Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1140

‘I really don’t get it.’

Ha Gwang-shik’s face twisted in frustration.

In his hand were the files from his investigation into Kang Jin-ho. He’d admitted the initial investigation was flawed and had meticulously started over, but he still found nothing concrete.

No, that wasn’t quite right.

‘It’s a problem because there’s too much to find.’ If there’s a lot to find, shouldn’t that be a good thing?

Normally, yes.

But considering Kang Jin-ho’s position and the people around him, this was definitely not good news.

If someone was planning to use Kang Jin-ho, they wouldn’t have left his safety so carelessly exposed.

“What’s wrong, senior?”

“Huh?”

Park Gyu-yeon approached Ha Gwang-shik, panting slightly.

“What did you say to the chief? Why is he telling me to get involved in your work?”

“I have no idea.”

“Senior, are you really going to be like this? I told you I don’t want to get involved. I want to live a long life.”

“Then go argue with the chief.”

After huffing for a moment, Park Gyu-yeon sighed and spoke.

“Senior.”

“What?”

“Don’t waste your time on a lost cause. It’s over now that Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo is involved.”

“What kind of person is that old man? He’s not someone who would do something like this just to make a few bucks. He’s the kind of guy who purges his own family if he doesn’t like them.”

“I know.”

“You know, but why are you saying this? You told me before that if a reporter goes around poking at anything to find a story, they’ll end up sticking their head in a doghouse looking for bones. You told me to go in when there’s solid evidence and circumstances.”

Ha Gwang-shik didn’t respond.

“But where is the solid evidence and circumstances here? It’s just your gut feeling, isn’t it? And you don’t even know what will come out if you dig into this, do you?”

It was an unanswerable question.

“I’m not doing this. I won’t do it even if the chief says so. If nothing comes out after investigating this, who’s going to take responsibility?”

“I’ll take responsibility.”

Park Gyu-yeon frowned at Ha Gwang-shik’s firm words.

“How are you going to take responsibility?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take responsibility. It’s already settled.”

“No…”

Park Gyu-yeon, who was about to say something, stopped himself.

He had a rough idea of what Ha Gwang-shik meant.

“Senior, is this something you absolutely have to do?”

“How would I know? It’s just a feeling. You have those moments too, right? When you get fixated on something that others think is nothing.”

“…I do.”

“It’s just that. And I don’t want to ignore that feeling.”

“Even if it costs your career as a reporter?”

Ha Gwang-shik’s face contorted.

“What’s so great about a reporter’s career, you punk? Is this the only place I can work?”

“No, it isn’t. Who would hire you, senior? The world isn’t full of only nice people. If I were the boss, you’d be fired already.”

“Hey, go away! Go away, you brat! I’m not doing this with you. I’ll tell the chief, so just go.”

“What do you mean go? The order has already been given.”

“I’ll cancel it for you!”

“Then it’s true that you instigated it.”

Ha Gwang-shik shut his mouth.

Park Gyu-yeon clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“If you had just asked me nicely to work with you, I wouldn’t have refused, but you had to go over my head? If you had just said you needed me…”

“I’m not doing it, you brat!”

“You have to buy me soju [Korean distilled spirit]. Otherwise, I won’t do it. At a fancy place tonight.”

“Where’s a fancy place to drink soju?”

“That’s for you to figure out. Think about it.”

Park Gyu-yeon whistled and headed towards the restroom. Watching him, Ha Gwang-shik chuckled.

‘Whatever, you brat.’

The moment the words ‘reporter’s career’ came out, his face changed. Even though he complains, he doesn’t want to see Ha Gwang-shik quit the company.

‘But what to do…

It seems much more likely that I’ll end up quitting.’

Ha Gwang-shik got up from his seat.

The information doesn’t add up.

The circumstances only raise suspicion, but there’s nothing that can be called evidence.

No matter how much he pokes around, nothing will come out.

Then what should he do?

‘It’s decided.’

That’s what a reporter is. If you could know everything just by glancing around, there would be no need for the job of a reporter. What kind of article could you write with something that ordinary people could do if they put their minds to it?

That’s why reporters have to run around and do the legwork.

“Okay, then where should I start digging?”

Ha Gwang-shik licked his lips.

Ordinary people call reporters stray dogs. They say that once they bite, they don’t let go, or that they’re tenacious.

But Ha Gwang-shik thought that reporters were more like hyenas.

You have to bite and hang on to even the parts that no one is interested in and that are considered rotten to get a proper article.

‘Even at this moment, Kang Jin-ho is probably greedily expanding his territory.’

Since he’s opened his business, he’ll probably be doing all the things he’s been holding back until now.

“Let’s see. Whether I’m right or wrong.”

Ha Gwang-shik’s eyes shone sharply.

While Kang Jin-ho was busy with work, he would dig into Kang Jin-ho’s surroundings.

His gaze turned towards the direction of the MK building.

A sullen gaze was shot out.

Kang Jin-ho, feeling that subtle gaze, swallowed dryly without realizing it.

That gaze.

That indifferent, empty, and emotionless gaze was piercing Kang Jin-ho sharply.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that there was no one in the world who could make Kang Jin-ho flinch with just a gaze.

But the person who accomplished that tremendous feat was not a powerful figure who shook the world, nor a powerful person with immense authority, nor a wealthy person with immense wealth.

It was just an ordinary high school girl.

