Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1069

“I can’t make heads or tails of it.”

Prime Minister Kim Myung-chan sighed as he read the report.

‘What in the world is going on…’

He had become Prime Minister almost by accident, and he wasn’t someone with a great desire for power. He just wanted a reasonable amount of fame and wealth.

But, coincidentally, as soon as he became Prime Minister, countless incidents began to erupt both domestically and internationally. It was as if fate was determined not to let Kim Myung-chan have a normal term.

‘Can a person change that much overnight?’

Changing one’s position according to the situation is nothing special. At least in the political world, it was a common occurrence.

If you can’t skillfully change your position depending on what’s advantageous and what benefits you’ll get, you can’t survive in the political world, where monsters are lurking.

But that’s just a matter of position.

Positions and stances can change at any time, but people don’t change.

However, today, Kim Myung-chan had no choice but to change his mind.

He had witnessed with his own eyes how a person who was perfectly fine yesterday had completely changed overnight.

‘What on earth did they do?’

The Korean Martial Arts Assembly.

The name, lodged in the pit of his stomach like a gallstone, was needling Kim Myung-chan.

‘What could they have done to turn a person into such a wreck in an instant?’

Seok Dong-soo, who had visited him last night, acted as if his fate would be sealed if the Assembly’s intentions weren’t met. Even a politician who had received support from the Assembly since entering politics wouldn’t blindly side with them like that.

“Prime Minister, we must accept all the proposals they’ve made! We need to process them as quickly as possible! Prime Minister! You have to listen to me! Do you understand? Huh?”

‘He was terrified.’

Seok Dong-soo, who was spewing words like a machine gun, was clearly terrified.

His eyes were lost, his face flushed, and his expression was desperate.

It was a face that could never be seen on those who made politics their profession.

“And what’s more…”

What surprised Kim Myung-chan even more was that Seok Dong-soo was completely in his right mind.

His lost eyes vividly conveyed the overwhelming anxiety he felt, but contrary to his gaze, his words were coherent.

It was not something a person who had lost their mind could say.

It would have been easier to accept the situation if Seok Dong-soo had been rambling nonsense.

He would have thought that he had been captured and tortured by the Assembly’s martial artists.

But there were no signs of torture on Seok Dong-soo’s body, and Seok Dong-soo himself seemed to be maintaining his sanity, even though he was terrified.

That’s where the problem lies.

Wasn’t Seok Dong-soo the same person who had been taking orders from China and completely ignoring the Prime Minister’s words until just yesterday?

Yet, overnight, he had changed his stance and was now shouting for a free pass for the Assembly.

What on earth could they have done to change a person so drastically?

Kim Myung-chan clenched and unclenched his fist.

The pale white of his palm seemed to reflect Kim Myung-chan’s current state of mind.

‘It is a good thing, though.’

China’s intervention is a terrible thing. Especially when they shake up Korean politicians like this, it’s hard to deal with.

The fact that this terrible situation was resolved so easily was something to be welcomed. From Seok Dong-soo’s personal perspective, it was something he could never say was good, but from the country’s perspective, it was something to be welcomed.

But Kim Myung-chan’s mood wasn’t good.

No, to be precise, it was close to the worst.

‘How am I supposed to accept this?’

Everything has a hidden side. What you see isn’t everything.

The important thing in this situation isn’t that the process became easier because Seok Dong-soo changed his stance.

It’s that the Assembly has begun to exert direct influence on politicians to enforce their will.

Kim Myung-chan raised his hand and rubbed his face.

‘Something I wanted to prevent so badly…’

Power is inevitably influenced by wealth and violence.

That’s because power is always created by strength and money. Even without mentioning the martial arts world, countries that haven’t properly established a national system are ruled by warlords or criminal organizations.

Even without mentioning Africa, where the rampant warlords are taken for granted, even Mexico, which was thought to have a fully established national system, is under the control of drug cartels.

Politics is more vulnerable to violence than one might think.

And even well-established countries are no different.

Even the United States, recognized as the most advanced country, has failed to separate the immense power of money pouring in from the military-industrial complex from the political world, and the Japanese political world has an inseparable relationship with the Yakuza [Japanese organized crime syndicate].

If you start talking about the martial arts world operating behind the scenes, you might even start to doubt if there is any country in this world that is completely separate from them.

At least, Korea had maintained a relatively clean record until now.

The power of the martial arts world wasn’t strong, and because of the military regime, the underworld didn’t dare approach the government.

But….

‘Maybe this is a signal flare.’

Because of Seok Dong-soo’s actions, the martial arts world has been given a justification to directly intervene in politics. The first time is always the hardest, the second time is easier. Now that they’ve dealt with Seok Dong-soo in their own way, they won’t hesitate next time a problem arises.

And if that happens repeatedly, the political world will naturally fall under the influence of the martial arts world. Just like China, which, despite its immense power, can’t escape the influence of the martial arts world.

“…Damn it.”

A curse word slipped out of his mouth.

‘You idiot.’

This is all because of Seok Dong-soo.

