Chapter 663. Tightening (3)

The South Korean Martial Assembly was rapidly regaining its stability. So much so that the recovery rate seemed a little too excessive.

Despite boasting half a century of history, the Assembly still didn't experience all that many events as seismic as Lee Jung-Geol's coup d'etat attempt.

Subduing and then absorbing the Yeongnam Group was already a huge event that would go down in the annals of the Assembly's history. Yet another unprecedented event occurred even before things could settle down.

Most other organizations would be sweating buckets trying to deal with the aftermath. However, that story didn't apply to the Assembly. It was recovering so fast that the whole thing was verging on ridiculousness.

When Yi Myeon-Hwan observed his fellow martial artists training away as if nothing had happened, he couldn't help but wonder if that was true, that he had been imagining things all along.

He sneakily looked up higher at the Assembly's main building. Although the structure itself wasn't tall... The prospect of looking at the upper floors was something he always dreaded.

The highest floor was occupied by the Assembly's movers and shakers, including the Assembly Master. When Yi Myeong-Hwan imagined who could potentially be looking at him from up there... He dared not raise his head.

'Makes sense everything has calmed down in a jiffy, though...'

When chaos arrived, the problem would always be with people. Humans needed to have their feet planted on solid ground to exist. However, unprecedented chaos visiting their organization would make humans anxious about losing their firm footing.

In a way, it'd be like people getting scared and anxious during earthquakes.

Maybe people weren't looking for a sensible, well-oiled organization. It could be that what they really wanted was an organization with a clear goal that happened to align with their own path in life. Oh, and their current situation, too!

In that sense, Yi Myeong-Hwan could say the series of responses the Assembly resorted to after quelling Lee Jung-Geol's dissent had proven effective.

'Most important of all...'

A wry smile formed on Yi Myeong-Hwan's face. Kang Jin-Ho finally taking over the Martial Assembly position was a significant development.

The truth be told, Kang Jin-Ho was the Assembly Master in all but name. Everyone in the Martial Assembly knew that. However, the significance of Kang Jin-Ho openly claiming the position shouldn't be overlooked.

Those who knew some bits about what Kang Jin-Ho had done were puzzled by why he didn't take over the Assembly Master position. At the same time, they also grew anxious.

Kang Jin-Ho was half-responsible for the current Assembly. And this organization leaned heavily on Kang Jin-Ho's support for various things. So, imagine how anxious they would be after imagining Kang Jin-Ho suddenly dropping everything and leaving the Assembly.

The more people got to know Kang Jin-Ho, the worse their vague, undefined worries gnawed at them. Even Yi Myeong-Hwan was already this nervous, so how much worse would it be for other people?

So, Kang Jin-Ho finally ascending to the Assembly Master position was like the greatest news from the heavens to these anxious people. As if the subtly unstable ground had finally stopped shaking.

In a way, it was like misaligned cogs were finally turning as they should. Things functioning as they intended gave people a sense of stability. And now, people had confidence that regardless of what might happen or how large aftershocks of previous incidents might be, the Assembly would continue to exist and even evolve to better suit the future.

'Which is kinda ironic...'

Yi Myeong-Hwan hadn't shared his feelings about this matter with anyone, but honestly, he... He found this phenomenon somewhat absurd. What did everyone see in Kang Jin-Ho to be this confident?

Everyone would probably try to explain themselves in various ways. However, in the end... The thing they actually trusted was Kang Jin-Ho's martial prowess.

Indeed, all because Kang Jin-Ho was strong!

This was why martial artists could be such amusing creatures. To regular people with zero cultivation, physical strength would be nothing more than another one of a person's traits. And they would think you were a madman if you told them you trusted a company because of its leader's physical strength.

However, such logic was perfectly acceptable for martial artists. Even though a mindset like that was clearly abnormal, and common sense dictated people shouldn't behave this way.

Unfortunately, such a thing happened regularly in the martial world since the dawn of time. The one who led Gangho was not the wisest person in the world nor someone with the most extensive connections in human history. No, it was... The strongest individual!

The folks of Gangho would offer an infinite amount of faith and respect to such a powerful individual.

'What a perfect recipe for a disaster.'

Such an antiquated thing was now happening in the 21st century. When judging this situation in isolation, one could argue that the people involved were primitive. Barbaric, maybe. However, they should be blaming the unique quirk of being a martial artist instead.

Was it because martial artists respected and admired the strong? Not exactly.

