Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1054

“As you command, Leader,” Yohei said, bowing his head.

‘It’s a fait accompli,’ he thought.

He was already on the back of a running tiger. The moment he tried to get off, fearing it, the tiger’s teeth would tear at his throat. If he wanted to live, he had to hold on, even if he was afraid.

However…

Just holding on was meaningless. If he was already on the tiger’s back, he had to become the tiger’s ally. Even if he couldn’t bite with it, he could at least scratch its back.

“However, I would like you to consider one more thing. If the issue of funds causes a backlash from them, we won’t be able to hide that we are preparing something.”

“Hide?” Cai Keqiang chuckled.

“Hide from whom?”

“From the Joseon [Korean] bastards, of course…”

“Ha!” Cai Keqiang grabbed his forehead and sighed deeply.

“I don’t understand how this country works. It seems the outside world has developed so much, but these martial arts guys all live in the past.”

“What do you mean…”

“Hey,” Cai Keqiang said, frowning.

“Do you think it’s possible to hide a war? That was impossible even a thousand years ago. The surprise attacks in storybooks, where no one knows, are impossible.”

“Surely there have been such cases?”

“There would be. Cases where leaders were stupid enough to ignore the signs or were consumed by their foolish pride. But the Korean bastards aren’t that stupid. They already know you’re preparing for war.”

“Hmm…”

“And if you have a brain, shouldn’t you think a little? You already failed in an expedition, didn’t you? Do you think they’ve forgotten that just because they haven’t reacted? Not a chance,” Cai Keqiang growled.

“So, don’t do useless things. War is ultimately a contest of who has more power when it starts. And that gap is closing even now. There’s only one thing you need to do.”

Their eyes met.

“Create a force that they can’t stop even if they know, and charge in without looking back.”

“That’s too obvious…”

“It’s a sure-win strategy.” Though the words themselves were playful, Cai Keqiang’s expression and attitude were devoid of any playfulness.

“If you can do the obvious thing obviously, that’s how you win obviously.” It was an irrefutable statement.

“Those who have picked up some knowledge here and there think that the orthodox approach is an obvious tactic. The reason the orthodox approach is the orthodox approach is because it guarantees the highest probability of victory. Tricks and schemes always have their limits. Taking risks is only for the weak. If you’re strong, there’s no need to take risks.”

“Hmm…”

“Don’t do useless things, and just shorten the time.” Cai Keqiang got up from his seat. Then, he turned and walked out.

Yohei stared at Cai Keqiang, then ground his teeth.

“Are you going to leave him like that?” The leader looked at Yohei as if amused.

“What do you think we should do?”

“I admit that what he says isn’t wrong. But I can’t stand his attitude.”

“Hmm.” The leader nodded slowly.

“Even if he’s from the Hongwang Group, he can’t look down on us like this.”

“Do you think so?”

“Isn’t he too arrogant?”

“Yohei.”

“Yes, Leader.”

“You and I aren’t that close, but since we’ll be on the same boat for a while, let me tell you something.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think that the position of the second-in-command and the power holder of the Hongwang Group is a position that can be reached with ability alone?” Yohei couldn’t answer for a moment.

“The Chinese may lack manners, but they value face more than anything. Of course, they are also sensitive to how not to damage the other person’s face. He’s not acting like that because he doesn’t know.”

“Then why?”

“He’s shaking things up.” The leader chuckled softly.

“The relationship between the second-in-command of the Hongwang Group and the leader of the Shin’ichi-kai [a Japanese organized crime group] is one that would never end if they started being polite and considering each other’s face.”

“That’s true, but even so…”

“Wasn’t it an extremely important meeting?”

“Yes?”

“Yet, your mind is full of Cai Keqiang right now.”

“There’s a reason why big shots are big shots. Every action, even a thoughtless one, is calculated. Don’t be shaken. If you let him shake you as he wants, you’ll end up giving up everything later.”

“Then what about you, Leader?”

“Isn’t it polite to applaud when a clown is acting up? If you call a clown and show a dull reaction, the clown won’t get excited. We need him right now.”

“I understand.” Yohei sighed deeply.

‘I can’t understand this world at all,’ he thought.

One provokes unnecessarily, and the other deliberately plays along. He couldn’t understand why they were doing such things. However, he could understand that they both had their own agendas.

“Don’t try to make him obedient. Do you know why people raise venomous snakes?”

“Because they are useful?”

“No. Because they have venom.”

“…I don’t understand what you mean.”

“A snake without venom is just a snake. It can’t become a venomous snake. A venomous snake has a different value because it has venom. If you remove the venom, it can no longer be a venomous snake.”

“Ah…”

“If it’s helpful, I’ll swallow even that venom. Until it’s helpful, that is.” Yohei swallowed hard and nodded.

Cai Keqiang walked out slowly, chuckling.

‘The old man is getting impatient,’ he thought.

People tend to overthink schemes. They think that a true scheme is about completely deceiving the other person.

