Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 2097

Ko Han-bong swallowed hard.

He was one of those who had most clearly witnessed the recent war between the Black King’s faction and the General Assembly. Naturally, he knew how dangerous and terrifying those called martial artists were.

And among those martial artists, the one at the pinnacle,

Kang Jin-ho, who now had no equal even within the martial world, how could he not be afraid?

However, Ko Han-bong calmly exhaled.

What he believed in was not his own certainty of power, but the person he had observed Kang Jin-ho to be.

“Nothing major will happen to the Chairman.”

“To me?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Ko Han-bong took a deep breath and spoke again.

“There’s no fool who doesn’t know that messing with you right now would only result in losses. Well, I don’t know. Maybe a superpower like the United States might think differently…”

Ko Han-bong shrugged.

“Isn’t war something everyone wants to avoid?”

Kang Jin-ho leaned back on the sofa.

Only then did the tension leave Ko Han-bong’s shoulders.

“But Chairman… if you choose to fight, countless people will die.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Ko Han-bong without a word.

“This isn’t a threat. Those who die won’t just be martial artists. Perhaps several times more innocent people, who have done nothing wrong, might die than the martial artists who perish.”

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

“It sounds like you’re saying the martial artists who die are guilty.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I apologize if it came across that way.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed briefly.

If it were the old him, he wouldn’t have dwelled on such a short statement. He would have just read the intention behind it.

But as one’s position changes, so does one’s perspective. Whether he intended it or not, Kang Jin-ho now represents the entire martial world and must protect them.

Although Gong Ryung inherited the will of the Black King, it is Kang Jin-ho who must ensure that his death is not meaningless. Therefore, he has to be sensitive about the position of the martial artists.

“I just wanted to say that it would only lead to mutual destruction.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. The stale smoke from the lit cigarette filled his lungs.

‘It’s unfair.’

Now that he was in a position to take responsibility for everything, he understood. He understood where the Black King’s desperation came from.

Ko Han-bong was exaggerating, but no matter how much the martial artists gathered and waged war against the outside world, the chances of victory were slim. They might be able to put up a good fight, but in the end, all that awaited them was defeat.

The reason they were reaching out to Kang Jin-ho was very simple.

They didn’t want to sacrifice an arm to take down their opponent.

It wasn’t wrong to say that.

“Listening to what you’re saying…”

“Yes.”

“It seems like your side has mostly sorted out its position.”

Ko Han-bong gave a wry smile.

“As I said, positions aren’t something that can be easily sorted out. We are still in the process of coordinating.”

“But it’s not like there’s no movement until everyone’s position is aligned. Those who have already decided their stance are moving to enforce their will. For example, our South Korea.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

The best way to persuade those who feel uneasy about the martial artists and insist on going to war with them, even at the cost of sacrifices, is to make them understand that this side has no intention of fighting them.

And at this point, Kang Jin-ho is the only one who can do that.

“What do you need me to do?”

Ko Han-bong was silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts.

“The situation outside is worse than you might think.”

“I don’t know how much you know, but the hardline pro-war factions are staging protests every day. And it’s not just in one country.”

Kang Jin-ho slowly nodded.

That was probably the case. They had witnessed the battle between the martial artists and the Black King’s faction with their own eyes. Even those who were aware of the existence of martial artists felt threatened by the sight, so it must have been a shock to those who had never known of their existence.

It’s a natural reaction to try to exclude what one doesn’t understand from one’s life.

“The problem is that each country isn’t responding properly to the situation.

In fact, internally, positions haven’t been properly sorted out. They feel threatened, but the risks of turning the martial artists into enemies are too great, so they’re stuck in a dilemma.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“To sum it all up in one word…”

Ko Han-bong said decisively.

“It’s anxiety.”

“Anxiety about those they don’t understand, anxiety about not knowing how they will act, anxiety about not knowing their position.”

Ko Han-bong cleared his throat a few times as if his throat was dry and continued.

“In my judgment, the most important thing to do to resolve this situation is to foster understanding. If everyone knows what martial artists are and that they don’t intend to be hostile, their perspective will surely change.”

“There will be people who won’t change.”

“Not everyone can have the same opinion. The important thing is to create a large number of friendly people and establish the trend. I believe that Kang Jin-ho is the most important figure in this understanding.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply. What Ko Han-bong was saying was not much different from what he had intended to do.

