Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 109

“A foundation?”

What is he talking about, a foundation?

“Yes.”

Kang Ji-hwan was taken aback by the sudden remark, but Kang Jin-ho remained calm.

“A foundation? What do you mean by that?”

“I would like to create a welfare foundation.”

“Hmm…”

Kang Ji-hwan looked into Kang Jin-ho’s eyes and sighed.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“Jin-ho, creating a foundation is no small matter. And it’s not something an ordinary person can do.”

Kang Ji-hwan had no choice but to dissuade his impulsive son.

“You need to tell me why you suddenly decided to do this before I can make a judgment.”

“Actually…”

Kang Jin-ho explained everything about the Seongsim Orphanage and its current situation. After hearing the whole story, Kang Ji-hwan spoke in a serious tone.

“I understand what you’re saying. But it’s not something to take lightly.”

“I’m not saying this lightly.”

“Even if you’re not taking it lightly, you’re thinking about it too casually. There are legal issues, and a foundation isn’t something you can manage haphazardly just because you feel like it.”

“I’m planning to get help from Jae-kyung first.”

“Do you think it’s right to have Jae-kyung manage your foundation for you?”

“You shouldn’t push your lack of preparation onto others. Anything should be started only after thorough preparation, shouldn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“If you start impulsively, problems will surely arise. And it won’t be you who suffers from those problems, but the children who receive support.”

“I didn’t think that far.”

Kang Ji-hwan smiled warmly at Kang Jin-ho, who readily admitted his mistake.

“Well, I like how quickly you admit it. I understand what you’re saying. But right now, you’re a soldier. It’s not right for someone who can’t even fully participate in society to start something big. If your mind hasn’t changed after you’re discharged, then let’s discuss it seriously.”

“But if we wait until then, it will be too late. We don’t know what will happen to the children at the orphanage in the next two years.”

“There are ways to support them without creating a foundation. If it’s registered, you can make official donations, and even if it’s not, there are many ways to provide private support.”

“Don’t make hasty decisions. You have your father and mother. No parents would turn a blind eye to their child having such a commendable idea. I know you want to figure out a way to help since you can’t be there. We’ll take care of that part, so you focus on what you need to do.”

“Understood.”

Kang Jin-ho had to admit that he had been too hasty.

He thought that creating a foundation to support the Seongsim Orphanage was the best way to help, but after listening to his father, he had to admit that he had been too impatient.

“But why did you suddenly think of this? Is it because of Yoo-min?”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

Although it was an idea that started because of Park Yoo-min, he didn’t think of supporting the orphanage just to make things easier for her.

“Father.”

“Yes.”

“I want to live an ordinary life.”

“…That’s a difficult thing.”

“Yes. I know it’s not easy. But I realized while looking at the orphanage. I’m not the only one who wants to live an ordinary life, and for some people, living an ordinary life is difficult in a different way than it is for me.”

“Hmm.”

“I don’t have the arrogant thought of taking responsibility for their lives. However, shouldn’t they also be given the minimum opportunity to live an ordinary life?”

Kang Ji-hwan nodded heavily at Kang Jin-ho’s words.

“You know it’s not as easy as it sounds, right?”

“Yes.”

“No matter how hard you try, it’s not easy. It’s not something that can be done just because you have a lot of money. The children at the orphanage are basically children who will inevitably face discrimination in society. Showing those children an equal world… it’s just a dream in a way. But you still want to try?”

“Yes.”

Kang Ji-hwan smiled and patted Kang Jin-ho on the back.

“That’s right, that’s my son.” Unlike the pleased Kang Ji-hwan, Baek Hyun-jung’s expression was not good.

“I don’t understand why you’re doing such a thing.”

“Honey.”

“It’s true. There are so many rich people in the world. Those people hold onto their money tightly and try to live well themselves, but I don’t understand why only our Jin-ho has to spend money to take care of those kids.”

“Jin-ho is right, and those people are wrong.”

“But still…”

Baek Hyun-jung sighed.

She wished she could be a parent who could confidently tell her child to walk the right path, but Baek Hyun-jung knew well that she was not such a person.

She would rather her child eat better food and wear better clothes with the money than spend it on others.

“Me too, me too, I’ll help!”

Kang Eun-young raised her hand and said.

“I’ll go and perform for them! The kids will love it.”

“It’s not good for emotional development. It’s too noisy.”

“…Kang-moo-look [a silly way of saying ‘I’m sulking’].”

Kang Eun-young started her snail cosplay with a gloomy face, but Kang Jin-ho didn’t even glance at her.

“I think I need to think about it a bit more.”

“Yes. It’s not urgent, so think about it a little more slowly.”

“Yes.”

They talked about other things, but everyone’s mind was filled with what Kang Jin-ho had said, and the conversation felt superficial. Kang Jin-ho got up from his seat.

“I’ll go in now.”

“Already?”

“My head is a mess, so I’m going to rest early.”

As Baek Hyun-jung tried to say something, Kang Ji-hwan cut her off.

“Okay, go in and rest.”

“Yes. Then.”