But that’s a big misconception.

A true scheme isn’t like that.

In the end, a scheme is just a means to achieve a goal. If you can reach the goal, the unnecessary process of deceiving the other person only hinders you.

Revealing the true scheme.

It’s a scheme to make someone walk into your plan, knowing your intentions and knowing they are being manipulated.

What’s needed is a tempting bait. A bait called Korea?

No.

A bait called power.

Yohei doesn’t know. Even if he hears it, he won’t understand. He’ll think he’s being cautious enough.

But not a chance.

‘He can’t know,’ Cai Keqiang thought.

Those who haven’t tasted power properly can’t imagine it. How much those who have power cling to it. And how far they’ll go to gain more power.

Cai Keqiang didn’t just show the leader a way to swallow Korea. He just showed him how to use Korea to gain absolute power.

The leader knows.

If he does as Cai Keqiang says, Japan will inevitably suffer damage. His political enemies will be eliminated, and their forces will have to pay an unnecessary price.

From the perspective of Japan, it’s an act no different from treason.

So, he’s hesitating?

Not a chance.

The nature of a power holder is always the same. Uncontrolled power of a hundred is not as good as the perfectly controlled power of ten.

If he follows Cai Keqiang’s words, even if he swallows Korea, Japan will only become weaker. And a weakened Japan will not be a threat to the Hongwang Group.

The leader knows all of this.

But even knowing it, he will follow Cai Keqiang’s words. To gain more perfect power and become a king.

Not to remain as a mediocre power holder called a leader, but to become the true king of Japan.

It’s a scheme to make people walk into a fire pit with a smile. In that sense, this scheme was a complete success.

They’ll think they’re being cautious enough. But that’s nonsense. What you should always be wary of is yourself.

‘It’s so easy, though,’ Cai Keqiang thought, sighing.

The leader of the Shin’ichi-kai, who controls Kansai [a region in Japan], is also playing in the palm of his hand. Even though he’s alone in the belly of those who should be called enemies, he didn’t feel any threat.

Of course, it had to be like this.

It always had been.

“But it won’t work on that guy,” Cai Keqiang said, frowning and taking out a cigarette.

Kang Jin-ho.

Just thinking of that name made him breathless.

A being that renders all his schemes and strategies meaningless.

‘I can’t be away for long. I need to wrap things up here soon,’ he thought.

The work he’s in charge of in the Hongwang Group is absolute. There’s a limit to how long he can be away.

Cai Keqiang is already pushing himself quite hard. Yet, he doesn’t feel like it’s complete.

“To catch a dragon, you need a divine sword.” The last puzzle to catch Kang Jin-ho. Now it’s time to complete that puzzle.

Bwooooom.

Bungbungie [onomatopoeia for engine sound] made a pleasant sound as it sped forward. Kang Jin-ho’s foot on the accelerator also felt light for the first time in a while.

‘It definitely feels different,’ he thought.

Humans are strange beings.

You step on the accelerator, and the car goes. What could possibly make emotions seep into this mechanical act? But it was interesting that the feeling changed depending on where you were going.

Going to work in Jae-gyeong wasn’t exactly unpleasant, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant either. Seeing how enjoyable it felt to step on the accelerator towards the General Assembly, it seemed that way.

The bright red sports car exited the highway and entered a mountain road.

When Kang Jin-ho first visited this place, he had to go up a long mountain road to barely see the building, but now, many things had changed.

As he drove up the unpaved road with dense forests on either side, a private property blocked by an iron gate appeared. As Kang Jin-ho’s car approached, the iron gate opened to the sides with a rough metallic sound.

Even after passing through the gate, the scenery didn’t change much.

The scenery changed dramatically after about a minute of stepping on the accelerator.

At the end of the dirt road, a perfectly paved two-lane road appeared. And on either side of the road, newly built buildings stood in a row.

‘It’s almost complete,’ he thought.

The residence of the Demonic Cult members.

And the newly built dormitory for the martial artists of the General Assembly, created in response to the complaints of ‘Why do the Chinese bastards live in dorms, and we have to live in one-room apartments far away,’ unfolded before Kang Jin-ho’s eyes.

But strangely, there wasn’t a single car on the road. Instead, the sidewalks on either side of the road were densely packed with martial artists.

Those who were climbing the mountain for work bowed their heads in unison when they saw Kang Jin-ho’s car. Kang Jin-ho lightly nodded his head to acknowledge their greetings and stepped on the accelerator more forcefully.

‘It’s always awkward at times like this,’ he thought.

As he quickly drove up, an open plaza appeared.

And large, antique buildings were visible.

The Korean Martial Arts General Assembly.

Kang Jin-ho smiled at the sight of the General Assembly building, which he hadn’t seen in a long time.

‘A pine caterpillar should eat pine needles’ [a Korean proverb meaning one should stick to what one knows best].

It felt like he had returned home after a long journey.

Kang Jin-ho smiled even more deeply and parked the car on one side.