The Heavenly Demon Will Give You a Massage – Chapter 202

Chapter 202

‘It was about time.’

Until now, only Choi Seonghyeon had awakened to his Qi sense, but that was thanks to his outstanding talent and aptitude. There was no guarantee that Choi Seonghyeon would be the only one in the future.

All other massage therapists would be able to learn and utilize Qi sense. That was Kang Taehan’s plan from the beginning and the reason for all his efforts.

And in front of him sat Kim Seonghun and Hwang Taejin.

Both of them, like Choi Seonghyeon, were in charge of the Master Course, and their careers and experience as massage therapists were arguably among the best in the shop.

Therefore, Kang Taehan had thought that if someone else were to learn Qi sense, these two would be next in line after Choi Seonghyeon.

Even though they didn’t have the talent for martial arts like Seonghyeon, they still had a sense built up from years of working as massage therapists. Compared to other massage therapists, these two seemed to have higher potential.

‘My guess wasn’t wrong.’

And as he thought, it had come to pass.

With a slight smile, Kang Taehan calmly observed the two. As expected, the unique phenomena that appear when Qi sense first opens up were manifesting within their meridians.

“That… it’s a bit disconcerting, isn’t it? Haha, I’m saying this all of a sudden. Don’t worry about it. I’ve been having some trouble sleeping lately, maybe that’s the problem.”

Perhaps misinterpreting the silence as a sign of bewilderment, Kim Seonghun waved his hands and mumbled.

It was understandable.

He suddenly asked to talk in a quiet place and then said he felt something strange. Even he could see how suspicious the situation looked. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for them to think he was trying to convert them to some strange religion.

“No, I’m not disconcerted.”

However, Kang Taehan slowly shook his head and spoke in a calm voice. Contrary to their worries, his expression was closer to satisfaction than bewilderment.

To give an analogy… his expression was like a farmer looking at a field of ripe rice.

“I was just observing for a moment to see if you were adapting to your Qi sense.”

“Qi sense……?”

At Kang Taehan’s response, Kim Seonghun and Hwang Taejin looked at each other for a moment. It was strange enough that he believed what they were saying, but judging by his words, he seemed to already know about it.

“So… Mr. Taehan knew about this feeling?”

“Yes.”

“Can you explain what this is? Is there something wrong? Is it okay to leave it like this?”

“Hmm, an explanation… To give you a direct example…….”

Hwang Taejin’s voice was laced with confusion and anxiety. Instead of a lengthy explanation, Kang Taehan answered by extending his hand.

“Grab it.”

A gesture as if offering a handshake.

The moment Hwang Taejin grasped that hand, his body suddenly leaped up from the sofa.

“Whoa!”

“What, what’s wrong!”

Hwang Taejin screamed in surprise. Kim Seonghun, sitting next to him, was equally startled. However, Hwang Taejin remained silent, simply staring down at his right hand that had shaken Kang Taehan’s.

“Mr. Seonghun, could you give me your hand for a moment too?”

“Uh… me, me too?”

At Kang Taehan’s words, Kim Seonghun instinctively pulled his hand back. He had seen Hwang Taejin’s reaction, and the action was a reflex.

“Ah, don’t hurt me…….”

“It’s not like that.”

Nevertheless, Kim Seonghun eventually extended his hand. Seeing this, Kang Taehan chuckled and grasped his hand. At that moment.

“Whoa!”

The same scream as before erupted from his mouth.

However, as Kang Taehan had said earlier, it wasn’t a scream of pain. It was simply…….

‘What… what is this!’

His senses were heightened by the unfamiliar sensation that enveloped his entire body.

The stimulation wasn’t intense. It was just that his mind went blank at the sensation he was experiencing for the first time in his life.

The feeling, starting from their clasped hands, spread throughout his body in an instant, awakening all his senses.

How should he describe this?

He didn’t even know that. It was literally a feeling he had never felt before. Would a person who had never felt the sense of touch in their life feel this way when they first awakened to it?

“Ugh, huh…….”

And after the whole process was over.

