Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1963

“I’m home.”

The first to greet him as he opened the door was, as always, Dongdong.

The little white fluffball dashed towards him at full speed, jumping up and down.

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and picked up Dongdong.

“You’ll hurt your knees.”

Small dogs can injure their legs doing this… Should I put a mat on the floor?

“Hey, Kang Jin-ho!”

Following behind was Kang Eun-young.

“What is it! What is it! Explain!”

“What?”

“What’s all the fuss on TV right now! This!”

Kang Eun-young stared at Kang Jin-ho with wide eyes. Seeing the question in her eyes, he roughly guessed the situation.

“What are you curious about?”

“That martial artist or psychic or whatever. Is that perhaps…”

“You’re curious about everything.”

Kang Jin-ho put Dongdong down and took off his shoes. Then, he walked inside.

“Jin-ho, you’re home?”

“Yes, Mother.”

His father and mother, who had been sitting on the living room sofa, got up. Seeing that, it seemed like going straight to his room was out of the question.

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze shifted slightly.

The TV screen came into his view. Footage of missiles being launched and the broadcast scene from Cheongma were playing simultaneously.

‘It’s come this far.’

If it’s being reported on TV so openly, it can no longer be hidden or glossed over.

“Jin-ho…”

Kang Jin-ho slowly nodded.

“I’ll explain everything.”

“Before that…”

Kang Jin-ho walked to the refrigerator.

“Just a cola…”

Kang Jin-ho opened the refrigerator, stared blankly inside, and then turned his head.

“If it’s in the refrigerator, anyone can drink it, it’s not like it has an owner…”

“Go buy some.”

“Hey, it’s so dark outside, what if this pretty sister gets into trouble going out alone? Brother, you’re so heartless…”

Kang Eun-young shut her mouth as Kang Jin-ho silently held out Dongdong.

“Go buy some.”

“If you don’t want to die.”

“Yes, brother.”

Kang Eun-young knew how to read the room.

Ssssh!

The cola poured from the opened can with a refreshing sound, filling the glass.

Kang Jin-ho took a sip of cola and let out a low sigh.

“That’s how it happened.”

“Hmm…”

Kang Eun-young’s head turned from side to side as she watched Kang Yu-hwan let out a low groan.

“Um, I went to the convenience store, so I didn’t hear anything?”

“So…”

Kang Yu-hwan ignored Kang Eun-young’s words and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

“All the things on TV are true?”

“Yes.”

“There are people called martial artists in the world, and they have learned special martial arts, making them different from ordinary people…”

“Yes.”

“And… you’re one of those martial artists?”

“Yes.”

Kang Yu-hwan chuckled.

“You hid it well.”

“I wasn’t trying to hide it. I just…”

“Then, can you break rocks too?”

“…Excuse me?”

Kang Jin-ho, who was about to explain his position with a serious face, tilted his head slightly.

“Like jumping 10 meters? Like Superman? Can I see that once…”

Slap!

As Baek Hyun-jung’s palm landed, Kang Yu-hwan twisted like an octopus.

“Is this the time to joke around? In this situation?”

“Ah, no, what’s so serious about this? It’s just that our son is stronger than we thought!”

“…It’s different from that.”

“It’s not different at all.”

Kang Yu-hwan waved his hand as if it were nothing.

“That’s more human. The time you were home for a week without saying a word was less human.”

“Yeah. Dad, I agree. I thought he was muted.”

Baek Hyun-jung sighed deeply.

“Jin-ho.”

“Yes.”

“Okay, Dad’s right. What does it matter? It’s not like you’ve changed.”

“Yes.”

“Still, it’s a relief that there are many people like that. I was so worried that if you were one of those people, the government would catch you and experiment on you…”

Baek Hyun-jung sighed in relief, then suddenly raised her head.

“That… wait a minute, Jin-ho.”

“Yes?”

“Ho, 혹시 [Korean for ‘perhaps’] you’re that… that company you work for. You’re the CEO of…”

“MI?”

“Yes. Is that company also…”

“Yes. It’s a company created by people like that.”

Baek Hyun-jung’s lips twitched briefly.

“O, okay. That’s possible. That’s… no… but you were going somewhere even before that company was formed. Were you perhaps…”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“Yes. It’s called the Korean Martial Arts Association, and it’s the origin of MK.”

“Then…”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho said with a smile.

“I’m the head of the association.”

It took two glasses of ice water to calm Baek Hyun-jung down.

Kang Jin-ho and Kang Eun-young were kneeling in front of Baek Hyun-jung, who was lying on the sofa.

“Why am I…”

“Be quiet.”

Kang Eun-young looked wronged, but she didn’t complain any further. Looking at Kang Yu-hwan sitting upright in the chair next to her, she couldn’t complain.

“Raising children is useless, they hide everything…”

“I wasn’t trying to hide it…”

“Can’t you be quiet?”

“You’re all talk!”

“That unfilial child!” Baek Hyun-jung’s eyes blazed.

“You and Eun-young, shut your mouths.”

“…Why?”

“I can scold my own child.”

“He’s my child too…”

“Be quiet!”

“Yes.”

Baek Hyun-jung sighed deeply.

