Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 168

“Did something not go well?”\n\nAt Nam Sang-hyuk’s question, Kang Jin-ho and Jo Gyu-min stared out the window without a word.\n\nKang Jin-ho was using all his mental strength to recover from the shock of discovering that a three-day journey could be replaced by a route that took less than six hours.\n\n”But you could have come this way too. The roads here are well-paved, making it much easier to travel. If you knew you were coming near here, you should have suggested this route earlier.”\n\n”Th-that’s enough.”\n\nJo Gyu-min, exhausted by the constant barrage of facts, stopped Nam Sang-hyuk.\n\nBrummm.\n\nAs the car moved forward, Kang Jin-ho, who had been silent for a long time, slowly opened his mouth with a stiff expression.\n\n”Are there places that offer smartphone usage lessons?”\n\n”……There aren’t any.”\n\nAs Kang Jin-ho began to stare out the window again with a gloomy face, Nam Sang-hyuk, not knowing what was going on, tilted his head.\n\n”You look like you’ve met a bear or something.”\n\nIf it had been a bear, he would have felt more at ease.\n\nA bear wouldn’t live for 180 years, and it wouldn’t use a smartphone either.\n\nThe car continued towards Guangzhou in a gloomy atmosphere.\n\n”……You’re going back to Korea?”\n\n”Yes. We’ve done everything we needed to do.”\n\n”No! No, Kang Jin-ho!”\n\nJo Gyu-min trembled as he looked at Kang Jin-ho.\n\n”Kang Jin-ho, do you know where we are?”\n\n”……China.”\n\n”No! This is Guangzhou!”\n\nJo Gyu-min raised his arm and pointed south.\n\n”Do you know what’s over there?”\n\n”S-South Sea?”\n\n”Nooooo!”\n\nJo Gyu-min wiggled his fingers and shouted.\n\n”That south is Hong Kong! And that southeast is Macau! Hong Kong and Macau are just a few hundred kilometers from here, and you’re telling me we came all the way to China just to climb mountains and then go home? I absolutely refuse! This is my first official slacking off in years!”\n\nFor a moment, Kang Jin-ho felt the urge to record the conversation and send it to Hwang Jung-hoo or Baek Young-gi.\n\n”Then what do you want to do?”\n\n”Let’s just play for two days before we go.”\n\n”Hmm….”\n\nJo Gyu-min said with a desperate look.\n\n”We have to try the famous egg tarts of Macau! And we have to try the jerky and the giant castella too.”\n\n”……What are those?”\n\nJo Gyu-min got angry and held out his phone.\n\n”Search it up, search it! Are you carrying your phone around just for show?”\n\n”Th-that’s enough.”\n\nKang Jin-ho, unexpectedly taking another hit, staggered.\n\nHe thought his mind was still in his twenties.\n\n‘Did I live too long?’\n\nOf course, that was no excuse.\n\nEven a 180-year-old grandfather would be using his phone to search things up, so what excuse could he possibly have?\n\n”I want to go to Hong Kong, eat dim sum, and go shopping! Let’s just tour Macau for a day and Hong Kong for a day before we go back. Okay?”\n\n”……Can’t we do that in Korea?”\n\n”We can’t do it in Korea, that’s why we’re doing this!”\n\nSeeing Jo Gyu-min almost throwing a tantrum, Kang Jin-ho nodded without realizing it. Even he thought it was too harsh for Jo Gyu-min to come all this way and not get a single day of sightseeing before returning to Korea.\n\n”Okay, let’s look around for a day each and then go back.”\n\n”That’s a wise choice.”\n\nJo Gyu-min, with a delighted face, turned to Nam Sang-hyuk with a look of realization.\n\n”……Let’s pretend you didn’t hear that.”\n\n”Thank you.”\n\n”But.”\n\n”Yes?”\n\nNam Sang-hyuk shouted with a fiery face.\n\n”You’re not thinking of leaving me behind, are you? I’m a pretty good guide, you know. I know Macau and Hong Kong like the back of my hand!”\n\n”Oh!”\n\nKang Jin-ho sighed deeply as he witnessed Nam Sang-hyuk and Jo Gyu-min joining forces to plan their itinerary.