Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1394

“Prime Minister, please say something!””Do you have no position on this matter?””Who is the person you tried to kill, Prime Minister?””Did you do this alone, Prime Minister, or were you under orders?”Amidst the barrage of questions and camera flashes, Kim Myung-chan could only close his eyes.His appearance, aged by ten years in just a few days, naturally evoked pity, but no one around him offered Kim Myung-chan a sympathetic glance.This is always the way when a powerful figure falls.Those without power receive sympathy depending on the situation, even when they commit crimes, but when those with power fall, the power they wielded returns with interest.The higher they climb, the deeper they fall; such is the nature of power.After closing his eyes for a while, Kim Myung-chan opened them with difficulty and spoke.”I will… cooperate fully with all investigations. I am truly sorry for disappointing the people.”No sooner had he finished speaking than questions erupted again.”Are you admitting guilt?””Why did you do this?””Don’t you think the charge of ‘abuse of power for murder’ is excessive?”The questions poured in endlessly, but Kim Myung-chan, with a stiff face, entered the building without answering.A news anchor with a microphone began a briefing against the backdrop of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office building.”Prime Minister Kim Myung-chan, who is accused of conspiring with the Chinese Central Military Commission to murder a citizen, appeared at the Prosecutor’s Office today. Prime Minister Kim Myung-chan has neither confirmed nor denied the charges. The public is keenly watching why Prime Minister Kim Myung-chan committed such an act and who he tried to kill. The prosecution is also considering requesting a pre-trial detention warrant for Prime Minister Kim Myung-chan if the charges are proven through investigation.”* * *“That son of a bitch.”Choi Yeon-ha spat out a curse. While cursing, her face showed a sense of relief.“Is that the person who framed Kang Jin-ho?”“So they say.”“Wow, that guy’s a psycho.”Anyone would hesitate to curse the prime minister of a country, but these two could not possibly have good feelings towards Kim Myung-chan.Considering what had happened to them, they felt like going and skinning him alive.“So, is that whole mess in China because of that bastard too?”“That’s right.”“Wow, that crazy bastard…”Han Eun-sol stared at Kim Myung-chan on the screen with an utterly dumbfounded expression.Who wouldn’t be furious when the prime minister, who should lead the country and protect its people, colluded with a foreign power to kill a citizen?Moreover, Han Eun-sol and the others were the direct victims of Kim Myung-chan’s actions.“So, is Kang Jin-ho getting released now?”“It depends on what comes out of the investigation, but Chief Lee says it’s only a matter of time.”“He’s getting his name cleared.”“That’s right.”Han Eun-sol glanced at Choi Yeon-ha.Choi Yeon-ha’s face was glowing. It was as if a halo was about to emanate from behind her.‘Wow.’Having known Choi Yeon-ha for years, this was the first time Han Eun-sol had seen such a serene expression on her face. It was as if she would forgive anyone, even if they confessed to stealing from her in the past.“Noona.”“Hmm?”“Ah, never mind.”Still, there was no need to stir up trouble. Let’s take it to the grave.Han Eun-sol, who had been quietly watching TV, sighed deeply.“Why are you sighing at a good thing? You’ll jinx it. You wanna die?”“No, it’s not that…”Han Eun-sol clicked her tongue.“It’s good that Kang Jin-ho is getting released, but it’s not like your image is coming back, Noona.”“So what?”“So what? Of course…”“Enough. It was already too hard with my popularity being too much. It’s good that it’s like this. What’s so great about a life where you can’t even eat outside without a mask?”Han Eun-sol subtly checked Choi Yeon-ha’s expression.Her face was completely free of any discomfort.‘That can’t be…’The reason why celebrities suffer from depression and panic disorder is twofold.One is the inescapable feeling of being watched wherever they go, and the other is the anxiety that their current popularity might disappear at any moment.The more terrifying of the two is, of course, the anxiety about popularity. If they hate the feeling of being watched, they can just quit being a celebrity and find another job, but no one voluntarily tries to quit the entertainment industry.It was the fate of those who lived in this industry to endlessly chase after popularity.But Choi Yeon-ha really looked like she didn’t care at all.“Noona, are you really okay?”“Huh? About what?”“No… If what you said is true, then Kang Jin-ho has put out the immediate fire.”“That’s right.”“Then I think the issue you’ve been putting aside might come to mind, and I’m worried…”Choi Yeon-ha chuckled.“You’re worrying for nothing. Hey, is it because I’m an actress that I’m so great?”“Huh?”“Whether I’m a celebrity or not, the fact that I’m good-looking and pretty won’t change. Whether I’m popular or not, the fact that I’m the prettiest is also true. Isn’t it?”“Why is it so important to be recognized by others? And I’ve always wanted to have a long career as an actress, not to be popular. If I wanted that, I would have just filmed commercials and acted cute in trendy dramas.”Choi Yeon-ha waved her hand.