Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1162

“How’s the Prime Minister doing?”

“He doesn’t look good.”

“I figured.”

Wiggins clicked his tongue and stroked his chin.

“War isn’t something to take lightly.”

“That’s part of it, but…”

“Hmm?”

Lee Hyun-soo chuckled.

“You wouldn’t know this, Master, since you’re not Korean. But for those of us who’ve lived in South Korea, a war with Japan is something we’ve all thought about at least once. Whether it’s a fantasy or a prediction based on reality.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“But the conclusion is always the same. There’s nothing to gain. And the odds of winning are ambiguous. Isn’t that how war usually is?”

“That’s right. That’s how war usually is.”

“But now, a war is about to break out overnight, so it’s only natural to be flustered. Even if it’s a war in the Murim world [a world of martial arts practitioners], it’s still our own people risking their lives to fight, isn’t it?”

Wiggins nodded.

It was the same in Europe.

One of the most bewildering things for European politicians when they rise to high office is the existence of the Round Table [a powerful, secretive organization]. The fact that the Round Table, a place beyond the reach of the law, exists within Europe and wields power around the world is a shock that makes politicians feel like the world they knew is collapsing.

Most adapt to reality, but some give up their political careers or try to reveal the truth to the world.

But the ending is usually obvious.

As long as you’re in politics, you always have to keep the possibility of war in mind. Humans are neither very rational nor very wise.

Especially for politicians in East Asia, and particularly in Korea, war is like a shadow at their feet. It’s always there, so they don’t pay much attention to it, but it never disappears.

“Anyway, they said they’d protect those who officially enter the country, right?”

“Yes. That seems to be the case.”

“What do you think?”

“There are two possibilities. One is that they’re trying to protect them by letting them enter officially and manipulate the situation to their advantage. Or else…”

Wiggins picked up Lee Hyun-soo’s words.

“A mass illegal entry?”

“Yes. I think that’s more likely.”

“Why?”

It would be advantageous for the Japanese to have their Murim warriors enter officially. If those who enter officially win, that’s good for them, and even if they lose, they can hold Korea responsible.

“We can’t protest. If it were just about the relationship between Korea and Japan, it might be different, but if they try to hold us responsible by treating Murim warriors as ordinary people, it would cause a global backlash. China and the United States wouldn’t stand idly by. They’re already doing things like that.”

Wiggins nodded.

Currently, the three places that send the most Murim warriors to other countries are the Round Table, China, and the United States.

Europe at least has the pretext of maintaining world peace, but the other two use their Murim warriors in a completely different way.

China secretly dispatches Murim warriors to neighboring countries with conflicts, assassinating key figures or crushing resistance forces with force, in exchange for the Party fully protecting the independence of the Murim world.

It’s far more efficient than directly mobilizing troops. The Western media has to keep quiet, and they don’t even report it.

And the United States?

The United States has a short history, so its Murim history is also short. As a result, the United States is developing Murim warriors on a national level. While Murim warriors from other countries are used like mercenaries with some connection, American Murim warriors are closer to regular soldiers.

That’s why Murim warriors from other countries don’t treat American Murim warriors as Murim warriors but as soldiers.

And those soldiers are still roaming the enemy countries and neighboring countries of the United States. If you knew how many American Murim warriors were deployed in the Middle East, you’d be shocked.

In the midst of all this, Japan is trying to protest by treating Murim warriors as ordinary people?

The country could be crushed by pressure from China and the United States. It wasn’t worth taking that risk.

“Then why did they use that wording?”

“The Korean political world has an extremely poor understanding of the Murim world. They probably thought we’d be scared.”

“Hmm, is that the only reason?”

“No, there’s another reason. If they enter officially, we have to pay for the crimes they commit. If someone who entered through the airport with a passport commits murder, wouldn’t that be a serious problem?”

“That’s right.”

“And besides, I don’t think those Shin’nichikai [a pro-Japanese group] bastards would use a method that leaves a record of them entering through the airport.”

Wiggins nodded.

Wiggins and the General Assembly… basically, Murim warriors are pathologically averse to leaving traces of their movements. Even if they’re invading another country, they wouldn’t welcome leaving a record.

Then…

“So, in the end, it’s the same method?”

“That’s right.”

Wiggins rested his chin on his hand.

“The same method…”

It didn’t make sense.

If they don’t use the airport, the only way to enter Korea is by sea. Koreans take it for granted since they were born in Korea, but it was a huge advantage for the defending side.

Countries like the Czech Republic in Europe are surrounded by Germany and Poland to the north, and Austria and Hungary to the south. All borders are connected by land, so to stop illegal immigrants, they have to surround the entire perimeter of the country.

But how is that possible?

Basically, there are very few countries in the world that don’t share land borders with other countries. Except for a few island nations, it’s impossible to completely block an invasion of their country.

