Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 589

“Those who couldn’t do anything on their own are acting like they achieved what the master did. It’s not a foolish ruler who brings down a country, but the treacherous officials. If those kinds of guys don’t know their place and gain power, the organization is bound to be shaken.”

Knight Wiggins neither affirmed nor denied it.

However, he didn’t seem to have any intention of defending Lee Hyun-soo either.

“But that young man isn’t quite at that level yet, is he?”

“That’s why he’s still alive,” Bator said firmly.

“But he showed signs of it. That’s why I spoke to him in advance. Now, he won’t be able to think differently.”

Knight Wiggins looked at Bator with interest.

‘He’s more thoughtful than I expected.’

Moreover, his loyalty to Kang Jin-ho is also unwavering. Obtaining such a person was a great blessing for Kang Jin-ho as well.

However, there’s something…

“But no matter how much I think about it, there’s something I don’t understand. That there are forces within trying to oppose Kang Jin-ho. With the level of the Korean martial arts world, it’s impossible to oppose Kang Jin-ho.”

“It’s possible because they don’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s precisely because their level is low that it’s possible. If someone has military knowledge, they wouldn’t think of taking down a tank with infantry armed with rifles. But those who don’t know what a tank is might think that way.”

“Hmm, are you saying that the level of Korean martial artists is such that they can’t accurately grasp Kang Jin-ho’s abilities?”

“Probably.”

If that’s the case, then it makes sense. But…

“Even so, there should be an instinctive fear.”

“There must be those who poked them in the side.”

“Are you saying Kang Jin-ho left them unchecked?”

Bator shook his head and said,

“The master is a perfect being as a martial artist. But as the head of an organization, he has a fatal flaw.”

“A flaw, you say?”

“He’s too soft on his own people.”

“Hmm.”

Even Knight Wiggins had to acknowledge this statement. There was no need to consider anything else. Just looking at how he treats him and Bator, it’s clear that he places excessive trust in those he considers allies.

Perhaps this is the quality of a wise ruler. But the reason why many monarchs in history couldn’t adopt this attitude wasn’t because they were foolish.

Humans become arrogant when they receive trust.

It’s human nature to complain and want to lie down when they’re allowed to sit. This was human nature. It’s several times easier to control people with coercion and violence than to manage them through trust and faith.

“It’s not wrong to favor allies. That should rather be considered admirable. Because not many can do that. The problem is not favoring allies, but that the criteria for determining who is an ally are ambiguous.”

“Hmm…”

“You are the same, Knight Wiggins.”

Bator glared at Knight Wiggins with sharp eyes.

“Please call me Mr. Wiggins, Bator-nim.”

“The title doesn’t matter. Taking away the title of Knight from you doesn’t hide your origins. Answer me. Are you truly working for the master?”

Bator’s atmosphere was unusual. But unlike Lee Hyun-soo, Knight Wiggins wasn’t intimidated by Bator’s pressure.

He just shrugged his shoulders as if he was troubled.

“To be honest, I’m not very familiar with the Eastern master-servant relationship.”

“The master-servant relationship isn’t a concept that originated in the East, is it?”

“Of course, it isn’t. But the concept here eventually developed into a contract. I’ve only made a contract. I’m helping the General Assembly and Kang Jin-ho and receiving compensation for it. If you’re looking for complete loyalty to the point of throwing away my life, that’s difficult.”

“Fine.”

Bator said, growling.

“If that’s the contract you have with the master, then I respect the master’s will. But remember this. If you ever think of betraying him, you’ll have to face my fists.”

“That will never happen.”

“Hmm.”

Bator turned his body and walked out.

‘He’s no joke.’

Bator’s aura was enough to make even Knight Wiggins back down. From the start, he had no confidence in winning against Bator in a fight of strength. But since Wiggins had faced and confronted many strong people, he thought he wouldn’t be pushed back by his aura, but…

“I thought I was going to die.”

He lived up to his reputation.

Even Knight Wiggins, who had gone through thick and thin, found his aura hard to handle.

‘The Lord has obtained the best card.’

What the General Assembly had lacked the most until now was exactly that kind of thing. An organization created by martial artists was largely supported by the dignity of the one at the top.

Kang Jin-ho wasn’t the type who lacked charisma. Rather, it could be said that he had too much. But the problem was that Kang Jin-ho’s charisma was mostly directed outwards.

The most surprising thing he had found since joining the General Assembly was that Kang Jin-ho, Bang Jin-hoon, and Lee Hyun-soo each had their own voting rights and participated in meetings.

Looking at it positively, it was a democratic process, but if you analyzed the situation coldly, it wasn’t much different from a situation where the chairman of a group and a new employee were arguing at every meeting.

There was a hierarchy.

But that hierarchy wasn’t being exercised.

It was clearly a different matter that the chairman-level person listened to the opinions of even new employees and that they had equal rights. If a perfect democracy were right, no one would elect a prime minister.

Bator was now organizing that situation.

‘I hope it doesn’t go as far as the Red Guards…’ [The Red Guards were a radical student mass movement in China during the Cultural Revolution, known for their extreme actions and violence.]

