Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1426

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t quite grasp the meaning of Willie Reese’s words.

“Dispatch?”

For Kang Jin-ho, who had lived in the unmanned world, it was a very unfamiliar term.

As if noticing Kang Jin-ho’s confusion, Lee Hyun-soo took the initiative.

“Instead of speaking vaguely, please be precise. That way, it will be easier for us to respond.”

Willie Reese nodded lightly.

“It’s not a difficult concept. The U.S. currently has troops stationed in Korea, right?”

“That’s right.”

“There’s the issue of defense cost sharing, but most of that expense is covered by the U.S. What we’re proposing is not different from that. If you give us a specific area in Korea, we’d like to station U.S. drones there.”

So, in other words…

They want to create a U.S. Forces Korea for the unmanned world?

Lee Hyun-soo leaned back in his chair, scratching his cheek.

‘It doesn’t seem like they just want to be friendly…’

‘I expected them to reach out, but I didn’t think they’d come with a concrete proposal. It’s our first meeting, and the Assembly and the U.S. aren’t exactly in a position to share anything yet.’

“It seems a bit premature to be discussing this kind of thing.”

“I think so too.”

Willie Reese looked at Lee Hyun-soo and Kang Jin-ho with a serious expression.

“But what’s more important than procedure is efficiency and benefit, isn’t it? Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of time to build a friendly relationship. In the end, it will have to be a deal.”

Though building a friendly relationship wouldn’t change the fact that it’s a deal.

Lee Hyun-soo nodded as if he understood.

‘He’s certainly straightforward.’

Whether this is their usual approach or a display of confidence, he couldn’t tell.

And perhaps this approach…

Lee Hyun-soo glanced at Kang Jin-ho. He saw Kang Jin-ho wearing a subtle smile.

‘It works every time.’

That smile meant he was in a good mood.

Kang Jin-ho seemed to like the way they cut straight to the point without beating around the bush.

After all, Kang Jin-ho was someone who had been tired of going around 30,000 light-years every time he had to deal with another country.

Kang Jin-ho took a long drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled.

“Why?”

A simple question.

Willie Reese began to explain with a serious face.

“There are several reasons, but most importantly, the situation in East Asia is becoming more urgent than we anticipated.”

“Uh…”

Lee Hyun-soo tilted his head.

“But why does the U.S., which is so far away, need to worry about the situation in East Asia?”

“Hmm, you’re just as I’ve heard, Mr. Lee Hyun-soo.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve heard you’re a cunning person. You know everything but are just testing the waters.”

Willie Reese smiled.

“Should I still explain?”

‘Is this guy polite or not?’

Lee Hyun-soo decided to play it cool.

“I don’t know, so please explain.”

“It’s not difficult. We’re not worried about the chaos in East Asia. We’re concerned that a specific faction might unify East Asia as a result of that chaos.”

“Wow!”

Lee Hyun-soo clicked his tongue.

“Can you say that so openly?” Of course, he would have thought that way, but saying it in front of Kang Jin-ho and Lee Hyun-soo was a different matter.

“Didn’t I tell you this is an unofficial meeting? Whatever I say doesn’t represent the U.S. position.”

“So, you’re not taking responsibility.”

“That’s right.”

Willie shrugged and continued.

“And pretending not to see is something you should do selectively. I don’t have the talent to hide my intentions in front of the Demon King of the East and his right-hand man.”

Lee Hyun-soo chuckled.

“The U.S. is an interesting country. Usually, they wouldn’t put someone with no authority in the front like this.”

It was a subtle jab.

Willie Reese couldn’t have missed the sarcasm, but instead of showing displeasure, he shrugged.

“There was no other way. No one wants to sit face-to-face with the Demon King.”

“Yes?”

“One wrong word could cost you your head, so who would volunteer? There are people who are willing, but they’re all in positions where a vacancy would cause problems…”

Lee Hyun-soo glanced at Kang Jin-ho.

Kang Jin-ho was openly making a displeased face.

‘This sounds like something I’ve heard before?’

Was it from the Korean government?

“I don’t know how my rumors are spreading outside.”

Willie Reese asked without noticing.

“Should I tell you?”

“…Never mind.”

Kang Jin-ho didn’t want to hear it from his own ears.

“Well, considering what I’ve done, I can understand that kind of reaction.”

“What did I do?”

“Have you forgotten about Japan and the Round Table?”

Kang Jin-ho, having nothing to say, closed his mouth.

Then Lee Hyun-soo chuckled and continued.

“It might not mean much, but our Guild Master is actually quite a soft man. It’s just that he’s very clear about who is friend and who is foe.”

Willie Reese nodded with an embarrassed look.

‘That’s why I’m here.’

The higher-ups’ assessment of Kang Jin-ho was simple.

He was extremely dangerous, but a safe person to befriend. On the other hand, he was an extremely difficult enemy.

There was no reason to make an enemy of such a person.

