Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 322

“Yes? Kang Jin-ho?”

“Yes. I came because I heard that a student named Kang Jin-ho is here.”

Park Yu-min looked at the man with a puzzled expression.

‘I’ve never seen him before.’

Park Yu-min knew almost all of Kang Jin-ho’s acquaintances, but the man in front of her was someone she had never seen before.

However, she couldn’t be sure that she knew all of Kang Jin-ho’s relationships…

“Yes, he’s inside. Jin-ho, you have a visitor.”

At Park Yu-min’s words, Kang Jin-ho slightly turned his head. At the same time, his face hardened as he stared at the man.

“Jin-ho, what are you doing?”

“Um…”

At Park Yu-min’s urging, Kang Jin-ho got up. Then, he slowly walked towards the man waiting for him at the entrance.

“Who are you?”

“You speak informally.”

Even at the man’s words, Kang Jin-ho did not respond. He simply met the man’s gaze.

“There’s no need to be so tense.”

“It seems you haven’t heard about me.”

“No, I’ve heard plenty. I might even be the person who knows the most about you in the entire world. I understand that you don’t like your space being invaded. So, I’ve only stepped one foot in. If I had walked right in, I might have lost my head.”

At the man’s mocking response, Kang Jin-ho chuckled lightly. Those watching from behind might not have noticed, but the man in front of him could tell that Kang Jin-ho’s smile was filled with clear murderous intent.

“You seem very relaxed?”

“No, not really.”

The man shrugged.

“Actually, I’m desperately trying to suppress the urge to run away right now.”

“You talk a good game.”

“No, I’m serious. You have to give me credit. I feel like I’ve just put my foot into a lion’s cage. But I thought this was the only way I could meet you.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly stared at the man.

“Can you spare some time?”

“Time?”

“Consider the fact that I came all the way here. It’s not as easy as you think for me to drop by.”

Seeing the man’s easygoing smile, Kang Jin-ho smiled back.

“So… what was that guy about?”

Park Yu-min looked at the door with a questioning gaze. The middle-aged man who had suddenly appeared, looking for Kang Jin-ho, seemed to have a conversation, and then he took Kang Jin-ho away.

Kang Jin-ho had also just said he would be back soon, and left without another word. Before she could even stop him.

“Is he someone Jin-ho knows?”

Joo Young-gi hadn’t said a single word.

“Young-gi.”

“Yeah.”

“Is something wrong?”

Park Yu-min looked at Joo Young-gi with a puzzled expression. Usually, Joo Young-gi would have been furious that someone came to take Jin-ho away, but he was silent, which was strange.

“Mind your own business, Park Yu-min.”

“…Why are you talking like that?”

“No, not you. I mean, mind your own business about that guy.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t be curious about who he is, and don’t ask Jin-ho anything when he comes back.”

Park Yu-min tilted her head.

“Why?”

“Just do as I say. Do you think your brother would ever do anything that would harm you?”

Park Yu-min silently stared at Joo Young-gi before nodding. She agreed that Joo Young-gi would never do anything to harm her.

‘But why is he telling me not to ask?’

While Park Yu-min was lost in thought, Joo Young-gi stared at the entrance where Kang Jin-ho and the man had disappeared, his face hardened.

‘He’s not an ordinary person.’

Joo Young-gi had also experienced a lot of hardship for his age. Especially when he was in a bad place before, he had seen many big shots in the underworld.

The man from just now had that kind of aura.

A dangerous aura.

He was the kind of person who would do anything to achieve his goals, a human being with a foul stench. He didn’t know why such a person had come to find Kang Jin-ho, but it certainly wasn’t for anything good.

‘What is he getting himself into…’

He was a little worried that he had gone out with such a person, but Kang Jin-ho, as Joo Young-gi knew him, was also an unfathomable person.

“He’ll take care of himself.”

Joo Young-gi sighed deeply.

“Should I say it’s nice to meet you?”

“Get to the point.”

“Okay.”

The man looked at the Han River flowing in front of him and took out a cigarette from his pocket. Then, he shook the pack, pulled out a cigarette halfway, and offered it to Kang Jin-ho.

When Kang Jin-ho didn’t react, the man smiled awkwardly and said,

“Let’s ease the tension. I hate this kind of atmosphere.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at him without any change in expression, then took the cigarette sticking out from the middle of the pack and put it in his mouth. Then, he lit it and took a drag.

The man also put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

After smoking in silence for a while, the man opened his mouth.

“Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t know.”

“Judging by your reaction, it seems like you’ve half-guessed it?”

“I’m just speculating.”

“Then I should confirm your speculation. Yes, I am Kim Seok-il.”

When Kang Jin-ho didn’t react, Kim Seok-il frowned slightly.

“Are you bold?”

“I know the name. So, who are you?”

Kim Seok-il let out a hollow laugh.

This guy was at war with them, yet he didn’t even know the name of Kim Seok-il, the leader of the opposing side?

‘Is he bold, or is he out of his mind?’ Either way, it wasn’t good news for him. If Kang Jin-ho was out of his mind, he would have to deal with a madman, which was not good. And if it wasn’t that, and he was so confident in himself that he didn’t care who the leader of the Yeongnam Association was, that was even worse.

