Chapter 516: Training (1)
'How... drab.'
That was Vincent's first impression after taking in the interior of the Martial Assembly's conference hall.
Anyone in Vincent's shoes should've been feeling refreshed regardless of what they could see. That should've been a normal response as Vincent finally got to take a shower for the first time since his incarceration here!
Despite the humane treatment of the prisoners, giving a group of capable martial artists a bath time was perhaps a step too far. So, the Chevaliers were stuck in their cell, unable to get even a shower until now.
/p>
Although, it wasn't as if Vincent or his men wished for such a... luxury, anyway.
After Vincent oh-so-passionately agreed to the terms of the trade—or should that be in resignation?—Kang Jin-Ho didn't say anything else and left the underground prison. Almost right after he left, though, a Korean martial artist, who had accompanied Kang Jin-Ho earlier, brought in a group of men with him. He introduced himself as Lee Hyeon-Su, then freed the Chevaliers before guiding them to a communal shower.
After the shower, Vincent found enough sets of new clothes for him and the Chevaliers waiting in the locker room as if the Koreans foresaw this flow of events. He and his men replaced their soiled, sweat-soaked outer and inner garments with sparkling new ones and enjoyed a simple meal. And then...
Vincent was finally guided to the Assembly's conference hall. The idea of leaving his subordinates behind in the cafeteria didn't sit well with him, though. Even so, the best he could do about that situation was express his unwillingness to go alone and take Mathieu with him. That was about it.
In any case... Vincent got to feel refreshed for the first time in a long while. Yet he still felt this place was drab, which could mean that the Assembly HQ building really was nothing to write home about.
The building was ancient. Worn-down. Drab in design. No hint of any aesthetic appeal whatsoever! However, it wasn't even laid out practically either, so...
Vincent softly tutted. “Their eye for design is quite rubbish, isn't it?”
“Captain, you shouldn't say that out loud,” Mathieu hurriedly rebuked his superior.
Vincent grimly nodded. 'Right. I must not forget that we're still in enemy territory!'
The feeling of liberation from extreme pressure through finally making a choice had inadvertently relaxed him a little too much. Two parties reaching a verbal agreement didn't mean everything was settled and good to go, after all! Wasn't that why Vincent and Mathieu had come to this conference hall?
Vincent knew the actual negotiation had already begun. The two of them left unattended in the conference hall was most likely a mind game played by the Koreans.
'Resorting to petty schemes? Is that it?'
The Koreans must've thought that Vincent might get impatient or nervous by being left unattended in this empty place. Unfortunately for them, though, underestimating Vincent this way would prove to be a fatal mistake for them!
Vincent was the proud captain of the Chevaliers. He wouldn't fall for a petty mind game like this. He could easily withstand one hour of waiting if he had to! No, even two hours would be...
Slam!
Suddenly, the conference hall's doorway was flung open urgently, and the trio of Kang Jin-Ho, Lee Hyeon-Su, and the man with a large physique Vincent saw back on the deserted island rushed inside.
The big man, Bang Jin-Hun, apologized profusely. “Ahahah... Sorry, sorry. My bad. It was supposed to be a quick smoke break, but…”
Lee Hyeon-Su yelled back. “Why didn't you answer your phone, sir?!”
“Well, uh, I mean... It's supposed to be a quick smoke break, so... I figured nothing could possibly happen. That's why I left my phone at the office.”
“You know what kind of situation we're dealing with, sir!”
“Come on, man. I said I'm sorry, didn't I?” Bang Jin-Hun grunted unhappily.
...It wasn't a mind game? Vincent was left ever-so-slightly flabbergasted. Funnily enough, the Koreans seemed more flabbergasted than him, though!
Since the interpreter was not part of the negotiation team, Vincent couldn't be one hundred percent sure what was going on here, but... Judging from the weird atmosphere, the Koreans seemed to have experienced a hiccup in communication...? Even so, how should Vincent feel about this scene...?
'Should I look at them favorably for not playing any petty tricks, or... Maybe they are just incompetent for arriving late at a negotiation because they couldn't find each other?'
What a strange situation this was.
“Ahem. Allow me to introduce myself again. My name is Lee Hyeon-Su, the branch manager of the Yeongnam Branch of the Martial Assembly. This gentleman is the Assembly Master.”
'His French is fluent...!' Vincent narrowed his eyes. It seemed this Lee Hyeon-Su fella was the intellectual of the group. And probably the brains of the operation, too.
At Lee Hyeon-Su's gesture, the big man smiled affably and extended his hand. “Good day. I'm Bang Jin-Hun.”
