Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1684

“Hmm.”

Hong Wang wore a peculiar expression as he looked out the window at the Assembly. His gaze drifted towards the Assembly members freely moving about inside.

From his perspective, this place was extremely odd.

In the places where Hong Wang and his warriors stayed, there was always a palpable tension.

It wasn’t that Hong Wang deliberately exuded authority. However, such an atmosphere was inevitable in a place where the absolute leader of a faction and ordinary warriors resided together.

But this place was clearly different from Hong Wang’s faction.

‘This place feels more like an office or a school than a martial arts group.’

Those living in the Assembly showed no signs of being suppressed by authority. That didn’t mean they didn’t respect Kang Jin-ho. Hong Wang had already seen with his own eyes how much the Assembly members trusted and followed Kang Jin-ho.

‘Intriguing.’

For Hong Wang, who had lived his entire life in the martial world, this sight was very unfamiliar and strange.

He even thought that perhaps this was the secret behind the Assembly’s unbelievably rapid development.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

At Hong Wang’s permission, the door opened, and Chai Ke-chang entered.

“I greet Hong Wang.”

Chai Ke-chang bowed behind him, but Hong Wang didn’t bother to turn around.

“Come here.”

“Yes.”

As Chai Ke-chang walked and stood beside him, Hong Wang gestured outside with his chin.

“What do you think?”

Of course, Chai Ke-chang easily understood the question, even without the context.

“It looks free and good, but it feels like the hierarchy of a sect isn’t alive.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Chai Ke-chang nodded quietly.

“Right now, this could be an advantage. There won’t be any problems as long as there is someone with overwhelming charisma like the Demon King ruling, without the need to establish a hierarchy. But conversely, the Assembly will begin to collapse at an unbelievable speed the moment the Demon King disappears.”

Hong Wang slowly nodded.

Certainly, that aspect could not be overlooked.

“But as long as the Demon King exists, it means its efficiency is extraordinary.”

“Yes.”

Chai Ke-chang nodded.

“There’s no need to delve into the logic of how it’s possible. The Demon King and the Assembly have already proven the results with their growth.”

“Should we accept it?”

“Is there a need to?”

Chai Ke-chang said calmly.

“The Hong Wang faction’s system has been verified over thousands of years. New systems always appear, and sometimes they shake the world, but eventually, they reveal their limitations.”

Hong Wang looked outside with slightly sunken eyes.

“Chai Ke-chang.”

“Yes, Hong Wang.”

“Lately, I’ve been wondering if I’m becoming an outdated man.”

“…What do you mean, Hong Wang? That is absolutely not the case.”

“Under the pretext of protecting the Central Plains, I might have failed to keep up with the times.”

Hong Wang sighed softly.

“Seeing the Demon King next to me makes it even clearer. He is more old-fashioned than I am. Yet, he is surrounded by people. No one hesitates to voice their opinions, and they don’t hesitate to point out when the Demon King is wrong.”

“…Hong Wang.”

“But what about me? I’ve only been sitting on my high throne, acting important, and you’re the only one who gives me candid advice. Even you hesitate to say anything that might displease me.”

Chai Ke-chang closed his mouth.

He wanted to say it wasn’t true.

But that would be a lie.

He couldn’t possibly lie to Hong Wang.

“Perhaps that’s why I lost.”

Hong Wang shook his head with regretful eyes.

“Chai Ke-chang, I have finally realized my mistake.”

“…May I ask what it is?”

“Through my interaction with the Demon King, I opened up a new realm. I overcame the wall I couldn’t cross, and I believed I had finally reached the end. But…”

Hong Wang shook his head.

“That wasn’t it.”

“Progress always creates new territories. I believed that if I could embody and perfect what I had gained, no one could defeat me. But while I was holed up in my room, sinking into myself, Chang Wang and the Demon King were constantly refining themselves in a changing world.”

Hong Wang’s eyes narrowed.

“This won’t do. At this rate, I will forever be following behind them.”

Chai Ke-chang knelt down as if deeply moved.

“I congratulate you on your new realization.”

“Hmm.”

Various thoughts swirled in Chai Ke-chang’s head as he bowed and pressed his head to the ground.

‘Is this the right thing?’

It was said that one could learn everything from defeat.

The fact that he had realized his shortcomings by using this defeat as a mirror was undoubtedly a gain.

However….

‘Is this really the right direction?’

Chai Ke-chang couldn’t help but raise a fundamental question.

Hong Wang was the embodiment of the way of the hegemon [a dominant leader or power].

His power came from absolute self-confidence.

But….

Could Hong Wang, who had doubts about his own methods, really show the same power as in the past?

Of course, moving in the right direction was important.

But was it really possible for Hong Wang, who had already gone beyond completion and perfectly established his own martial arts philosophy, to dismantle that philosophy from the ground up and re-establish it?

‘This is….’

Perhaps something irreversible had happened.

“…Hong Wang.”

Before his worries could end, Chai Ke-chang opened his mouth.

“Speak.”

Chai Ke-chang closed his eyes tightly.

Now that he had done it, there was no turning back.

“…I do not agree with what you have said, Hong Wang.”

“Hmm?”

Hong Wang slightly lowered his head to look at Chai Ke-chang, who was kneeling.

“Get up.”

“I….”

“Get up. And look me straight in the eye and speak.”

