Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 607

‘Please, just stop it!’

Lee Hyun-soo rubbed his face roughly.

Logically, Kang Jin-ho’s response was correct. There would be people in Lee Jung-geol’s house who wouldn’t want to be hostile towards them.

In a normal situation, it would be enough to identify and subdue those people on the spot, but…

‘These guys can’t be controlled.’

It was too much to ask the hounds to distinguish between prey to capture and prey to kill. And looking at those guys’ faces now, it seemed wiser to ask the hounds. It was impossible for these guys.

So, from a humanitarian point of view, it was right to contact them, but…

‘Then the meaning of the surprise attack is lost!’

Lee Hyun-soo felt like crying.

Even if Lee Jung-geol knew they were coming, giving away the timing of the attack was a loss from a strategic point of view. Even just the time they were spending smoking a cigarette could have worn them down.

[Are you saying you’re coming now?]

Lee Jung-geol’s voice was calm.

Whether he was actually calm, or if it was just that his emotions weren’t coming through well over the phone, Lee Hyun-soo couldn’t tell.

“We’re going now.”

[Should I prepare a welcome?]

“No thanks.”

A mocking voice came from the other end.

[Since you’re giving us the time, could you give us ten more minutes? As you said, it’ll take more time to gather the people who want to leave.]

“Sure.”

This is driving me crazy, really.

If this was going to happen, why did we even come here? We should have just sent UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund].

Anyone would think he was a peace missionary.

Lee Hyun-soo’s face showed a look of utter helplessness. When a superior is trolling, a subordinate can only watch. Moreover, this superior is democratic in words, but a dictator in actions.

[Thank you for your consideration. I’ll prepare a gift, so take your time coming.]

“We’ll be the ones bringing the gift.”

[You’ve changed a lot. You even joke now.]

“Likewise.”

A low chuckle was heard.

[Alright, Kang Jin-ho. Let’s do it. We have to see this through.]

The call ended.

Kang Jin-ho turned his head and looked at the Muses who had been listening to the conversation.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes.”

“We’re going in ten minutes.”

“Do we just wipe them all out?”

Kang Jin-ho raised his hand and pointed at the light again.

“There.”

“Clear it out completely.”

The Muses’ eyes blazed with fire.

Turning his head, Lee Hyun-soo was letting out a deep sigh.

“Is there a problem?”

“…No. What problem could there be? All roads lead to Rome. But… there’s someone we need to secure.”

“Hmm?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Lee Hyun-soo with interest.

Thud.

Lee Jung-geol slammed the phone roughly onto the table.

“Haa.”

Then, he let out a low sigh.

“Director Jo.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Where did it all go wrong?”

Director Jo couldn’t answer. It wasn’t something he could answer.

“We’ve lost before even fighting. Before even fighting. Does that mean we’re not even qualified to be on the battlefield? We just set up the board and were about to have a proper fight, but this is…”

“It’s not over yet, Chairman.”

“It’s not over…”

Lee Jung-geol got up from his seat and slowly walked to the window. Standing by the window, Lee Jung-geol opened it and took out a cigarette from his pocket, putting it in his mouth.

“Yes, it’s not over yet. It’s not over until my life is gone. But that time won’t be long now.”

“…Chairman.”

“It’s alright.”

Lee Jung-geol shook his head.

“It’s not something to be upset about. It’s just that the opponent was more cunning than us. I thought this fight would be decided between me and Kang Jin-ho… Lee Hyun-soo was the variable. Not thinking about him is what brought the situation to this point.”

Lee Jung-geol took a drag of his cigarette with a bitter expression.

Thinking about it, it was obvious. How much trouble did he have because of Lee Hyun-soo when he led the General Assembly in the past? If there was someone like that, he should have been wary of him. But because there were so many people with strong presences around him, the mark on Lee Hyun-soo was relatively weak.

He knew so well that in a fight between organizations, one person with brains is more dangerous than individual strength.

‘I’m getting old.’

As you get older, you gain experience. But if you get even older, you can’t use the experience you have. He knew he had to be wary of the opponent, but he didn’t put it into action.

A mistake?

Yes, it was a mistake.

But if a mistake is repeated, it becomes a failure.

Just one thing.

“Director Jo.”

“Yes.”

“Where did the information leak from?”

Lee Jung-geol slowly exhaled cigarette smoke.

“Of course, this is my mistake. I should have thought about this possibility. Isn’t it basic to keep all possibilities open? But… no matter how much I think about it, I don’t understand. Why now? The timing was about to be perfect. But they’re attacking now. At this timing when the distinction between allies and enemies is clear. Isn’t it very coincidental?”

“Are you saying…”

“Who betrayed us?”

Lee Jung-geol’s voice was not loud at all. It was so calm that it felt eerie.

Director Jo swallowed hard.

He could feel heavy anger within that calmness. And within that anger, a small sadness was also seeping out.

Director Jo felt a pang in his heart.

