Chapter 798: Reform (3)

“The answer is a no, Chief Lee.”

“…!”

Lee Hyeon-Su was uncharacteristically panicking at this unreasonable situation. This panic was… No, calling this emotion 'panic' didn't seem correct anymore. He was rebelling against unfair oppression. He was raging against the unfairness of this situation!

“Why not?!”

Lee Hyeon-Ju coolly replied, “The budget allocation is already finished, that’s why.”

The corners of Lee Hyeon-Su’s lips trembled ominously. “Say what? The budget allocation… is finished?”

“Yes, Chief Lee.”

“How?! How can it be finished when the restructuring isn’t over yet?! Especially when my department isn’t even finished setting up yet?!”

“Well, the budget allocation for departments being created after the deadline will only be looked at next month, Chief Lee.”

Blood veins popped up on Lee Hyeon-Su's forehead. “Since when did you get a job as a damn government bureaucrat?! Which company in which country sets an unchanging budget ahead of time and forces its departments to beg for some money every month?!”

“That’s how the Assembly will operate for the foreseeable future.”

“On whose authority?!”

“I'm really sorry about this, Chief Lee, but…” said Lee Hyeon-Ju while flashing what could probably be the most refreshing smile ever in human history. “I've already discussed this matter with the Assembly Master. If you urgently need extra cash, I suggest you go speak to him. Well, then. Have a good day.”

Lee Hyeon-Su’s face distorted cruelly as he glared at Lee Hyeon-Ju cheerily walking away.

***

“Goddamn it!”

Veins were popping up in various parts of Lee Hyeon-Su’s face and neck.

Everyone who saw Lee Hyeon-Su emitting a scary aura while run-walking inside the corridor parted out of his way like the Red Sea under Moses' command. While sweating profusely, they stuck veeeery close to the walls and glanced silently at each other.

‘What is the matter with this guy again?’

‘Let’s just get out of the way first.’

Not a single person in the Martial Assembly was courageous enough to stand in Lee Hyeon-Su's way when he was making that kind of expression.

Lee Hyeon-Su unhesitantly walked through the path created by the parting human bodies.

‘This is unreasonable!’

Indeed, this whole thing was just too… unfair!

‘How dare she talk to me that way! Telling me all that nonsense, too!'

The Operations Management office only got going recently. To get everything in order, it still required a ton of money. But to think the source of that money was now controlled by Lee Hyeon-Ju! How was anyone supposed to do their job like this?

‘Just what is the Assembly Master thinking?’

Lee Hyeon-Su had no objection to Lee Hyeon-Ju taking over the accounting department. The truth was, though, there was no one beside her to do that job in the Assembly right now due to the acute shortage of competent workforce.

Somewhat ironically, the Martial Assembly suffered from a chronic shortage of competent office workers. If this situation was explained in terms of government offices… The Ministry of Defense was in ruddy health, but it couldn't do anything effectively as the administrative office lacked enough personnel to oversee various operations.

If Lee Hyeon-Ju hadn't taken over the accounting department, that job would've naturally landed on Lee Hyeon-Su's desk, too. In that regard, he should be greatly relieved by this situation… If it weren't for one serious problem!

‘Why! Why did she have to be the head of a full-on department?!’

What Lee Hyeon-Su needed was a subordinate who obediently carried out his orders and handled some of the administrative duties. What he definitely did not want was another chief of something or rather who could independently make plans and act on their own whim!

Wasn't this like the house owner buying a robotic vacuum to help clean the place, only for the darn thing to rearrange the furniture while the owner was away? Even if AI was beginning to overtake humans in the current era, a one-way trip to the landfill should be its only fate if it failed to do its intended job.

Lee Hyeon-Ju was currently trying to escape the role Lee Hyeon-Su had specifically set up for her. And Lee Hyeon-Su simply could not afford to let that happen. And no, it wasn't because he got pissed off by Lee Hyeon-Ju being too full of herself or not allocating budgets as Lee Hyeon-Su saw fit!

‘I don’t have any ulterior motives! Yes, zero ulterior motives!’

Lee Hyeon-Su made a straight beeline to the Assembly Master's office on the top floor. He eventually spotted the familiar firmly-shut doorway, then unhesitantly flung it open. “Assembly Master, sir! I have something to… Heeeeiiik?!”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Lee Hyeon-Su immediately froze up on the spot after brazenly striding through the doorway.

“Kuh-euh…!”