“I am sorry! I was presumptuous….”

“That’s not it, Chai Ke-chang. Didn’t I tell you? I don’t want words that have been filtered and refined to avoid displeasing me. Look me in the eye and tell me your honest feelings.”

Chai Ke-chang swallowed hard and stood up. Then, as Hong Wang had said, he looked directly into Hong Wang’s eyes.

“Hong Wang, who is right and wrong is ultimately just a matter of results.”

“…A matter of results?”

“Yes!”

Chai Ke-chang nodded.

“If you had beheaded that treacherous Chang Wang this time, you would not have doubted your own methods.”

“Isn’t that obvious? The one who wins is the one who is right.”

“That’s right. In other words, the method doesn’t matter at all.”

Hong Wang looked at Chai Ke-chang with a puzzled expression.

“There is no such thing as a perfect method. There is only a method that produces the best results. If you can defeat them with your own method, then that method becomes the best.”

“Are you saying I shouldn’t waver?”

“I am sorry to even say this, but you have been greatly shocked by this defeat. Something that has never happened to you before.”

Hong Wang nodded.

No matter how hard he tried to remain calm, it was impossible. His insides were now filled with chaos.

“In such a situation, do not try to find an answer. Sometimes, just watching and waiting is the answer. Of course, I understand your desire to find an answer and escape this confusion. But shortcuts found in haste are usually not the answer.”

Hong Wang nodded quietly.

“You’re saying I’m being hasty.”

“That’s how I feel….”

“If you say so, then it must be so.”

Hong Wang said firmly.

“I understand. Forget everything I just said. I will take some more time to consider my state and the future of the Hong Wang faction.”

“I am grateful, Hong Wang.”

“Don’t kneel.”

Chai Ke-chang, who was instinctively about to kneel, stopped in an awkward posture.

“Chai Ke-chang.”

“Yes, Hong Wang.”

“Do you know what I envied most about the Demon King?”

“…I cannot guess.”

“It’s the existence of Lee Hyun-soo.”

Chai Ke-chang’s expression subtly hardened. But Hong Wang soon shook his head.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I envy his abilities. I know that your abilities far surpass Lee Hyun-soo’s.”

“Thank you.”

“What I envied was that ‘relationship.’ From the Demon King’s perspective, Lee Hyun-soo is nothing more than a bug. He is an insignificant being that he could crush with a single finger.”

“But that Lee Hyun-soo scolds the Demon King, gets angry, and sometimes even forces his opinions in a rude manner. And the Demon King accepts all of it as if it were natural.”

That series of events had given Hong Wang a great shock.

The world was divided into the strong and the weak. No matter how freely the strong treated the weak, the weak could not help but feel burdened when dealing with the strong.

How much trust would be needed to completely eliminate that burden?

“I envied the existence of that Lee Hyun-soo. I thought that if I had someone like that, I wouldn’t be so far behind. But after coming here, I realized that the reason I don’t have a Lee Hyun-soo is because I create walls.”

Hong Wang’s face contorted.

“I thought my authority was what led the Hong Wang faction. But that was a delusion. Authority becomes true authority when it is not asserted. They respect each other without pretense.”

Hong Wang looked directly at Chai Ke-chang and said,

“It might be a burden for you. I’m not saying that you have to completely take on that role. But from now on, I need someone who can give me candid advice without hesitation.”

“Hong Wang….”

“Can you do that for me?”

Chai Ke-chang nodded with utmost determination.

“If it is the path for Hong Wang, I will do anything.”

“Thank you.”

Hong Wang lightly patted Chai Ke-chang’s shoulder.

Chai Ke-chang bit his lip as he looked at Hong Wang.

‘Hong Wang is trying to change.’

And the reason for that change was this defeat.

And it was likely due to the existence of the Demon King, who had pushed back against Chang Wang, who had inflicted the defeat on him.

‘And this is also my defeat.’

He too had been completely caught up in Chang Wang’s strategy. A defeat without any room for excuses, a perfect defeat.

‘But humans become stronger from defeat.’

Chai Ke-chang’s eyes gleamed.

‘This is not the end. It’s just the beginning.’

The one who stands at the end is the ultimate victor. Chai Ke-chang and Hong Wang would use the Assembly and the Demon King to once again stand in the victor’s position.

‘To do that, I will endure any humiliation.’

Chai Ke-chang clenched his fist and furiously racked his brain.

He examined and re-examined how to use them most effectively.

“Chai Ke-chang.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t try to scheme.”

“…Yes?”

“What we have to do is clear. First, we help the Demon King win the war. To do that, we will endure any sacrifice.”

“…Hong Wang.”

“The Demon King is not one to lie. He really has no interest in the Central Plains. If that’s the case, then the Demon King’s victory won’t be our defeat. Don’t needlessly put yourself in danger to become the victor.”

Chai Ke-chang nodded.

“I understand.”

“Good. You may leave.”

“Then, please take care.”

As Chai Ke-chang bowed and turned to leave the room, he unknowingly glanced back.

‘Don’t put yourself in danger to become the victor?’

Those words came from Hong Wang’s mouth?

Discomfort.

A severe sense of discomfort made Chai Ke-chang tremble.

‘No, that’s not it.’

He was just confused by the defeat for a moment.

Hong Wang would recover himself at any time.