Descent of the Demon Master

While living their life, a person would eventually run into a moment of sheer speechlessness. When confronted by such a moment, a person would instinctively know something must be said to fill the void of awkwardness, but finding the right words to do so would prove to be beyond their capability.

The assistant director found himself stuck precisely in that moment. What was he supposed to reply in this kind of situation?!

Zhang Xiang cocked an eyebrow and suddenly asked, “What? Didn't you notice it?”

The assistant director was massively relieved by that question. After all, replying to a question was appreciably easier than cooking up something original to say, now wasn't it!

“Kuh-hum. No, I did see that young man's face. But…” The assistant director recalled Kang Jin-Ho's face. Since the situation had been so... 'memorable', he could vividly remember that young Korean man's face despite seeing it only once. “Yes, he was handsome. But men with such looks are fairly dime-a-dozen, no? For instance, Liu Wei.”

“Did you say Liu Wei?”

“...!” The assistant director detected the hint of a sneer in Zhang Xiang's voice and promptly clamped his mouth shut. That was because he subscribed to the belief that, before he could proudly refer to himself as a director, the best tool for one's survival in this industry was not artistic sensibilities or abilities... But knowing how to read his boss's moods!

“You think a punk like Liu Wei is good-looking?” Zhang Xiang chuckled derisively.

“But, uh... Isn't he popular because of his looks?”

“I don't understand you. Words like 'handsome' or 'good looking' are not meant for idiots like Liu Wei. Nope. They are solely reserved for that brat from earlier.”

The assistant director's lips twitched subtly as he listened.

“That brat's visuals were... Damn, they were pure works of art. I'm telling you, a type like that is…”

“Excuse me, director...?” The assistant director dared to cut Zhang Xiang off just then. Doing something like that would've usually been unthinkable, but at least right now… He couldn't keep listening to this without saying something! “Yes, I don't mind which way your personal taste leans, director. Everyone's different, after all. Even so, well... I really don't want to say something about it, but...”

The assistant director had to stop there and sighed deeply. What could he do about this, though? This kind of thing happened regularly in the entertainment industry, didn't it!

Although everything was lumped together in one group called the Greater China region, the entertainers from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau all possessed markedly different inclinations. Zhang Xiang was from Hong Kong. And actors or folks related to the entertainment industry from that neck of the woods frequently came out of their closets.

“Obviously, I didn't know you leaned that way, director. Although, basing a person's looks solely on your personal feelings is a bit…”

Zhang Xiang tilted his head. “My personal what?”

The assistant director frowned critically. “Director, you're trying to say you like that Korean man's looks, yes?”

“That's right.”

“And I'm saying that's totally fine. As I've said before, everyone's different, after all. Shunning people different from you is an outdated mindset.”

“Huh?”

“However, we're talking about the production, Director. Letting your personal attraction play a part in the decision-making process is...”

“...My personal attraction?” Zhang Xiang confusedly stared at the assistant director.

That expression was enough to alert the assistant director to his mistake. “Eh? Weren't you coming out of the closet?”

“What the hell?! Are you insane?!” Zhang Xiang threw the script in the assistant director's face. The assistant director let the chunky stack of papers hit him, then covered his face. Zhang Xiang continued to yell at his poor assistant. “Why the hell did you think I'm coming out?!”

“But, uh... You know, because you were saying those things, director! Something like that is nothing to be ashamed about, you know?”

“Listen here, you dumbass!”

“Yes...?”

“I really, really like the company of women.”

“...I see. I believe you now.” The assistant director nodded while feeling Zhang Xiang's sincerity echoing powerfully within his chest. “In that case, why did you agree with that brat's request?”

“I never agreed with his request, okay?”

“Huh? Then, what happened?”

Zhang Xiang tutted loudly. “I agreed with his looks, okay!”

The assistant director frowned a little. Did Zhang Xiang really like women?Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs NoᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt

“Stop looking at me that way, will you?” Zhang Xiang tutted in irritation. “I'm not interested in handsome men. However, I'm a director. I can't ignore a man capable of pulling in a huge number of punters with his looks alone, now can I? Especially a man with such impressive, memorable facial features!”

“Did you see a potential in that brat? But, director... Isn't he a total amateur when it comes to acting?”

“Dammit, man! A talentless punk like Liu Wei is making a living as a male lead, so who cares about that brat being an amateur! I don't care if he's a mute! As long as I can utilize his good looks, that is!”