Those who did not understand the martial artists were hostile to them. The martial artists who could not respond to that hostility eventually hid in the shadows.

The world is getting brighter even at this moment. The fact that martial artists have come to light is not because of the Black King. It’s because the darkness where they could hide no longer exists. Even if it wasn’t for the Black King, they would have faced this situation someday.

So, there is only one thing left for them to do.

To go out into the sun, to walk into the light on their own and face the gazes that are looking at them head-on.

However….

“What you’re saying isn’t wrong, but…” Kang Jin-ho sighed.

“Things in the world don’t always work out so ideally.”

“Of course. Chairman, once martial artists start to integrate into the world, problems will arise simultaneously. But… isn’t that something we all have to overcome together?”

Ko Han-bong continued with a firm face.

“I’ve never heard of anyone who won by running away. The only way to solve it, the only way to win, is to face it.”

“And that’s not just a story for martial artists. Denying the existence of martial artists and excluding them is no different from us running away.”

Ko Han-bong took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.

“We plan to break through all of this head-on. To do that, we absolutely need your cooperation, Chairman.”

Kang Jin-ho had a subtle expression.

“That’s a bit unexpected.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I thought you were a more gentle type, Prime Minister.”

“Haha.”

Ko Han-bong gave a wry smile.

“People act according to their beliefs, but politicians are not people. Politicians only act according to their political views. My political view is very simple. What a politician should do is not lead, but respond.”

“I believe that’s the path for everyone.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded. Then, he reached out and lit Ko Han-bong’s cigarette.

“I understand the direction. I also agree with it.”

“Thank you, Chairman.”

“But it’s not going to be easy. Martial artists are the kind of people who can’t be controlled.”

“…I suppose so.”

Ko Han-bong nodded as if he understood Kang Jin-ho’s concerns.

“But I think you’re someone who understands. There are things you want to do in this world, and there are things you have to do. This is clearly something we have to do.”

“For everyone?”

“Yes. For everyone.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

He understood the external situation. And he understood what those who were friendly to him wanted from him.

Now, all that was left was Kang Jin-ho’s choice.

“It’s not easy.”

“That’s reality.”

Ko Han-bong smiled gently.

“Those who first enter politics fall into two categories.”

“…Which ones?”

“Those who dream of making South Korea prosperous with their own hands, and those who aim to gain their own benefits through power.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded. That seemed likely.

“But Chairman, do you know who the ones who remain in the end are?”

“I don’t know…”

“They’re just the ones who endure.”

Ko Han-bong said bitterly.

“That’s what politics is like. Those who remain go towards the glamorous places, but no one pays attention to those who fall. Those who have stepped into the swamp of politics are rarely given the opportunity to live a new life. Because there is no industry where the evaluation of people is as extremely stigmatized as the political world.”

“Indeed…”

“As you live as a politician, at some point, your dreams disappear, and reality disappears. All that remains are those who are determined not to fall behind, those who are determined to survive.”

“And after enduring one crisis after another, you realize at some point that you’ve reached a higher place than you thought.”

Kang Jin-ho laughed.

The life contained in those words didn’t seem that different from his own.

“I don’t think that only those with great ideals can make the world a better place. Perhaps those who change the world are just those who have silently endured what they had to do. What I have to do now, and what I ask of you, Chairman, is just that…”

Ko Han-bong turned to Kang Jin-ho and said,

“Let’s do what we have to do, Chairman.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly nodded.

“I understand what you’re saying. However, I don’t think I can give you an answer here.”

“…Is it because you haven’t finished organizing your thoughts?”

“No. I haven’t even started.”

“Pardon?”

Kang Jin-ho opened his mouth with a knowing smile.

“Looking back, the reason I was able to endure was also very simple.”

Ko Han-bong tilted his head. Kang Jin-ho smiled at that expression.

“In my past life, I ruined everything because of things I did on my own.”

That’s why he lost what he shouldn’t have lost.

“So, I won’t make the same mistake this time. I will think with everyone, and I will come up with an answer with everyone. That’s what I have to do.”

Ko Han-bong finally smiled.

“I look forward to a good result.”

“I’ll try.”

The two lightly shook hands.