Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1060

Booooooom.

Seok Dong-soo was deeply displeased.

‘This is ridiculous.’

Seok Dong-soo pondered what power truly was.

Power.

There are countless forces in the world, but among them, the three most crucial are:

Power, violence, and wealth.

Before society develops, violence is the most superior of all forces. An unorganized system is bound to be helpless against violence.

However, as society begins to establish systems, power starts to suppress that violence.

The moment violence becomes subordinate to power, power wields a force more superior than anything else. And the moment it goes further, wealth seizes power.

South Korea is currently in that transitional period.

Even 20 years ago, what Koreans wanted for their children was for them to become judges or prosecutors.

The reason was simple. Without any cumbersome conditions, the job of a judge or prosecutor was one where you could rise to the upper echelons of power with just one exam.

It was a world where having power meant success.

But now, it’s a bit different.

What parents want for their children now is not for them to become judges or prosecutors, but to succeed materially. The meaning of success in South Korean society is shifting from power to wealth.

Nevertheless, Seok Dong-soo still believed in the power that only power possesses.

Wealth may be able to control everything in the world. Making people submit, enjoying things that ordinary people cannot, all of that is possible with money.

Even the honor that was once thought to be achievable only through power is now being taken over by wealth.

But there is one thing.

Just one thing that wealth still cannot catch up to power in.

The power to access secrets.

A smile unconsciously formed on Seok Dong-soo’s lips.

The world is full of countless secrets.

And people, while knowing that secrets exist, cannot even think of digging into them.

Think about it.

Why hasn’t the investigation report on the Kennedy assassination been released to the world yet?

How many people in the world know what the Fatima prophecy is?

There are countless secrets that many people are curious about. But these secrets are not revealed to the public. This is something that cannot be accessed even with wealth.

Only power.

Only a select few with the power recognized by the world can access the depths of secrets.

That’s why Seok Dong-soo is obsessed with power. When he approaches secrets that others cannot, Seok Dong-soo gains a pleasure that cannot be replaced by anything else.

However…

Secrets are not always enjoyable. Sometimes, you have to face uncomfortable truths.

‘The Martial World…’

The Korean Martial Arts Assembly.

Isn’t that the kind of name a group of pseudo-martial artists would come up with?

‘The name is the least of it.’

The truth hidden behind that name makes its clumsy name seem cute. When he first heard stories about them, Seok Dong-soo thought the person was teasing him.

Since a joke was thrown, he naturally responded with a joke, but what came back was a serious face.

Only then did Seok Dong-soo realize that all of this was not a joke, but one of the secrets hidden in the world.

‘This is absurd.’

It’s unpleasant.

Extremely unpleasant.

Uncovering secrets hidden in the world was an irreplaceable pleasure for Seok Dong-soo. But this secret did not please Seok Dong-soo; rather, it made him feel unpleasant.

The reason is very simple.

“The law doesn’t reach them?”

Seok Dong-soo let out a hollow laugh.

In 21st-century South Korea, there’s no way there could be a place where the law doesn’t reach. This isn’t the military regime era, and they can’t apply the law to those people?

That’s ridiculous.

What makes Seok Dong-soo even more dumbfounded is that the Martial World doesn’t only exist in Korea.

There are Martial Worlds in Japan, China, and even Europe and the United States.

‘Why are they tolerating those guys?’

If Seok Dong-soo knows, there’s no way that key figures in other countries wouldn’t know about it.

‘I can’t understand why China is tolerating it.’

China is a country that dreams of complete control. Unlike other countries, China would never tolerate forces that escape their control. So why are they tolerating them?

Seok Dong-soo closed his eyes and leaned back against the car seat. The conversation they had a little while ago flowed through his mind.

“Do you know why criminal organizations don’t disappear? I’m talking about criminal organizations, not just criminals. Why would the police leave criminal organizations that the state could wipe out in one go? They’ve tried it many times. They’ve wiped them out many times. But after that, new criminal organizations emerge. They don’t disappear.”

Seok Dong-soo bit his lip.

If they’re going to leave them alone because they don’t disappear, then why bother cleaning?

After all, trash will always reappear, and dust will always accumulate.

It’s important to create an environment through continuous management, not by cleaning everything up with a single burst of passion.

“Of course, that’s not all. They’re not people who can be easily dealt with like criminal organizations. But even if it were possible, they’re people you shouldn’t touch. Are the world’s major powers tolerating them because they don’t have the power? Countries where the Martial World disappears are bound to be exposed to other crimes. The martial artists of other countries don’t think of the country like the martial artists of their own country.”

Seok Dong-soo’s face slightly contorted.

Just thinking about it made him feel annoyed.

“So, make sure to conclude this negotiation well. That’s what the higher-ups want.”

‘This is pathetic.’

For the people who lead the country to say such obvious things.

Seok Dong-soo sighed deeply.