“Heeeeeung?”

Jo Mi-hye made a nasal sound.

Sweat broke out on Kang Jin-ho’s back.

“…Why?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Jo Mi-hye smiled. But her eyes were not smiling at all.

“I was just wondering why someone so busy would visit this humble place.”

Recently, he had been so busy with a series of events that he hadn’t been able to pay much attention to the orphanage.

It’s impossible for a person to always maintain their initial intentions, but even he thought he had been quite indifferent, so he made time to come to the orphanage.

Of course, Lee Hyun-soo’s words had a big influence on him thinking this way.

He had come to the orphanage with a somewhat cheerful heart, but he encountered a huge obstacle from the entrance.

Jo Mi-hye, with her arms crossed, scanned Kang Jin-ho up and down.

“…Why?”

“Oh, nothing, I was just wondering if you had lost any limbs since it’s been so long.”

“So, what brings you here?”

“There’s no particular reason…”

“Wow, you’re visiting this place even though you have nothing to do. I, a mere girl, am very honored.”

“Okay, I was wrong.”

It felt like he was being scolded.

It was a very unfamiliar and strange feeling. But since he had done wrong, he had no choice but to endure it.

“Heeeeeung.”

Jo Mi-hye took a couple of steps and approached Kang Jin-ho at the entrance. Then, she reached out and took Kang Jin-ho’s hand.

“Oppa [older brother, term of endearment used by a younger female].”

“Yeah?”

Jo Mi-hye looked at Kang Jin-ho with unwavering eyes.

“I know you’re busy, and I know this is me being whiny.”

“But the kids are a bit like that. You know. They’re the kind of kids who don’t know what to do when someone who used to come often stops coming. They wonder if they did something wrong, and if another person is going to disappear like this.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t want to burden you, but you’re a bit special here, you know. I know, oppa. I know that you don’t not come often because you don’t want to. I know you’re busy and have a lot to do.”

Kang Jin-ho closed his mouth.

Was he busy?

Of course, he was busy.

But he wasn’t so busy that he couldn’t even show his face here.

That’s why Jo Mi-hye’s words hurt a little.

“The kids are very anxious. So, oppa, I’m really sorry… but I’d be grateful if you could show your face a little more often. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s not something to be sorry about.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“I should be the one apologizing. I’m sorry. I haven’t been paying attention.”

“No, oppa.”

Jo Mi-hye was also firm.

“You don’t owe anything to this place, and there’s no reason why you should particularly care. That’s natural. This is just me being unreasonable.”

“So, please come a little more often. I’m asking you.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

He was reflecting.

If Jo Mi-hye had scolded him or gotten angry, he wouldn’t have felt this way. Maybe Kang Jin-ho would have been annoyed too.

Coming here was something Kang Jin-ho was doing out of kindness, not an obligation.

“Were the kids very disappointed?”

“They’re anxious, but not that much. Instead, Yeon-ha unnie [older sister, term of endearment used by a younger female] has been coming often.”

“Who?”

“Your girlfriend. She’s practically living here these days.”

“Why?”

“Why are you asking me that? Isn’t she your girlfriend?”

Kang Jin-ho’s face went blank.

He had heard that she visited the orphanage once in a while when he wasn’t there, but he never imagined that she would come so often that Jo Mi-hye would say she was living there.

“Are the kids uncomfortable?”

Jo Mi-hye looked at Kang Jin-ho with a meaningful gaze. Kang Jin-ho, realizing that he had done something wrong, closed his mouth.

“Oh, that’s a very meaningful statement. I think unnie would like to hear that?”

“Let’s not do this.”

“Hmph. I’ll keep my mouth shut for old times’ sake. Even though unnie is a rising power, I have a camaraderie with you, oppa.”

“…Thanks.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and followed Jo Mi-hye inside.

“Come out! Jin-ho oppa is here!”

The door burst open.

Then, the little children came running to Kang Jin-ho.

“Hyung [older brother, term of endearment used by a younger male]!”

“Hyung! Why did you come after so long!”

“Oppa! Oppa!”

Hugging the children who ran to him, Kang Jin-ho closed his eyes slightly.

Ah…

So this is how it felt.

Kang Jin-ho didn’t have any particular sympathy for these children. No matter how unusually these children lived, it couldn’t be compared to the life Kang Jin-ho had lived.

Even so, Kang Jin-ho visited this place whenever he had time.

After coming back to the orphanage after a long time, he seemed to know why he couldn’t stop coming here.

Kang Jin-ho, surrounded by the children, reached out and stroked their heads.

The older ones didn’t approach easily and watched Kang Jin-ho from a slight distance.

“Have you all been doing well?”

“Yes, hyung.”

“We’ve been doing well, oppa.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled lightly.

They welcomed him without a reason, and they hugged him without a reason.

Just because they liked each other. This warmth, without any pretense, must have been what drew Kang Jin-ho to this place.

Yes, pure…

“But hyung, your hands are empty?”

“…Huh?”

“It’s not like you’re a messenger who never returns, but you’re coming back empty-handed? Don’t you have anything you brought? Like snacks?”

“Hey! How can you say that to oppa?”

That’s right, Hye-mi. I’m glad you’re here…

“It must be in the car!”

“Surely he didn’t come empty-handed? He’s a human being, right?”

Well, maybe…

It might not be so pure after all.

Hehehe.