As long as Bator exists, those who have been treating Kang Jin-ho comfortably will also become more cautious of him. And the result was likely to be positive.

“Should I just focus on completing the task I was given perfectly for now?”

Knight Wiggins turned his head and looked out the window.

The sun had already set.

“I have to earn my keep.”

Although he wasn’t the type to express it like Bator, Knight Wiggins was also burning with ambition right now.

The people here had no idea of his abilities. It was unfortunate, but his reputation as a Knight didn’t have much power in this Eastern world.

If this were Europe, he would have received gazes of awe and respect, but when you looked at it coldly, the treatment he received here was no more or less than ‘some famous old man from somewhere in the West.’

Knight Wiggins smacked his lips.

‘I didn’t think I’d be ignored this much, though.’

Of course, he knew that the position of Knight wasn’t chosen solely based on martial prowess, so its impact would be ambiguous, but he didn’t expect to receive such indifference.

It wasn’t that he particularly wanted to be treated with great respect, but he felt that he should start to shed the image of being just some Western old man in the General Assembly.

Now that many young martial artists had joined his curriculum, it was time for him to prove himself.

“It’s a shame there aren’t any suitable opponents, though.”

Knight Wiggins got up from his seat and slowly walked outside.

* * *

Darkness had fallen.

Kang Jin-ho was quietly looking at the General Assembly, which was shrouded in darkness.

It was a strange feeling.

At one time, the General Assembly was just a place where other people lived for him. But now, as he looked at the General Assembly like this, he strangely felt a sense of stability.

When did the General Assembly become meaningful to him?

“The preparations are complete.”

The voice that came from behind was the same.

‘The start wasn’t good, though.’

Lee Hyun-soo was the one who had tried to kill him.

The memory of being buried under the collapsed tunnel due to Lee Hyun-soo’s scheme and suffering with Choi Yeon-ha was still vivid in Kang Jin-ho’s mind. But now, he even felt trust in Lee Hyun-soo.

Perhaps it was natural for Kang Jin-ho to find the world difficult.

So many things changed in an instant, how could he keep up with the world?

Yesterday’s enemy becomes today’s ally, and a situation arises where he has to go and eliminate someone he believed to be an ally with his own hands. Where should he set his standards?

Kang Jin-ho turned his head and quietly looked at Lee Hyun-soo.

Lee Hyun-soo was bowing his head with a stiff face. Kang Jin-ho slightly tilted his head at the politeness he felt from that posture.

Tension?

It didn’t seem like that?

“Is something the matter?”

“…I was given a bit of a scolding.”

“A scolding?”

“It was necessary. Please don’t worry about it.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded his head.

He didn’t know what had happened, but if Lee Hyun-soo said so, then it must be so.

“Begin.”

“There are four places that need to be dealt with.”

“Hmm.”

“The place where the elders are gathered, and Lee Jung-geol’s residence, the rebel forces within the General Assembly, and one more…”

As Lee Hyun-soo whispered, Kang Jin-ho quietly nodded his head.

“There are more than I thought.”

“In terms of power, it’s not a good thing that there are more places to eliminate, but you can’t leave benign tumors behind while removing malignant ones. It’s something that needs to be dealt with.”

“I suppose so.”

There was no emotion in Kang Jin-ho’s voice.

Realizing that fact, Lee Hyun-soo bowed his head even deeper.

This man was always like this.

Normally, he was rather slow-witted. But when he knew he had to step up, he was more cold-blooded and cruel than anyone else.

That gap sometimes made Lee Hyun-soo afraid.

‘Bator-nim is right.’

Perhaps Lee Hyun-soo had also tried to take advantage of that side of Kang Jin-ho. When Kang Jin-ho revealed his true colors, he could only tremble, but when Kang Jin-ho was usually gentle, he had even tried to lecture him.

Lee Hyun-soo deeply reflected on his mistakes.

‘Don’t forget.’

Taking advantage of someone else’s kindness is the worst thing to do.

“Kang Jin-ho-ssi.”

“Hmm?”

“Once this is over, please make up your mind.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at Lee Hyun-soo.

“What are you talking about?”

“If you’ve decided to stand at the top yourself, don’t hesitate. I, and the others, will risk our lives to assist you.”

Kang Jin-ho had a subtle smile on his lips.

It was a cruel yet captivating smile.

“You’re spouting nonsense.”

A growling voice.

Kang Jin-ho, who had completely switched, glared at Lee Hyun-soo with slightly bloodshot eyes.

“It’s not me who shouldn’t hesitate, it’s you guys. It’s not me who has to stand at the top, it’s you guys. Grit your teeth and follow me. To where I am.”

A smile bloomed on Lee Hyun-soo’s lips as well.

Yes, that’s how it should be.

That’s Kang Jin-ho.

It felt like the complicated thoughts in his head were instantly cleared.

There was no need for complicated thoughts. He just had to run as Kang Jin-ho wanted. If he ran while looking at this man’s back, the path would always open.

“I will begin.”

Kang Jin-ho didn’t answer and walked forward.

Lee Hyun-soo, who was watching Kang Jin-ho jump off the building, turned his body without delay and pulled out his cell phone.

Well, now it begins.