Vincent didn't need an interpreter for that greeting. Vincent shot up to his feet and politely shook Bang Jin-Hun's offered hand. Even if the situation was different, Vincent would've responded the same. The Master of the organization ruling South Korea was a position far, far higher than the captain of the Chevaliers, after all!
“It's an honor to make your acquaintance. I'm Vincent.”
Bang Jin-Hun continued to smile affably during the handshake. Once the formal greetings were completed, he settled down on his chair.
Lee Hyeon-Su chuckled and pointed to Kang Jin-Ho. “I'm sure this gentleman doesn't need an introduction.”
Vincent nodded. Of course he didn't need one. Actually, if he could help it... Vincent would dearly love to not hear about Kang Jin-Ho in detail. It wouldn't be good for his mental state, anyway!
While sitting down, Lee Hyeon-Su got the negotiations going. “Mm... I'm not sure where to even begin.”
That was when Vincent realized Lee Hyeon-Su would be leading this conference for the Koreans. It was easy enough to see that when Lee Hyeon-Su was sitting in the middle of the trio while Bang Jin-Hun and Kang Jin-Ho were sitting a little back as if everything would be left to the Yeongnam Branch manager.
'That means he'll be our opponent in this battle of wits!'
Vincent might have made the choice, but that didn't mean everything had been decided. Things like how the Chevaliers were supposed to cooperate and what needed to be done to earn their freedom hadn't been discussed yet. This negotiation would be crucial in deciding all those factors.
Lee Hyeon-Su smiled affably. “First of all, let me express my gratitude for you choosing the correct option.”
If I hadn't, our heads would be rolling on the floor by now...!
Vincent didn't say anything. He knew Lee Hyeon-Su's words of gratitude were a formality, and that was why he didn't feel good hearing them. Maybe his discomfort showed on his face because Mathieu sneakily elbowed him in the side.
Vincent coughed to clear his throat and replied to Lee Hyeon-Su. “Kuh-hum. Please don't mention it. We made that choice as it also benefited us. And we pray that our choice will help both sides.”
Lee Hyeon-Su's smile became gentler. Of course, Vincent didn't miss the icy-sharp gleam within Lee Hyeon-Su's eyes.
Lee Hyeon-Su raised his voice. “Regardless of how the negotiation ends, we will still guarantee you certain privileges. However, your phones, which can be used to contact the outside, will only be returned to you after the negotiations have been completed. I hope you take that into consideration.”
“Of course.” Vincent slowly nodded. He didn't expect that to happen, anyway.
"First of all, I believe our negotiations should be centered around two topics... The terms and duration of the agreement. What do you say?"
“Yes, you're correct,” Mathieu butted in and replied first instead of Vincent. He must've been somewhat displeased by the fact that someone not in the equal standing as his captain was talking to them, even if Lee Hyeon-Su represented Kang Jin-Ho and the Martial Assembly Master.
Vincent smiled in satisfaction after finding Mathieu's thoughtfulness rather commendable. That was when Mathieu quietly whispered into his captain's ear. “Captain. Please don't say anything. You might have another slip of the tongue and ruin the negotiation, so let me handle this.”
...Eh? You weren't doing this out of loyalty?
You want me to keep my mouth shut before I can cause another scene?!
Vincent shrunk slightly into his chair while this inexplicable sorrow filled his heart.
Lee Hyeon-Su nodded weightily. “To create a list of the terms, we will require your cooperation. We don't have solid information on what we can acquire from you, you see?”
Mathieu quickly countered. “Unfortunately, we don't see a need to inform you in that regard. After all, that is not our duty, don't you agree? Shouldn't figuring that out be a part of your job description?”
“Yes, that is indeed true, but...!”
Mathieu's and Lee Hyeon-Su's glares collided fiercely in mid-air.
Lee Hyeon-Su narrowed his eyes. “Hmm. It seems the discussion over the terms of our agreement will take longer than initially expected. In that case, what do you think about the duration?”
“I'd like to hear your thoughts on this first,” said Mathieu.
“We were thinking of around two years.”
“Two years... That certainly is long.”
“I believe two years of learning is short considering the depth and history of the martial arts practiced by the Chevaliers?”
“Not so. It'll be the question of the learners and their aptitudes. If the learner is talented, I believe only a year should suffice. You can't be thinking of telling us to teach our knowledge to some random riff-raff?”
Lee Hyeon-Su furrowed his brow ever so slightly. This conversation could've been a lot more productive if his opponent had been Vincent, but Mathieu's involvement had made things a little more complicated. Mathieu was allowed to join the negotiation alongside his captain since Vincent unilaterally agreeing to the terms could have incited dissatisfaction among the rest of the Chevaliers, but now...!
'Vincent losing his authority among his men will not do us any favors either. However, to think there was a variable like this guy...!'