But Korea is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and the remaining side is guarded by the world’s most rogue nation, where common sense and law don’t apply.

And aren’t 600,000 soldiers keeping a close watch on the border with that rogue nation?

Coming down to Korea through North Korea?

Some might be able to. They’re Murim warriors, after all. But if thousands of them move, their weight will increase with all the bullets they’ll eat before they even step on the asphalt.

So, it’s by sea after all…

“Are they going to use the sea route again after suffering that once?”

“Because there’s no other way.”

“Hmm.”

Wiggins frowned, looking displeased.

‘By sea, it has to be by sea.’

But is it really possible to infiltrate by sea?

How many huge ships would be needed to move that many people? And wouldn’t there be a high chance of being intercepted during the move?

Civilian ships?

That’s ridiculous.

If a suspicious ship is spotted, they can deploy the coast guard to suppress it, and if the coast guard is killed or subdued… then they can just deploy the military.

They can resist on land. But how can they stop a ship from being holed in the middle of the sea? They’ve already suffered from the same method, and they’re trying the same thing again.

“That can’t be.”

Even if the situation can’t change much, they will definitely make a change.

They’ve put their lives on the line for this.

“How’s the surveillance on the East Sea?”

“We’re working with the Navy, but there’s no particular movement yet.”

“It would be good if we could monitor the coast.”

“The Round Table is sending us information, but there’s no movement on the coast yet. But given Japan’s characteristics, it’s impossible to monitor all of that vast coastline. Besides, Murim warriors don’t need docks.”

“That’s right.”

This was a trick the General Assembly had already used once.

Ordinary people have to take a ship from a dock, but Murim warriors can board a ship just by floating it on the sea. Swimming a few kilometers in the dark sea is nothing to Murim warriors.

“For now, let’s monitor as much as possible…”

That’s when it happened.

The door burst open, and a person came in.

“Chief!”

“What is it?”

“We’ve received a message from the Round Table. Half of the people gathered at the airport have disappeared.”

“What?”

Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes widened.

“When?”

“We don’t know exactly, but the estimated time is about eight hours ago.”

“No, why are you only finding out now?”

“It seems they mixed in Murim warriors. They deployed half of them as people who would stay behind, and the other half as people who would move, to confuse us.”

It was an obvious trick.

But if you didn’t know the obvious trick beforehand, it becomes not so obvious.

“Damn it.”

There’s no time to assign blame. The response is important now. Lee Hyun-soo raised his voice sharply.

“Where did they go? To the docks?”

“It, it seems they disappeared from the airport.”

Lee Hyun-soo stared blankly at the reporter.

Disappeared from the airport?

That’s impossible. It’s not like that many people dug a hole and moved, so where could they have gone?

“They took a plane.”

“That seems to be the case.”

“But there were no unusual movements at the airport. We’re checking all the personnel, aren’t we?”

“Just because they took a plane doesn’t mean they’re coming to Korea.”

“Huh?”

“Maybe…”

That’s when it happened.

“Um…”

A person peeked their head in from the doorway.

“What is it?”

“…I’m sorry to bother you while you’re busy. I’m not sure if this is something I should report, but it’s a bit ambiguous…”

“What?”

“It’s about the coast guard, it’s not related to this, but I think I should report it.”

Lee Hyun-soo frowned.

“Just tell me quickly. Don’t stall.”

“Yes! Chinese ships are currently encroaching on Korean fishing grounds. They need to deploy some patrol boats from the South Sea to respond.”

“Chinese ships?”

Lee Hyun-soo tilted his head.

“Yes. It’s common for those Chinese fishing boats to enter Korean fishing grounds and illegally fish. It’s been quiet lately, but it seems they’ve come in large numbers again, so they need more patrol boats to crack down on them. They can’t take any from the East Sea, so they’re going to send about half of the patrol boats from the South Sea to the West Sea.”

“Those damn Chinese bastards, why now of all times. Tell them to…”

Lee Hyun-soo closed his mouth.

The West Sea?

Chinese ships?

Large scale?

And…

“Eight hours?”

It felt like he’d been hit on the head.

The people gathered at the airport disappeared on a large scale. If they took a plane, they must have gone to another country. But they didn’t come to Korea.

Then where did they go?

“No, those crazy bastards!”

Cha-i Ke Chang! [A Chinese idiom meaning ‘to borrow a path to conquer a neighboring state’]

No sane country would allow another country to pass through its territory to invade a third country. Moreover, it’s impossible for a weaker country to borrow the path of a stronger country.

But there’s someone who makes that crazy thing possible.

“We’ve been outsmarted.”

Wiggins’ face contorted as he grasped the situation.

“Report to the Chairman immediately! And turn all the guys who are in the East Sea to the West Sea now!”

Lee Hyun-soo’s piercing scream signaled the start of the war.