Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1213

The meeting quickly produced results.

To stabilize and completely reorganize Japan, Jang Min would lead the elders and elites to Japan.

It was also decided that Wiggins would go with them and open a couple of portals connecting to Korea.

“Since the distance is short, we can make it so that a small number can pass through even without an interlinked magic circle. To be more certain, we would need mages on both sides to open the portal, but stationing mages of that level in Japan would be a huge waste.”

“Do we even have mages like that?”

“…No, we don’t.”

Wiggins looked slightly dejected, but it was still fortunate that they could open portals at all.

After all, the Assembly was a group led by a small number of people.

As long as the board members, including Kang Jin-ho, could cross over, there wouldn’t be any problems.

However, not everything was perfect.

“Won’t there be some problems?” Bang Jin-hoon voiced his concern.

“It’s not that I don’t trust Elder Jang Min. I also know that there is no one more suitable than Elder Jang Min. But…”

Bang Jin-hoon glanced at Jang Min and then spoke.

“Elder, you are very cold and exclusive to others. I’m a little worried that there might be problems.”

Wiggins nodded.

“That’s what we want.”

“Huh?”

“This is a different matter from the Round Table. The Round Table cooperated with us, but they are in a situation where they surrendered after waging war against us. There’s no need to consider their circumstances one by one. If they resist, kill them, and if they rebel, don’t hesitate to break their limbs.”

Bang Jin-hoon frowned.

“Isn’t that a bit excessive?”

“It can’t be helped for now. There will be resistance at first, but once they realize that resistance is meaningless, they will quiet down. Humans are adaptable creatures.”

Bang Jin-hoon sighed.

“You seem to not know well since you’re British, but being ruled is not as easy as ruling. Our country did not stop resisting even in much more desperate situations. Humans tend to bounce back when oppressed.”

“Of course, they would. Tell me, do you know how the British Empire ruled the world?”

“…I don’t know.”

“They assumed that the other side would naturally resist and suppressed them.”

“The problem arises when you try to create a system that can rule forever. There’s no need to do that. You just need to extract everything you can while you’re ruling. And when there’s nothing left to extract, pretend to respect them and step back. Then the harshness of the past will be forgotten.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded.

“Indeed, the worst trash country in human history.”

“Shut up.”

Lee Hyun-soo chuckled.

“But I can’t help but learn from that method. I agree. Eternal rule is a pipe dream. It’s something that has never succeeded in history. And it’s not efficient in this era either.”

“Hmm.”

“Since we can’t subjugate the nation of Japan itself, it will end with a short show of force. So, we might as well extract everything we can during that short period.”

“What exactly are you planning to do?”

“Well, what else could there be? First, we’ll integrate the Japanese groups around Director Akinori, gather all the money, businesses, and shares of each company they have, and then the Assembly will devour it all.”

Bang Jin-hoon stared at Lee Hyun-soo with a dumbfounded expression.

‘I knew this bastard wasn’t normal, but…

To say such things so easily.

It’s literally like sucking them dry to the bone.’

“Isn’t that too much?”

“Is it?”

Lee Hyun-soo tilted his head.

“Then what will they live on?”

“You worry too much. They’re not going to starve to death.”

Looking at Lee Hyun-soo’s nonchalant answer, it seemed like he was serious.

Others might take it for granted, but Bang Jin-hoon, who had directly managed factions by paying salaries to his people, understood how serious Lee Hyun-soo’s words were.

Running an organization ultimately comes down to money.

If Bang Jin-hoon didn’t have the money coming from his businesses, he wouldn’t have been able to properly compensate those who followed him, and if that were the case, he would never have been able to gather his forces.

Loyalty and conviction have their limits. How can you fight for your beliefs when you don’t even have money to put food on the table?

Those who can do that become great people and legends. Paradoxically, they become great people because they have done what ordinary people cannot do.

Lee Hyun-soo’s plan meant completely withering away the Japanese martial world.

“Isn’t it too harsh? They surrendered, after all.”

“What those bastards did to our country is what’s harsh. What are we doing that would be considered harsh? Did we conscript civilians and send them to the battlefield? Did we kidnap innocent girls and force them into war? We’re just taking some money, and if that’s harsh, then those bastards shouldn’t be alive.”

Bang Jin-hoon looked at Lee Hyun-soo with a troubled expression.

He knew that Lee Hyun-soo’s words were not wrong. Nevertheless, he couldn’t shake off the unease because he didn’t want to become like them.

Bang Jin-hoon turned his head and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

“What do you think, Lord?”

Kang Jin-ho, who had been lost in thought, raised his head with a blank expression.

“Think?”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho pondered for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“I don’t know what the problem is… So, what is it you want to ask?”

“It’s true that we were wronged by them. It’s also true that we have bad feelings. But if we just return what we received, wouldn’t we be stooping to their level?”

“I don’t know.”

“…Huh?”

Kang Jin-ho answered indifferently.

“I said I don’t know.”

Click.