“...Hold on, director. Please wait!” The assistant director finally let his fluster get the better of him.

One of the major reasons why Zhang Xiang grew in renown overseas was because of his unrivaled sense of visual beauty. However, he didn't use actors to fill his frames with outstanding beauty and memorable imagery. No, Zhang Xiang's specialty was using props, scene composition, and striking color palette to create stunning imagery.

But now... He was implying that he'd be willing to sacrifice a major TV production for something as insignificant as a potential actor's looks!

The assistant director hurriedly asked, “You are not being serious, yes?”

“Well, I am half-joking, but…” Zhang Xiang wryly grinned. “I'm genuinely curious about what we'll see if we apply appropriate makeup on that man's face and point a camera at him. My guess? Just his face alone should be enough to set the perfect mood for a scene. We haven't had a face like that in a while in our industry, right? So, I wonder what would it be like... A face that can generate a noir-like atmosphere merely by casually mouthing a cigarette? Actors capable of pulling that off have all grown too old for the roles…”

The assistant director cautiously responded, “Director, noir as a genre is unfashionable these days.”

“Nah. Genres never change. It's just that eras change, and the expression of genres change accordingly, that's all. Actually, I've been thinking of shooting a noir set in modern times. And that face is just about perfect. And he's pretty fluent in Chinese, too.”

“Huh? But wasn't his regional accent way out of control?”

“And that's what's so attractive about this whole thing. How should I put it... It's only enhancing his untamed masculinity? Something like that?”

“But, director...”

Zhang Xiang chuckled after noticing the assistant director's dismayed expression. “Yeah, I know. It's weird to listen to a dude who's obviously infatuated with another dude's face.”

“I didn't mean it that way, director.”

“However, I'm not wrong about this. You are. You failed to see the real deal.”

“...”

“I'm telling you. That man's looks are no joke. Sure, you can find lots of pretty boys out there. However, a man with such sharp, memorable features? Now that's a rarity these days. Despite the sharpness, that man didn't come off as scary or distracting to look at. He had that mysterious air about him, know what I mean?”

“No, director. I don't understand.”

“And that's why you're still an assistant director, not the director.”

“Eii... Director, I'm only an assistant because you are our boss. In other projects, I would've been treated as a full-fledged director.”

“Yes, sure thing. A director. Good for you, finally becoming another run-of-the-mill director. That's all you can become with your current eyes of discernment.”

“...”

Scripts? Cast members? Of course they were crucial.

However, the most important factor in making a good director was, undoubtedly, their power of imagination. A director must be able to imagine a scene right down to its finest details, then possess the necessary technical know-how to bring that imagination into reality as unaltered as possible.

A world seen through a camera lens was different from the world seen through a person's eyes. One would never become a good director if they couldn't understand that. In that sense, this assistant director's future prospects seemed bleak.

To think he still couldn't get it after Zhang Xiang explained so much!

To Zhang Xiang, this TV production was nothing more than a temporary stop in his career. Due to the unfortunate quirk of the TV format, the renown of a director like him would never be enhanced even if he managed to craft a top-tier show. And the critiques' evaluation would also be deferred. A movie director like him... should make movies.

Zhang Xiang greedily licked his lips. No one would be dumb enough to say no if he suggests making movies together... But this particular situation was a bit unique. He glanced at the assistant director. “That man rode in the same van as Choi Yeon-Ha, didn't he?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Got it. Yes, I got it…” Zhang Xiang nodded deeply before suddenly scowling in anger. “By the way, why hasn't that Liu Wei called us yet?!”

***

“What an unexpected vacation...”

Choi Yeon-Ha muttered to no one in particular while leaning against the hotel cafe's couch. The first thing she usually did after arriving at the hotel would be heading straight to her suite, but today... Today, she felt at peace.

First of all, a sudden windfall of vacation time encompassing tomorrow and the day after made her genuinely pleased. And her second factor was...

What a mysterious thing this was.

Choi Yeon-Ha's condition was a complicated mess of hardships. And no, it wasn't simply because of various difficulties related to shooting a TV show in a foreign land. Things like culture clashes, homesickness, and other issues weighed heavily on her heart to endlessly torment her.

But none of that mattered to her anymore simply by having Kang Jin-Ho loiter nearby. Even this hotel's cafe, with its interior décor she could never get used to, felt as cozy as the inside of a Korean cafe.

