Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1919

[As you can see, the building has completely collapsed. Rescue teams and public security are currently conducting rescue operations, but realistically, the chances of finding survivors are not high.] The debris of the completely collapsed building is visible behind the reporter. It’s so cleanly collapsed that, if you didn’t hear the report, it might look like a pile of construction waste. Only the towering buildings in the background reveal how strange and bizarre this scene truly is. [The cause of the building collapse has not yet been determined. There have been suggestions of a connection to previous terrorist attacks, but the authorities have denied any link. Experts are calling for an investigation into whether there were any structural deficiencies during the building’s construction and for those responsible to be punished.] Emergency responders and firefighters are busily moving around the collapsed building and the piles of debris. The scene of public security officers aggressively pushing back the surging press is clearly captured on camera. [The bereaved families are unable to leave the scene. The cries of citizens who have faced an unspeakable tragedy and the families who have lost their parents and siblings…] “What a load of crap.” Bang Jin-hoon clicked his tongue. It makes me wonder. Is that reporter really saying all that because they don’t know anything? Or are they fully aware of everything and just reporting it so nonchalantly? No, maybe it’s somewhere in between. Surely, if they had gone to the site, they would have noticed that it wasn’t a collapse due to structural issues. Even if they didn’t know the full details, they couldn’t possibly be unaware that what the public security was saying wasn’t true. But they had no choice but to turn a blind eye. “It’s amazing how much control they have.” “There’s no way.” Jang Min scoffed. “There’s no way that’s possible in this day and age. It’s been a while since people stopped trusting the credibility of public broadcasting and newspapers.” “That’s right.” Lee Hyun-soo nodded. “Even now, there’s a huge uproar on social media about how strange this incident is. Especially on overseas social media, not just Chinese ones.” “Are you saying people overseas are making more of a fuss?” “No. People in China are careful about what they say on their own social media, so they’re saying it on overseas sites instead.” “Well…” Bang Jin-hoon frowned. This is something unimaginable in Korea. If Korea tried to cover up an incident like this and got caught, it wouldn’t just end with the collapse of the government. In that sense, Bang Jin-hoon genuinely thought it was fortunate that this incident happened in China. Although he didn’t usually have positive feelings towards the Chinese government, at this moment, he couldn’t help but support their absurd level of control. “Those crazy bastards.” Seeing that scene again, it seemed like he could understand what the Black King’s faction had done. Especially for Bang Jin-hoon, who had gone to great lengths to avoid getting entangled with the police and prosecution, it was a sight that made him shake his head in disbelief. “…It’s terrifying.” Lee Hyun-soo spoke with a rare hint of weakness. “That scene?” “…No, the fact that they can create that scene.” Lee Hyun-soo stared at the screen with a hardened expression. If it were the same situation… Could Lee Hyun-soo have boldly done something like that? ‘It’s impossible. No, absolutely not.’ It wasn’t a matter of whether he could sacrifice civilians. Although it was something he would be cursed or even beaten for saying out loud, Lee Hyun-soo was confident that he would do anything if it was absolutely necessary for the survival of the Assembly, regardless of whether it harmed civilians or not. Repentance? Lee Hyun-soo was going to fall to the bottom of hell when he died anyway. There was no way to atone for the sins he had committed so far, so why would he be afraid of the sins he would commit in the future? But this was a different matter. To do something like that and then deal with the aftermath? Absolutely impossible. The moment Lee Hyun-soo collapsed a building in the middle of Seoul, everyone he had built relationships with in the country would turn against him. The government, the military, and if he was unlucky, even the US side might cut ties with the Assembly. Let’s say he could somehow handle that. What if the Unparalleled World [a hidden world of martial arts masters] was exposed to the world as a result of this situation? What if the world, where people had lived ordinary lives, found out that there were beings walking around in disguise who could take their lives with a flick of their finger? How would they handle that panic? To ordinary people, it would be no different from having people walking around the city with loaded machine guns. And ordinary people are not allowed to possess even a small pistol. Frankly, who would listen to the words, ‘This gun is loaded and can be fired at any time, but everyone is trained and controlled, so there won’t be any accidents’? Even Lee Hyun-soo, if he were in that position, would immediately scream for those crazy bastards to be driven out of the world. If that happened, no one would be able to handle the situation. The Unparalleled World would be destroyed that day. “…Is that what they’re really aiming for?” Lee Hyun-soo muttered quietly. “What are you talking about?” “No, that…” Lee Hyun-soo bit his lip once and then opened his mouth. “The reason we’re desperately trying to hide the existence of the Unparalleled World is because of that, isn’t it? That…” “It’s because we’ll be screwed if we get caught.” “No, that’s true, but… The reason why we would fail is important. “Coexistence is impossible, and we can only