Descent of the Demon Master

“Assembly Master, we need your expression to be more natural.”

Kang Jin-Ho crumpled his expression instead. “…”

“Sir, you're not a block of wood. Or maybe you are a Wood element monster?”

“…”

“Sir! Your arms and legs shouldn't be moving together like that!”

“…”

This must be Hell.

After finding himself plunged into this never-before-seen Hell on Earth, Kang Jin-Ho carefully mulled over how he ended up here in the first place.

‘...Nope, I can’t figure it out.’

Lee Hyeon-Su asked Kang Jin-Ho some incomprehensible things, then plotted something with Cheon Tae-Hun before deciding on this film shoot on their own. They didn't even bother asking Kang Jin-Ho's opinion!

‘Okay, now… Let’s carefully think about this.’

Objectively speaking, Kang Jin-Ho was doing a good thing here. As he alluded to before, this video lecture concept could take the inconvenient and time-consuming act of imparting cultivation techniques and turn it into a streamlined and far more convenient process.

The potential advantages seemed quite literally endless. As an example… One of the biggest plus points would be the fact that the video lecture could teach martial arts to many people at once.

Almost ten thousand demonic cultivators fled China to join the Martial Assembly. Imagine trying to impart the demonic cultivation method to all of them. How long would that even take?

‘...Not even ten years would be sufficient for that.’

That was why Kang Jin-Ho decided to compromise his teaching methods by imparting the demonic art to the demon cult elders and the Demon Flames first, then have them transfer their knowledge to the rest of the demonic cultivators.

Orthodox sects often resorted to this pyramid-style teaching method.

Of course, there was a difference between Kang Jin-Ho personally teaching demonic arts and someone else teaching the same thing. In a way, it was comparable to online versus in-person tutoring in the surface world.

When facing the terrifying and absolute foe called National Entrance Exams that would determine the rest of their lives, high school seniors would inevitably trust the teachings of online tutors many times over that of a living, breathing teacher right before their eyes.

These kids were the living proof that people preferred learning from someone with a higher skill level despite knowing the pros and cons of the real person and video.

So, in terms of effectiveness and efficiency, teaching others through video lectures was the right choice. This method boasted another advantage of not needing to secure a training space large enough to accommodate ten thousand demonic cultivators.

If everything went according to plan, those demonic cultivators currently wielding shovels like swords to cut mountains down would get to breathe easy.

Not only that, but the cultivators could rewatch the lectures again and again until they could fully comprehend the lessons. And it’d be possible to relearn things you forgot during cultivation, too.

All things considered, this video lecture concept had the potential to move the martial world forward by leaps and bounds. And the advantages didn't end there, either!

It was inevitable for a relationship of domination to develop between someone one-sidedly teaching and the other side one-sidedly learning. However, the video lecture concept could prevent this inevitable power dynamic of the master-apprentice-type relationship from taking hold.

Simply having the potential to eliminate that custom alone was already a notable plus point.

So, to summarize… The video lectures could impart martial arts much more efficiently while preventing questionable hacks from seizing dominance of the people under him. In the case of Kang Jin-Ho's video lectures, he would get to strengthen his authority while creating a more centralized power base for himself.

All in all, he should be more enthusiastic about filming lectures. Yes, he should definitely be, but…!

‘But why does it have to be this way?’

The problem with this premise was that Kang Jin-Ho was perhaps the worst human being in history to stand before a camera. Choi Yeon-Ha had already proven how difficult it was to make Kang Jin-Ho read a line off a script, hadn’t she?

It was such a soul-draining struggle that even the one-and-only Choi Yeon-Ha gave up on her dream of turning Kang Jin-Ho into an actor.

However, Lee Hyeon-Su and Cheon Tae-Hun didn't seem all that worried about that near-insurmountable obstacle.

“Assembly Master? Smile for the camera, sir. Be more natural.”

Kang Jin-Ho nearly blurted out, Would you smile if you were in my shoes? His expression didn’t want to relax at all.

“Sir, you know this is all for the future of the Assembly.”

“Indeed, sir. Indeed!”

Cheon Tae-Hun and Lee Hyeon-Su were acting like two peas in a pod right now. Kang Jin-Ho couldn’t figure out when those two became such close friends. Meanwhile…

“Assembly Master! I’m telling you, only the beginning’s hard! The rest will get easier,” said Bang Jin-Hun. He was clearly cosplaying as an experienced teacher, even though everyone here saw all the cold sweat dripping down his face through the high-def screens not too long ago!

“Mm, well…” Kang Jin-Ho finally said something with a hint of hesitation. “I get that this is necessary, but…”

“If it's necessary, that's all the reason you need, sir. What other justifications do you need?” Lee Hyeon-Su firmly put his foot down.

“Sir, your dedication to the future of the Assembly is bringing tears to my eyes!”

Cheon Tae-Hun exclaimed enthusiastically with a huge grin on his face. And that grin only roused a strong urge in Kang Jin-Ho’s heart to feed a knuckle sandwich to that face and squeeze some tears out for real!

