Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 677

A white van.

The white van, covered in dust from driving up the mountain road, caught Jang Si-ang’s eye.

‘It’s Choi Yeon-ha’s van.’

That woman certainly had terrible taste. He couldn’t understand why she insisted on sticking with that white van, which was so difficult to maintain.

And besides…

“Well, look at this?”

Where did the front windshield go?

Jang Si-ang raised his hand and rubbed his eyes.

‘There isn’t a single normal person here.’

He was already struggling to deal with Liu Wei, and now this woman was suddenly acting up again. If the windshield was gone, she should have replaced it. Why would she come all the way here in a car with no front windshield? And there wasn’t even any filming today.

‘Damn migraine.’

The side of his head started to throb as if being pricked by needles. He must have been under too much stress. As if oblivious to Jang Si-ang’s feelings, the van calmly stopped on one side of the set.

Then…

“…I’m going to die.”

“What?”

“I’m, I’m going to die. I’m going to die.”

“Hey, you crazy bastard.”

Suddenly, Liu Wei started having a fit. As if he had epilepsy, his whole body was trembling. He was shaking so violently that Jang Si-ang, standing next to him, could feel the tremors.

“What’s wrong with you, man!”

“…I’m, I’m going to…”

Liu Wei’s eyes were filled with terror.

Screech.

The side door of the van opened, and Choi Yeon-ha, wrapped in a blanket, got out of the van, sniffling.

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

‘It’s still summer, you woman.’

His head started to hurt again.

Even though it was a mountaintop and the temperature was lower than other places, it was still too early to call it autumn. But she was wrapped in a blanket and sniffling?

There was a limit to how eccentric one could be.

Choi Yeon-ha strode towards Jang Si-ang and opened her mouth.

“Is the filming going well?”

“…Yeah, it is. But why are you like that, Choi Yeon-ha?”

“Because I’m cold.”

“…Cold?”

Choi Yeon-ha coughed loudly and shivered.

“Since there’s no windshield, the cold wind is coming in too much. I thought I was going to freeze.”

Then don’t come!

Or fix the car before coming!

Why would she come all the way here in such a car when there was no filming today!

It was as if she was deliberately trying to upset people.

He had a lot to say. There were so many things he wanted to say.

But thankfully, Jang Si-ang was an adult and could distinguish between what he wanted to say and what he should say.

“Okay, that’s good. But why did you come?”

“I came to watch.”

“Watch?”

“Yes. The next scene is very important. I thought it would be a bit difficult to get into the emotions just by looking at the screen, so I’m going to watch him film and try to adjust.”

That was a very good attitude.

So good it brought tears to his eyes.

Even though it was a drama he didn’t want to film, anyone would be encouraged if the two leads were working so hard. Anyone.

Except for Jang Si-ang.

‘Why are you doing this to me, why!’

He was already struggling to deal with Liu Wei, and now he had to deal with someone who was determined to hang around the set.

Okay, fine. She could come to the set.

Although it had been difficult to see her face due to various awkward situations, it was commendable for an actor to come to the set even when there was no filming.

‘But why is this bastard panicking again!’

The problem was that Liu Wei had lost his mind the moment Choi Yeon-ha appeared.

“Hey, you bastard. You’re drooling.”

Jang Si-ang pointed it out, but it seemed like Liu Wei couldn’t hear him at all. He was just staring at Choi Yeon-ha’s van with his mouth agape.

‘The van?’

But why the van?

Was there something in the van that Choi Yeon-ha had gotten out of?

Jang Si-ang’s gaze naturally turned to the van. A man slowly got out from inside the still-open door of the van.

‘He’s Korean.’

He thought he had been seeing that guy a lot lately.

Of course, there were more than a few people who frequented this set like it was their own home. But that guy had an unusual presence that drew people’s attention.

Even if Jang Si-ang had no intention of trying to win him over, he would have felt the same way.

And at the same time…

‘Well, look at this?’

Liu Wei’s trembling stopped.

The moment that Korean guy appeared, his body froze as if he had been turned to stone.

Anyone could tell.

The reason why Liu Wei had been making such a fuss was because of that guy.

‘What the hell happened?’

It was something Jang Si-ang couldn’t understand at all. Fortunately, as if to solve his questions, Kang Jin-ho slowly walked towards them.

Then, without even glancing at Liu Wei or Jang Si-ang, he asked Choi Yeon-ha.

“Is it going well?”

“Well, he’s not answering. And…”

Choi Yeon-ha tilted her head, looking at Liu Wei.

“Why is he like this again? He wasn’t in good shape to begin with, but he’s gone completely mad. Hey, are you on drugs?”

Although a bit harsh, Choi Yeon-ha was trying to communicate with Liu Wei. Considering how she used to curse at Liu Wei with a disgusted look on her face, this was a huge improvement.

However, Liu Wei, who had been so persistent in following Choi Yeon-ha, couldn’t react at all even though she was talking to him first. His gaze was fixed solely on Kang Jin-ho.

“Tsk, tsk.”

Choi Yeon-ha clicked her tongue and scolded Kang Jin-ho.

“How much did you torment him to make him like this?”

“I don’t think I tormented him at all.”

“Is this a situation that can happen on its own? He’s lost his soul! His soul?”

“He seems to be a bit timid by nature.”

Kang Jin-ho felt a bit wronged.

He really hadn’t tormented Liu Wei.

By his standards, for the word ‘torment’ to be used, one would have to be treated at least as badly as Guo Liqin. Compared to Guo Liqin, Liu Wei had never been tormented.

“Do something about it.”

“Hmm…”

Kang Jin-ho made a groaning sound as if he was troubled and looked at Liu Wei.

Then, he raised his hand and reached out to Liu Wei.