live in the Unparalleled World. To put it simply, the Unparalleled World is a foundation for the survival of the Unparalleled, isn’t it?” “That’s right.” “Everyone knows it instinctively. That it’s impossible for us, who have mastered martial arts, to live ordinary lives among ordinary people. That’s why the Assembly constantly monitors those who have left and suppresses their martial arts, isn’t it?” “You’re stating the obvious.” Lee Hyun-soo frowned at Bang Jin-hoon’s words. “In other words, protecting the Unparalleled World means protecting our future. It sounds grand, but that’s the truth.” Bang Jin-hoon closed his mouth. He realized that Lee Hyun-soo was more serious than he thought. “But… the Black King’s faction doesn’t need the Unparalleled World. They never mingled with the Unparalleled in the first place, and they’ve lived in their own world. To put it simply, they wouldn’t care if the Unparalleled World collapsed tomorrow.” “So they don’t care if it collapses. They don’t care if it’s exposed to the world. They’ll just destroy it.” “You’re talking crazy.” Bang Jin-hoon pointed his finger. “Are you going crazy too, after having a head-to-head battle with those lunatics? That’s something that only happens in comics! What, did that Black King guy lose his parents to the Unparalleled when he was a kid and is now burning with revenge? What do those guys gain by destroying the Unparalleled World?” “A war is only waged if there’s something to gain by winning. A war that’s waged without anything to gain only exists in novels. If those guys win the war with the Unparalleled World still in place, they become the rulers, but if the Unparalleled World disappears, nothing changes. So why would they do such a crazy thing?” Even Lee Hyun-soo had to nod at that. It was a pretty spot-on point, unlike Bang Jin-hoon. Every action has a direction and a goal. But destroying the Unparalleled World was just an act, not a goal. Why destroy it? “We’re back to square one. I have no idea what the Black King is going to do. I don’t even know what he’s aiming for in the first place.” “A goal? Wasn’t it to drag out the Red King and kill him?” “…Think about it. The Black King knew that the Red King would intercept, and he sent two of the Twelve Evils [elite members of the Black King’s faction] there in advance.” “You’re stating the obvious.” “At the same time, he collapsed that building. In a place that has nothing to do with it, hundreds of kilometers away.” “If the Black King did all of this with the goal of capturing and killing the Red King, that’s a meaningless action. It would only hinder what he’s trying to do.” “Hmm, that’s a good point.” Wiggins nodded his head emphatically. And if the Assembly hadn’t come, the Black King would have achieved his goal. Then, would the Black King have stopped there? Would he have stopped at just cleaning up and taking over the Red King’s faction? No, no. Instinct was telling him. That all of this was not just about taking over the Red King’s faction and conquering China, but that there was something huge and incomparable to that at play. “We have to stop them…” Wiggins got up from his seat. “I’ll go back to Korea for a while.” “Are you going all the way to the gate? Should we provide an escort…?” “No, it’s okay. It’s not that difficult for me to move alone. I can teleport to the gate and then use the gate again.” “Ah…” Lee Hyun-soo had momentarily forgotten that Wiggins’ skills had improved to an incomparable level. “But why Korea?” “There’s someone I need to meet. No matter how much I think about it, it seems difficult for us to understand what the Black King is thinking on our own. I need to seek advice.” Lee Hyun-soo frowned. “Will it be helpful…?” “Don’t make that face. It’s not like I’m worshipping the Master. I’m not entrusting my thoughts to him as if he were a sage. It’s just…” Wiggins made a subtle expression. “Maybe this is something that can only be seen by someone who is one step removed.” Lee Hyun-soo nodded. He also thought that Wiggins’ words made sense. “Contact me if any problems arise. In my opinion… this peace won’t last long. And… next time, they will also consider our strength when they move. Then, a war will begin that will only end when someone dies.” “…I understand.” “I believe in you.” Wiggins patted Lee Hyun-soo’s shoulder once and then turned and walked out. Lee Hyun-soo let out a deep sigh. ‘It feels like I’m falling into a bottomless pit.’ Fighting the Red King was incredibly difficult. Fighting the Azure King also felt like he was floundering at the bottom of hell. But even then, he didn’t feel like this. That was because it was a fight where he could understand what they wanted and how to stop them. It’s not a matter of strategy or tactics. ‘It feels like the Europeans facing the Mongol army.’ Wasn’t it said that it was just considered a disaster? That’s how Lee Hyun-soo feels right now. He feels like he’s facing a deadly disaster with an uncertain purpose. “Why are you making it so complicated?” Lee Hyun-soo turned his head at Jang Min’s words. “If it were the Demon Lord, he would have said that there’s no reason to think.” “What…” “Whatever their purpose is, the enemy is clear. If we cut off the Black King’s head, this war will end.” “Sometimes, the simplest way is the right way. Don’t you think?” “I agree, old man. That guy’s head is…” “Why don’t you shut up, you who got knocked out and fainted?” “What did you say?” Lee Hyun-soo sighed as he watched the two of them suddenly start bickering. ‘But what they said might be right.’ Then, the first thing he had to do was clear. Finding out the Black King’s location. Dragging him out of the shadows, like a snake hiding in a cave, and onto the same ground as them. ‘I need to discuss this with Cai Keqiang.’ Perhaps… The time they had left might not be that long.