Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 765

5. Developing (1)

Where does trust come from?

Trust isn’t given; it’s built. No one starts with trust from the beginning.

The trajectory of one’s life, the way they treat others, the attitude and abilities they demonstrate—all of these influence trust.

Those who observe others decide whether to trust them based on what they’ve shown.

Some people naturally possess qualities that inspire trust, allowing them to gain it effortlessly. However, others must constantly strive to earn someone’s trust.

Kang Jin-ho, if categorized, belonged to the former group.

He never particularly tried to gain the trust of others. Trust naturally accumulated as he simply did what he had to do.

Therefore, Kang Jin-ho didn’t know what it was like for a person who had lost trust to be treated.

“Where are you going again?”

Kang Jin-ho was reminded that a person could be scolded just for putting on clothes.

“When are you coming back this time? Are you sure you’ll be back within the month?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at his mother with a very wronged expression. However, the reaction he received was still not pleasant.

“Your expression is not good? Our son, do you have some complaints?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, that’s how it should be. A person shouldn’t be like that. Goodness, even the kids in the military call their mothers every other day, but our son goes overseas and doesn’t contact us for ten days. Anyone would think you went on some expedition to a place where there’s no signal. Isn’t that right?”

“It is all my fault.”

“Knowing is a good thing. But what’s the point if you know and nothing changes?”

“…That’s right.”

Kang Jin-ho hastily shoved his shirt in and quickly turned around. If he hesitated even a little, he might hear ‘sit down’ again. He had to escape somehow.

“What? Oppa, are you going out again?”

There was a devil in the house.

They say a sister-in-law who stops the fight is more hateful than a mother-in-law who starts it, and that was exactly the case.

Kang Jin-ho’s face slightly contorted as he saw Kang Eun-young approaching with a slight glare.

“Aren’t you going to work?”

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“A person can’t always just work. We have seasons, you know. We need to divide between the season and the off-season so we can work harder when the season comes back.”

“It seems like your off-season is lasting a bit long?”

“Yes, dear brother. Your sister will go out and work as hard as possible to earn money. Meanwhile, you should cut ties with your family and enjoy your overseas trip.”

Kang Jin-ho, who had bitten off more than he could chew, quietly backed down.

‘I should have called.’

Why didn’t he call? It wasn’t that difficult. If he had made a few calls, he wouldn’t have had to go through this hell…

They say regret is always too late, no matter how early it comes, but this regret was particularly painful.

Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply and attempted a counterattack.

“Mother.”

“Yes?”

“I was careless. I will make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

However, the words of a person who has lost trust are empty.

“Yeah, right.”

“Are we going to be fooled once or twice?”

Staggering, Kang Jin-ho headed for the front door.

“Are you even coming back?”

“…I’ll be back by dinner.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow.”

Click.

As Kang Jin-ho went outside, Baek Hyun-jung glanced at Kang Eun-young.

“Should we let him off the hook now?”

“No way, Mom!”

Kang Eun-young was firm.

“Saying blood is thicker than water is all lies. How many families in the world live without contacting each other? It’s common for family to be worse than strangers. You know that, Mom!”

Baek Hyun-jung nodded with a serious face.

“That’s right.”

“If we let this careless man off easily this time, what do you think he’ll do again? Later, if he doesn’t contact us first, we won’t even know if our son died somewhere?”

“That can’t happen!”

“We need to fix his habits this time!”

“Yes!”

Kang Eun-young smiled triumphantly as she watched Baek Hyun-jung clench her fist resolutely.

Brummmmm.

With a cheerful engine sound, the car passed through the main gate of the General Assembly. After parking the car in a suitable spot and getting out, everyone who passed by bowed their heads.

“Good morning.”

“Oh…”

Kang Jin-ho weakly accepted the greetings and trudged inside. Those who watched him began to whisper.

“He seems very weak?”

“I heard he was seriously injured this time.”

“I heard that too… I still can’t believe it. Can you imagine that person getting injured by someone?”

“The world is vast.”

“Then, is his injury not fully healed yet?”

“Probably. I heard he was in the intensive care unit.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head as he listened to the sounds reaching his ears. His abnormally high hearing picked up even the smallest sounds without missing a thing.

‘It would be better if that were the case.’

It would be nice if it were as they said, but unfortunately, Kang Jin-ho’s body had almost fully recovered. His recovery ability surpasses even Bator. The demonic energy thoroughly protected and restored his body. Now, there were no traces of external injuries. The damaged internal organs were still a problem, but that wouldn’t take long either.

The problem was home.

His mother and Kang Eun-young were relentless. Even his father, who had always been on his side, was muttering, ‘Raising a son is not as good as an overseas trip. I should just die,’ and firing cannons from afar.

‘I’m going to die of starvation.’

Since he had sinned, he couldn’t even make excuses. Come to think of it, it was true that Kang Jin-ho had been careless. From Kang Jin-ho’s perspective, he could make the excuse that he couldn’t contact them because he was doing something very important, but that was meaningless to his family, who didn’t know what he was doing.

