Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1041: In Training (1)

‘What the hell?! Why is everyone doing this!’

Team Leader Jeon Byeong-Su was having a torrid time right now.

Clomp, clomp…!

It seemed like every step he took on the stage created a thunderous echo that reverberated throughout the dead-silent auditorium. Of course, this wasn’t his first time experiencing this phenomenon.

One of the unique quirks of a large auditorium like this place was that sounds reverberated freely when no one was in here. So, Jeon Byeong-Su would usually experience the echoing phenomenon before the trainees entered the auditorium or as the cleaning staff began tidying the place up after everyone had left.

However, this phenomenon wasn’t the source of Jeon Byeong-Su’s torment. After all, this auditorium was already packed full of people!

Despite the presence of three hundred people, not a peep could be heard. Not even someone breathing too loudly! In the past ten years of instructing newbies, Jeon Byeong-Su could swear he had never experienced anything like this.

‘What the hell is up with this freakish situation?’

Jeon Byeong-Su sneakily scanned the front rows. Those seats were packed full of burly, neatly dressed men, but not a single one of them said anything.

This was not how education was supposed to be done!

As far as Jeon Byeong-Su was concerned, the newbies should be oozing a subtle blend of excited anticipation, nervousness, and hope for a better future unique to a new employee training program. He usually called this blend the ‘Vitality of Youth’, and such energy should be densely filling the auditorium by now, but this…!

‘Vitality, my ass!’

Flowers might wither instantly from how eerily quiet this place was!

Since new employees didn’t know each other, they might hesitate to share a conversation or two with people sitting next to each other. That much was expected of them. Even so, some would still cautiously gauge the mood around them and try to break the ice with others somehow.

After all, this training program wasn’t a one-and-done type of deal. The trainees would have to keep seeing each other’s faces for the duration, so it was natural that they would try to create some sort of connections and friendships.

However, this batch of trainees wasn't doing that. It was as if they had installed watertight zippers on their mouths or something! All they did was keep their lips firmly clamped shut and resolutely glare at the front.

In that case… Couldn’t they at least try not to be so scary?!

With three hundred burly men sitting still and silently glaring fiercely, even someone like Jeon Byeong-Su, a veteran instructor who could write a book about standing before a crowd like a Chad, felt all the hair on his body stand on end.

Since that was the case, no wonder things were just as bad for the rest of the instructors!

“...Team Leader Jeon?”

Jeon Byeong-Su slightly turned his head when Deputy Yang Jin-Chan cautiously called out to him. “Yeah?”

“I’m asking this again, but… Will we be okay during this program?”

“Stop whining when we haven’t even started yet.”

“I can't help it. I mean, this situation feels way different from every other program we've run until now…”

“Urgh…” Jeon Byeong-Su groaned deeply. Even though he was trying his best to put on a tough facade, he still had doubts clouding his mind.

‘Will we be alright, I wonder?’

Until a few seconds ago, Jeon Byeong-Su assumed his discomfort was down to the unprecedented case of his team training outsiders. However, it was about time he acknowledged the truth.

These so-called trainees… Something was definitely not “right” about them!

“Team leader… Do they really do, uh, regular office work in their company?”

Jeon Byeong-Su groaned again. “What the… Come on, man. What are you implying here?”

“I mean, look at them,” said Yang Jin-Chan while scanning the crowd, his expression unreadable. Then, he whispered quietly so that others couldn't hear him. “No matter how much I look, they… don't look like office workers. Like, not at all!”

“…”

What a painfully sharp observation that was!

Then again, even Jeon Byeong-Su had never, ever seen a group of office workers exuding such a killing intent in over a decade of working for Jaegyeong.

First of all, these people simply did not have the… expected physique of an average office worker.

Of course, there was no hard-and-fast rule about what shape an office worker should be. But these people's cases went waaay beyond that. It wasn't as if a couple of dudes with especially eye-catching broad shoulders were mixed in with the plebs.

No, everyone here boasted massive shoulders. Meanwhile, their arms were as thick as an average person's thigh!

How should Jeon Byeong-Su explain this sight, then?

‘...Ah, that’s right. During the national team’s departure…’

This scene suddenly reminded Jeon Byeong-Su of the athletes representing South Korea taking a group photo while wearing neat formal suits before setting off from the Incheon International Airport to attend some international sporting competition. Although these folks were a bit rougher around the edges than actual athletes, that comparison still fit this situation the best.

“...Kuh-hum. Stop with your nonsense and check the mic. See if it’s working,” said Jeon Byeong-Su.

“...Yes, sir.”

When Yang Jin-Chan grumbled unhappily to himself while heading toward the lectern, Jeon Byeong-Su sighed under his breath before scanning the auditorium once more.