\n\n‘Are they that happy?’\n\nKang Jin-ho, who still didn’t understand how enjoyable company-funded sightseeing could be.\n\n”Did you get beaten?”\n\nCai Jingqiang stared at the man kneeling before him with an angry face.\n\n”You’re saying you got beaten by a brat and came back, is that it?”\n\n”I’m sorry.”\n\n”Wu Yuan.”\n\nWu Yuan, whose name was called, flinched and lowered his head.\n\n”Was it such a difficult task to deal with that brat?”\n\n”……My abilities were insufficient.”\n\n”Insufficient, you say….”\n\nCai Jingqiang quietly looked at Wu Yuan’s body. It felt like there wasn’t a single unscathed spot on his entire body.\n\n”You were terribly beaten.”\n\n”Yes.”\n\nThere was no humiliation on Wu Yuan’s face. That meant he had been beaten by someone he acknowledged was stronger. It meant that the brat’s martial arts were that outstanding.\n\n”A guy from Korea has that much martial prowess? Enough to defeat the great Wu Lao without him even being able to put up a fight?”\n\nWu Yuan hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.\n\n”If he had wanted to, I wouldn’t even be here right now.”\n\n”Is he that strong?”\n\n”Yes.”\n\nCai Jingqiang’s face hardened.\n\nIf that was true, it meant that the brat had at least the power of a mid-level figure in the Martial Alliance [a powerful organization of martial artists]. Considering his age and nationality, it was unbelievable.\n\n‘Is he a regular?’\n\nHe was a person of interest.\n\nEspecially those who had exceptional abilities at such a young age were always reported to the higher-ups. Without any questions of responsibility.\n\n”It doesn’t seem to be Wu Lao’s fault. Rest well. If you need treatment, we’ll cover the costs, so focus on recovering for a while.”\n\n”Thank you, Chief Cai.”\n\nWu Yuan bowed his head several times in gratitude and then hesitated for a moment.\n\n”But….”\n\n”Hmm?”\n\n”I’m not sure if I should report this, but I think it’s better if I say it….”\n\n”What is it? Don’t ramble, speak clearly.”\n\n”That guy seemed to be using demonic arts.”\n\n”Demonic arts?”\n\nCai Jingqiang’s face twisted.\n\n”Did you say demonic arts?”\n\n”Yes. It was definitely demonic arts. And the depth of his demonic arts seemed to be extraordinary.”\n\n”Hmm, is that so?”\n\nCai Jingqiang erased the idea of reporting to the higher-ups from his mind. If he wasn’t a demon, it wouldn’t make sense for him to have that much martial prowess at that age, but if he was a demon, it was entirely possible.\n\nDemonic arts were unmatched in terms of growth speed.\n\n”Hmm, then it’s better to leave him alone. Did you say his nationality was Korean?”\n\n”Yes, it is.”\n\n”If he doesn’t cause any more trouble, just send him back to Korea. There will probably be a series of murders in Korea soon. A demon who has reached that level won’t be able to suppress his thirst for blood.”\n\n”Yes.”\n\n”Those punks are going to have a hard time.”\n\nWu Yuan watched Cai Jingqiang chuckle and wondered if he should mention that the demon seemed to be perfectly sane. But he didn’t think it was necessary to say anything more.\n\nBeing defeated by a demon who was completely out of his mind would be more beneficial to his position.\n\n‘I saved his life, that monster.’\n\nIf the Martial Alliance were to take action, that guy wouldn’t be able to survive, no matter how monstrous he was. But it seemed like the Martial Alliance had decided to observe for now, so he would be able to live for a while.\n\nFrom his perspective, it was a slightly disappointing outcome.\n\nLater, Wu Yuan would realize what would have happened if he had said just one more word at that time.\n\nWithout knowing that he had barely escaped the tiger’s den, Wu Yuan sighed in disappointment.\n\n”Kyah!”