The scene greeting him was completely different from his expectations. The inside of Lee Hyeon-Su's head instantly blanked out to look like a clean piece of paper.

What was he looking at here? A monster? No, maybe a starving demon?

A creature beyond his ability to describe was present inside the Assembly Master's office. This creature was so large that its head almost touched the ceiling. His dark and coarse figure emitting streams of dark crimson aura resembled a large statue fashioned out of solid steel. This aura, unmistakably demonic qi, flooded out of this hulking creature like blackened blood.

This sight was terrifying enough to cause heart attacks and instant death to people with weak constitutions.

“Kkhu… euuhhhk!”

The creature’s face was deeply distorted. The flesh around the bloodshot eyes had ruptured, causing blood to trickle down. More fresh blood seeped out of various tears found on the giant’s faintly-trembling muscles.

Would Hell's executioners look like this as they captured sinners and punished them?

Even the Four Devas charged with protecting the gates to the Buddhist temple would’ve lowered their gazes in fear. They valued their lives like everybody else, after all! That man, he…

‘...Hang on, can Sir Vator even be called human at this point?’

Lee Hyeon-Su barely managed to force himself to breathe again. The experience of accompanying Kang Jin-Ho and witnessing many heart-stopping moments helped him overcome his initial shock. If not for that… He probably would've been on his way to the nearest hospital from cardiac arrest!

Indeed, Hell’s executioner before Lee Hyeon-Su’s eyes was Vator. Since that giant was not a figment of Lee Hyeon-Su’s imagination, it could only be Vator and no one else!

‘Even so, this visual is way too much, don't you think?'

As a member of the martial world, Lee Hyeon-Su had witnessed many frightening spectacles before. As a matter of fact, he became so desensitized after going through so many f*cked-up situations that even the most infamous horror films bored him to sleep.

However, even someone like that couldn't help but think Vator resembled a cosmic horror entity!

“Fuu-woo…!”

Vator exhaled a deep, heavy breath. All the demonic qi flooding out of his figure rapidly got sucked back in. With the dark-crimson demonic qi gone and his expression returning to normal, Vator had regained his usual appearance, though he was still bleeding from various spots in his body.

Of course, that was still plenty terrifying on its own!

Vator wordlessly wiped his face. Fresh and thick blood followed his hand movement and left trails on his skin.

‘Please! Please clean yourself properly, sir!’

What Vator had done was simply spread blood all over his face. And now, he looked like a cannibal from a movie who used blood to disguise his looks.

A man with such a huge physique should not be allowed to put on such a disguise. Unless the plan was to kill everyone daring to look at him with a heart attack, that was!

“Mm…! As expected, this is tough,” Vator pensively muttered, “My body is having a tough time enduring it.”

Vator’s gaze shifted to Kang Jin-Ho relaxedly sitting on the couch inside the office.

Kang Jin-Ho leaned forward to scan Vator’s body for a few seconds before nodding slowly. “Even so, you’ve still endured it better than I thought.”

“I feared my body would blow up just now, master.”

“That shouldn't be surprising. You're trying to accept another form of energy completely foreign to you. And it happens to be the most violent version of energy you've never circulated before. Thinking you'll easily get used to it is not only foolish but also outright dangerous.”

“Indeed, master. You’re correct. Still, I thought my physique would’ve allowed me to endure it better.”

“This is the difference between external and internal arts, Vator. If the same energy attacked you from the outside, you’d have no trouble blocking it out. However, external arts have always been rather weak against internal attacks.”

“I see. I didn't consider that,” said Vator while nodding in acceptance.

‘Even so, this is… truly amazing.’

What he was trying to master was Mara Blood Flame Qi. And all he did so far was take the first few baby steps. With Kang Jin-Ho's help, Vator learned how to utilize demonic qi. Then, he followed the sutras of Mara Blood Flame Qi to circulate demonic qi in his body. In other words, he was still at the basics stage.

However, the sense of fulfillment Vator felt while circulating demonic qi according to the sutras was beyond his ability to describe. His blood boiled, and the confidence to seemingly achieve anything and everything he wanted overflowed from every pore on his body.

‘So, this is demonic cultivation…!’

This was probably why this branch of martial arts earned the 'demonic' moniker. As if he had received a shot of narcotics designed to stimulate the human body, Vator's thoughts instantly escaped from the boundaries of the rational mind.

‘Will I be able to control myself in this state?’