When Kang Taehan released his hand, Kim Seonghun let out a rough breath and looked down at his palm. He realized why Hwang Taejin couldn’t answer before.

‘My mind is completely blank…….’

A new sensation lingered throughout his body, where the unfamiliar stimulation had passed. He began to feel something flowing within his body.

It was like… a small and intricate plumbing system had been newly installed in his body. However, Hwang Taejin soon realized that it wasn’t newly created, but something that had always existed and he was only now able to feel.

Therefore, it wasn’t a problem.

His range of senses had simply expanded.

“How is it? Do you understand a little better now?”

Kang Taehan asked softly.

At his words, the two slowly nodded. It was a rather forceful method, but it was the most effective.

⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢

After that day.

“Mr. Taehan! I have something I want to ask…….”

“Seonghyeon-ah, do you have some time? I’d like you to watch me practice for a bit…….”

Kim Seonghun and Hwang Taejin, who had always been diligent in their practice, were even more passionate and enthusiastic these days.

Especially lately, they had been more like intermediate instructors, helping the new massage therapists, rather than learners themselves… but now, they were focusing solely on their own practice, as if they had no time for anything else.

‘That’s understandable.’

Looking at the two men seeking advice from Choi Seonghyeon, Kang Taehan slowly nodded.

They had just opened their Qi sense and were beginning to feel it. In other words, they were at the stage of taking their first steps. It was natural for them to have no time to worry about others when they couldn’t even walk properly themselves.

What was a little surprising was that Choi Seonghyeon was guiding them better than he had expected. What should he call it, personalized education?

“The trick to finding the acupoint in this area is… first, try pressing here, around this area. Then you can roughly grasp the surrounding flow, right?”

Sometimes, a word from a beginner at a similar level could be more helpful than the sayings of a master.

In that sense, Choi Seonghyeon’s advice, coming from someone who had relatively recently experienced and overcome similar difficulties, was bound to be more practical and applicable.

“Things are progressing as Mr. Taehan envisioned.”

“That’s right. Thankfully.”

Manager Hwang, who was watching the same scene nearby, casually spoke. Kang Taehan slowly nodded at his words.

Although there were only three of them now, more massage therapists would awaken to their Qi sense in the future. The timing would vary depending on their talent and effort, but it was safe to say that it was a set course.

As that happened, the range of techniques available to the massage therapists would expand, and their skills would naturally improve.

Of course, learning Qi sense didn’t mean their massage skills would automatically improve. However, having Qi sense while giving a massage was like the difference between walking with your eyes closed and walking with your eyes open.

‘And even if they reach Seonghyeon’s current level…….’

They could be entrusted with a branch manager position.

Being able to read the state of meridians and utilize Qi to take some measures. If they could do that much, they could be considered qualified.

“So, Mr. Seonghun and Mr. Taejin are the candidates for branch manager…….”

“Yes. Seonghyeon is more suited for the position of vice president.”

“Right. He said he wasn’t interested in being a branch manager.”

The current organizational chart was limited to a single shop.

They had already gained a lot of fame, and built up popularity and recognition.

However, if they wanted to grow the business further, there was a clear limit in the current state. Instead of trying to do everything with one shop, they needed to expand their reach.

And awakening the Qi sense of other massage therapists was the first step towards that. In other words, it was the cultivation of the most important human resources. Kang Taehan slowly nodded with a satisfied expression.

“But you know, Mr. Taehan, you’re secretly quite ambitious.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean your ambition for business.”

Kang Taehan looked puzzled at Manager Hwang’s words, then scratched his head with an embarrassed expression. He couldn’t completely deny it.

“Well, do you have any specific goals in mind?”

“…I don’t know.”

He already had plenty of money. Of course, he wasn’t a chaebol, but with the cooperation and royalties from Daecheong Group, he probably wouldn’t have to worry about money.

He didn’t have any particular desire for power either. He had already reached the pinnacle of one world and experienced the responsibility and weight that came with that position. He would rather avoid walking the same path.

Yet, the goal that was driving him…….