\n\nJo Gyu-min let out a happy scream as he looked at the shopping bags piled up behind him.\n\n”After doing some shopping for the first time in a while, I feel like I can finally live.”\n\n”……I’m glad you seem happy.”\n\nJo Gyu-min was running wild like a horse that had broken free from its reins.\n\n‘Isn’t he going to get hit with customs fees?’\n\nEven if he did, it would still be cheaper than buying them in Korea, so he probably went all out.\n\n”But what are all those?”\n\n”They’re luxury goods.”\n\n”Really?”\n\nJo Gyu-min proudly took out the items from the shopping bags to show them off.\n\n”This is a summer suit, this is a spring/autumn suit, this is a winter suit, this is a specially chosen coat, and this is a pair of shoes….”\n\nKang Jin-ho, who had been quietly looking at the clothes Jo Gyu-min was showing, couldn’t help but notice something strange.\n\n”But….”\n\n”Yes?”\n\n”Aren’t those all clothes you wear to work?”\n\nJo Gyu-min gave an awkward smile.\n\n‘Come to think of it….’\n\nWasn’t this guy always at work whenever he contacted him?\n\nAnd he didn’t think he had ever seen him wearing anything other than a suit.\n\nEven if he was a workaholic, he was so happy buying clothes to wear to work. For some reason, Kang Jin-ho felt a pang in his heart.\n\n”D-don’t look at me like that. What’s wrong with a man working hard!”\n\n”Yes.”\n\nKang Jin-ho gave a positive answer, but he couldn’t hide the pitiful look in his eyes.\n\n”You should go on dates and stuff. You should buy some clothes to wear in your free time….”\n\nKang Jin-ho’s eyes narrowed as he saw Jo Gyu-min not responding.\n\n”Did you get dumped?”\n\nKang Jin-ho didn’t say anything and just stared at the menu.\n\nJo Gyu-min, unable to bear the silence, spoke first.\n\n”It’s okay. I’ve healed through shopping, so tomorrow we can go to Macau and eat something delicious.”\n\n”……Let’s stay a few more days.”\n\n”R-really?”\n\n”Yes. Well, there’s nothing urgent.”\n\nJo Gyu-min was filled with happiness and kept exclaiming in admiration.\n\nWhen was the last time he had been this relaxed since joining the company? The fatigue from climbing mountains for three days was instantly gone.\n\n”It’s definitely better in the city. The Wi-Fi is good too.”\n\nKang Jin-ho took out his phone and searched for news. The shock he had received from Jang Min was so great that he had decided to adapt to using a smartphone now.\n\n”Yes. Nowadays, the whole world is connected through the internet.”\n\nCrack.\n\nAt that moment, the chopsticks Kang Jin-ho was holding snapped in half.\n\nFlintch.\n\nJo Gyu-min, startled by the incomprehensible violent reaction, looked at Kang Jin-ho, wondering what was going on.\n\n”Kang Jin-ho?”\n\nKang Jin-ho’s reaction was strange. Kang Jin-ho, who was looking at his smartphone, was trembling with a slightly flushed face.\n\n‘Trembling?’\n\nThat couldn’t be possible.\n\nThe Kang Jin-ho he knew was a man who never showed such an agitated expression in any situation. He would rather express his anger subtly.\n\n‘What did he see?’\n\nJo Gyu-min, who got up and looked at Kang Jin-ho’s smartphone screen, also gradually hardened his face.\n\nAn internet article.\n\nIt was a common internet article about a celebrity’s dating scandal.\n\nKang Se-ah. Spotted on a romantic date with Jun-young from The Voice.\n\nKang Jin-ho slowly raised his head and looked at Jo Gyu-min.\n\nJo Gyu-min’s body shrank at the sight of his eyes, which looked like they could devour a person.\n\n”……To.”\n\n”Yes?”\n\n”To the airport!”\n\n”Yes.”\n\nThe happiness that had briefly visited him disappeared like a bubble.\n\nHe didn’t know what kind of person Jun-young from the group called The Voice was, but Jo Gyu-min, determined to crush him, sadly got up from his seat and grabbed his shopping bags.