Vator suddenly grew fearful just then. Usually, most demonic cultivators got acclimatized to demonic qi while their cultivation realm was still low. Which meant someone could suppress them if they went berserk due to the side effects of demonic cultivation. However, what if Vator went berserk?

An unmentionable tragedy would occur.

‘I must not be lackadaisical about this.’

Now that he had a better understanding of what demonic cultivation was like, Vator became even more awed by Kang Jin-Ho's abilities.

‘Are you telling me my master has reached such a realm in something this troublesome?’

In that case, how was Kang Jin-Ho keeping all of his urges and desires under control?

‘I just can’t figure him out. Seriously now…’

Vator slowly shook his head, only for him to catch the figure of a stiffly-standing person standing before the open doorway with the corner of his eyes.

“What’s this?” Vator growled, his expression distorting again. “You! Did you just barge in here without bothering to check the situation inside!”

“Uh, mm… Well, that is…” Lee Hyeon-Su stiffened even more.

This response was understandable, though. Who would be able to keep their cool when a giant well over seven feet tall and covered in blood was roaring loudly enough to bring the whole building down?

“M-my apologies, Sir Vator. I didn’t expect you to be cultivating inside this office, you see…”

“Say what?” Vator growled again, his brows ominously twitching. “Are you saying that had I not been here, you'd have no problem barging into the Assembly Master's office like you own this place?!”

“N-no, that’s not what I’m…” Lee Hyeon-Su couldn’t find the proper excuses to defend himself with and could only flap his lips helplessly.

‘Why! Why do you have to be cultivating in here!’

Lee Hyeon-Su genuinely didn't expect Vator to be training inside Kang Jin-Ho's office. However, he would have sensed another presence in the office if he had been a bit calmer.

His agitation had blinded him and made him forget to check the situation out first.

“You arrogant fool!” Vator roared, the glare in his eyes sharpening.

Compared to the truly nightmarish appearance a few seconds ago, this Vator was a wee bit more… human, but unlike back then, his anger was solely concentrated on Lee Hyeon-Su and no one else.

Lee Hyeon-Su felt his legs give up and his family jewels tighten. However, wasn't he the Chief of the Operations Management office? Favored by Kang Jin-Ho and all?

Unfortunately, none of those factors worked against Vator. To the big man, everyone in the Assembly was equal, with Kang Jin-Ho the obvious exception. To him… It was the rule of 'One Fist for You, One Fist for Me'! And now…

Someone like that was gnashing his teeth noisily at Lee Hyeon-Su.

“Even though you’ve been busy running your mouth about reforming the Assembly and whatever! As it turns out, the one who truly needs a reform was you, you insolent bastard! I, Vator, will rip that rotten mindset out of your head and fix you right up!”

Vator’s pot lid-sized hand shot out and grabbed the scruff of Lee Hyeon-Su’s neck. With minimum effort, he easily picked Lee Hyeon-Su up.

Now dangling like a piece of fruit in Vator’s hand, Lee Hyeon-Su’s sorrow-filled eyes urgently shifted over to Kang Jin-Ho. “A-Assembly Master?!”

Unfortunately for Lee Hyeon-Su, though… Kang Jin-Ho was relaxedly sipping coffee, looking utterly unconcerned. He learned to act this way from Wiggins earlier.

“Listen, Lee Hyeon-Su,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“Yes, I’m listening, sir! I am!”

Please save me, sir! If you do, I will swear my undying loyalty to…

“Take care of yourself, okay? We’ll talk afterward.”

“…!”

Kang Jin-Ho gently smiled while waving his hand. And Lee Hyeon-Su’s eyes quickly clouded up from all the manly tears at this sight.

‘Not one person is supposed to be trustworthy in this world, and it’s all true!’

Vator snorted derisively. Lee Hyeon-Su was like a puppy who grew too full of himself from his master's greatness and barked noisily at every passerby, only to finally run into a strict dog trainer.

Vator lightly shook Lee Hyeon-Su while strengthening his grip on the scruff of the latter’s neck. “Let’s go!”

While holding a fully grown man in one hand, Vator unhesitantly strode outside the Assembly Master's office. Now resembling a large garbage bag dangling off the hand of a man emerging from a local supermarket, Lee Hyeon-Su pitifully cried out in half in resentment and sorrow.

“Assembly, Maaaaaaaster!”

Slam!

Unfortunately for him, the office door closed shut without giving a damn.

It didn’t even take two days to suppress the revolt of Lee Hyeon-Su, who didn’t know his place and acted too full of himself.

What's more, it was done with the method no one had expected!