It was a bit vague and perhaps even childish to put into words. Therefore, Kang Taehan evaded the question with a vague answer.

“Do I need a reason to do business? I’m just doing it because I can.”

“Hahaha, that’s true.”

Manager Hwang burst out laughing at Kang Taehan’s words.

In response, Kang Taehan also smiled and shrugged lightly. In any case, his plan was sailing smoothly.

⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢

“Hey, man. Caliber!”

Evening, a deserted alley in Yeongdeungpo District.

In a quiet alley where shop signs and parked cars seemed more numerous than people, a man called out to the man walking ahead of him in a breathless voice.

“Yes? What is it?”

The one who turned around was none other than Caliber Smith.

He was the ace of a professional American football team, but he had been diagnosed with a ‘virtually unrecoverable’ injury. Now, he was walking on both legs, his face covered in healthy sweat.

“I told you to check the map before we go, but you just went ahead and walked off by yourself?”

Edwin, the man who had followed him, spoke in an annoyed tone at his seemingly nonchalant reaction.

He had been looking at the map because he was confused about the location, and when he looked up, Caliber was already so far ahead that he was out of sight. He had to run to catch up.

“Come on, Coach, you’re not a child, are you going to get lost just because I walk a little ahead?”

“The problem is that you get lost, you idiot!”

Caliber Smith was famous for being a quarterback who could always find a way to get the ball to his receiver, no matter the situation.

He would create miraculous passing routes even in the most desperate situations, and if it was impossible to throw a pass, he would run with the ball himself.

But that was on the field, and in everyday life, Caliber was surprisingly bad with directions. He would even get lost in front of the dormitory where he had lived for years.

“If you’re going to wander around and get lost, just take a taxi. Don’t make things complicated.”

“Come on, why a taxi? You’re saying I should just give up the chance to walk around this exotic city at night?”

Caliber gestured at his surroundings as he spoke.

To be honest, the scenery wasn’t that great. It wasn’t a tourist spot or a place with a night view, just an ordinary residential alley.

But wasn’t seeing places like this part of the fun of traveling?

Moreover, freely walking around an alley like this after sunset was an even rarer experience. Frankly, Caliber wasn’t confident enough to walk around even the back alleys of his own hometown at night.

“I heard that Korea has good public safety, and it’s true.”

“No, it’s not. Didn’t you see that Korean drama on Appflix? The one where they kidnap people and make them kill each other.”

“Haha. Coach, get a grip on reality.”

Caliber burst out laughing and shook his head at Edwin’s words, which were a bit too serious to be just a joke. Edwin looked momentarily annoyed and was about to retort, but then sighed and shook his head.

“Anyway, is your body okay?”

“Yes. It feels like it’s getting better and better.”

Caliber said, rotating his waist from side to side as if stretching. Edwin chuckled and said casually.

“All that rehabilitation training all day is paying off.”

After the chance encounter with the director of Cheonma Anma.

Caliber’s condition, which had been so bad that he could barely stand properly because of his trembling hands and feet, had improved to the point where he could walk around and take a stroll.

Of course, the tremors still remained, but the fact that his clumsy hands and feet were moving as he intended was a dream come true for Caliber.

And perhaps that itself had become a motivation.

Caliber had been immersed in rehabilitation training like crazy for the past two days, and as if the act of moving his body itself was joyful and happy, he had been training with a constant smile on his face.

And this was the result.

Walking down the street was no problem, and he even walked ahead without realizing it if he got distracted. Caliber’s condition had improved significantly.

A miraculous event that was unimaginable just a few days ago.

However, Caliber had one more opportunity to experience such a miracle.

“Let’s see… is that the right way?”

“Look, that sign. Doesn’t it say Liner Hotel? Since it’s called the Liner Building, it must be the same building.”

Edwin, who was looking at the map, raised his head and looked in the direction Caliber was pointing. There stood a large building that looked to be about twenty stories high.

“I think it’s the right place.”

“See? I’m good at finding my way, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re great, kid.”

The large Liner Building, visible even from afar.

Cheonma Anma, located on the twentieth floor of that building, was their destination.