Chapter 356: The Beginning (1)

Even before Bang Jin-Hun's words stopped echoing in the Training Hall, everyone went deathly quiet, and the heated atmosphere cooled down instantly.

'He... wants us to have a go at Kang Jin-Ho?'

Sure, that was the best method available. The crowd couldn't exactly demand Kang Jin-Ho to put on a talent show to prove his strength, after all.

The simplest, most straightforward method of proving oneself was beating someone up, and everyone here knew that.

However, no one expected Bang Jin-Hun to suggest this method first. Imagine if the person Bang Jin-Hun had personally recommended lost to someone in a fight. Nothing would be more embarrassing than that.

Worse still, Kang Jin-Ho was supposed to become one of the directors of the Martial Assembly. Someone like that losing to a martial artist from this crowd? Bang Jin-Hun would be too embarrassed to even raise his head in public for a while.

'However, he wants to take that risk?'

Yi Myeong-Hwan was suddenly overcome with anxiety. Since Bang Jin-Hun wasn't a moron, he must have known what would happen if Kang Jin-Ho was defeated by Gong Yeong-Gil. But he still dared to talk about a fight?

Considering Bang Jin-Hun's smarts, this could only mean he had absolute confidence in Kang Jin-Ho's victory.

'In that young man?'

Yi Myeong-Hwan couldn't help but get confused about this situation. In his eyes, Kang Jin-Ho... just didn't look all that strong.

Don't judge a book by its cover? That was a stupid notion.

The 'cover', or appearance in this case, was often the first and only clue to judging someone. Who in this world could judge strangers without factoring in their appearances? It wasn't like everyone was a mind reader.

Besides, Yi Myeong-Hwan had a good reason for his judgment. First of all, Kang Jin-Ho's physique simply lacked muscles.

Even if martial artists fought using their internal energy, they still needed to adhere to the basics, and that would be having a trained physique. Muscles moved the body, after all. And internal energy was meant to enhance the destructive power.

The second piece of evidence was Kang Jin-Ho's hands. Yi Myeong-Hwan carefully observed Kang Jin-Ho's hands visible below the business suit's sleeves.

'I don't see anything...'

He couldn't see any calluses on Kang Jin-Ho's hands.

Calluses were probably the best indicator of training. A martial artist who used his fists often would have calluses and scars of various sizes on the backs of his hands. Meanwhile, the palms of those who preferred swords would resemble ugly spiderwebs instead.

Even if a martial artist reached the pinnacle and couldn't get injured anymore, their scars would still remain. Being super-strong didn't mean the signs of your previous injuries would magically disappear, after all!

As an example, look at Bang Jin-Hun's hands. They were large and covered in various scars. However, Kang Jin-Ho's hands were white and smooth.

It was impossible to get stronger without putting in any effort. This rule applied whether one was a returner or not. Martial arts were not supposed to be trained with one's mind. No, one's body was supposed to do it.

Returning to the present was similar to leveling up a brand-new game character. If a player had experienced reaching the level cap several times before, they could potentially raise their new character slightly faster and stronger than everyone else. However, he would still need to invest enough time and effort first.

'Well, you can always spend like crazy in the microtransaction store...'

Too bad, reality didn't have an MT store to make one's journey a bit smoother.

It seemed everyone was thinking the same thing, judging from how they were all looking at Gong Yeong-Gil.

However, Kang Jin-Ho seemed to be the odd man out in this situation.

“Hold on, there's no need to do that.” Kang Jin-Ho stopped Bang Jin-Hun. “I'm only here to introduce myself, so let's not raise a fuss and get out of their hair.”

“Oh... If that's what you want…” Bang Jin-Hun ruefully smacked his lips.

'It would've been nice if he showed off one more time today...'

Nothing was better than a good ol' smackdown to quell the voices of dissent, now wasn't it? All these folks daring to talk crap would instantly shut their mouths up once they saw what kind of a man Kang Jin-Ho was.

Bang Jin-Hun wasn't a fan of this method but knew it was sometimes necessary. However, there wasn't a lot he could do if Kang Jin-Ho didn't feel like doing it.

“Even so, how about giving it another consideration...?” Bang Jin-Hun hopefully asked one more time.

“I have no plans to put on a show, Mister Jin-Hun,” Kang Jin-Ho firmly replied, and Bang Jin-Hun had no choice but to nod in acceptance.

From Kang Jin-Ho's perspective, it'd be a waste of time to get his hands dirty with these guys, anyway. A high-level player not fooling around in a low-level hunting zone was a tacit rule everyone agreed to, after all!

“In any case, I'll be in your care.” Kang Jin-Ho briefly bowed his head again.

Gong Yeong-Gil saw that response and smirked ominously. Yi Myeong-Hwan felt goosebumps on his skin at that smirk.

'No, stop right there, you fool!'