It seemed that Mathieu was quite averse to incurring losses. Worse still, he seemed clear-headed enough to voice his opinions in a high-pressure situation like this, too!
“...I see. In that case, let us tentatively set the duration for around a year. And your stance on the terms will be... We need to request your people on which skill we'd like to learn. Am I correct?”
“In a way, yes.”
“Mm, I see,” Lee Hyeon-Su chuckled softly. It seemed this Frenchman's strategy was to start off strong and negotiate for as many benefits as possible, but...
'Too bad for you, mister, but we don't care about your strategies and whatnot.'
That was because... Didn't the Koreans have an all-purpose ultimate cheat code? Lee Hyeon-Su suddenly smiled oh-so-hatefully before turning his attention over to Kang Jin-Ho and explaining the contents of the negotiation. After listening to everything, Kang Jin-Ho silently glanced at the two Frenchmen.
The complexion of Mathieu, then Vincent's, rapidly paled. Without any actual pressure from Kang Jin-Ho, they were getting scared all by themselves!
'Yup, this is why you should know your place!'
Lee Hyeon-Su wanted to guffaw to his heart's content. How convenient it was to have Kang Jin-Ho sit on the same side of the negotiating table as him! These two Frenchmen hadn't made any preparations whatsoever, unlike Lee Hyeon-Su, so how dare they!
Didn't Lee Hyeon-Su risk throwing everything of his away into the jaws of destruction and even offer his life just for the right to stand before Kang Jin-Ho? So, to think these Frenchmen would dare negotiate with Kang Jin-Ho without mentally preparing themselves! Lee Hyeon-Su was tempted to applaud their thick-headed recklessness!
Kang Jin-Ho finally broke his silence. “It sounds like you're mistaken about something here, so...”
Lee Hyeon-Su quickly translated what Kang Jin-Ho said into French. Although, he wasn't sure if his words would register in the brains of the two Frenchmen!
“It seems that you need to view your situation in a more... objective manner,” said Kang Jin-Ho while blowing away all the frustration in Lee Hyeon-Su's heart with a tonne of TNT. “You two need to think about what it means for the negotiation to break down. Why do we need to persuade you? That's your job.”
With that, Kang Jin-Ho was done. Although Lee Hyeon-Su would've preferred for him to drive the nail of fear even deeper, too much was just as bad as too little. Moderation was key, and the best place to end things was always when it didn't quite feel enough. Also, talking for an extended period could give the other party the impression that this side didn't want to miss out on this opportunity.
Kang Jin-Ho's brief intervention immediately produced results. Mathieu and Vincent discussed something in hushed voices. Their slightly overbearing attitude was long gone by then, replaced by clear hints of urgency in their expressions.
The two men discussed at length, words flying out of their mouths at the speed of light. Not even Lee Hyeon-Su could keep up. Eventually, though, it seemed the Frenchmen had come to some kind of a decision. Vincent and his very stiff expression was now staring back at Kang Jin-Ho and Lee Hyeon-Su.
'So... What will you say to us?'
Lee Hyeon-Su thought this situation felt similar to buying a lottery ticket that was guaranteed to win. His heart was at ease from the simple knowledge that things would not go sideways beyond this point.
Vincent hesitated slightly before a grand sigh escaped from his mouth. “What... can we do for you?”
'Bingo~!'
Lee Hyeon-Su desperately kept the corners of his lips as still as humanly possible. The best response out of every possible reply he thought of had come out of the French! This meant Lee Hyeon-Su didn't even need to run his mouth off for longer than necessary and waste his energy. How considerate was this!
Lee Hyeon-Su wondered if he had ever sat through a negotiation this painless before. While swearing inwardly he'd never leave Kang Jin-Ho's side, Lee Hyeon-Su smiled brightly. “Gentlemen, no need to overthink this. Let us start with the simpler, easier problems first and work our way up from there. That will surely produce the ideal results for everyone involved.”
Although, one would have to wonder if those results would be ideal for the Chevaliers!
Lee Hyeon-Su popped the lid off a bottle of water, then gulped its refreshing contents down. After emptying half the bottle in one go, he put it down with an audible Thud!, then smiled deeply at the two Frenchmen. “Well, then. Do you mind giving us a general overview of France's martial arts? Don't worry about how long it will take. I had a hunch that our discussion would take a while, so I took the liberty and prepared a scrumptious dinner for everyone. Let us chat like old friends over a marvelous French-style dinner, shall we?”
Lee Hyeon-Su muttered gleefully while not even bothering to hide his intention to peek into Vincent's everything... Which might even include stuff hidden by his undies!
Vincent let out a deep groan coming from the depths of his soul.
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