Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1086

“What’s going on? You must be busy,” Kang Jin-ho said, leaning back in his seat as he answered the call.

[Is everything okay?]

“Nothing in particular.”

Kang Jin-ho’s expression was slightly subtle.

‘Is something up?’

The caller was Park Yu-min.

As far as Kang Jin-ho knew, Park Yu-min was extremely busy right now. There were definitely people in the world who could handle both busy work and their relationships, but Park Yu-min was clearly not one of them.

She was the type of person who would forget everything else when focused on one thing.

For Park Yu-min to call at a time like this meant that something important must have happened.

“Is something wrong?”

[No, well, it’s not like that…]

‘It sounds like there is.’

Her voice was a bit stiff, making that feeling even more obvious.

Kang Jin-ho laughed awkwardly.

‘Come to think of it, it’s a bit strange.’

Wasn’t he the type of person who collected ‘clueless’ remarks like trophies?

Yet, when it came to Park Yu-min, he could guess the situation just by hearing her voice. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

[Do you have some time? I was thinking of seeing you.]

“Time?”

Kang Jin-ho’s brow furrowed slightly.

‘Time, huh…’

To be honest, he didn’t have time. He had just gotten a feel for his training, and Lee Hyun-soo would be away from tomorrow. Taking over his work wouldn’t be as easy as it was today.

It was true that he was incredibly busy.

“Pick a time that’s convenient for you. I’ll make it work.”

Kang Jin-ho answered without a second thought.

If someone else had asked for his time, he would have refused, but not Park Yu-min. She was the closest thing he had to family.

He shouldn’t get his priorities backward.

He was getting stronger to protect his family and friends. If he distanced himself from them to get stronger, then what was the point of training?

[Then, how about tomorrow evening? It seems too late today.]

“I don’t mind. But are you sure? You’re supposed to be busy.”

[My head isn’t working well, so I need a change of pace.]

“If that’s the case, then sure.”

There was no need to say anything else.

Park Yu-min was a professional. And a veteran, not a rookie. She would naturally take her condition and schedule into account. Interfering any further would be disrespectful, not considerate.

“Okay, then let’s meet tomorrow evening.”

[Oh, and…]

“Huh?”

Park Yu-min’s voice was a bit urgent.

[I think we should see one more person…]

“Young-gi?”

[Oh, right, Young-gi too.]

Kang Jin-ho frowned slightly.

“If not Young-gi, then who?”

[Well, that’s…]

Park Yu-min’s voice was hesitant. But Kang Jin-ho didn’t rush her and waited patiently.

[That… Se-yeon asked to join us…]

“Huh?”

Se-yeon?

Was she talking about Han Se-yeon?

[No, well, is there a reason? It’s just friends seeing each other.]

Kang Jin-ho’s brow furrowed slightly.

It wasn’t because he disliked what Park Yu-min said, but because the word ‘friends’ sounded very awkward coming from her.

‘Friends?’

Between him and Han Se-yeon?

Or between Han Se-yeon and Park Yu-min?

It was hard to tell.

“I don’t really mind, but aren’t you making time for no reason?”

[No. I’ve been feeling a bit complicated lately, so I need a change of pace.]

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“Okay. Then let’s meet tomorrow.”

[Where should we meet?]

“We should help Young-gi’s business.”

[Okay. Then see you tomorrow.]

Kang Jin-ho hung up the phone and chuckled as he grabbed the steering wheel.

‘Let’s see…’

He lightly tapped the accelerator. He felt a bit of discomfort, but it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t drive. If any problems arose, he could just stop the car.

Brummm.

Kang Jin-ho drove the ‘Bung Bung’ out of the gate and nodded.

‘There aren’t any major problems.’

He smiled.

If someone else saw Kang Jin-ho right now, they would laugh in disbelief. Could it really be that someone like Kang Jin-ho couldn’t drive properly just because he had overdone his training?

But that was the reality.

‘In other words, it means that since I started driving, I’ve never trained to the point where my legs are shaking.’

Of course, not even before that.

It was a ridiculous thing.

He emphasized training that pushed the limits to the demons and others, but Kang Jin-ho himself had never even broken a sweat. Of course, it wasn’t that he hadn’t trained. He had just thought that physical training was meaningless at his level.

And that thought hadn’t been wrong until recently.

He could get stronger just by regaining his past senses and increasing his internal energy.

‘It’s just an excuse, though.’

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

But it didn’t matter.

He had realized it before it was too late. Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing was how quickly you could correct them. It wasn’t too late yet.

So…

Then, the phone started ringing again.

Kang Jin-ho, seeing the name Choi Yeon-ha on the screen, smiled and answered the call.

“Yes, this is Kang Jin-ho.”

[What are you doing?]

“I’m heading home from work.”

[You’ve been acting suspicious lately? No texts since yesterday?]

“Ah…”

Kang Jin-ho scratched his head.

It seemed that he, not Park Yu-min, was the one who couldn’t focus on anything else when he was concentrating on one thing. The fact that Choi Yeon-ha had completely disappeared from his mind was proof of that.

“I had some things to think about.”

[Then am I interrupting you now? I can call later.]

“It’s okay. It’s resolved.”

[That’s a relief. But I’m not happy that you’re worrying and solving things on your own.]

Kang Jin-ho smiled wryly.

This wasn’t a problem he could discuss with others. Kang Jin-ho’s worries about martial arts were something that even Bator couldn’t advise on. It was a path that Kang Jin-ho had to walk alone.

“Ah, that’s…”

[It’s okay. If it was something you could discuss, you would have.]

That’s true.