“Would it be easier to understand if I said I’m the chairman of the Yeongnam Association?”

“I see.”

When Kang Jin-ho didn’t react, Kim Seok-il sighed.

‘I’ve messed with the wrong person.’

Kang Jin-ho was the one who was practically controlling the Martial Arts Association, which was preparing for a do-or-die battle with the Yeongnam Association.

Personal feelings aside, there was no doubt that Kim Seok-il was Kang Jin-ho’s biggest enemy right now. But even though an enemy he had never seen before had appeared right in front of him, he wasn’t fazed at all.

His personality couldn’t be mild. Kim Seok-il knew very well what Kang Jin-ho had done so far. Then…

“You’re not surprised.”

“I just had a rough idea.”

Kang Jin-ho slowly exhaled cigarette smoke.

“Considering your calm reaction, can I assume that a conversation is possible?”

“Calm?”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

“It would be best if you said what you have to say quickly. I’m forcing myself to hold back the urge to smash your head right now. Coming to see me in broad daylight was a very wise choice. If it were night, you would already be dead.”

It was a calm tone.

That’s why it felt even more chilling.

‘A barking dog doesn’t bite.’

It meant that there was no need to raise the tension with a threatening tone. There was no need for extra seasoning when stating the facts.

Kim Seok-il sighed lowly.

‘I don’t know where things went wrong.’

All of his plans had begun to crumble since Kang Jin-ho appeared. According to his plan, he would have already eliminated Lee Joong-geol by now and swallowed the Martial Arts Association, which would have become a free-for-all.

But thanks to the variable called Kang Jin-ho, he was now in a position to prepare for an all-out war with the Martial Arts Association.

“Actually, you and I shouldn’t be having this conversation. I’m one of those people who feels sick just hearing your name.”

“…”

“Until recently, I was determined to kill you. As you probably were with me.”

Kang Jin-ho’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Get to the point.”

“Okay.”

Kim Seok-il slowly nodded and said,

“Stop the war.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

“Are you done talking nonsense?”

Kim Seok-il’s face contorted.

“I don’t want to make a truce with you either. In my life, there’s no one who has messed up my plans as much as you have. If I could, I would do anything to take your head right now.”

“Then you should do it.” Although, I don’t know if you can.

“Of course, I want to. But the situation has changed. Now is not the time for you and me to fight.”

“I told you not to beat around the bush, didn’t I?”

“Damn it.”

Kim Seok-il said in an annoyed tone.

“A few days ago, it was discovered that a large number of Japs [a derogatory term for Japanese people] entered Korea through the airport.”

“Japanese?”

“Yes. They’re from the Nanahoshi-gumi, whom Lee Joong-geol recruited from Japan because of you. They must have come to check out the situation in Korea. And yesterday, the Nanahoshi-gumi asked us for information about you and the Martial Arts Association.”

Kang Jin-ho narrowed his eyes.

“So?”

“…So what!”

Kim Seok-il started to get angry.

“China is in chaos due to civil war, but Japan is not. Although there are many organizations, they respect each other’s territories. Even if there are conflicts, they don’t fight to the death.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly listened to Kim Seok-il’s words.

“Thanks to that, they’ve been looking for an opportunity to advance into Korea. They couldn’t move because they were keeping each other in check and watching China’s reaction. But Lee Joong-geol gave them an opportunity. And thanks to you, they’ve now gained a justification. They’re going to use you as an excuse to swallow the Martial Arts Association, and then put Korea under their control.”

Kang Jin-ho still didn’t show any particular reaction.

Frustrated, Kim Seok-il raised his voice.

“I’m also annoyed that I have to make a truce with you, and maybe even join hands, but if we keep fighting each other in this situation, we’ll end up losing everything to those Jap bastards. It’s like cooking a meal and giving it to the dog. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“So, let’s make a truce for now. We can do what we have to do after we drive out those Japanese bastards.”

Kim Seok-il gritted his teeth slightly.

‘Serves him right.’

He was the one who had said that they should get rid of Kang Jin-ho by any means necessary just a few days ago.

But in those few days, the situation had changed so drastically.

He didn’t want to admit it, but Kang Jin-ho was now the head of the Martial Arts Association. Bang Jin-hoon, who was the chairman, was just a figurehead, and Lee Joong-geol had stepped down from all his authority.

In this situation, if Kang Jin-ho died, the Martial Arts Association would fall into a power vacuum. Even Bang Jin-hoon’s power wouldn’t be able to hold the association together, and it would be the same even if Lee Joong-geol returned.

Considering the power of Japan, there was no guarantee that they could stop them even if they joined forces. So, if they continued to fight, the second Japanese occupation would begin.

Even though Kim Seok-il had lived for power, he had no intention of watching the Korean underworld be taken over by Japan.

“Then I understand that we’re making a truce…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Kim Seok-il saw it.

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes.

Kang Jin-ho was smiling at Kim Seok-il.

As if he was enjoying it so much. Kim Seok-il’s body began to grow cold at the sight of that smile.