Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 24

Kang Jin-ho’s method was straightforward.

He targeted those nearing the end of their lives, possessing only money. In exchange for his treatments, he would receive payment.

Finding such individuals was remarkably easy.

He simply visited the VIP suites of the nation’s leading hospitals. Though security was tight, it posed no challenge for Kang Jin-ho. He moved through the shadows, visiting the VIP rooms of the top five hospitals in the country.

And among them, he found a patient he believed he could treat.

The martial arts that manipulate Qi [vital energy] could achieve what conventional medicine could not. Especially in areas where medical equipment couldn’t reach, it allowed for delicate manipulations, enabling treatments that surpassed any doctor’s capabilities.

But it wasn’t a cure-all.

Many diseases that doctors could easily treat were beyond the reach of martial artists.

Cancer, in particular, was one such case.

The methods of martial arts, which involved boosting Qi and drawing out negative energy, had no effect on cancer. In fact, boosting Qi could even accelerate the spread of cancer cells.

And there was even less that could be done for internal medicine. The most that could be achieved was boosting resistance, but since the root cause couldn’t be addressed, it was merely a temporary fix.

Consequently, the only patients Kang Jin-ho could choose were those with blocked or damaged Qi channels.

Hwang Jung-hoo was the perfect patient for those conditions.

Kang Jin-ho quietly left the hospital building.

He then turned his head and looked up at the top-floor room where Hwang Jung-hoo was sleeping.

‘I’ll be watching, to see if you’re worthy of making a deal with me.’

The morning arrived.

A nurse approached Hwang Jung-hoo and greeted him.

‘Chairman, did you sleep well?’

Hwang Jung-hoo slowly opened his mouth.

He moved his lips.

But Hwang Jung-hoo could only move his lips; he still couldn’t speak.

‘Chairman, you seem to be in a good mood today.’

The nurse smiled and moved Hwang Jung-hoo into a wheelchair.

He needed to shower before breakfast arrived.

Hwang Jung-hoo slumped in the wheelchair as he was taken to the shower room.

That afternoon.

Hwang Jung-hoo was still lying listlessly on the bed.

The door opened, and a man entered. Baek Young-gi.

Director Baek Young-gi, who could be called his last remaining confidant, entered the room with a serious expression.

‘Chairman, are you well?’

Even though Hwang Jung-hoo, who was lying down, couldn’t see him, Baek Young-gi bowed deeply and then asked the nurse.

‘How is he? Any progress?’

The nurse glanced at Hwang Jung-hoo, who was lying down, and then stepped out of sight before speaking.

‘He’s much better.’

Although she gave a positive response, she shook her head slightly.

There was no progress, but she couldn’t say it outright in front of the patient, so she shook her head.

‘That’s a relief.’

Baek Young-gi also said something he didn’t mean.

Baek Young-gi, who had slightly bowed to the nurse, pulled a chair and sat next to Hwang Jung-hoo.

‘Chairman, I have a report for you.’

Hwang Jung-hoo didn’t respond. No, he couldn’t respond.

And he wouldn’t be able to respond in the future either.

Director Baek Young-gi knew that fact better than anyone, but he had never once lost his composure or deviated from the reporting protocol in front of Hwang Jung-hoo.

To him, this man was the only person he had to serve.

‘This will probably be my last report. I’ve been fired today, so I won’t be able to enter this room from now on. Please forgive me for not being able to stay by your side until the end.’

Baek Young-gi closed his eyes.

A wave of sadness washed over his heart.

If Hwang Jung-hoo had created a legend, he had dedicated his life to Hwang Jung-hoo. Baek Young-gi’s contribution, who had worked silently, would surely be a part of that legend.

Although Hwang Jung-hoo hadn’t greatly favored Baek Young-gi, he was a man who was proud to have contributed to Hwang Jung-hoo’s legacy.

But now, it was time to leave all of that behind.

‘Today, the next chairman was decided. The court’s ruling has been made, and your shares and assets will be distributed to your three sons. Your children, who couldn’t find common ground, have agreed to divide the Jae-kyung Group into three.’

Hwang Jung-hoo was listening to all of this with a calm expression.

But Baek Young-gi didn’t miss the fact that his fingertips were trembling.

How could he be at peace?

He had to watch the company he had dedicated his life to be torn to pieces.

It would be a pain that couldn’t be compared to the pain of his body being torn apart.

‘It seems that another legal battle will begin due to the group division. The issue of inheritance is so sensitive that even the court seems to be struggling. Your shares are needed to defend the management rights from attacks by foreign capital. So… your shares will be considered as having been agreed upon and will be distributed to your sons.’

Baek Young-gi spoke in a businesslike tone, but his voice trembled slightly as time passed.

‘I opposed it until the end, but I couldn’t stop it. The Jae-kyung Group, which you dedicated your life to, will now… be divided into three and called by different names within three days.’

After saying that, Baek Young-gi, who had been bowing his head for a while, reached out and grabbed Hwang Jung-hoo’s hand.