Yi Myeong-Hwan thought about how he'd reply if someone asked him whether or not he trusted Kang Jin-Ho as the Assembly Master. And his answer? It would be an emphatic yes.

But why?

'This is not something non-martial artists can understand.'

People who hadn't walked the path of cultivation would inevitably focus on the strength of the strong individual. However, martial artists focused not on the strength, but on the process of how the strong managed to achieve such strength.

Even if your cultivation technique was top-notch, it was still impossible to become stronger without putting in the required effort. And the powerful individuals proved themselves to everyone around them through their cultivation process.

The tenacity and the will to never give up! The wisdom required to comprehend and accumulate various teachings! The decisiveness to choose the right cultivation method for oneself and doggedly pursue this path! And then, the ability to respond to various situations and dangers! Finally, the ability to utilize everything they had learned!

It wasn't the case of a cultivation technique being all-conquering, but the person mastering it being strong. Because they were strong, to begin with, these individuals managed to attain such cultivation realms. Since that was the case... How could the fellow martial artists not hold trust in such individuals?

When viewed from such a lens, Kang Jin-Ho was an absolute and overwhelming ruler the likes of which the Martial Assembly had never experienced. Everything he said would soon morph into laws within the hallways of the Assembly, even if he didn't bother to explain. Everything he did would stoke the flames of faith in his subordinates.

'That's right. Faith.'

Without that faith, Yi Myeong-Hwan would've given up on this path a long time ago. He silently raised his hands before his eyes.

'I'm scared...'

That was his honest feeling. Cultivating meant a martial artist was trying to obtain enough power to destroy other people. Despite knowing this, he was never scared of his own strength. Until recently, that was.

The previous incident with Lee Jung-Geol starkly demonstrated what kind of power he had come to possess now.

'The... demonic cultivation!'

The demonic cultivation method Yi Myeong-Hwan mastered didn't differentiate between allies and enemies. Once the demonic qi was roused to the extremes, Yi Myeong-Hwan's mind would go blank, empty and devoid of any coherent thoughts. The void left behind would instantly be filled with hatred and malice.

He displayed overwhelming animosity toward everything his eyes could see. So, with his situation like that... What would happen if he continued down this path of demonic cultivation?

Yi Myeong-Hwan glanced around. He could sense several people in the distance whispering to each other while staring at him. He didn't blame them, though.

Lee Jung-Geol's Uprising... was what everyone took to calling that incident. The folks who gained the most notoriety after that elegantly- and immaturely-titled incident were not Kang Jin-Ho nor Lee Hyeon-Su. No, people's focus was reserved for the 'Demon Flames', like Yi Myeong-Hwan, who managed to turn the members of Lee Jung-Geol's faction into permanent customers in the dental care industry. Even though the Demon Flames were minuscule in number compared to Lee Jung-Geol's men!

Sure, the surroundings had been cordoned off during the assault, but completely shutting out everyone's gaze would always be asking for a miracle. Besides, other martial artists had to clean up the sites the Demon Flames had swept through, anyway!

The first topic of discussion was the horrifying and wretched states of the martial artists daring to oppose the Demon Flames. However, the discussion soon drifted toward how strong each Demon Flames member could potentially be. Eventually, several eyewitnesses who weren't even there suddenly popped out of the woodwork to regale the interested crowd with what they allegedly saw.

Obviously, the Demon Flames themselves were flabbergasted and dismayed by all the exaggeration added to the story. Unfortunately, the lack of witnesses worked against them this time, and those embellished tales soon became the widely accepted truth.

And so, the general evaluation surrounding Kang Jin-Ho's personal 'bodyguards' led by Yi Myeong-Hwan was that of...

'Cruel, savage demonic arts-cultivating bastards with zero mercy in their hearts.'

'Well, they aren't that far off the mark, are they?'

The current Yi Myeong-Hwan would've been aggrieved by such a label. However, what about when he had roused his demonic qi to the maximum? Such an evaluation would be a perfect fit for him.

Yi Myeong-Hwan still could remember everything from that night. Those feelings coursing through his veins after he had roused his demonic qi and began climbing up the mountainside! That feeling of liberation! And the powerful urges to... kill everything he could see! His boiling bloodlust!

'Will I be okay at this rate...?'

Yi Myeong-Hwan was aware of how he was slowly breaking down. Others in the Demon Flames hadn't said anything yet, but Yi Myeong-Hwan was convinced that they must be feeling roughly the same thing as him.

After that night, he began noticing several martial artists going through an emotional slump.

