists were actually sane. Was this the case of failing to notice the void until the person was already gone?
'Once I get home, I'm going to start treating Lee Hyeon-Su and others better.'
Kang Jin-Ho was genuinely grateful that they were such normal folks.
Chang Min straightened his jacket. “Then, allow me to guide you, my liege.”
“M-mm, sure.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded, then got up.
“Oh, and by the way, my liege...”
“Mm?”
Chang Min apologetically bowed deeply at Kang Jin-Ho. “Please forgive this servant for not making prior preparations. From now on, I shall ensure that your attires are ready before...”
“T-that's enough! Stop it!”
For the first time since arriving in China... Kang Jin-Ho put on the most serious face he could make. With all of his heart, no less!
***
'Urgh... This indigestion is killing me...!'
Zhu Gang rubbed and massaged his tummy.
The distributed lunchbox was quite satisfactory. Obviously procuring enough food to feed these many mouths couldn't have been easy. So, Zhu Gang would have understood if the provided meal was only on the level of 'edible'. However, the food he got turned out to be pretty good.
Unfortunately, he simply couldn't enjoy the flavors offered by the lunchbox. All he could remember was everything tasting like sand and forcing it down his gullet for the sake of filling his tummy.
'What does he want to talk about, then?'
The demon emperor ordered everyone to assemble. The implication behind this development was significant since it was the very first command coming straight out of the demon emperor's mouth.
Was that why? The demonic cultivators, who had barely suppressed their dissatisfaction while standing in line and waiting for the demon emperor's arrival earlier, now stood in anxiety and nervousness, again waiting for the demon emperor to show up.
This transformation happened in the span of only a few hours.
'The difference between never meeting the demon emperor and encountering him just once is this big? Is that it?'
One could say that this was the power of absolute and overwhelming charisma at work.
Zhu Gang used to have a hard time wrapping his head around some things in the legend of the demon cult.
The demon cult was supposed to be a powerhouse in the past. Zhu Gang heard that the top-ten-ranked experts in the demon cult could evenly compete against the best experts from Zhongyuan's orthodox factions.
If so, why did such powerful experts offer their absolute loyalty to the demon emperor? That question always burned in the recess of Zhu Gang's mind, but now, he felt like he found his answer.
This wasn't the issue of strength or the lack of it. Even if the demon emperor was weaker than those top-ten experts, they would've still sworn their loyalty. That was because what those people followed wasn't the superiority of the cultivation realm but the strength of the man holding the demon emperor's title.
“Here he comes!”
Zhu Gang was woken up from his thoughts by a hushed whisper coming from somewhere nearby. He focused his attention on the distant raised platform up ahead. The demon emperor was heading toward the taishi armchair.
Gulp!
Zhu Gang nervously swallowed his saliva at the distant figure of the demon emperor. This tension gripping him still didn't want to let up.
The demon emperor leisurely stepped on to the platform and wordlessly studied the taishi armchair. Then, he didn't bother to sit on it and instead turned around to scan the rank and file of the demonic cultivators.
“Kang Jin-Ho. That's my name,” said Kang Jin-Ho in a still, flat-sounding voice to break the ice. “I have many things I want to get off my chest. However, I will spare you from unnecessary babble. Let's get to the main topic.”
Everyone's gaze was intently fixed on Kang Jin-Ho.
“All of you present here today believe that I'm here to bring prosperity back to the demon cult. Apparently, you all heard that I'll be guiding you to a new world. Is that right?”
Hints of confused, worried murmurs could be seen rising from the crowd. As the demonic cultivators were free-spirited and independent folks, speaking in a unified voice was a rare occurrence for them.
Kang Jin-Ho slightly raised his hand, instantly summoning eerie silence in the underground space once more. “Simply put... I have no thoughts of doing that.”
The silence grew heavier! The large underground space became so quiet and still that the sound of a pin dropping would've proven thunderous.
Kang Jin-Ho seemed satisfied by this tense atmosphere while scanning his audience once more. “Make no mistake, I'm not your savior. I do not wish to lead fools who are meekly waiting for someone to swoop in and solve their problems for them. And I'm not interested in taking on such annoying matters. If you see yourselves as martial artists... You should try to save yourselves.”
What sharp, biting words those were! Just as the crowd fell even deeper into the pits of confusion, wondering why their demon emperor would even say such a thing...
Kang Jin-Ho drove further nails into this coffin. “What I need right now is a combat force. I don't want meek little lamb following me around. Only those who want to cultivate in demonic arts and become stronger under my watch will be permitted to follow me. And my plan is to take you to South Korea.”
The silence became icy-cold in an instant.
Before the demonic cultivators could process anything, Kang Jin-Ho raised his voice again. “Any questions?”
One thing seemed certain now. That young-looking man was the demon emperor. However, he was not the demon emperor they had been waiting for.
Only now did they finally begin to realize this crucial fact.
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