“I thought my child was so unusual that I couldn’t handle him, but my child is a psychic.”

“I thought you’d have guessed it by now…”

“It’s different from that!”

Kang Jin-ho clicked his tongue.

He thought everyone had caught on by now. Or maybe they had. But confirming the truth from his own mouth seemed to be a different matter.

Baek Hyun-jung got up from her seat. Then, she stared intently at Kang Jin-ho.

“Jin-ho.”

“Yes.”

“…Okay, it’s not a big deal. It’s just that my goblin-like child was actually a goblin.”

“It seems like a huge deal?”

“You be quiet, if you don’t want to die.” Kang Eun-young obediently closed her mouth.

If she messed with Kang Jin-ho and crossed the line, she would just get scolded, but if she messed with Baek Hyun-jung, she would really be in trouble.

“Um… Jin-ho.”

“Yes.”

“I’m just asking just in case… that association, it’s like an organization, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Is there another association in Korea besides that one, or a bigger one…”

“There’s only one.”

Oh my, my son.

He answers so well.

“…Then, are you the highest-ranking among those people in Korea?”

“Yes.”

Baek Hyun-jung stared at Kang Jin-ho with a blank face.

“How old are you…”

Kang Jin-ho, who was wondering how much more he should say, smiled.

“This world is based on merit…”

“…You’re amazing, my son.”

He’s so amazing that I want to bite him.

Until the blood flows.

“Then, are you also on the side of those… those terrorists? Jin-ho, that’s not the case, right?”

“No, I’m not.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head cleanly.

“Our paths are different. We try to live without causing trouble as much as possible.”

“…Okay. That’s a relief.”

Baek Hyun-jung let out a sigh of relief.

She didn’t think that was the case, but her son was so unpredictable that she couldn’t be at ease.

“Then…”

Baek Hyun-jung looked back and forth between Kang Jin-ho and the TV screen and asked.

“What are we supposed to do now?”

It wasn’t a question with a specific answer. Baek Hyun-jung probably wasn’t expecting an answer either.

Kang Jin-ho answered with a calm face.

“Nothing will change.”

“It’s just that it wasn’t known until now, but we’ve all been living together from the beginning. It might be a bit chaotic for a while, but nothing will change.”

Kang Jin-ho said, looking at the three of them.

“You might be a little surprised, but don’t worry. I’m still the same.”

“Okay.”

Kang Yu-hwan nodded.

“Nothing will change. No, even if something does change, it’s the same.”

Kang Yu-hwan’s smile showed composure.

Seeing that smile, Kang Jin-ho’s heart felt a little more at ease.

“But, oppa [Korean for ‘older brother’ used by a younger sister], will it really be okay? It’s so noisy?”

“That’s how it is at first.”

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze also turned to the TV. A reporter with a microphone was standing in the middle of the street, with people passing by in the background, saying something. The sound was muted, but he knew what they were saying.

‘They must be scared.’

Because they’ve learned that those people are living among them.

Some might think that it’s no different since it’s always been like this, but some will think differently. And which side is the majority…

‘It’s the latter.’

Even his family, who knew Kang Jin-ho well, were shocked, so how much more would others be?

If the government actively stepped in to support the martial artists, the situation might be a little different, but the current government was in no position to support them.

One of the martial artists had seized a nuclear missile launch facility and was threatening the world, so how could they support them?

If they did, they would face a backlash and the regime would be overthrown, and they would have no excuse.

So, they had to handle this situation on their own.

“Jin-ho, as I said, nothing will change for us.”

“Yes, Father.”

“But the world isn’t that easy. If you think it will be the same as before, that’s too naive.”

“Yes. I know.”

“Okay, it’s good that you know.”

“What’s good about it?”

Baek Hyun-jung grumbled, and Kang Yu-hwan shook his head.

“He’s my son, but he’s out of my hands. Who am I to tell him what to do? He knows better than me.”

“So, let’s stop and trust him. You’re making Jin-ho uncomfortable.”

“I know…”

Baek Hyun-jung sighed deeply. Kang Jin-ho smiled at Baek Hyun-jung.

“You don’t have to worry too much. It’s not as serious as you think. Everyone will get used to it soon.”

“Jin-ho…”

“Okay, okay, let’s stop and let him rest. He’s been home for days and hasn’t even taken off his clothes.”

“…Should I make you some food? Do you want to eat?” Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“I already ate. I’m okay with food.”

“Okay. Then go wash up and rest.”

“Yes.”

Only then did Kang Jin-ho get up from his seat. Baek Hyun-jung called out to Kang Jin-ho, who was calmly heading to his room.

“Jin-ho.”

“Yes?”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head, and Baek Hyun-jung asked with an uneasy look.

“You… you’re not involved in that, are you?”

“No. I have nothing to do with it.”

“Not in the future either?”

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t answer.

“You’re not perhaps…”

“That won’t happen. It’s not something we can do anything about. I’m not that great of a person.”

“…Okay, that’s right.”

Baek Hyun-jung nodded as if she was finally relieved.

Kang Jin-ho smiled at her once and entered his room, closing the door slightly.

“Hoo.”

A low, very low sigh escaped his lips.