Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1682

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes, gazing out the window, were somber.

The world seemed utterly peaceful, but he knew it could no longer remain so.

Changwang was different from Hongwang.

For Hongwang, facing Kang Jin-ho was a secondary goal to be achieved after unifying the Central Plains, but Changwang would prioritize killing Kang Jin-ho above all else.

Even if that weren’t the case, it would inevitably become so now. Kang Jin-ho would be the only one who had inflicted a complete failure upon Changwang.

A man like Changwang could not tolerate that fact.

He would know that the only way to make up for his mistake was to erase Kang Jin-ho’s existence from the world.

“You seem deep in thought.”

Kang Jin-ho subtly turned his gaze back.

Lee Hyun-soo was opening the door and coming inside.

“Where’s Chai Ke-chang?”

“His mental state is shattered, so I let him rest.”

Was it just his imagination, or did Lee Hyun-soo’s face look shiny with oil?

“……You seem to be in a good mood?”

“Oh, come on.”

Lee Hyun-soo chuckled and stood next to Kang Jin-ho.

Then, he silently stared outside for a long time before slowly opening his mouth.

“We can’t back down now.”

“We never could from the start.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

It wasn’t that he regretted saving Hongwang.

It was something that had to be done. However, now that he had achieved what he needed to, he was now facing reality.

“What’s the situation?”

“Chai Ke-chang will announce Hongwang’s survival and rally the Hongwang faction. Hongwang needs to recover, but Chai Ke-chang doesn’t need to, so we should send him to China depending on the situation.”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

Depending on how well they managed the remaining remnants of the Hongwang faction, the things they could do in the future would drastically change.

“What about support?”

“We’ll do it.”

Lee Hyun-soo said firmly.

“I can’t say this openly, but they need to be our shields. If the Hongwang faction and the Assembly move separately, our people will get hurt.”

“There’s nothing we can’t do if it means saving even one more of our people. Even if it means using those Hongwang bastards as shields and pushing them into hell.”

Lee Hyun-soo made a subtle expression.

He seemed to have felt a lot while looking at Changwang.

“Will you criticize me?”

“Me?”

“I’m relieved.”

Lee Hyun-soo shrugged.

“As if you haven’t always been like that.”

“I thought we needed to be a bit more extreme. Enough to make others shudder.”

“That won’t happen.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“No one, not just me, will criticize you.”

“You don’t have to worry like before.”

Lee Hyun-soo looked out the window without turning his head, then quietly nodded.

“Yes. Then I’ll go wild.”

Kang Jin-ho curled up the corners of his mouth.

“What do I need to do?”

“Rest.”

When Kang Jin-ho looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, Lee Hyun-soo replied nonchalantly.

“I’m not joking. Rest. You were pushed to your limit in this battle. You can fool others, but you can’t fool my eyes.”

“Just recovering your body won’t restore your condition. Relax a bit and recover your mental strength. Go on a date, or overeat a little.”

“They’re all the same. Only I……”

“No. They’re different.”

Lee Hyun-soo shook his head firmly.

“Those who fight with the thought that ‘even if I fall, there’s a last resort’ and those who fight with the thought that ‘if I fall, it’s over’ can’t feel the same pressure. You’re not a god or a Buddha. You’re a human. No matter how strong your mind is, it will break if the pressure continues.”

Lee Hyun-soo tapped his chest.

“And from now on, it’s my job. People have their specialties. Isn’t that why I’m here? You don’t trust me, do you?”

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

How could he not?

“So don’t worry about that. However, there’s one thing I want to ask.”

“Ask away.”

Lee Hyun-soo turned to Kang Jin-ho with an unusually serious look.

“Why did you accept the conditions Hongwang mentioned?”

“Actually, I don’t think those conditions are bad. No, to be precise, it doesn’t matter what conditions are set. After killing Changwang, Hongwang is next. I’ll kill him no matter what excuse I have.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

The words coming from others and the words coming from Lee Hyun-soo had different weights. Lee Hyun-soo would definitely try to keep those words.

“But you don’t think so, do you? Even so, is there a reason why you accepted his conditions?”

Kang Jin-ho shrugged.

“Because the conditions aren’t bad.”

“People’s greed is endless. Therefore, I don’t trust people’s words. What will you do if Hongwang changes his mind?”

“That won’t happen.”

“……Why?”

“Because he lost.”

Lee Hyun-soo looked at Kang Jin-ho with a puzzled expression. Then, Kang Jin-ho chuckled and opened his mouth.

“Humans create victory through effort. But sometimes, there are types who complete themselves through victory. Hongwang is that type.”

“Hongwang’s absolute confidence comes from not having lost. But Hongwang has already lost once. No matter what reasons he gives or how much he declares revenge, the fact that he lost doesn’t disappear. In other words, the most powerful factor that has supported Hongwang has disappeared.”