“It would be a lie to say I’m not disappointed. But what’s the point of dwelling on the past?”Choi Yeon-ha looked directly at Han Eun-sol and said,“Still, you’re my manager, aren’t you?”“Of course, I am.”“What does a manager do? Manage celebrities and help them gain popularity, right?”“Yes.”“It can’t be helped that it’s gone. Maybe there are fans who will never come back. But we can’t just sit around and regret it. We just have to recover the lost popularity.”She was so cool and collected.Whether she really thought that way or was just saying it to make Han Eun-sol feel better, it made her feel a bit relieved.“That’s right. We have to recover it. You’re Choi Yeon-ha, after all.”“That’s right.”“Even if nothing else, you’re unrivaled when it comes to masks, Noona. There’s no substitute for that, so producers won’t be able to ignore you.”“…Wait a minute. I don’t like that ‘even if nothing else’ part.”“Let’s move on, move on.”Choi Yeon-ha glared at Han Eun-sol and got up from her seat.“Okay, I’m going for a visit.”“Again?”“Why? Don’t you want to drive? Then I’ll go alone, and you can stay here.”“Why are you saying that? It’s not that I don’t want to drive, it’s just that you’re going too often.”“Come on. My man is locked up, how can I rest comfortably at home?”“You’re a martyr, a martyr.”“If you don’t want to be beaten to death by a martyr, get ready?”“Yes, ma’am.”Han Eun-sol chuckled as she watched Choi Yeon-ha head to her room to change. She didn’t know how long it had been since she had seen Choi Yeon-ha walk so lightly.“It’s been a while.”“Indeed. I never thought we’d meet again like this.”Kang Jin-ho chuckled as he looked at the person sitting in front of him.“You don’t look too good?”“Isn’t it the same for you?”“You seem a bit more cynical too.”Lee Jong-wook smiled and scratched his head.“I’m sorry. I’ve been through so much that I can’t act like I used to.”That was understandable.Kang Jin-ho and Lee Jong-wook had both been betrayed by the state.“It seems like a lot has happened.”“You have no idea. This is the first time I’ve learned that people can be locked up in the basement of the company building. It would be ridiculous if I had been locked up in the National Intelligence Service.”“Were you locked up until now?”“No. It’s been quite a while since I was transferred to house arrest. But that was hell too. The TV was constantly reporting on the incident, but there was nothing I could do, and all my calls were being tapped…”Lee Jong-wook smiled bitterly.“I used to do all of this, but you know, you have to change your position to understand… It was really hell.”Kang Jin-ho and Lee Jong-wook smiled at each other.From Kang Jin-ho’s perspective, there was no reason to have bad feelings towards Lee Jong-wook. Lee Jong-wook was the only one who sided with him when the regime tried to kill him.If Lee Jong-wook had betrayed them and not helped Kang Jin-ho, Kang Jin-ho could have been in an even worse situation.“Is my subordinate doing well?”“Well, he seems to be doing fine since I haven’t heard anything.”“That’s a relief. It was a burden on my mind.”Lee Jong-wook sighed and continued.“It’s very nice to see you again in a place like this, but on the other hand, it’s also bitter.”Kang Jin-ho subtly turned his head and looked around.This was the room used for visits when Kim Myung-chan came. The only difference now was that Lee Jong-wook was sitting there instead of Kim Myung-chan.The fact that Lee Jong-wook could use this room meant that he had a powerful figure backing him, just like Kim Myung-chan.Anyone could guess who that person was.“So, what’s the matter?”“It’s a negotiation.”Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at Lee Jong-wook.“You’re acting as a negotiation proxy, and you don’t seem to have bad feelings?”“Please don’t misunderstand, Chairman. I didn’t come here as a dog of the regime. From the beginning, the reason I helped you was to prevent the worst-case scenario. And that thought hasn’t changed.”“So, you’re going to mediate?”Lee Jong-wook chuckled softly.“How could I possibly be capable of that? It’s just that none of those people can show their faces to you right now. So, I’m just filling in.”Kang Jin-ho and Lee Jong-wook smiled at each other again.It was funny how things were turning out.“Tell me.”Kang Jin-ho put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it.There was no need to say this or that to Lee Jong-wook. Lee Jong-wook was someone who had helped him, and he was just bringing their position.He would listen and respond appropriately. That was enough.“The offer from their side is one thing. They will restore everything to you, Chairman.”“Restore?”“Yes. You’re going to be released anyway. But restoration is different. If the state officially acknowledges that Kim Myung-chan framed you to bury you, wouldn’t everyone around you be convinced?”“That’s right.”“So, they’re going to do all of that. In return, they’re asking for only one thing… to bury this matter here, and not to seek any further revenge. Simple, right?”Kang Jin-ho nodded. Simple, indeed.Too simple.Kang Jin-ho took a deep drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke. Then, he smiled and opened his mouth.“I appreciate what you did before.”“Don’t mention it.”“So, I’ll let it slide this time.”Kang Jin-ho bared his teeth.“If you’re going to talk nonsense, get lost. There’s a limit to my patience.”