As Kang Jin-ho went into his room, Baek Hyun-jung looked at Kang Eun-young and gave her a look.

“You should go in and rest too.”

“I’m wide awake? I’m going to watch some TV before I sleep, so it’s okay.”

“You must be tired, why don’t you go rest?”

“I said I’m okay? You don’t have to worry.”

“Go in, you brat!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Kang Eun-young, who jumped up from her seat, went into her room without looking back.

After confirming that Kang Eun-young had gone into her room, Baek Hyun-jung opened her mouth.

“Is it okay not to stop him?”

“He’s already decided, what’s going to change if we stop him?”

“Still.”

Baek Hyun-jung had a resentful look on her face towards Kang Ji-hwan for not firmly stopping Kang Jin-ho.

“He’s only just over twenty years old. How is he going to handle such a big thing?”

“You, you just don’t like that your son is spending money on something useless, right?”

“Yes.”

Baek Hyun-jung said honestly.

“Just because we have money now doesn’t mean we’ll have it in the future. We should live more comfortably before doing that. Even if it’s money earned for free, I don’t like it.”

“Honey.”

Kang Ji-hwan took Baek Hyun-jung’s hand.

“It’s not decided yet. And even if Jin-ho’s mind doesn’t change, we should support him, not stop him.”

“…I guess so.”

“If we don’t trust our child, who will?”

“You’re right.”

Baek Hyun-jung sighed quietly. Sometimes, she felt overwhelmed trying to keep up with the things her son was doing.

“Let’s trust him.”

“Yes.”

There was a hint of bitterness in Baek Hyun-jung’s tone.

‘Was I too hasty?’

Kang Jin-ho asked himself. The answer came quickly.

No.

It wasn’t hasty. If he hadn’t brought it up now, the pain he would have to endure when establishing the foundation in the future would have been immense. Although he didn’t achieve his goal now, it couldn’t be said that he gained nothing.

First of all, he succeeded in letting his parents know his intentions regarding something he would have to do someday, and more than anything, he realized that he himself had a lot to prepare.

These were things he wouldn’t have known if he had just been thinking without taking action.

‘Don’t be hasty, but don’t hesitate either.’

Kang Jin-ho closed his eyes.

The next day, the head nun was moved to a room at Jae-kyung Hospital. According to Jo Gyu-min, there was a bit of friction with the church, but it didn’t seem to be a big problem.

Kang Jin-ho, who had escorted the head nun to the VIP room with Park Yoo-min, sent Park Yoo-min back to the orphanage as the sun set and quietly waited for the darkness to fall.

As the darkness deepened and even visiting hours were over, Kang Jin-ho slowly got up when dawn arrived.

The hospital room on the top floor came into view in his coldly calm eyes.

Kang Jin-ho slowly moved his feet and entered the hospital. He entered through the emergency stairs instead of the elevator and slowly climbed the stairs.

Squeak.

Kang Jin-ho, who opened the heavy steel door and entered the ward, moved slowly into the room, avoiding the nurses at the desk.

“Didn’t you hear anything?”

“Hear what?”

“That’s strange. I thought I heard something over there just now?”

“It must be the patients coughing.”

“Is that so?”

Kang Jin-ho avoided the nurses’ gaze and slowly approached the room where the head nun was hospitalized.

It was a VIP room that required a password to enter, but it was no problem for Kang Jin-ho, who had already learned the password during the day.

Kang Jin-ho, who had blocked the surroundings with his energy so that the door wouldn’t make a sound, entered the password and opened the door.

Tsueueueue.

The automatic door opened, and Kang Jin-ho entered the room.

The room was quiet.

Only the low breathing of the sleeping head nun could be heard. Kang Jin-ho slowly approached the head nun’s bed without making a sound.

After confirming her emaciated face as she fell asleep, Kang Jin-ho carefully touched her IV line.

After confirming that she was sound asleep, Kang Jin-ho, with a tense face, channeled his energy into her body.

‘It’s terrible.’

Is this the disease called cancer?

It was as if her stomach was full of poison.

It was hard to understand how a person could live in this state.

‘Is this the power of modern medicine?’

If she were in the Murim world [a martial arts world] in this state, she would have already died. But the power of modern medicine was allowing even someone in this state to live without much difficulty.

‘It’s not something that can be finished in a day.’

In the past, when he treated Moon Ji-eun, although her condition was not good, it was not a situation that required much effort to treat. But now it was different.

Even if he spent a long time, he didn’t know if she could be cured.

However, one thing.

‘Just because I don’t know if it will work doesn’t mean I can just stand by and watch.’

At least he had to try.

Kang Jin-ho slowly reached out and placed his hand on the head nun’s stomach.

‘Hmm…’

His hand tingled as he sensed the poisonous energy.

‘If I rush, her body won’t be able to handle it.’

He had to be very careful, as if he were handling a precious treasure. A moment of carelessness could lead to an irreversible situation.

Kang Jin-ho gritted his teeth and carefully pushed his energy into the head nun’s body.

At that moment, the head nun’s body twitched and began to convulse.