‘For sure, this situation is… too bizarre to be normal.’

Training the workforce of another company was already bizarre enough, but the bigger issue, as far as Jeon Byeong-Su was concerned, was that no one knew the backgrounds of these trainees.

Only a company boasting a sizable operation could afford to dispatch three hundred of its workers to a training program, yet Jeon Byeong-Su hadn’t heard anything in his neck of the woods. And he couldn’t understand why.

He obviously fully trusted his higher-ups to not get involved in illicit activities. Even then, wasn't this situation still too bizarre?

‘Besides all that, why are these people so quiet?’

Did they really glue their lips shut or something?

Just as Jeon Byeong-Su’s thoughts reached that far…

‘...Hmm?’

Every single person seated suddenly turned their heads in one direction. Their actions were so well synchronized that Jeon Byeong-Su momentarily thought he was looking at a group of Meerkats!

‘What the hell was that?’

The direction everyone was looking at was the exit right at the back of the auditorium. A man was leisurely walking through it.

Jeon Byeong-Su furiously blinked his eyes.

‘Am I, uh, suffering from heatstroke?’

Wasn’t this even more bizarre?!

People paying attention to someone entering the auditorium wasn't really something to be surprised about. Although it was weird to see so many people turn their heads simultaneously, at least that shouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities. However…

Didn’t these people turn their heads even before that person stepped foot inside the auditorium?! Did they install CCTV cameras in the corridors or something? And they were getting real-time feeds?!

Jeon Byeong-Su’s confused face also turned toward the man entering the auditorium.

‘Mm? Isn’t he…?’

Indeed, Jeon Byeong-Su’s memories were right. That young man was the protagonist responsible for instantly subduing the rude trainee earlier. Didn’t Chief Secretary Jo Gyu-Min address that young man politely, too?

Jeon Byeong-Su nervously swallowed his saliva.

Jo Gyu-Min was a rather aloof person. Well, that was when nicely put. When not-so-nicely put, he was a dull man with no social skills.

Jeon Byeong-Su never heard of Jo Gyu-Min being friendly with other employees of this corporation until now. As if to prove that, even the close-in-age Jeon Byeong-Su shared only a few brief work-related conversations with Jo Gyu-Min, and that was about it.

Besides, Jo Gyu-Min's attitude back then didn't belong to someone talking to his friend. Anyone with eyes could tell he acted like he was in the presence of his superior. Although he was being overly friendly, his attitude and polite manner of speech were enough to convey his mindset.

In that case, just who could that young man be? How could someone who looked so young be treated like Jo Gyu-Min’s superior?

Kang Jin-Ho briefly stopped and scanned his surroundings. He could see the Assembly’s martial artists obediently seated in silence.

After nodding in approval at their attitude, Kang Jin-Ho leisurely walked toward the front row before taking up an empty seat.

However, as soon as his butt kissed the cushion, the trainee sitting next to Kang Jin-Ho suddenly presented him with a cup of Iced Americano.

“Mm?” Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow and turned his head. That was when he found the martial artist he rebuked earlier, Jo Hyeok-Min, smiling awkwardly while holding the coffee cup. Kang Jin-Ho asked, “What’s this?”

“It’s coffee, sir! I thought you liked it, so…”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled slightly. For a bribe, this was a rather adorable little attempt, now wasn't it? He accepted the cup and took a brief sip. Then, he glanced at Bae Jae-Min. “Did you deliver my message to everyone?”

“Yes, sir!” Bae Jae-Min nodded animatedly. “Every person in here heard your instruction loud and clear!”

“Hmm.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded again in satisfaction.

That allowed Jo Hyeok-Min and Bae Jae-Min to sigh deeply in relief. It seemed they were not in Kang Jin-Ho’s bad books, then!

Meanwhile, the expressions of other martial artists grew more excited.

‘Holy cow! We really are going to do this with the Assembly Master!’

‘This feels so weird, though…’

Everyone’s gaze was locked on Kang Jin-Ho. Which wasn’t surprising, really.

The Martial Assembly’s administrative staff often ran into Kang Jin-Ho. After all, the majority of them worked in the Assembly HQ’s main building. And the layout of the building in question meant Kang Jin-Ho would usually run into various office workers on his way to the Assembly Master’s office every morning.

However, that only meant their movements coincidentally overlapped. It certainly did not mean Kang Jin-Ho was close to any of these office workers. His interests usually were razor-focused on the combat force of the Assembly, which left many of the administrative staff feeling a little neglected. Maybe even estranged.

But now… To think Kang Jin-Ho would really participate in the same training program as them!

