Chapter 720. Choosing (5)

Chapter 720. Choosing (5)

"My lieeeeeeege!"

Kang Jin-Ho fiercely massaged the bridge of his nose.

'So, this is stress, huh.'

After his return, Kang Jin-Ho hadn't really experienced stress-inducing events. That didn't mean he led a trouble-free life until now, of course. It was just that most of the problems he encountered up to now were the types that could be resolved through his will.

However, the current situation could not be solved even if Kang Jin-Ho willed it. And that situation was... a loyal subordinate over 180 years old profusely crying his eyes out while kowtowing deeply on the floor!

"...Chang Min?"

"Yes, my liege!"

"Can't you stop planting your forehead on the ground before saying something to me?"

"I beg your pardon? But my liege! This is the time-honored custom of the demon cult. Raising one's head before the cult leader is seen as a sign of challenge!"

"...Really?"

Was that why not a single idiot back then dared to raise their head in Kang Jin-Ho's presence? Kang Jin-Ho used to think those bastards didn't know the basic etiquette whenever they avoided looking into his eyes while having a chat, but now...

'Now that I think about it... I was also a helpless idiot, wasn't I?'

If something puzzled him, all he had to do was ask. But no, he just accepted things as-is and went with the flow. Maybe because of his mindset of ancient Zhongyuan's ways being indecipherable to a modern-era person like him, Kang Jin-Ho didn't bother changing things and gave up from the get-go.

If the current 'Kang Jin-Ho' got another chance to travel back in time... He'd try things differently from his past self.

"Fine, fine! I get it, so raise your head when talking to me. You know what? Why don't you sit there first?"

"B-b-but! My liege! This is the demon cult's time-honored tradition and history...!"

Kang Jin-Ho loudly tutted. "I am the demon cult's tradition and history."

Chang Min was left speechless, forcing him to raise his head.

Indeed, Kang Jin-Ho was right. If someone else made that declaration, it would be seen as that person going on an over-inflated ego trip. However, when Kang Jin-Ho said it, it was merely a factual statement. After all, not only was he literally a part of the demon cult's history, Kang Jin-Ho was the leader during the cult's most prosperous days.

Arguing about tradition and whatnot with Kang Jin-Ho was no better than a futile waste of time.

"T-then, please excuse my rudeness, my liege," Chang Min cautiously got up. Unsurprisingly, he also found constantly rubbing his face on the ground rather uncomfortable.

Kang Jin-Ho tutted again. "Get rid of any unnecessary formalities from now on. We are not living in the past anymore."

"H-however, my liege! Formality breeds respect, sire. Humans need formalities to establish relationships with others. If we get rid of all formalities, people who cross lines they shouldn't have crossed will appear."

"Then, let's keep it at the level of an average corporation, okay?"

"Oh. Uh... Mm, this is all I know, so..."

"Huh?" Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow, indicating that he needed more explanation.

Chang Min smiled awkwardly. "My liege, I... have never gotten a job before, so I don't know what you mean."

"..." Kang Jin-Ho grew stupefied, his jaw slightly falling, as he stared at Chang Min.

'Wait. Now that I think about it...'

Chang Min was born in the demon cult and lived his entire life 'working' for it. In other words, he was a 180-year-old hardcore unemployed bum!

'...In some sense, I should respect his achievements, then.'

Kang Jin-Ho suddenly thought that Chang Min's over-the-top politeness wasn't due to his age. If everything Chang Min had witnessed and experienced took place within the demon cult, he'd obviously see nothing wrong or odd about this kind of behavior!

'Do I need to get him an internship somewhere?'

Kang Jin-Ho ended up chuckling at his own thoughts. He couldn't help it after imagining a dandy-type older gent with white hair neatly trimmed in the undercut style commuting to work in the morning as an intern while carrying a briefcase. Didn't Chang Min oddly fit that image to a T?

"...!"

Kang Jin-Ho's brows quivered.

Azure Demon actually wrote this?

My liege can be seriously audacious and manly sometimes. But the way he obsesses over food is beyond my capability to understand.

If he wishes to eat something warm, couldn't he boil it with his Yang energy? If he wanted something cold, I'm sure he could've used Yin Frost energy to freeze whatever his food was. Why did he order me to freeze a perfectly fine bowl of water into ice, then grind it to powder before dressing it with boiled adzuki beans? I just don't get it.