The U.S. had a huge enemy in China. Turning Kang Jin-ho into an enemy wouldn’t be beneficial.

‘The place that should have been our ally was completely destroyed by him…’

In fact, the plan to dispatch troops to Korea was not part of the U.S. plan. Although it was a bit far, building a base in Japan would be enough to achieve the desired effect.

After all, whether it was Korea or Japan, they would have to cross over to China by ship or plane if something happened.

But the unmanned world of Japan was now completely taken over by the Assembly.

A Chinese man named Jang Min, dispatched by the Assembly, was dismantling the unmanned world of Japan in just a few months with his incredible skills. Within a month, there wouldn’t be a trace of the unmanned world left in Japan.

And a branch of the Assembly would be established in the completely dismantled unmanned world of Japan.

Then, that place would also become the Assembly’s territory.

If they had to get permission from the Assembly whether they dispatched troops to Japan or Korea, there was no reason to choose Japan.

Now, there was no choice.

Although Korea wasn’t the only country bordering China, they had to station troops in Korea to keep China in check.

“So, in conclusion…”

Lee Hyun-soo opened his mouth listlessly.

“You want us to allow your troops to be stationed in Korea?”

“That’s basically it.”

“Why should we?”

Lee Hyun-soo asked with a sulky face.

It was commendable that they had immediately started negotiations, but the proposal they had brought didn’t seem very practical.

“The reason why U.S. Forces Korea exists is because the presence of U.S. troops is beneficial to Korea. That’s why Korea is willing to share the defense costs to maintain U.S. Forces Korea. But the unmanned world is different. It doesn’t seem like we’d gain any merit from your drones being in Korea.”

“Wouldn’t it help us counter China’s provocations with the same logic?”

“Letting in a large number of people whose skills haven’t been verified, who aren’t allies, and whose purpose is unclear?”

Lee Hyun-soo narrowed his eyes.

“Sometimes, a mad dog inside the house is more dangerous than a tiger outside.”

“A mad dog…”

Willie chuckled softly.

‘We’ve definitely been living too comfortably.’

Most of the people they had negotiated with so far were from the unmanned world of Europe.

None of the European unmanned people dared to call them that. But Lee Hyun-soo was calling the U.S. a mad dog without any hesitation.

A mistake?

Probably not.

That was confidence.

“If it’s a mad dog, that’s true. But a military dog is helpful, not a threat.”

“Isn’t it true that a trained military dog will bite a person’s throat and cut off their breath if ordered?”

“That’s an interesting point. That might be true for ordinary people. But is the Assembly a place where they would be bitten by a mere military dog?”

Lee Hyun-soo looked at Willie with amusement.

He had tried to provoke him several times, but he didn’t waver. Then, he would try to shake him up a little more…

“I hope it was fun…”

“Enough.”

At that moment, Kang Jin-ho opened his mouth listlessly.

“I’m bored.”

Lee Hyun-soo pouted and closed his mouth.

‘This was the charm of diplomacy! This!’

The standard was to take the lead first and gain an advantage from it!

But Kang Jin-ho was the one who hated that standard more than anyone else. Lee Hyun-soo knew that if he tried to gain a little more advantage and Kang Jin-ho broke the meeting, it would all be for nothing, so he closed his mouth without saying anything.

“So…”

Then Kang Jin-ho took over.

“What are your conditions?”

“We’ll give you everything we can.”

Willie said firmly.

“We’ll not only provide financial support for the stationing, but we can also make the Assembly’s activities easier with our influence. If you, Mr. Kang Jin-ho, and the Assembly become our friends.”

“Friends…”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

“You mean allies, not friends.”

“Isn’t it the same thing?”

Willie smiled.

“Benefit is something that can’t be excluded anywhere. A friendship that excludes benefit is just a facade. I believe we can be eternal friends as long as we share benefits. What do you think, Guild Master? Why don’t we join hands and create a new world?”

Kang Jin-ho put a new cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

Then, he said in a slightly indifferent tone.

“It seems like you didn’t understand what I said…”

“…Yes?”

“I’m not asking for compensation, I’m asking for conditions. Don’t annoy me little by little, just say it all at once.”

Willie Reese bit his lip slightly.

He was definitely not an easy person to deal with, as the information had stated.

“Conditions… Right, conditions. We have two conditions.”

Willie held up his index finger.

“First, you must break your alliance with the current Chinese government and become our ally.”

“That’s enough.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and stood up from his seat.

“There’s no reason to say more.”

“Wait, just a moment! Guild Master!”

Willie was startled and stood up from his seat.

This kind of reaction at this timing was something he hadn’t expected. He couldn’t help but be flustered.

“Guild Master, please hear me out. I…”

“I thought a person was coming after the dog left, but it’s the same dog. Just because it barks less doesn’t mean it’s not a dog.”

Kang Jin-ho growled.

“I’ll let it go this time, considering it a mistake. Next time, it’s better not to appear in my sight. If you don’t want to die.”

Willie Reese froze on the spot.