It’s not like Kim Myung-chan liked those Assembly guys and wanted to do them favors. They were just a bunch of thugs anyway.

The way to tame a ferocious dog isn’t with a leash, but with food and treats. A dog with a full belly won’t bite its owner. Why don’t they understand that if you don’t fill their bellies and instead wield a club, their teeth might tear at the owner’s throat?

Just then.

Knock knock.

Kim Myung-chan looked up at the sound of knocking. Before he could answer, a voice was heard first.

“Prime Minister, you have a guest.”

Kim Myung-chan sighed.

“Show them in.”

“Yes.”

Kim Myung-chan reached out and gulped down the half-cold coffee. His throat was parched, and his mouth was dry.

‘I have to cut it off here.’

Kim Myung-chan looked at the door with a slightly tense gaze. Soon, the door burst open, and a gentle-looking young man entered and bowed deeply.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Prime Minister. I am Lee Hyun-soo from the Korean Martial Arts Assembly.”

“Welcome. Please, have a seat here.”

“Yes, Prime Minister.”

The man’s impression was very good.

It was like….

A white-collar worker who had gone through an elite course?

But Kim Myung-chan knew that the man in front of him was not that kind of person. That man was a jackal. A jackal that could bite his neck at any time if given the chance.

“I apologize for taking up your valuable time, Prime Minister.”

“It’s alright. It’s embarrassing to hear you say that when I was the one who called you.”

Lee Hyun-soo bowed deeply.

He was being humble.

But Kim Myung-chan didn’t think that this man’s posture was low at all.

‘It must be prejudice.’

He knew it.

Based on his impression so far, there was no reason to judge this man as overbearing. It was just that the impression he had of the Assembly was being projected onto this man.

“I’ll get straight to the point. What happened to Minister Seok Dong-soo?”

Lee Hyun-soo raised his head slightly.

Personality-wise, Seok Dong-soo seemed twice as impatient as the Prime Minister, but he was calmly getting to the point with a gentle face.

“I’m not sure how to answer that.”

“Are you saying you won’t tell me?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that I don’t know what happened either, so that’s why I’m saying this.”

“You don’t know?”

Kim Myung-chan narrowed his brow.

He didn’t hide the displeasure he felt that someone who didn’t even know that had come to see him.

“I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

And Lee Hyun-soo didn’t miss Kim Myung-chan’s expression.

“Not only me, but no one in the Assembly knows what happened. When the Assembly Head gets involved directly, it’s always like that.”

“…Are you saying that your Assembly Head got involved directly?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Lee Hyun-soo took a deep breath and continued.

“The Assembly Head is someone who is difficult to explain. It’s even harder to explain because of the nature of being a martial artist. What’s certain is that now that the Assembly Head has met with Minister Seok, Minister Seok will never go against the Assembly’s wishes.”

Kim Myung-chan’s eyes narrowed.

Does this man understand what he’s saying?

To Kim Myung-chan, this was a clear threat.

The problem was that he couldn’t tell whether this guy was aware of it or if he was just saying it by mistake.

“Then let’s put aside the matter of Minister Seok for now.”

“Yes, Prime Minister.”

“We’ll finish processing the things the Assembly wants within three days. We won’t have to worry about this issue again.”

“Thank you.”

“However, this is an internal issue for the ruling party, and to appease the opposition, we’ll have to give them a considerable gift.”

“Don’t worry about that. We’re already in contact with them.”

“…You’re fast, I see.”

Prime Minister Kim Myung-chan nodded.

“Then, is everything related to this matter finished?”

“If the processing is finished, then yes.”

“Then let’s address one thing.”

Lee Hyun-soo raised his head slightly. Kim Myung-chan slightly moistened his lips.

It wasn’t the fact that he was facing such a young man that made him nervous. What made him nervous was the huge organization called the Assembly that this young man was backed by.

‘Now I understand why those so-called big shots can’t completely shake off the influence of the martial arts world.’

It was only after facing Lee Hyun-soo that he could understand.

How terrifying the power of the martial arts world was.

Look.

The man in front of him looked very ordinary. His slightly sharp face was impressive, but no one would feel ‘violence’ when looking at him.

But if this ordinary-looking man wanted to, he could break Kim Myung-chan’s neck right here and now.

Before anyone could even approach.

In other words….

‘If the Assembly decides to kill me, no one in the world can stop them.’

Unless he went into a bunker that no one could access and isolated himself from the world, there was no way to stop them from approaching. And the moment they approached, his life would be in their hands.

The moment they are isolated from society, politicians lose their lives. They can no longer live as politicians. To shake off the Assembly, one must not be a politician, and if one lives as a politician, one cannot isolate the Assembly.

This extreme irony.

The power that the state possesses clearly overwhelms them, but while they can stop a group, they cannot stop an individual.

That’s why those powerful figures can’t ignore their demands. Because the law is always far away, and the fist is always near.

But….

Kim Myung-chan opened his mouth firmly.

“Does the Assembly intend to intervene in politics?”