Gong Yeong-Gil should stop there. He must not go any further. Yi Myeong-Hwan might have started this train rolling, but he had already stopped himself before it got too dangerous. However, Gong Yeong-Gil's attitude suggested he wanted to take it even further.

Mob mentality was a scary thing. Once the crowd started supporting you, you'd blindly cross that one line that shouldn't be crossed. That was Gong Yeong-Gil's current situation.

If that idiot crossed the line now, he'd end up in Bang Jin-Hun's bad books with pretty good certainty. And Bang Jin-Hun was the Martial Assembly's master, a man who had finally sorted out the chaos within the Assembly and reached the peak of his power.

If Gong Yeong-Gil was smart enough to understand what his actions could potentially do, he must stop himself before it was too late.

Yi Myeong-Hwan was about to reach out, but Gong Yeong-Gil opened his piehole one beat faster. “Hah. He's scared.”

The atmosphere rapidly cooled until it reached the freezing point. The Training Hall was instantly enveloped in silence, and Gong Yeong-Gil hurriedly scanned his surroundings in a slight fluster.

Everyone was sending Gong Yeong-Gil subtle glares of reprimand. Only then did Gong Yeong-Gil realize the slip of his tongue, and he tried to fix his mistake, but...

'...Huh? He's smiling?'

Bang Jin-Hun should've been furious, but... He was unexpectedly grinning away. It was as if he was so pleased by how this situation had progressed. His eyes, now resembling a pair of slender crescents, were locked on Kang Jin-Ho. Gong Yeong-Gil's gaze naturally followed the Assembly Master's and also landed on Kang Jin-Ho.

Kang Jin-Ho's expression hadn't changed noticeably other than a slight hint of consternation had crept into his eyes as he looked back at Gong Yeong-Gil. Maybe, he thought he needed to say something here.

“Uh... Mm.” Kang Jin-Ho scratched his head. “It's not that I'm scared, but... If we can talk it out, I'd prefer doing that instead.”

“Eh?”

“I believe it's only natural for you to oppose the announcement of me joining the board of directors. I didn't even agree to it in the first place, but the Assembly Master went ahead and said something he shouldn't have. I won't become a director, so don't worry, everyone.”

Kang Jin-Ho's surprisingly civil response left Gong Yeong-Gil dazed and speechless. “Ah. Oh, uh... Well, if you say so…”

If you criticize someone only for them to keep their cool and apologize, you'd inevitably feel at a loss, unsure of how to proceed. When Kang Jin-Ho bowed slightly, Gong Yeong-Gil followed suit and lowered his head as well.

'Huh. This is weird...'

It kinda looked like Gong Yeong-Gil, who brazenly issued a challenge, was backing off sheepishly after the other side didn't accept the provocation. He couldn't help but feel like he got sucked into Kang Jin-Ho's pace.

Bang Jin-Hun figured the situation had settled down somewhat and addressed the crowd again. “Looks like I was a bit rash about giving Mister Kang Jin-Ho a position in our Assembly. I'll discuss this matter with other directors and find a suitable solution. In the meantime, I can only ask for your understanding on this one, fellas.”

“Yes, Assembly Master.”

“I'll do my best to accommodate your opinions, so all the representative-level guys, please go around and listen to what your peers have to say. And submit your report to your superiors.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Ehh, so…” Bang Jin-Hun glanced at Kang Jin-Ho.

Kang Jin-Ho looked back with a face that said, '

You want me to say something else?'

When Bang Jin-Hun silently nodded, Kang Jin-Ho spat out a lengthy groan. This was why he disliked attending these kinds of meetings.

“It seems we'll be working together within a day or two, so please take care of me then.” Kang Jin-Ho bowed his head toward the crowd in the Training Hall. They responded by bowing their heads back to him. It seemed they liked how courteous Kang Jin-Ho was.

Young people getting the Assembly Master's backing would usually grow too full of themselves and become arrogant, but Kang Jin-Ho didn't seem to be in that state of mind.

'Huh. He's surprisingly nice?'

Gong Yeong-Gil thought that to himself while rubbing his chin.

However, Yi Myeong-Hwan standing next to him was groaning under his breath.

'You dumb sh*t...'

If Kang Jin-Ho hadn't responded politely and expressed his displeasure, Bang Jin-Hun probably wouldn't have stayed still. Subordinates daring to make fun of someone he introduced was the same as them making fun of him, after all!

When Yi Myeong-Hwan's thoughts reached that far, he suddenly became confused about something. “Hang on... Is he strong or not?”

The initial impression Yi Myeong-Hwan got from Kang Jin-Ho's appearance grew even fuzzier than before at what transpired just now. In the end, he never got to find out how strong Kang Jin-Ho actually was.

Bang Jin-Hun scanned the crowd. “Okay. You're all free to leave. However, we'll be getting a move-on pretty soon, so stay in contact, everyone.”

“Yes, sir!”