Kang Jin-Ho sucked in a deep breath to calm himself down. “Yes, I get that it's necessary. However, why do we have to start filming out of the blue…?”

Lee Hyeon-Su quickly countered. “You told us to make things happen as soon as possible, sir. And we're trying to uphold those words as our golden rule! The mantra we must follow, no matter what!”

“Kuh-uh! As expected of our Assembly Master!” Bang Jin-Hun began applauding next. “I knew it. I knew it the minute you started conceiving that new demonic art, sir! You are a perfectionist in things like this and will never let laziness get the better of you! I mean, just look at how you've been on my case and prevented me from going to bed for the whole week!”

So, this was a payback. Kang Jin-Ho dazedly looked up at the studio's ceiling.

‘Wow. So, he's getting even.’

Kang Jin-Ho was someone who derisively laughed at the idea of 'what goes around comes around.'

No such thing existed, or at least that was what his life experience had taught him. He lost count of how many times he watched good, kind-hearted people who hadn't done anything wrong their whole lives meeting with gruesome fate. And he also witnessed countless villains enjoying the fruits of their ill-gotten labor without worrying about consequences.

That story didn't just apply to Zhongyuan, as such examples occurred with alarming frequency in the modern era, too.

The North’s Kim father-and-son duo living charmed lives before heading to the netherworld should be a good-enough example to prove that the ‘goes-around-comes-around’ notion was a crock of sh*t. But now…!

‘Maybe it was true all along?’

It felt like every wrong Kang Jin-Ho had committed over the years was coming back to bite him in the rear. And this feeling was further reinforced by the sight of a trio of men having so much… 'fun' over there!

Flicker…

The camera lens gleamed sharply from the overhead light. Kang Jin-Ho looked at the raised platform and a teaching pulpit before shifting his attention to the camera and the trio of men staring at him.

He sighed under his breath. “Do we really have to…”

Even before Kang Jin-Ho could finish his sentence…

“Are we starting, sir?”

“Right away? Wow!”

“Kuh-euh! I finally get to witness this moment!”

It seemed the trio 'couldn't' hear him. A whole bunch of emotions welled up in Kang Jin-Ho's chest just then, but he forced them down. What they were trying to do now was for the good of the Assembly. Besides, Kang Jin-Ho also ordered them to implement the video lecture idea anyway.

Hastily bolting out of this place would turn Kang Jin-Ho into a hypocrite. A man who couldn’t even do what he preached!

Of course, Kang Jin-Ho could rely on his authority and physical strength to squash his underlings’ dissatisfaction. But he only knew too well minor things like this could snowball into something major later on.

“Urgh…” Kang Jin-Ho groaned softly.

Lee Hyeon-Su thought that groan was a sign of resignation, so he grinned in satisfaction. “Well, then. Sir, let’s get this show on the…”

“Hold on!” Kang Jin-Ho raised his hand urgently, his eyes suddenly flickering sharply. “Tell me, what is the point of me doing this?”

“I’m sorry?”

“When I thought about it, I realized something important. Others all have phones and tablets to watch the videos, but the demon cult members don't even have a proper phone yet.”

“Oh?”

“So, what is the point of me filming this thing? Why don’t we get everything in place first before…”

Before Kang Jin-Ho could continue, he was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing. Lee Hyeon-Su pulled his mobile device out of his pocket, then confirmed the number on the screen.

“Oh. I'm sorry, sir. I have to get this call,” said Lee Hyeon-Su while rapidly tapping on the green answer and speaker icons on the screen. “Yeah?”

-Hyung-nim, this is Jo Gyu-Min! I've finished preparing what you asked me earlier. You said you don't need the latest model but something at the lower end, didn't you?

“Yeah, that’s right. Can it be done, though?”

-Of course it can be done. This is the best way to clear out our old inventory, after all! I have to say, though. Holy cow, the Assembly’s wallets are pretty deep, aren’t they! To think you’d order ten thousand smartphones in one go! You guys sure are amazing.

Kang Jin-Ho's expression fell as he listened.

On the other hand, Lee Hyeon-Su's grin was deepening. “What about the network sign-up problem?”

-We can handle that by claiming these are company phones.

“Company phones?”

-Yes. Companies often hand out phones to their employees for company-related use, after all. Registering ten thousand phones in one go should give us a fat discount on the monthly subscription fee, hyung-nim. Do you want me to handle that, as well?

“Sure. That’ll make things easier for me.”

-Okay, got it. Then, I’ll make some calls and sign the contract with the mobile carrier offering the cheapest rates. Will that be fine with you?

“Yup. That’s perfect, Gyu-Min. Oh, but you gotta make sure those phones are good enough to watch online lectures, okay? It’ll be no good if the phones are too crappy to stream online videos.”