‘Chairman…’

Baek Young-gi held Hwang Jung-hoo’s hand tightly and spoke in a trembling voice while bowing his head.

‘What did we work so hard for? In the end, all that’s left is a stolen field and a glory full of scars. Do you remember? When we endured the harsh military regime, you said that if we overcame this crisis, the time would come when we would scold the world.’

‘Your words were not wrong. But now, it has become a dream that cannot be realized.’

‘Chairman, but I don’t regret it. Looking back, the time we spent worrying and suffering together was truly happy.’

A tear rolled down Baek Young-gi’s eye.

‘Please get up, Chairman.’

Hwang Jung-hoo didn’t respond.

‘The company doesn’t matter anymore. It will go as it should. So please, get up… show me your old self, even just once. If I could see that, I would have no regrets even if I died.’

Hwang Jung-hoo looked down at Baek Young-gi with unfocused eyes.

He moved his lips.

His mouth opened and closed repeatedly, but it was impossible to understand what he was saying.

‘…Chairman.’

‘Director…’

The nurse, who had been watching from the side, quietly called out to Baek Young-gi.

Excitement was not good for a patient lying in bed.

Just the facts that had been conveyed today would be enough to torment Hwang Jung-hoo. But there was no need to further provoke him.

Baek Young-gi also knew that fact. Even when he entered the room, he had vowed not to show any weakness…

Baek Young-gi closed his eyes, trembled, and then got up from his seat.

‘I’ll be leaving now. If I stay any longer, I might be forcibly dragged out. I can’t show the Chairman such a sight, can I?’

Baek Young-gi bowed deeply.

‘Please be well. I will serve you again in the next life.’

Baek Young-gi wiped his eyes and went outside.

But Hwang Jung-hoo was just staring at the ceiling with dry eyes.

Not a single tear rolled down his eyes.

Night.

In the early morning hours when darkness had fallen in the hospital room.

Hwang Jung-hoo was staring at the ceiling without closing his eyes.

His eyes were unfocused, but they were not wavering.

Sssut.

And the same dark-clothed man as yesterday appeared in his vision.

The man stared for a moment and then slowly approached Hwang Jung-hoo.

‘Were you waiting?’

Hwang Jung-hoo quietly looked at the man.

The man placed his hand on Hwang Jung-hoo’s abdomen.

‘Even now?’

‘I already knew it wasn’t a dream… but I didn’t forget. That it was a futile dream that would only last for half a day, just half a day.’

‘Is that why you didn’t move? To avoid having any foolish expectations?’

Hwang Jung-hoo’s head slowly turned.

That wasn’t the reason.

‘I couldn’t… miss it.’

Kang Jin-ho read the desperate emotion on Hwang Jung-hoo’s face.

A fierce heat was felt, but Hwang Jung-hoo didn’t lose his mind. It was the same pain as yesterday, but Hwang Jung-hoo, who had endured it without losing consciousness, looked at the man with slightly clearer eyes.

‘Why didn’t you open your mouth?’

Hwang Jung-hoo’s mouth slowly opened.

And surprisingly, a hoarse sound came from his mouth.

‘I thought… it was a dream…’

‘I could… speak, I could move my body… I thought it was a dream. That this was a dream, that I was just dreaming…’

‘That’s all there is.’

Even in this state, this old lion was aiming for something.

‘The last chance… in my life. I couldn’t miss it. I couldn’t risk ruining everything by moving rashly. If I had opened my mouth carelessly and provoked you, this last chance might have flown away.’

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

If he had been surprised and jumped around at the fact that his body was moving, Kang Jin-ho wouldn’t have come back. That would have meant that he wasn’t careful enough, and that he wasn’t worth being a contract partner.

If Kang Jin-ho hadn’t intended to hide his identity, he wouldn’t have come here in such a way at night.

Hwang Jung-hoo had accurately grasped that fact.

He had considered several scenarios, but Hwang Jung-hoo had shown the best reaction, even exceeding Kang Jin-ho’s expectations.

Then he had to respond to that expectation.

‘Now, tell me.’

‘The… contract?’

‘Yes.’

Hwang Jung-hoo looked at Kang Jin-ho.

His eyes were flickering as if they were on fire.

‘Three days…’

Hwang Jung-hoo struggled to speak.

‘Just let me walk on my own two feet and speak with my own mouth for three days… There’s something I must do. If I don’t do this, I won’t be able to close my eyes even in death.’

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

‘Then what will you do for me?’

Hwang Jung-hoo quietly looked at Kang Jin-ho.

Tears flowed from his eyes.

‘Did you ask what I would do for you?’

‘Yes.’

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at Hwang Jung-hoo. This old lion was now preparing to let out his last roar to the world.

Kang Jin-ho and Hwang Jung-hoo’s gazes intertwined fiercely in the air.

‘If you can help me regain everything that has been twisted, I will give you my heart! Even if I have to wander in hellfire forever, I will not regret it!’

A smile appeared on Kang Jin-ho’s lips.

‘The contract is established.’

It was the moment when an old lion, abandoned by the world, roared his great cry to the world again.