“Hic!”

Liu Wei flinched as Kang Jin-ho’s hand approached him. He desperately wanted to run away, but he was trying his best to hold back.

Tap.

Kang Jin-ho tapped Liu Wei’s head.

At the same time, something seemed to be released from Liu Wei’s body. The tension that had been built up was released, and his eyes calmed down a bit.

“Get a grip.”

“Yes? Ah… Yes! Yes!”

Liu Wei straightened up his body in a stiff posture.

Kang Jin-ho frowned slightly at the sight.

‘He’s mentally weak.’

He hadn’t even tormented him mentally, but Liu Wei was on the verge of going crazy. The murky energy filling his head was so obvious that it was visible even without focusing.

If a few more days had passed like this, it would have been the end. Liu Wei probably wouldn’t have lived the rest of his life with a sound mind.

That wouldn’t be bad either, but since he needed him now, he needed to relieve it appropriately.

Liu Wei seemed to have regained some clarity and was looking around. He seemed to be trying to figure out his situation again.

“Director.”

“Hmm?”

Choi Yeon-ha said, taking off her blanket.

“Can I see what you’ve filmed? I need to get into the emotions too.”

“You can, but Liu Wei refuses to take a break.”

Jang Si-ang looked at Choi Yeon-ha and Liu Wei alternately, as if he was in trouble. Then, Choi Yeon-ha looked at Liu Wei and said,

“Can’t you take a break?”

“B-but…”

Liu Wei glanced at Kang Jin-ho. Then, Kang Jin-ho simply settled the situation.

“Go.”

“Yes.”

That was it.

Liu Wei ran to his container without looking back, and Choi Yeon-ha and Jang Si-ang stared blankly at his retreating figure.

“That guy’s crazy.”

“He’s not right in the head.”

Anyway, the situation was resolved.

“Ah…”

At that moment, Jang Si-ang scratched his head.

“Since we’ve already filmed, it would be good to watch it together. I need to see that guy again too.”

“Come back.”

No sooner had Jang Si-ang finished speaking than Kang Jin-ho whispered softly.

“Will he even hear…”

At that moment, Liu Wei, who had been running away, abruptly turned his body and started running back towards them. Choi Yeon-ha, who had been watching the scene, contorted her face as if she couldn’t take it anymore.

“What the hell did you do to him?”

Kang Jin-ho felt very wronged.

“…Is this Liu Wei?”

Choi Yeon-ha, who had been sitting with her legs crossed and looking at the screen, adjusted her posture. She leaned forward a little more and stared intently at the screen.

‘What is this?’

It wasn’t anything great. It wasn’t anything that could be called amazing.

It was just acting.

The actor was acting.

But until the last time she had left the set, Liu Wei was not someone who could be called an actor. And now, in just a few days, he was ‘acting’, acting.

‘Did he really take drugs?’

No matter how strong one’s will is, and no matter how much a person changes their mind, can a person change this much in such a short time?

Could it be…

“An acting genius?”

“No way, no way.”

Jang Si-ang waved his hand vigorously at Choi Yeon-ha’s words.

“It’s not that level.”

“But isn’t this amazing? It’s like the kid who was at the bottom of the class is now average?”

“It is.”

Jang Si-ang smiled bitterly.

If he had reached this level a little earlier, he could have raised the quality of the drama by a couple of levels. It was fortunate that he was doing this now, but he couldn’t help but feel regret.

“Is he doing well?”

Choi Yeon-ha nodded at Kang Jin-ho’s words.

“He’s doing well. Of course, ‘doing well’ is a relative concept, so I don’t know how to explain it… Hmm, it’s like seeing a turtle flying?”

“I don’t understand.”

“If someone else did this much, I’d be like, ‘Oh, okay,’ but for him to act this well is like the world has turned upside down. I feel like I want to take him and get his DNA tested. He might not even be the same person. If the Chinese government said they put in a clone to make this drama a hit, I’d be more convinced.”

“…He seems to be doing well.”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head and looked at Liu Wei. Liu Wei flinched, but he didn’t react as violently as before.

“Follow me.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho walked ahead, and Liu Wei followed behind him with his shoulders slumped. As the two of them headed to a secluded spot, Jang Si-ang opened his mouth.

“But I wonder what they’re talking about when they go off like that?”

“He’s probably giving him acting guidance.”

“…Huh?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking. He’s a good person.”

‘Good?’

Jang Si-ang turned his head and looked at the two people standing in the corner of the set.

He felt like he had seen that somewhere before.

When he had visited the military for a movie shoot, he had seen a soldier bullying a new recruit in a corner. The scene he was seeing now was exactly like that.

Kang Jin-ho, leaning on one leg and smoking a cigarette while saying something, and Liu Wei, standing stiffly in front of him, looking pale.

‘Let’s pretend I didn’t see it.’

Jang Si-ang quietly turned his head.

Anyway, it was true that the filming would be easier thanks to Liu Wei’s changed attitude. There was no need to point out such things and make things go wrong.

“But who the hell is that guy to be able to make the mighty Liu Wei like that?”

Considering the power and authority that Liu Wei had, ordinary people couldn’t even touch him. But to be able to turn such a person into a terrified sheep, not just a docile one.

“How should I put it, I can’t think of a good word… Hmm, if I had to say it, I think that word would be appropriate.”

“What word?”

“A human rehabilitation machine?”

“The effect is definitely real. I’ve seen the effect too. If I had come with my old personality, the director would be saying that Liu Wei was still a human being.”

Jang Si-ang closed his eyes at Choi Yeon-ha’s words mixed with laughter.

Jang Si-ang couldn’t tell if this place was a filming set or a war zone full of bombs.