“……Is that so important?”

“Yes.”

It might be something that ordinary martial artists couldn’t understand.

But for martial artists who have surpassed a certain level, martial arts are more about training the mind than using the body.

They firmly believe in the principles and path of their martial arts, like religious fanatics.

The current Hongwang is like a fanatic who has lost his religion.

He wouldn’t get weaker.

But he lost the driving force to become stronger.

That’s why Hongwang requested a match with Kang Jin-ho. To check his own situation and find a clue to move forward again.

But…….

“As a martial artist, Hongwang can no longer be the same as before. Of course, he’ll be incredibly strong. But that’s it. Now, Hongwang can’t beat me or Changwang.”

At those cold and calm words, Lee Hyun-soo shuddered.

It was more of a conviction than a prediction.

“But that alone……”

“Hongwang is a martial artist.”

Kang Jin-ho cut off Lee Hyun-soo’s words.

“Just because that path is cut off doesn’t mean that the way he has lived will change. Hongwang is not the type of person who would think of suppressing the Assembly with the power of his faction in a situation where he can’t overcome me himself. He thinks it only has meaning when he defeats me with his own hands.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded.

That was something Lee Hyun-soo also agreed with.

For Hongwang to try to attack the Assembly without facing Kang Jin-ho.

‘That’s really an unimaginable situation.’

Even Lee Hyun-soo, who tried not to miss even the smallest variable, felt that the situation didn’t make sense.

“In other words, Hongwang has to beat me to attack the Assembly. But Hongwang can’t beat me.”

“……It means he’s incredibly strong, but also incredibly safe.”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded.

Honestly, he didn’t fully understand. But so far, Lee Hyun-soo had never seen Kang Jin-ho’s words, spoken with such conviction, be wrong.

“The Assembly can’t rule China.”

“……Is it because the Chinese people will resist?”

“No. They just don’t have enough people.”

It was a very realistic reason. But when you heard it, it made sense.

“Even if there are ten or twenty thousand, it’s not even a handful when released in China. It’s different from Japan. The number of martial artists in China is at least over a hundred thousand. Unless you massacre them all, it’s impossible to continuously suppress China. Above all……”

Kang Jin-ho pointed outside.

“Even if that were possible, you wouldn’t want them to spend their whole lives managing China, would you?”

“……That’s something we can’t do.”

“The more it is like this, the more we need to keep the order. Why did we fight China in the first place?”

They fought to protect their lives.

Changing their lives to gain profit was putting the cart before the horse. Kang Jin-ho had no intention of doing that.

“It’s good enough for Hongwang to manage China.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded.

“I understand what you’re thinking.”

“But don’t force me. I’m a human who can’t give up profit. I can’t accept it if you tell me to save those dying bastards and make them the rulers of China, and then end it with no interference.”

“I’ll take everything I can and completely shake them down. This doesn’t cross the line you mentioned.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

“Do as you please.”

“Thank you.”

Kang Jin-ho shrugged.

“But to do that, we need to fight and win against Changwang first.”

“No. To fight and win against Changwang, you need to survive first.”

“Huh?”

“Hey.”

“••••••Huh?”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled and pointed outside. Kang Jin-ho turned his gaze and looked there.

He saw a black jeep aggressively climbing the Assembly’s hill.

“It’s not me. They said to contact you immediately when you returned.”

“Who is it……”

“Hyun-joo.”

“How did Director Lee Hyun-joo know I was back?”

“Of course, I told her. I had to tell Hyun-joo. There’s something to take care of.”

Ah…….

Lee Hyun-soo turned to Kang Jin-ho, who had a blank expression, and grinned.

“You contacted her in advance, right? That you were back?”

“Oh my, why did you do that?”

For the first time in a while, Kang Jin-ho felt the urge to throw Lee Hyun-soo out the window.

“You should go quickly. If I were you, I’d be running so fast you couldn’t see my feet.”

“Kkuung.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply and gritted his teeth.

“Let’s see after I come back.”

“People who say ‘let’s see’…… Yes, it’s scary. I admit it. Please spare me because I’m scared.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head, turned, and walked out of the room.

Lee Hyun-soo’s gaze, looking out the window, caught the sight of Choi Yeon-ha getting out of the car.

“I really can’t figure him out.”

He was someone who would beat up Changwang and pound his face, but he was so afraid of Choi Yeon-ha. Of course, the type of fear was a bit different.

“Well, that’s his charm.”

Lee Hyun-soo saw Choi Yeon-ha with her arms crossed and Kang Jin-ho running towards her.

“But I wish they would meet somewhere where others can’t see them……

How can he maintain his dignity as the Assembly’s leader like that?

Sigh.