“Are we there yet?”

“We’re almost there, Minister.”

“Hmm.”

Seok Dong-soo looked displeased.

‘They’re definitely more dangerous than I thought.’

As soon as he learned about the existence of the Assembly, people started contacting him from all over.

‘They’ve drugged all those guys?’

Among those who wanted to meet him, there were even figures that Seok Dong-soo wouldn’t normally dare to face. The Assembly’s drug had spread even to those people.

‘The Korea Daily can’t even compare.’

It’s common for politicians to be drugged.

Successful media outlets, leading South Korean companies, and even civic groups that seem unrelated to such things.

Those involved in vested interests always try to get close to power. Power itself doesn’t create wealth, but it can allow them to monopolize the sources of money.

It’s very simple to distinguish between those who have taken the drug and those who haven’t.

When a specific policy is related to a certain company, those who aren’t particularly close start contacting you. It’s safe to say that all of those types have taken the drug distributed by that company.

‘But more people have contacted me than from large corporations.’

It’s ridiculous.

It means that those thugs who are half-outside the law have the economic power to distribute more drugs than large corporations. And those cockroach-like guys aren’t satisfied with that and are trying to come out into the light and negotiate with him.

‘I’ll see what kind of face they’ll show.’

Seok Dong-soo had no intention of making this negotiation go well.

Even if he had to acknowledge some things, he wouldn’t follow their wishes.

“We’ve arrived, Minister.”

“Hmm.”

Seok Dong-soo turned his head and looked out the car window.

‘It’s old-fashioned.’

It was a traditional Korean restaurant in the suburbs.

He had visited this place a couple of times when he had to meet people who shouldn’t be seen, but the same building looked different because the people he was meeting were different.

Swoosh.

And the fact that it was raining didn’t sit well with him either.

It felt ominous, you could say?

The rain that falls just as the heat is subsiding is never welcome.

Just like them.

The aide in the passenger seat quickly got out of the car, opened an umbrella, and opened the door. Seok Dong-soo frowned and got out of the car. There was no one waiting at the entrance.

If it were a visit for leisure, there would be some people making a fuss, but since it was work-related, they were avoiding being seen.

“Where to?”

“The Camellia Room. This way.”

The aide walked half a step ahead. Seok Dong-soo followed the aide’s lead without saying anything.

After passing through the old-fashioned tiled buildings, a detached annex came into view.

‘A detached annex…’

Seok Dong-soo’s face slightly contorted.

Seok Dong-soo had only been to that annex once. In the past, when he had a meeting with the party leader, he had visited the annex through the party leader’s reservation. It was a place that even Seok Dong-soo, who held the high position of a minister of a country, could not easily book.

And these thugs booked the annex?

“Hmph!”

A snort escaped him.

Once he started disliking something, everything he saw started to bother him.

“This way, Minister.”

Seok Dong-soo headed inside without answering. He could feel the aide folding the umbrella and hurrying to follow him.

The manager, who had been waiting inside, bowed ninety degrees when he saw Seok Dong-soo.

“Welcome, guest.”

Guest, guest…

There’s no way he wouldn’t know that he was Seok Dong-soo. They’ve met a few times already. But he doesn’t call him Minister.

‘They’re annoyingly thorough with their service.’

It means that he didn’t see Seok Dong-soo come here. It may seem trivial, but these small services are what allow this restaurant to charge such exorbitant prices.

“They are waiting for you.”

The manager pointed inside with a gentle smile. Seok Dong-soo suppressed his unpleasant feelings and nodded. The only people he could show his annoyance to were his aide.

Even if this manager knew the dark side of the industry inside and out, he couldn’t show his true feelings as a minister.

All of that could become a weakness and hold him back someday.

Following the guidance, they went to the innermost room, and the manager knocked on the door.

“The person you have an appointment with has arrived.”

“Show them in.”

The manager quietly opened the door.

Seok Dong-soo licked his lips once and walked into the room without hesitation.

A man was standing in the room, which was elegant but also looked luxurious.

“Welcome, Minister.”

The man bowed deeply.

The man, who had raised his head again, opened his mouth with a smile on his face.

“I am Lee Hyun-soo, the director of the Korean Martial Arts Assembly.”

Seok Dong-soo extended his hand without a word.

“Seok Dong-soo.”

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

The two lightly shook hands and sat facing each other across a large table. As the aide stood behind him, Seok Dong-soo quietly raised his head and looked at Lee Hyun-soo.

His low gaze scanned Lee Hyun-soo from head to toe.

“So.”

Seok Dong-soo threw a fastball.

“What’s the matter?”

Lee Hyun-soo swallowed hard at Seok Dong-soo’s sudden fastball.

‘This won’t be easy.’

He could feel hostility in those cold eyes. Lee Hyun-soo, having confirmed that the minister had not come with a pleasant heart, opened his mouth with a gentle smile.