In the end, he had no choice but to beg for mercy…

‘I need to do something…’

Kang Eun-young was not his concern, but he needed a special measure to soothe his parents’ upset feelings. Kang Jin-ho pondered the solution as he entered the building.

Kang Jin-ho, who went up the stairs and opened the door to his office, tilted his head at the unexpected visitors.

“Why are you all gathered here?”

Inside the room were Lee Hyun-soo, Bator, Wiggins, and Jang Min. It was as if it was natural for him to come at this time.

‘It has become a natural routine to come here in the morning, like a regular office worker.’

Feeling like a salaryman, Kang Jin-ho sat in the head seat.

“We have something to report.”

“That’s burdensome.”

It was unusual. Something important must have happened.

“It’s not bad news. It’s good news, but… the timing is a bit awkward.”

“Hmm?”

Lee Hyun-soo’s words were even more ambiguous. What did it mean that it was good news but the timing was bad?

“Tell me about it.”

“I think it would be better if you saw it directly rather than me telling you.”

Lee Hyun-soo took out his phone and made a call.

‘A video call?’

Judging by Lee Hyun-soo’s face on the screen, it seemed like he was making a video call. It seemed like he was going to show it to him, but who was it that Kang Jin-ho needed to see with his own eyes…

“Huh?”

An exclamation burst from Kang Jin-ho’s mouth. Kang Jin-ho, who rarely showed surprise, couldn’t help but be surprised in this situation. Kang Jin-ho bit his lip as he confirmed the face on the other end of the call.

He couldn’t help but be surprised.

The person Kang Jin-ho saw was someone he knew very well.

But it wasn’t because he knew him well that he was surprised. He was surprised because the person he thought was no longer in this world was on the screen.

“Lee Myung-hwan?”

At Kang Jin-ho’s words, Lee Hyun-soo awkwardly smiled and handed the phone to Kang Jin-ho.

“Is that Lee Myung-hwan?”

[That’s right, Lord Master.]

Lee Myung-hwan smiled awkwardly and bowed his head to Kang Jin-ho. Various complex expressions floated on Lee Myung-hwan’s face.

Relief, apology, embarrassment, and hope.

It was an indescribable face.

[I’m ashamed to say I was captured.]

“Captured?”

[Yes. As you can see.]

Lee Myung-hwan turned the phone around to show the people behind him. The members of the suicide squad who were with Lee Myung-hwan all looked very awkward and bowed their heads.

[I’m being treated very well, so I’m a bit bewildered. I thought my head would be cut off right away… I don’t know why these crazy guys are doing this…]

Kang Jin-ho laughed.

“No. That’s enough.”

It felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest.

Since regaining his senses, the thing that had weighed most heavily on Kang Jin-ho’s mind was the fate of Lee Myung-hwan.

How could he not care when there were people who had thrown their lives away to save him?

He had tried to appear calm, but he couldn’t help the heaviness in his heart.

Even Kang Jin-ho himself was surprised by it.

If he were the former Cheonma [Heavenly Demon], he wouldn’t have cared about his subordinates dying. Cheonma was someone who wouldn’t hesitate to throw hundreds of people into a fire if it meant achieving his goals.

Just over ten people.

The fact that his heart was heavy because of their deaths was the most solid proof that Kang Jin-ho was not Cheonma. On the other hand, it was also proof that Kang Jin-ho’s power was not enough to protect everyone around him.

If it was Cheonma, not Kang Jin-ho, who had faced Hong Wang, they wouldn’t have needed to sacrifice their lives to save Kang Jin-ho.

From Kang Jin-ho’s perspective, their lives were sacrificed so that Kang Jin-ho could be Kang Jin-ho, not Cheonma.

An unpayable debt.

Perhaps it was a sacrifice caused by Kang Jin-ho’s stubbornness, a sacrifice that he couldn’t help but feel sorry for.

But now, the person he thought had been sacrificed was alive and contacting him, so even Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but be surprised.

[Actually, if I were being tortured or going through a lot of hardship right now, I think I would feel a little better about receiving this call… I feel like I’m just chilling at a hotel on vacation. The food is good too…]

Kang Jin-ho laughed.

‘He’s not easy to deal with.’

It was obvious why Chai Ke-chang was keeping them alive and treating them well.

But it was a trap that he had to ask about even though he knew.

“You’ve been through a lot. I’ll make sure you can come back to Korea soon, so just wait a little longer.”

[No, Lord Master. It’s not like I’m going through any hardship. And… I’m sorry. Usually, in this situation, I should bite my tongue to avoid harming the company, but I was afraid for my life…]

“Of course you should be afraid for your life.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and said,

“I’m afraid for it too. So don’t think useless thoughts and just hold on a little longer.”

[Yes.]

Kang Jin-ho hung up the phone and turned to Lee Hyun-soo.

Lee Hyun-soo opened his mouth with a very reluctant expression.

“Um… Lord Master, this is, well, I think you should think a little more calmly right now…”

“Lee Hyun-soo.”

“Yes!”

Kang Jin-ho opened his mouth in a monotone voice.

“Bring them back safe and sound, no matter what. I’ll accept any conditions.”

With a look of defeat, Lee Hyun-soo looked at the ceiling.