Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1290

“Hey, those guys aren’t human.”

Lee Hyun-soo, his face slightly serious, stared at the man before him.

The somewhat simple-looking man was waving his hands dismissively.

“To what extent?”

“It’s exactly as I said. They’re not human. I was taught never to associate with those bastards.”

Returning to the Assembly, Lee Hyun-soo began investigating information about the North Korean martial artists. Kang Jin-ho wanted information on the drug victims, but this was something Lee Hyun-soo couldn’t concede. If they didn’t die, compensation for people could be done at any time.

For him, Kang Jin-ho’s safety was always the top priority.

Lee Hyun-soo, reaching out here and there, managed to find a clue in an unexpected place. And it was very close by.

He called Jang Min, wondering if he might know anything about North Korea since he was well-versed in the Chinese underworld. But Jang Min gave an unexpected answer.

“Why don’t you ask our guys? The Korean-Chinese ones.”

Upon hearing those words, Lee Hyun-soo felt like he’d been struck on the back of the head.

Come to think of it, the Demonic Cult was a place where the lower classes of the Chinese martial world gathered. So, it was natural that Koreans, who were classified as a minority and marginalized within China, would have joined the cult.

He immediately sought cooperation from the Demonic Cult, and within an hour, three people came to see him.

“I heard that skinning people is nothing to them. As you know, Chief, we’re also quite skilled in that kind of thing.”

“Hey, you bastard. Are you out of your mind? Isn’t it because you go around saying things like that that our fellow Koreans get a bad image?”

“Speak in standard language, standard language. You bastard, now you’re mixing Korean, but you’re still using ‘ni’ this and ‘ni’ that.”

“…What does that have to do with anything?”

A Demonic Cult member who identified himself as Oh Ryong-hyun shrugged.

“Anyway, that’s how it is. Actually, if you’re over there, you end up getting involved with North Korean guys a lot, you know?”

“That’s right.”

It was common knowledge that North Korea’s border blockade wasn’t being properly enforced. In fact, if the border were completely sealed, the concept of defectors wouldn’t exist.

This wasn’t just a problem for North Korea.

Sealing off such a vast area was impossible for any country. Even the United States, the world’s strongest nation, was struggling with illegal immigrants crossing its borders.

Anyway, thanks to this, the Korean-Chinese living in China near North Korea were quite knowledgeable about North Korea.

“We’re considered pretty ignorant, but compared to those bastards, we’re nothing.”

“No, don’t say we’re ignorant!”

“What am I supposed to do when it’s the truth?”

“This crazy bastard!”

The two started arguing, raising their voices at each other.

‘Why do they always fight in Chinese?’

His head was starting to hurt.

Lee Hyun-soo was quite fluent in both Korean and Chinese, but it was impossible to properly understand the Chinese that was being spewed out with such emotion.

A constant stream of creative insults filled the air. Lee Hyun-soo sighed deeply and put a cigarette in his mouth.

“You guys.”

“Yes?”

“Are you not afraid of anything because you’re part of the Demonic Cult?”

The two quietly shut their mouths.

Even though they belonged to a different faction, they couldn’t ignore an executive of the Assembly. The internal policies of the cult were the same.

The Demonic Cult and the Assembly were both under Kang Jin-ho, so they declared their obedience based on the logic that an executive of the Assembly was the same as an executive of the Demonic Cult. Whether that logic was right or wrong didn’t matter. If the cult had decided on that policy, the cult members had to follow it.

“If you waste my time again, you can look forward to seeing what I’ll do.”

“Sorry, Chief.”

“This bastard has nothing in his head…”

Oh Ryong-hyun slightly gritted his teeth, but he didn’t lash out, probably because he was watching Lee Hyun-soo’s reaction.

Lee Hyun-soo let out a deep sigh.

‘There aren’t any normal guys around here.’

At this point, he seriously wondered if learning martial arts made people lose their minds, or if only people who had lost their minds learned martial arts.

“So, you’re saying those bastards have been in and out of China?”

“Quite a lot. We’ve clashed with those bastards quite a bit too.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Well, we got crushed, though.”

“The strange thing is that a lot of guys on our side died, but the Public Security Bureau [Chinese police], who would normally make a fuss, just buried it without saying anything, right? Normally, if North Korean guys cause trouble in China, they’re merciless…”

“Hmm.”

Lee Hyun-soo quietly nodded.

‘They’re treating them as soldiers, not martial artists.’

If they were treated as ordinary people or martial artists, they wouldn’t have buried it like that.

‘Is the Chinese government secretly protecting them?’

This was a headache.

The relationship between China and North Korea was quite complex.

So, if he tried to interpret it carelessly, he might make a big mistake. For now, he just needed to accept it as it was.

“What’s their skill level?”

“…It’s a bit difficult for us to say. As you know, we’re not skilled enough to gauge that.”

“I see.”

Lee Hyun-soo looked at the man in front of him and chuckled.

‘They seem like they’d be good opponents…’

The only people in the Assembly that Lee Hyun-soo thought he could spar with were the Demonic Cult members. Although there was the added condition that they had to be on the weaker side, these guys were the ones who met that difficult condition.

It was difficult for them or Lee Hyun-soo to understand someone’s strength.

“I guess so.”