Those who had never experienced what it was like to be unable to control their own emotions would never understand how much of a burden it was. The Demon Flames might turn into bloodthirsty monsters who only craved death and destruction sooner or later. In that case, how were they supposed to continue treading this path of cultivation?

The only thing allowing Yi Myeong-Hwan to stand tall and not give up against this crippling burden was his faith in Kang Jin-Ho. Kang Jin-Ho's promise of never letting them become monsters had been the source of strength and support for the Demon Flames.

'Hah. This is sounding more and more like a cult, eh?'

A self-deprecating smirk formed on Yi Myeong-Hwan's face.

Kang Jin-Ho didn't provide any evidence. No eyewitness testimonies. Yet the Demon Flames still took that single promise as the shining beacon of hope and offered Kang Jin-Ho their infinite faith. In that case... Was there any difference between a cult and the Demon Flames?

Every day, those cultivating demonic arts would ruminate over their faith in Kang Jin-Ho. That process gradually morphed them into fanatical believers one by one. At this rate, Yi Myeong-Hwan was worried about some Demon Flames breaking down and sobbing emotionally at whatever Kang Jin-Ho said to them.

After imagining that scene in his head, Yi Myeong-Hwan sighed under his breath.

Of course he was aware. They were the ones who chose this path. If they wanted to get out, all they needed to do was seal their demonic qi. Then... They could live the rest of their lives as regular citizens.

However, a martial artist shouldn't whine if they don't have the necessary courage to commit to their ideals.

It's just that...

“Hey, man. Whatcha doing?”

“Mm?” Yi Myeong-Hwan was taken aback slightly at a voice coming from somewhere behind him. Someone was still willing to talk to him after what happened that night?

Yi Myeong-Hwan turned around to see who it could be. “Who are... Huh? What the hell are you?”

Was that... padding? But that couldn't be?

He couldn't help but do a double-take at the man behind him. This man, already a physically imposing specimen, was wearing clothes with lots of protruding sections as if padding had been added underneath. The intimidation factor this sight gave off was quite immense.

Yi Myeong-Hwan suddenly gained an understanding of why the ancient Korean folks were scared of the foreign invaders kitted out in such armor, calling them phantoms and spooks or whatever.

The only reason why Yi Myeong-Hwan didn't freak out and distance himself wasn't because of his confidence to beat up this foreign invader but because the face of the invader happened to be a familiar one to him.

Gong Yeong-Gil sourly tutted at his friend's question. “What do you mean, what the heck am I?”

“Sorry. Besides all that. What are you wearing, man?”

“It's a lead-lined training suit.”

“Lead-lined what...?” Yi Myeong-Hwan frowned deeply while scanning Gong Yeong-Gil from top to bottom.

'All those things are lead?'

Now that he had taken a closer look... Yi Myeong-Hwan was right. Those weren't rubber padding at all. The sturdy-looking training suit had pockets in various places, and those pockets were clearly filled to the brim with strange objects.

“Are you saying... Those things are all lead?”

“Yup,” Gong Yeong-Gil slowly nodded.

“And you're walking around wearing that?”

“Yup,” said Gong Yeong-Gil, but then, a loud groan leaked out of his mouth next.

Yi Myeong-Hwan's frown deepened. “Huh? But why?”

They hadn't seen each other in a while, but Yi Myeong-Hwan's curiosity proved more urgent than his happiness at seeing his friend. Just why was Gong Yeong-Gil doing something so bizarre?

Gong Yeong-Gil shrugged his shoulders. “It's a part of our training.”

“Really? Wearing that is training? Is that even effective?”

“I dunno about the effectiveness and whatnot, but... What can we do when the big man tells us to wear it? He told us that anyone who dared to take off this suit while he's away would be rolled into a soccer ball and kicked around for his amusement later.”

Yi Myeong-Hwan's expression distorted weirdly. “Sir Vator really said that?”

“Yeah,” Gong Yeong-Gil nodded as sorrow filled his face.

“I, uh... I see. You're also having a hard time, huh?”

“Blooming hell...”

While looking at Gong Yeong-Gil sorrowfully sigh away, Yi Myeong-Hwan suddenly had a thought. Maybe Kang Jin-Ho was a much better teacher than Yi Myeong-Hwan gave credit for?

At least, Kang Jin-Ho wouldn't force his pupils to humiliate themselves like this!

“Besides all that, though. What's going on with you?”

When Gong Yeong-Gil asked that question, Yi Myeong-Hwan tilted his head in confusion.