No matter what anyone said, Lee Jung-geol was a giant of his time. If it weren’t for him, the Korean martial arts world would have been in disarray or a colony of another country.

Lee Jung-geol was the one who gathered the free martial artists who were scattered everywhere, formed them into one group, and guaranteed their interests. He made many enemies because of his radical and dictatorial methods, but even his political opponents would not deny that he created the Korean martial arts world.

That man was now drooping his shoulders.

His appearance was like the end of an era, and Director Jo couldn’t bear to look at Lee Jung-geol’s back.

“Chairman.”

“…If we hadn’t been betrayed, would there have been a chance?”

“Probably, yes.”

“Okay. Then that’s a relief. I was honestly a little scared.”

Director Jo’s eyes widened slightly.

It was a word he thought he would never hear from Lee Jung-geol’s mouth. That word was now coming from Lee Jung-geol’s mouth.

“I was afraid that I was the only one who didn’t know I had become a has-been. It’s true that you don’t know yourself well.”

Director Jo couldn’t say anything. Lee Jung-geol was not someone who would say such things. No matter what he was thinking inside, he never showed a weak side on the outside.

Director Jo’s heart was filled with sorrow as he watched Lee Jung-geol’s appearance.

No one can be young forever. And no one can be strong forever.

Even a strong person who seems to have no rivals will eventually be driven out of their position. But… even though he knew that was the way of things, Director Jo didn’t want to see this.

“Chairman, you are still strong.”

“Is that so…”

Lee Jung-geol slowly nodded his head. As if he was relieved.

“It was just bad luck. If everything had gone according to your plan, Chairman, Kang Jin-ho would not have been able to defeat you.”

“Thank you. I know it’s just empty words, but thank you anyway.”

“It’s not empty words.”

Director Jo’s voice was rather heated. Unlike Lee Jung-geol’s calm voice.

“Then, may I ask you one thing?”

“Yes. Ask me anything.”

“Director Jo.”

“Yes!”

Lee Jung-geol said with a faint smile.

“Why did you betray me?”

Silence fell.

Quietness.

The sound of the clock ticking, which had not been heard until now, began to quietly fill the wide living room.

Lee Jung-geol was still looking out the window.

A gaze that didn’t reach.

All Director Jo could see was Lee Jung-geol’s slightly shabby back.

But that back was now pressing down on Director Jo more heavily than anything else.

“There’s no need to worry. It’s not to blame you. You know, when you get to this age, you become numb to feelings like resentment or hatred. Even if you don’t want to, you can’t help but become like that.”

Lee Jung-geol chuckled.

“I just want to know. If your words are not empty, why did you stop me? If you were just saying empty words, I would have just understood and moved on. But it’s strange. It seems to me that you really mean it. But…”

Who could guess what emotions Lee Jung-geol was feeling right now?

No one would know, no one.

He had his life’s work taken away in a single day. And he waited, holding his breath, to reclaim what was his, with the feeling of licking his gall [a metaphor for enduring hardship and bitterness].

Life? A stable life?

He had thrown those away long ago.

All he wanted was the General Assembly.

But now, all those plans had been derailed before they even started. And it was because of the betrayal of the person he trusted the most.

How could he explain it?

How could he understand that the eyes of the person who betrayed him and pushed him into the hellfire were still full of trust?

That’s why Lee Jung-geol waited.

To hear the explanation for something he couldn’t fathom.

“Did you know?”

“I didn’t know. If I had known, I wouldn’t have come this far. I was just thinking about it. Who would have to intervene for things to be shaken up this much? And then the answer came. There’s no one but you. You’re the only one who knows all the plans and all the timings and can stab me accurately.”

Lee Jung-geol turned his body.

His eyes, full of pus, stared directly at Director Jo.

“Tell me, Director Jo. No, Jo Nam-pyeong.”

Lee Jung-geol took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

“Why did you do it?”

“Why?”

Director Jo, who was facing Lee Jung-geol with a bitter expression, quietly opened his mouth.

“Chairman.”

“Yes, speak.”

“I trust you, Chairman. I don’t doubt your abilities. Please know that the words I have said so far were not empty.”

“That’s why I’m asking. I felt sincerity in your words. But… if you trust me, why did you betray me?”

Director Jo closed his eyes.

Perhaps this would be a more cruel answer than not trusting him.

“Lee Hyun-soo came to me.”

“…”

Lee Hyun-soo.

The moment he heard that name, Lee Jung-geol felt like his blood was rushing backwards.

Lee Hyun-soo.

It’s that guy again.

Again!

Director Jo looked at Lee Jung-geol with a slightly pitiful expression and quietly opened his mouth.

“At first, I tried to resist. I tried to pretend I didn’t know. But… in the end, I had no choice but to surrender.”

Resignation entered Lee Jung-geol’s eyes.

“What did he say?”

“He…”

Calmly, and calmly.

Director Jo opened his mouth.