Kang Jin-ho put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

“Why are you asking me about a topic that even historians disagree on? I’m not that smart.”

“No, well, that’s true, but…”

“I only know one thing.” Kang Jin-ho answered indifferently.

“To start a fight means you intend to kill the other person. And to lose in such a fight means you’re willing to endure whatever happens, right?”

“…That’s right.”

“You’ve become complacent, Bang Jin-hoon.”

Bang Jin-hoon flinched at Kang Jin-ho’s words.

“If we had lost, you would be a corpse buried in the ground or sunk in the sea by now. Would you still be saying such things while watching them swallow Korea as they please from the afterlife?”

“…No, I wouldn’t.”

“The magnanimity of the victor is nothing but arrogance. It’s the way of the world to bite at the wounds of the defeated.”

Bang Jin-hoon lowered his head.

“Lee Hyun-soo.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“Proceed as you see fit. But if you’re going to do it, do it thoroughly. Don’t leave a single blade of grass behind.”

“Don’t worry. I will thoroughly destroy them so that they can never recover on their own.”

Lee Hyun-soo curled up the corners of his mouth.

Looking at that expression, it reminded him of Lee Hyun-soo from the old Yeongnam Association days.

‘He’ll do a good job.’

There would be few people in the world who could do a better job of tormenting others than Lee Hyun-soo. If Jang Min and Wiggins assisted him, they would probably boil soup with the bones left after sucking them dry.

Lee Hyun-soo bowed his head and continued his report.

“I will resolve the domestic issues as cleanly as possible in consultation with the government. However, there may be one or two times when you will have to step in personally, Lord.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly nodded.

Now he realized that the war was over. Annoying tasks were piling up.

“Akinori.”

“Yes! Master!”

Akinori prostrated himself on the spot.

Everyone’s eyes widened at his excessive courtesy. It was like looking at Jang Min.

“Elder Jang Min will assist you. Consult with Jang Min on military matters and with Lee Hyun-soo on political matters.”

“I will obey your command! Don’t worry, Master! This Akinori will do my best to offer Japan to you!”

Kang Jin-ho quietly nodded.

Having dominated his mind, Akinori would not dare to think of rebelling against him.

He was lucky.

If Akinori had not been thinking of submitting to Kang Jin-ho from the start and had not shown any gaps in his mind, it would have been impossible to dominate him.

It was an adventure that he could try because the conditions were right, and he was just lucky to succeed.

However, there was one thing.

It was impossible to continuously dominate the mind of a master like Akinori.

Eventually, his original self and the dominated self would clash, and if the clash was too severe, it could lead to side effects and turn him into a cripple.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Akinori also had to pay the price.

Kang Jin-ho was not so benevolent as to smile and let go of those who had tried to kill him just because they were now wagging their tails and obeying him. They had to pay the price for sure.

For sure…

“Is there something on my face?”

“No.”

When Lee Hyun-soo tilted his head, Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

Come to think of it, Kang Jin-ho seemed to have liked Lee Hyun-soo quite a bit from the beginning.

The fact that Lee Hyun-soo was still alive and acting like that was proof of it.

Kang Jin-ho turned his head to Akinori.

“Don’t forget.”

Akinori raised his head.

“You live for that. If you become useless, you will no longer be worth living.”

“I will keep that in mind, Master!”

Cold sweat dripped down Akinori’s forehead.

Even though the words were calm, they felt heavier than anything else in the world. Now, for Akinori, Kang Jin-ho’s words were a destiny that he had to fulfill even if it cost him his life.

Akinori, having made up his mind, nodded firmly.

“I will prove my loyalty, Akinori.”

“That’s good.”

Kang Jin-ho slightly curled up the corners of his mouth.

“The other directors are the same. For a while, focus on reorganizing the Assembly and completely subjugating Japan.”

“Yes, Lord!”

“Don’t worry, Master!”

“This Jang Min will follow the Demon Lord’s words with all my heart and soul!”

Kang Jin-ho nodded and ordered Akinori.

“Discuss the rest with them.”

“Yes!”

Kang Jin-ho, who had been quietly watching Akinori, got up from his seat.

“Any other discussions?”

“This is enough for now. It would be better to have more detailed discussions at the Assembly after we have organized the situation.”

“Check what the directors need to do.”

“Understood.”

“Let’s go back.”

“Yes, Lord. I will prepare the vehicle.”

“I’m fine.”

“Yes?”

“I have a place to stop by.”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head. The vast coastline was visible.

“Fortunately, I made it in time. There’s something I need to do first.”

“Something you need to do?”

“Is it okay to ask what it is?”

“It’s a trivial matter.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled lightly.

“Trivial, but…

Perhaps.

“An extremely important matter.”

Lee Hyun-soo tilted his head.

Trivial but extremely important matter…

“Are you going to see your wife?”

Kang Jin-ho’s foot kicked Lee Hyun-soo’s butt.

And Akinori, watching Lee Hyun-soo getting kicked by Kang Jin-ho, once again strengthened his resolve regarding his mission.