Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1297

‘It’s irrational.’

Life isn’t rational.

Some are born into wealthy families and live their entire lives without worry, while others are born into poverty and struggle to make ends meet.

The world constantly preaches the value of equality, but those who have experienced even a little of the world know how hollow this equality is.

In a world where some are born with sculpted looks and others are born as squids, there is nothing more futile than seeking equality.

But…

‘Still, it’s irrational.’

That’s why humans have developed the world.

To correct the fundamental differences and create a world where everyone can be given opportunities, haven’t we created systems and structures?

But…

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but lament the situation where those systems and structures were strangling people.

It’s strange.

Isn’t the system basically there to make people happy?

But why…

“I think it would be good to take him along.”

Bator shrugged his shoulders and said.

“Of course, I’m not doubting the Lord’s skills. But there are always variables in the world.”

“That’s right.”

Wiggins agreed.

“As I always say, if things went according to plan, there would be no wars in the world. It’s human nature that things don’t always go according to plan. I don’t want to admit it, but that guy’s ability to deal with variables is pretty good, so it would be helpful to take him.”

Kang Jin-ho pointed at Lee Hyun-soo with a blank look.

“That baggage?”

“With the Lord’s abilities, carrying a little baggage won’t even be noticeable.”

‘It doesn’t seem like light baggage, though?’

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze urgently sought out Bang Jin-hoon.

There are three directors of the General Assembly. And there is Jang Min, an elder of the Demonic Cult, who is treated as equal to or higher than the directors.

With Jang Min absent, if only Bang Jin-hoon would agree, the opinions would be split two to two, including Kang Jin-ho. Then there’s hope…

“Just think of it as a sightseeing trip and take him with you.”

“If the Lord goes alone, you’ll just end up working again. There have been a lot of big things lately, so think of it as taking a break.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled back at Bang Jin-hoon, who was smiling contentedly.

‘They’re out of their minds.’

The Hongwang Clan is grinding their teeth, and you’re talking about what in their territory, China?

A vacation?

Vacation~?

Kang Jin-ho began to seriously consider this situation.

‘Come to think of it, it’s not that strange.’

Even soldiers who participate in wars suffer from PTSD, so it’s unreasonable to expect martial artists who live in battle their whole lives to be sane.

No matter how much the mind techniques protect them…

‘Come to think of it, there were few sane people in the Central Plains [a historical region in China] back then.’

Most martial artists became desolate as they aged and experienced the martial world. Or they had personality problems from the start, like the Demonic Cult members.

‘Maybe it wouldn’t be bad to recommend trauma counseling, not as a joke, but for real.’

Kang Jin-ho scratched his brow.

This is a worthwhile idea, not just for welfare, but also to strengthen the General Assembly’s power. Those without trauma will fight better than those suffering from it.

But there was a practical problem.

‘The doctor is the problem.’

Trauma care requires the process of revealing one’s wounds. But it’s difficult to talk about the battles that happened in the martial world to a regular doctor.

It’s also awkward to reveal information about the martial world to outsiders, and above all, there’s a high probability that doctors would treat the martial artists’ words as absurd delusions.

So, that means we need to establish a trauma center within the General Assembly and recruit a suitable doctor…

‘Are there any psychiatrists who are martial artists?’

Even if there aren’t any right now, if we could train them…

At that moment, Wiggins tilted his head and asked.

“What are you thinking so deeply about, Lord?”

“Ah, I was just thinking about creating a mental hospital within the General Assembly.”

Kang Jin-ho waved his hand, realizing what he had said at the silent protests around him.

“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant…”

“It’s okay. Dictatorship is a good method.”

“Still, if it’s a mental hospital, they’ll at least give us proper meals.”

“I was thinking that we should expand the prison while announcing that rule or whatever, so it’s a good idea.”

‘Where did it all go wrong here?’

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of skepticism.

“Anyway, take Lee Hyun-soo with you.”

Kang Jin-ho’s brow furrowed slightly.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

“We can’t help it either. Honestly, Lord, let’s just be frank.”

Kang Jin-ho wanted to applaud Wiggins’s growing vocabulary.

Of course, it was a sad thing that his vocabulary was being used to attack Kang Jin-ho.

“Do you think it’s possible for us to send the Lord to China alone?”

“Why?”

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t understand Wiggins’s words at all.

Of course, there are powerful people in China who are a threat to Kang Jin-ho. Kang Jin-ho did not win in his fight against the Hongwang. The other three kings, who are comparable to the Hongwang, would also be formidable opponents.

But that logic only applies when Kang Jin-ho goes to China to face them alone.

If Kang Jin-ho doesn’t confront them and a problem arises, there’s no issue since he declared that he would escape on his own.

“Imagine the Lord going to China alone. Would we even be able to contact you?”

Kang Jin-ho quietly closed his mouth.