Choi Yeon-Ha realized her condition wasn't normal. Despite the traumatic events of the night before, plus all that nonsense during the shoot, she still felt at peace? That couldn't be a normal response to what she had gone through. Either she had lost her marbles from the extreme stress, or...

Han Eun-Sol suddenly chimed in. “Noona? Why is your face suddenly getting all red and stuff? Is it menopause?”

“...Maybe you really want to die today?” Choi Yeon-Ha grabbed the nearest cushion and got ready to throw it.

Instead of shielding himself, however, Han Eun-Sol hurriedly protected the drinks resting on the table between them instead! “It's because your complexion suddenly changed without warning, you know!”

“Does my complexion need your permission to change?!”

“Mm, well... Shouldn't it? Since I'm your manager and all?”

Choi Yeon-Ha crossed her arms and tutted loudly. “Call the agency and tell them to send me a new manager, right now!”

“Wake up, noona. You're considered the fiery pits of Hell in the world of managers. A wide-open Hell gate, that's what you are! No one sane wants to work as your manager.”

“Huh? No one? As in, zero?”

Han Eun-Sol firmly nodded. “Yup. Even at double the usual pay, everyone said no.”

Choi Yeon-Ha looked at her manager, totally confused by that revelation. “Huh... I wanna ask you something because I just can't figure it out...”

“Okay?”

"Be honest. Haven't I been good to you, Eun-Sol?"

“...”

The corners of Choi Yeon-Ha's brows arched up dangerously after noticing the indescribable expression etched on Han Eun-Sol's face. “You saying I'm not?”

“Nope, you've been very good to me. Yup. Way too good.”

“Why does your reply sound so... lifeless? Why?”

“...Noona?”

“Yeah?”

“When you're trying to analyze someone's personality...” Han Eun-Sol spoke in a grave-sounding voice. “You don't look at how they treat their close acquaintances and friends. No, you're supposed to see how they treat people they are not friends with.”

“I guess that makes sense. But... Aren't I usually nice to people who aren't my friends?”

“Nope. Noona, it's not the case of you being nice to people you are not friendly with but to people you don't know. Like your fans or some other random passersby. Or, even people you only talked to once or twice before in passing.”

“Aren't they the same thing?”

“Noona, what is a newbie manager to you?”

“Huh? A newbie manager is there to run errands for me, right?”

“Okay. So, do you think you're supposed to be nice to them or not?”

“That's a dumb question. Why should I be nice to a newbie manager? Someone like that is only working for me to get paid, right? And I pay him to run errands for me. So, isn't it fine to keep our relationship strictly as a business one?”

“...Well, there you go. There's your answer. Your idea of what constitutes a business relationship is weird, noona.”

“Huh? That can't be right?” Choi Yeon-Ha tilted her head again, obviously failing to understand anything.

Han Eun-Sol could only sigh, knowing Choi Yeon-Ha could not be fixed.

He still hadn't forgotten the sorrow of working for her in the early days. There was this one time during the middle of a shoot in Gangwon Province. Choi Yeon-Ha suddenly raised an unholy fuss about wanting to drink the coffee from her favorite cafe back in Seoul, so Han Eun-Sol was forced to drive all the freaking way there and bring a cup back... Only for her to discard the bloody coffee in disgust, saying it was no longer warm and she didn't like lukewarm coffee!

Han Eun-Sol knew he'd never have endured that kind of nonsensical treatment if it hadn't been for how much he enjoyed Choi Yeon-Ha's past work. Compared to those days, the current Choi Yeon-Ha was like a totally different person. An angel, no less! Not only that, but an angel of...

“...Eh?” Han Eun-Sol tilted his head.

“What's wrong?”

“N-no, it's nothing.” Han Eun-Sol hurriedly waved his hand.

When objectively assessed, Choi Yeon-Ha's recent behavior had been less fussy or conceited than an average actress. Compared to her past self, when she was basically the final boss and the fiery pits of Hell for managers, this Choi Yeon-Ha might as well be a completely different person!

Han Eun-Sol briefly thought this change was due to how much he had gotten closer to Choi Yeon-Ha. However, when he thought about it some more... Even her entourage had stopped complaining about Choi Yeon-Ha lately, too!

Han Eun-Sol couldn't help but look at Choi Yeon-Ha in a new light just then. Unfortunately...

“What are you staring at?” Choi Yeon-Ha growled back.

“...”

It seemed Han Eun-Sol was wrong. She still hadn't changed. At least, not yet...