Wasn't this practically the same as Kang Jin-Ho issuing a decree that he'd also pay more attention to the Assembly's administrative staff?

Of course, the reality was a bit different from these people’s imaginations. However, none of them were told of the true circumstances, so their misunderstandings couldn’t be helped.

Jeon Byeong-Su sneakily glanced at the clock on the wall.

‘Right on time, eh?’

He wiped the sweat off his forehead, then headed to the lectern. Although the situation was still on the weird side, he still had a job to do here.

“Okay, let’s get started,” said Jeon Byeong-Su.

“Yes, team leader!”

The instructors lined up on the stage to face the crowd. Once the preparations were finished, Jeon Byeong-Su climbed behind the lectern.

“Kuh-huh-hum!” Jeon Byeong-Su tapped on the mic a couple of times, then fake-coughed to clear his throat. “I'd like to extend my warm welcome to Jaegyeong's… Eh, I mean, everyone who is here to attend our training program. I'm the team leader overseeing the training and evaluation, Jeon Byeong-Su.”

He stood straight, then bowed deeply at the crowd.

“…”

Unfortunately, all he got was… silence.

Cold sweat dripped down from Jeon Byeong-Su's forehead as he remained bowing. This was not how the introduction was supposed to unfold, so…

“…! Applause! Hurry!”

Someone yelled that, prompting the floodgate of applause to explode open in an instant. Only then did Jeon Byeong-Su raise his head while wiping the cold sweat off his brows.

‘What the hell is up with this delayed reaction?’

Jeon Byeong-Su had no idea. Then again, how could he?

He had no clue that the trainees he was in charge of this time happened to be martial artists. And martial artists fundamentally lacked even the modicum of social skills!

There was a reason why Kang Jin-Ho, a man who still found it hard to acclimatize to the modern era, felt more or less at home in the Martial Assembly. Martial artists usually holed themselves in remote mountainsides or dinky rooms to cultivate rather than interact with other people, so where would they find the spare time to develop their social skills?

Of course, they still learned how to communicate by interacting with others in the martial arts communities, but the “rules” of these communities were more rigid than ordinary society's.

No wonder even the basic responses of martial artists differed noticeably from those of the regular folks!

“Well, I, uh…” Jeon Byeong-Su momentarily forgot what to say and stuttered a little. Before he could make a fool of himself, though, Yang Jin-Chan hurriedly walked up and whispered urgent news to his ear.

Jeon Byeong-Su cocked an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes, team leader. Right now.”

“...Got it.” Jeon Byeong-Su fake-coughed again, then addressed the crowd. “Originally, we were supposed to explain the training course to you, but it seems we must skip that part as an honored guest has come to speak to you all. Everyone, the Jaegyeong Group’s Chairman Hwang Jeong-Hu has graced us with his presence to give you all a word of encouragement. Please welcome him with a round of applause.”

Another thunderous cacophony of applause rocked the auditorium just then. Although, people weren’t clapping because they understood the situation. No, they were merely reacting to the command to applause instead.

Only as the applause petered out did the crowd figure out the situation.

“Wait, Hwang Jeong-Hu?”

“You mean, that Hwang Jeong-Hu? The boss of Jaegyeong? He’s here?”

The martial artists finally broke their self-imposed silence and began whispering to each other.

Even if these people had been largely isolated from society, they still possessed the bare minimum common knowledge to function as human beings.

Everyone here knew who Jaegyeong's Hwang Jeong-Hu was. His legend, his acclaim, was already a known quantity even to those martial artists usually not interested in the surface world's financial sector.

And someone that legendary had suddenly shown up here. No wonder the Assembly’s administrative staff were left stunned by this development.

From the rear of the auditorium, a figure of an elderly gentleman slowly walked toward the stage. Everyone’s attention naturally focused on him.

His physique was small. However, the presence he exuded was unmistakable. An elderly gent not possessing a speck of cultivation still commanded everyone's attention merely with his presence alone!

‘Wow. That’s Chairman Hwang?’

‘For sure, he’s got that commanding presence.’

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The martial artists were all impressed and awed by Hwang Jeong-Hu’s confidence and unyielding presence.

Hwang Jeong-Hu walked up the stage under everyone’s intense gaze, then casually greeted the team of instructors while grabbing the mic. Without missing a beat, he spoke into the device.

“I’m Hwang Jeong-Hu.”

As far as greetings went, that was as straightforward as it could get. Nothing else was needed to make his introduction.

“I stopped by because I heard about how a bunch of sub-human idiots has come here to get some training.”

...And then, the jaws of every Assembly martial artist fell to the floor at what Hwang Jeong-Hu said next.