-Eii, you shouldn't underestimate Jaegyeong Electronics, hyung-nim. We might not be the number one in the smartphone sector, but our phones are definitely not rubbish. That I guarantee you. Still, there's that one-in-a-million chance, so I'll have the specs checked out, just in case.

“Good. I know this is a lot of work, so thanks.”

-Nah, hyung-nim. It's okay. Uh-whew… Let me tell you, doing this is a thousand times better than working my butt off and still not having anything to show for it. Heck, the folks at the electronics sales division will treat me like a king for a while for selling ten thousand phones in one go! I'm just happy to get a chance to strut around the company's corridors for a bit.

“That’s good to hear.”

-Okay! I gotta go, hyung-nim. I'll call you again as soon as possible.

“Sure. Thanks.” Lee Hyeon-Su ended the call, then smiled radiantly while staring at Kang Jin-Ho. “Thank you for your patience, Assembly Master. So, what were you saying earlier?”

“...No, it’s nothing.” Kang Jin-Ho quietly muttered back.

Why were those two men so competent at their jobs? And why were they twice as competent today! Why!

Why was their brilliant competence making Kang Jin-Ho feel so sad for some reason?!

It seemed Lee Hyeon-Su had learned from Kang Jin-Ho's example because he was trying to force this whole thing through with a bulldozer-like momentum!

“Well, then! It seems all the issues have been taken care of, so shall we get started, sir?” Lee Hyeon-Su cheerfully asked.

Kang Jin-Ho dazedly stared at the camera, knowing there was no more escape.

“We're not streaming live today, but this shoot won't be all that different from a live broadcast, sir. Today's purpose is to set the mood before the lectures actually start by explaining the rough details of the martial art the people will learn and the mindset they should have.”

Lee Hyeon-Su smirked confidently.

“That's why you can relax a little more, sir. It's not like this is your first time teaching others anyway.”

‘...It is my first time, though?’

Kang Jin-Ho nearly blurted those words out.

It seemed Lee Hyeon-Su was under a mistaken assumption. Yes, he was very much mistaken!

It was true that Kang Jin-Ho had "taught" many people up to now. For instance, he taught the Demon Flames back in Zhongyuan, as well as in the modern era. However, the teaching method he used back then differed drastically from what he was about to do.

Kang Jin-Ho's preferred method was to toss a secret manual to the hungry martial artists and tell them to master it on their own. If something went wrong during their training, he'd swoop in and physically fix the issue. That was Kang Jin-Ho's so-called teaching style.

Basically, it was the principle of… Get beaten up if you still have no idea!

If the learners didn't want to get beaten up to death, they would try their desperate best to comprehend the teachings. However, if they were too dull-witted to understand till the end… Well, Kang Jin-Ho would've ensured that at least their bodies would remember the teachings!

This was Kang Jin-Ho’s philosophy on education.

However, video lectures prevented Kang Jin-Ho from resorting to such methods. He had no one to beat up, and no one was here to answer his questions, either. In that case, what was he supposed to…

Clunk!

That was when the studio’s door was shoved open.

“Master! We’ve heard something major is about to go down! That’s why we’re here!” Vator roared as he waltzed inside.

“Hahaha… This will be quite interesting,” said Wiggins as he leisurely stepped inside next.

“Hey, over here! Yeah, over here! Come on in, everyone!”

To make matters even worse, Yi Myeong-Hwan led the Demon Flames to flood inside the studio as well!

Kang Jin-Ho froze stiffly on the spot.

Yi Myeong-Hwan asked Lee Hyeon-Su. “Do you mind if we pay you a visit like this, sir?”

“Well, as long as you keep your voices down,” said Lee Hyeon-Su.

After receiving Lee Hyeon-Su’s permission, the Demon Flames giggled like excited school kids while finding suitable places to stand and spectate.

Kang Jin-Ho’s cheeks twitched ominously as he scanned his new audience. They were laughing. Yes, they were all laughing!

“Kuh-euh! To think I’d get to witness a spectacle like this in my lifetime!”

“Maybe I can get some popcorn in here?”

Crack!

Kang Jin-Ho tightly clenched his fists. However, no one seemed to notice the subtle shift in Kang Jin-Ho’s aura, perhaps due to the heightened sense of anticipation in the studio.

“Kekekeke! I’m never gonna forget this.”

“This might be the greatest event in the Assembly’s history.”

“Can I film this with my phone? People might pay top dollar if I sell the unedited video of today's event, you know?”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly turned his head and stared at Lee Hyeon-Su. The latter flinched nastily after finally realizing that Kang Jin-Ho… had become utterly expressionless.

However, what Kang Jin-Ho said next took Lee Hyeon-Su by surprise.

“If everything’s good to go, let’s proceed,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“A-ah… Yes, sir!” Lee Hyeon-Su hurriedly replied, then glanced at Cheon Tae-Hun.

Cheon Tae-Hun was about to signal the filming’s start, only to stop and scowl deeply.

“Everyone, keep your voices down! We’re about to start!”