Even the lowly slaves and tramps don't eat this way. Then again, I should be more understanding since my liege originally hails from a dirt-poor family.

"What the hell?!" Kang Jin-Ho's eyes quivered ominously in barely suppressed anger.

While in the light, Azure Demon was busy wagging his tail and swore to sacrifice even his soul to loyally serve Kang Jin-Ho, but in the shadows, he was busy badmouthing his boss! Kang Jin-Ho suddenly regretted not killing Azure Demon more painfully back then!

When a person has a short temper, others would often resort to the description of 'fiery'. However, spend three days next to the demon emperor, and I swear, no one will ever use that word so casually anymore. Because they will learn what true 'fieriness' actually is!

For instance, my liege beheaded a special envoy dispatched by one of the orthodox factions simply because he apparently couldn't understand a word coming out of the envoy's mouth!

Sure, why not? Audaciousness and cruelty are virtues to the leader of the demon cult, after all! However, what am I supposed to think when my liege couldn't even recognize the former emperor's posthumous title and killed the envoy because of it?!

Is he just dumb? Or far too short-tempered and violent? No, wait. I guess it's both? Dumb and short-tempered?

Fearing that unsavory rumors might spread, I had to behead the rest of the envoys, too. With this, I'm sure we won't avoid another war against the orthodox factions. Still, it's better to wage war with the excuse of the demon emperor's personality being sh*tty instead of people thinking of him as a dumbass.

I wonder sometimes if he knows how to read. I'd often catch him 'reading' the reports upside down, so... Maybe not?

"...Huh. Huhuh... Huh...!"

Demonic qi began to leak out ominously from Kang Jin-Ho's figure. More personal musings were written past that section, but reading any further seemed unnecessary at this point.

After his return to the modern era, Kang Jin-Ho grew remorseful toward how he had treated Azure Demon. While he was lording over the demon cult as the one and only Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor, Azure Demon took on all the thankless jobs behind the scenes. Kang Jin-Ho always grew solemn whenever he thought about all the hardships Azure Demon must've faced while cleaning up Kang Jin-Ho's mess.

'Fine. Fine! I mean, Azure Demon was a human being like me, so...!'

Kang Jin-Ho should be more understanding since everyone was like this, no?! After all, who wouldn't have badmouthed their workplace superiors at least once before? As long as they weren't found out, it was all good, wasn't it?!

"But this punk actually left behind a bloody diary?!"

Wasn't this like Azure Demon wanting to vent his frustration and unhappiness to the future generations? The more Kang Jin-Ho thought about it, the more furious he got.

Chang Min worriedly called out, "M-my liege?"

"Fuu-wooooph! Kang Jin-Ho sucked in several deep breaths, then glared sharply at Chang Min. He didn't mean to glare like this, but his facial muscles were doing that all on their own! Kang Jin-Ho couldn't maintain his usual composure as this matter involved Azure Demon. "How many people have seen this?"

"W-well, that is..." Chang Min hesitated a little again before sighing in resignation. "Only a few have laid their eyes on the original, but... Most of the legends about the demon emperor were based on this secret memoir, my liege. Even if some details had been added or omitted..."

The ends of Kang Jin-Ho's lips quivered and twitched ominously as he listened. "So, the demon emperor everyone is thinking of is... An utter as*hole who is a dumbass and also short-tempered? An unpredictable nutcase? Is that it?"

"W-well, not to that extent..."

Kang Jin-Ho abruptly raised his hand to cut Chang Min's words off. He didn't need to hear the rest to know. "...So, what did you originally want to tell me?"

"My liege. The current generation of cult believers is foolish and uneducated. If you wish to bring them under your wings, demonstrating your majesty and authority is, regretfully, unavoidable."

"Okay, so..." Kang Jin-Ho growled, his expression distorted in irritation. "You want me to put on a circus act in front of everyone? And that's the only way to convince them to follow me to Korea?"

Chang Min hurriedly shook his head. "N-no, I would never hold such a sacrilegious thought, my liege! It's just that..."

"Let's go!"

"I beg your pardon?"

Kang Jin-Ho shot up to his feet. "I’m in a bad mood right now, so this is actually good for me. I will demonstrate properly, then. And they will soon learn what kind of a man I am."

Watching Kang Jin-Ho's determined walk set off alarm bells in Chang Min's head.