But…

[Anyway, how’s your schedule tomorrow? I’m free tomorrow.]

“Tomorrow?”

[Yes, tomorrow.]

“I don’t think I can tomorrow.”

[Are you busy?]

“No, it’s not that I’m busy, but I’m meeting up with some friends tomorrow.”

[Yu-min and Young-gi?]

“Yu-min is right… Ah, Young-gi too. We’re going to his place.”

[Oh, I see. Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do.]

“I’ll try to make time when you’re free next time.”

[Okay, I understand. You promise.]

“Yes.”

[Then I’ll call you again later.]

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho hung up the phone and smiled lightly.

As he slowly got used to driving, Kang Jin-ho pressed down on the accelerator.

Choi Yeon-ha stared at her phone for a while before leaning back in her seat.

“Huuuuum.”

Choi Yeon-ha’s brow furrowed slightly.

The coordinator and stylist, who were watching Choi Yeon-ha from a distance with nervous eyes, flinched back.

“I think her mood is down?”

“Wasn’t she on the phone just now? Who was she talking to?”

“I don’t know. She gets annoyed if you’re around when she’s on the phone. I don’t want to get within 50 meters of her.”

“Really? Can a phone call really bring down her mood…”

The coordinator, who had leaned forward slightly, pulled her head back.

‘She’s in a bad mood.’

‘Right?’

‘Be quiet. If you make eye contact with her when she’s like that, it’s a disaster.’

The secret to surviving next to Choi Yeon-ha wasn’t anything special. You just had to know when she was in a bad mood.

Of course, even when Choi Yeon-ha was in a good mood, she was still capable of making a top star, who was known for being difficult, cower, but that was still better.

When Choi Yeon-ha was in a bad mood, she transformed into a witch.

“Okay, everyone, are you ready?”

At that moment, a staff member who didn’t know anything started moving towards Choi Yeon-ha.

The coordinator and stylist covered their mouths and waved their hands frantically, but the staff member didn’t seem to notice their gestures.

“Okay, Choi Yeon-ha, let’s move to the set.”

Choi Yeon-ha kept her face forward and only slightly turned her eyes to look at the staff member.

“Right now…”

The staff member stopped talking.

“Let’s do the filming later.”

“Huh? The director told me to bring you right now…”

“Later. I said later.”

Choi Yeon-ha turned her gaze forward and then slightly turned it back to look at the staff member.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Can’t you hear me?”

“…Ah, no. I’ll go now.”

The staff member retreated, looking flustered. Then, with a flushed face, he hurriedly ran somewhere.

Watching the scene, the coordinator put her hands together in front of her chest.

“Oh my, doesn’t our unnie [older sister or close female friend] seem so nice these days?”

“She’s an angel, an angel. If it were the old days, she would have thrown coffee in his face.”

“She must be going to church these days. Seriously, how can a person become so nice?”

If other people heard them, they would have said they were crazy, but the two women’s conversation was completely sincere.

In the past, Choi Yeon-ha would have caused a scene just for someone approaching her when she was in a bad mood. There were more than a few sets that had been turned upside down because of her.

Wasn’t she the unrivaled witch in the actress world, known for her strong personality?

If others saw her now, they would have called her a snob, but if people in the industry saw her, they would have rushed to film a ‘Our Choi Yeon-ha has changed’ special.

Of course, that didn’t mean the situation was good.

“Isn’t the filming urgent?”

“It is.”

“They said we have to finish it today, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then what do we do? Will the director come himself?”

“Have you ever seen a director talk to her directly?”

“No.”

“He won’t come if he doesn’t want to be humiliated.”

“Then what do we do?”

The coordinator chuckled.

“What do you mean, what do we do? Look, here he comes.”

The stylist turned her head. There, she saw Han Eun-sol running towards them, looking flustered.

“She’s having a hard time.”

“No. She’s been out of it lately too.”

“Huh?”

Han Eun-sol, who had run right up to Choi Yeon-ha, contorted her face.

“Unnie! What’s wrong again? What’s the problem?”

The stylist’s mouth fell open at Han Eun-sol’s words.

“Wow…”

“See? I told you she’s been out of it lately. If it were the old days, she would have had a high heel stuck in her forehead.”

“Is unnie just going to let that slide?”

“I know. She’s become strange.”

In fact, the old Choi Yeon-ha wouldn’t have gotten angry at Han Eun-sol. She would have just left the set immediately and gone back to the company to turn the president’s office upside down.

Wasn’t the highest form of scolding a downward scolding?

Then, Choi Yeon-ha opened her mouth.

“Hey, Eun-sol.”

“Yes, unnie! What’s the problem…”

“We decided to let our staff rest tomorrow, right?”

“Yes.”

“Cancel it.”

“Yes?”

Choi Yeon-ha’s brow furrowed.

“I need to have full makeup tomorrow.”

“…Full makeup?”

“Yeah.”

“Uh, where are you going?”

“I’m not going anywhere…”

Choi Yeon-ha slowly rose from her chair.

Han Eun-sol unconsciously took a step back at her force and intimidation.

“I told you I felt something was coming, right?”

“…That’s right.”

“It’s tomorrow.”

“Yes?”

Choi Yeon-ha declared with an absolutely resolute face.

“I’ll give you a bonus tomorrow, so have everyone on standby. We’re going full up.”

“D-Do you really need full makeup?”

“Hey!”

“…Yes?”

Choi Yeon-ha frowned and shouted.

“This is a matter of pride! I’m going to crush them!”

Don’t be serious about that!

Please!

Han Eun-sol wanted to cry.