Bang Jin-Hun smiled affably and headed outside the Training Hall, and Kang Jin-Ho followed him without saying anything.

Once the two men had left the building, the Training Hall instantly descended into noisy chaos.

“What the hell was up with that brat?”

“Holy cow, he looked so weak! What was the Assembly Master thinking while trying to make that weakling a director of our Assembly? Is our Assembly Master going senile?”

“What do you mean, senile? He's way too young for that, you idiot!”

“I mean, come on. The Assembly Master just tried to do something totally wacky, you know?”

“Hey, Yeong-Gil! Why did you back off, man? You could've taught that brat a lesson.”

Gong Yeong-Gil scratched his head. “Eiii... If I insisted on trampling that kid, it'd be like I'm stepping on the Assembly Master's face, you know? I should back off at a good-enough timing and preserve the Assembly Master's pride, don't you agree?”

“Hah, listen to this guy. I guess he's now an expert in social life, eh?”

The atmosphere in the Training Hall grew more heated. Yi Myeong-Hwan glanced around and frowned slightly.

'It's like we've successfully pulled off a coup d'etat or something...'

From the sound of it, some idiots in here seemed to think they had knocked Bang Jin-Hun off his perch a little. They were making the most noises right now. Small fries not worth Bang Jin-Hun's time were acting up as if they were responsible for what happened just now, and Yi Myeong-Hwan found them a bit of an eyesore. But he didn't feel the need to voice his opinion.

'Regardless of all that, though... Now that I've thought about it, this situation sure is weird.'

If all the rumors regarding Bang Jin-Hun's relationship with Kang Jin-Ho were false, Bang Jin-Hun wouldn't have had a reason to make that directorial position announcement.

In other words, a mysterious arrangement between Bang Jin-Hun and Kang Jin-Ho must be real. What confused Yi Myeong-Hwan was Kang Jin-Ho's behavior. He didn't seem like the bloodthirsty madman depicted in the rumors, so...

Suddenly, the Training Hall's door opened with a soft creak.

“...!” Yi Myeong-Hwan instantly became speechless at the sight of a group of men entering the Training Hall.

These men were covered almost head to toe in blood, whether it was their clothes or hands. Almost in the blink of an eye, everyone in the hall focused on them.

“Argh, f*cking hell…”

Every single one of these blood-covered men was groaning loudly, their complexions gloomy and depressed.

“W-what the hell... Did you lot fight in a war or something? Why do you all look like that?”

“War?” The first blood-covered man to enter the hall helplessly chuckled. “You know, I'd have preferred warzones. This was... Urgh…”

'Hey, they are the Assembly's clean-up crew...'

The clean-up crew's job was to deal with the incidents involving the Assembly's martial artists. However, tonight was the first time they looked so terrible like this.

“Gee whiz... If he was gonna kill someone, couldn't he do that... I dunno, more nicely? Why did he have to turn humans into bloody meat paste? Holy cow... Let me tell you something, fellas. I've never vomited once while doing this job, but I really emptied out my stomach tonight.”

One of the martial artists confusedly asked, “Huh? Where have you been?”

“Are you asking me that because you really don't know?”

Another martial artist butted in. “...Hang on, didn't the Assembly Master summon you to clean up a scene?”

“Yup.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan couldn't hold back anymore and urgently asked. “Did... Did Kang Jin-Ho do that?”

He wasn't sure why he asked that particular question. But the reply he got proved that he was right to ask it.

“That bastard... He's a total psycho!” The clean-up crew member yelled loudly.

“...Huh?”

“Urgh…” The clean-up crew member pulled out a chair and plopped down on it. “F*cking hell. What kind of a man... No, hang on. Let me tell you first that I've always been hostile to the Jap bastards all my life. Even then...! I was feeling sorry for those bastards, you know! I'm telling you, even slabs of meat wouldn't get treated that badly! I don't know how a human can slaughter other people that viciously…”

“Wait, wait! Kang Jin-Ho slaughtered Jap bastards?”

“Yes.”

“Were they regularly civilians?”

“Of course not. They all had swords. I figured they were trying to kill Kang Jin-Ho.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan shuddered grandly. “Are you telling me Kang Jin-Ho killed how many? Twenty Japanese martial artists?”

“Not just 'kill', he utterly slaughtered them. Ripped them apart beyond recognition. F*cking hell, I'm telling you, he went too far.”

An eerie silence descended on the Training Hall. No one here wanted to accept that geeky brat who brushed aside Gong Yeong-Gil's provocation with a polite smile could be that vicious.

Someone quietly muttered, “We're screwed.”

However, his words perfectly encapsulated the sentiments of everyone present. Unfortunately for a certain duo, though, even worse crap was about to hit the fan.

Creak...

The door opened again, and a secretary belonging to the Assembly Master's office peeked his head. “Yi Myeong-Hwan, Gong Yeong-Gil? The Assembly Master wants to see you both.”