“When will you do something, and when will you start the operation? How would we know if something happened to the Lord and how would we provide support?”

“That…”

“Don’t even think about saying you’ll contact us properly. People are judged based on their usual behavior. There’s no truth in words spoken to avoid a situation.”

‘Why is he so good at talking? It’s annoying.’

“Don’t think of him as a supervisor. I hope you don’t think of him as baggage either. Lee Hyun-soo is, well… yes. He’s like an alarm.”

Kang Jin-ho glanced at Lee Hyun-soo.

But unlike Kang Jin-ho’s expectations, Lee Hyun-soo was nodding with a pleased expression.

He was treated like an alarm, but he’s smiling!

He was in a mood that he would accept any treatment as long as he could go to China.

Kang Jin-ho raised his hand and rubbed his face.

‘How did I get here?’

He missed the early days of the General Assembly.

Back then, everyone was busy watching his every move when Kang Jin-ho just cleared his throat, but now…

Suddenly, Kang Jin-ho remembered his father’s words from a while ago.

‘Ah, Father.’

‘So this is how you felt.’

‘I’m sorry for not understanding your advice that came from your life experience.’

“If the Lord still wants to go alone, we can’t stop you. But don’t forget that all the directors recommended that the Lord take Lee Hyun-soo with you.”

It’s rare for the words ‘we can’t stop you’ to sound so scary.

In the end, Kang Jin-ho, who had given up, raised both hands.

“Okay. I’ll take him.”

“That’s a wise choice.”

“Kuh, democracy.”

“A Lord who works with his members!”

‘I want to tear that mouth apart.’

Kang Jin-ho, slightly mentally broken, leaned back on the sofa.

Wiggins smiled at the sight.

“Please understand, Lord. In fact, we think this matter is not that simple. Looking at the surface, it doesn’t seem that difficult, but there are so many things intertwined that it’s hard to calculate how far the incident will spread.”

“That’s right.”

Bang Jin-hoon chuckled.

“Even I think it’s a bit strange. It’s not like we’re North Korean spies, going to China to beat up a North Korean guy. Is it okay for the country to ask us to do this?”

Lee Hyun-soo corrected Bang Jin-hoon’s words.

“The government has not officially made such a request.”

“It’s like covering your eyes and pretending not to see.”

Bang Jin-hoon clicked his tongue.

Then Lee Hyun-soo shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, I think the government made a good choice this time. The interests of the people are more important than justification or morality… If it’s to resolve a national crisis, we have to do anything.”

“Even murder?”

“He’s a guy who deserves to die.”

Bang Jin-hoon chuckled.

Having been in this business for decades, he wouldn’t feel any aversion to murder. But the problem is that the subject of this matter is not an individual but the state.

Because Bang Jin-hoon didn’t have such a perspective, he wished that the state would be a little more moral.

Although he understands the practical issues.

“It’s already decided, so there’s no need to argue about it.”

Kang Jin-ho lightly cut off Bang Jin-hoon’s words.

“Yes.”

Bang Jin-hoon also agreed without complaint.

He was just curious, not that he had any major complaints. If he wanted to get away from crime and murder, it would be faster to wash his hands of the martial world in the first place.

“I think you’re mistaken sometimes, so I’ll say this…”

Kang Jin-ho opened his mouth with a slightly serious face.

“Don’t be mistaken that you’re becoming clean just because you’re doing this and that lately. We’re criminals, parasites of society who live by sucking the blood of ordinary people.”

“Wow, that’s blunt.”

Kang Jin-ho neatly ignored Wiggins’s reaction.

“Don’t forget that even the criminals who are looked down upon in society are cleaner than us.”

“I know.”

Bang Jin-hoon nodded with a slightly bitter face.

It’s something he knows, but he forgets sometimes.

Especially since Kang Jin-ho came, he’s been stepping away from various crimes.

‘The original sin doesn’t disappear.’

The General Assembly grew up with crime from the start. Lee Jung-geol didn’t hesitate to clean up after the regime to maintain the General Assembly. He committed even the most heinous acts without hesitation and received protection from the regime in return.

It’s a dark history, but it’s also a fact that the General Assembly has maintained its existence to this extent thanks to that dark history.

Bang Jin-hoon, who has lived off the General Assembly’s resources, is not free from these problems either.

“But at least this time, it’s not such a shameful thing, is it?”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled at Lee Hyun-soo’s words.

It’s ridiculous that Lee Hyun-soo says that going to kill someone is not shameful, but it’s also ridiculous that he almost nodded in agreement at that moment.

‘Let’s not think too deeply.’

It’s not too late to think about it after this is completely over.

“Lee Hyun-soo.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“Coordinate and set the departure schedule.”

“I’ll start immediately.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly nodded.

‘China…’

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze turned west.

It’s funny.

It might be dangerous, it might be a headache…

But I’ve been feeling my blood pumping faster since a little while ago.