“They were incredibly strong. The guys who got close were all blown away at once. And they’re incredibly cruel. They don’t seem human.”

“Like the Chairman?”

“It’s different from that.”

Oh Ryong-hyun waved his hand.

“So, the Chairman is… well, I don’t know if I should say this… but when the Chairman gets serious, he has a bit of a demonic side, right?”

“That’s right.”

To be precise, it was more of a sense of otherness.

A feeling that their way of thinking was different from ordinary people.

A strange sensation that only those who had directly experienced Kang Jin-ho could understand.

“But those guys are cruel, but rather than demonic, they felt more like machines. That… what do you call it? That…”

“Inorganic?”

“Ah, that’s right. It’s not that they felt cold like metal… well, it was like their bones were made of paper.”

“Hmm.”

Lee Hyun-soo scratched his chin.

‘They’re more dangerous than I thought.’

If these guys, who had lived a dangerous life, felt that way, it meant that their humanity had been almost completely eradicated. If they had reached that level, their training must have been considerable.

‘The more I investigate, the higher the risk becomes.’

Lee Hyun-soo sighed.

He was starting to worry if taking on this task was the right thing to do.

“Alright. You can go now.”

“Yes, Chief.”

Oh Ryong-hyun, who had gotten up from his seat, hesitated slightly.

“Why?”

“Chief, if you’re thinking of getting involved with those guys, I think you should reconsider.”

Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes twitched slightly.

“Why?”

“The reason those bastards are dangerous isn’t just because they’re strong and cruel. We at least have some rules, right?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“You know, things like, even if there’s someone you want to tear apart and kill, if their family is ordinary, you never touch them, or that even if something happens in public, you hold back. ”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded slightly.

“But those bastards don’t have that. For them, carrying out the orders they receive is the priority, and they don’t care about the surrounding circumstances. And if you mess with them, you don’t know what kind of retaliation you’ll face. Of course, I’m sure you know what you’re doing, but…”

“No, thanks for telling me.”

“Yes, then.”

Oh Ryong-hyun led the others out. Lee Hyun-soo lit the cigarette that had gone out.

The acrid smoke made his mouth taste bitter.

‘Maybe I was a bit hasty.’

If he had realized the extent of this threat beforehand, he might have considered Kim Myung-chan’s offer a bit more.

‘No, the result would have been the same anyway.’

Many people think that a deal is a process of getting the maximum benefit, but in reality, there are times when you shouldn’t aim for the maximum benefit.

In a deal, the side that grants the favor usually has the upper hand, but if the side that proposes the conditions offers excessive conditions, the side that accepts the deal can’t help but feel burdened.

Because the moment you refuse the deal, you can’t help but create ill will.

The moment you think, ‘Even with these conditions, you won’t accept? Then what more do you want?’, personal feelings get involved in the deal. That’s the worst-case scenario.

This was such a case.

Even though Kim Myung-chan had found the Assembly’s weakness, he lowered his head first and took a humble stance.

If the Prime Minister of a country takes such a humble stance, and you don’t accept the deal, personal feelings will inevitably get involved between the government and the Assembly. That was a direction Lee Hyun-soo didn’t want.

‘Anyway, those politicians… they try to take everything cleverly.’

Of course, it was Lee Hyun-soo’s job not to be swayed by that.

Now that things had turned out this way, it was good to get everything he could. There were endless things to get from the government.

He could get support for MK’s expansion into Japan, or he could make money by changing the use of suitable land.

‘I should discuss this with Hyun-joo.’

Since MK was now the place that was practically in charge of the Assembly’s income, it would be good to discuss it with Lee Hyun-joo and Hwang Min-soo.

Lee Hyun-soo got up from his seat and walked outside.

At that moment, the door burst open.

“Huh?”

The directors pushed their way into his office.

“Hey, Chief Lee! I heard you’re going to China this time?”

“Yes?”

Lee Hyun-soo flinched at Bator’s words.

Where did this rumor come from?

A face popped into his head, but Lee Hyun-soo tried hard to erase it. Suspecting was disloyal, and what would change if he knew?

He couldn’t question it anyway.

“Who are you taking with you?”

“I’m going!”

“Bator, you should stay out of this! I heard the mission isn’t about causing a ruckus!”

“I’m good at being stealthy too!”

“An elephant would be better at hiding! Don’t talk nonsense, know when to join and when to stay out. I’m going!”

“Don’t you have a lot of work to do?”

“Wiggins, don’t you have work to do?”

“But I’m a little less busy than you. So, this time I’ll…”

“If a foreigner goes to China, they’ll be spotted right away!”

“Damn it, if only I wasn’t a foreigner!”

Lee Hyun-soo sighed quietly.

‘Please, just do your own jobs, please!’

Why was their enthusiasm so overflowing, and why was that enthusiasm being displayed in completely useless areas?

“Anyway, I’m going this time!”

“Hey, know when to join in!”

“What? Do you think you’re any different? Looking like a Triad executive? You won’t even be allowed to enter the country!”

“Are you picking a fight with my face right now? With that face?”

“I’m pretty handsome.”

“A female bear would like you!”

“Come out, you bastard!”

“You think I won’t come out if you tell me to!”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled and covered his ears.

‘Please, let’s get some work done.’

You damn people!