Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1300

“Is this a passport?”

“Wow, this is amazing. How did it get like this?”

“Isn’t this something that can’t even be called a forged passport?”

“That’s right.”

The directors examined the passports in front of them with a sense of wonder. They were used to seeing forged passports quite often due to the nature of their work, but the passports they were looking at now showed no signs of forgery, no matter how closely they looked.

“Well, that’s because these are official passports.”

“Wow, this is what happens when the country helps. How can I get one too?”

“…Are you joking?”

“Then would I be serious?”

Bang Jin-hoon chuckled.

‘I’m seeing things I never thought I would.’

The feelings of others and the feelings of Bang Jin-hoon could not be the same. Bang Jin-hoon had lived in the General Assembly [South Korea’s National Assembly] during the days when he was cleaning up after those in power.

Although it couldn’t be called official, it was a strange and unfamiliar thing for Bang Jin-hoon to be involved in national affairs at the request of the government.

‘Even the passport is official.’

Of course, only Kang Jin-ho’s photo on that passport was real; all other information was fake. Nothing matched, from the name down. But even if there was a one in a million chance of a problem, it could be passed off as a meticulously forged passport.

From the government’s point of view, that is.

“Okay, take your passports here.”

Bang Jin-hoon tilted his head as he watched Kang Jin-ho receive his passport.

“I was so moved that I forgot something.”

“Yes?”

“Receiving a passport means… we’re officially entering by plane?”

“Of course.”

“…Huh.”

Bang Jin-hoon made a somewhat ambiguous expression.

“No, well, there’s nothing wrong with it… but is it okay?

We’re going to assassinate someone, but is it okay to enter so confidently by plane?

It felt like common sense and reality were clashing.”

“You don’t have to worry. It’s a fake identity anyway. Officially, it will be processed as if the Guild Leader has never visited China.”

“Well, that’s obvious.”

As someone who traditionally preferred to enter the country illegally, he had a subtle sense of resistance. Well, he couldn’t tell Kang Jin-ho to jump into the sea and swim to China, or to hide in a fishy-smelling fish hold.

“Oh, wait a minute? Then are you going by plane too?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“You go by boat, you punk!”

“I wish I could, but I can’t leave the Guild Leader’s side for a moment during this mission. I’m an alarm, an alarm.”

“Tsk.”

Bang Jin-hoon clicked his tongue.

“These days, kids only look for the easy way. It wasn’t like that in my day.”

“…Don’t talk like an old man.” Kang Jin-ho said the last part.

From Kang Jin-ho’s point of view, it was a big problem that the young ones were acting like old men.

“And these are your plane tickets.” Lee Hyun-soo said in a very reluctant tone.

“One is… first class, and the other ticket is economy class.”

Those bastards!

At the very least, they should have given him a business class ticket if they couldn’t give him first class!

This could only be seen as a subtle expression of their feelings towards Lee Hyun-soo. They clearly said that Lee Hyun-soo would be accompanying him, but they only sent one first-class ticket!

“The work is clean.”

“Hmm, it’s reasonable.”

The other directors didn’t seem to think so.

“There’s someone from the government waiting outside. Shall we let them in?”

“Here?”

“Yes. They already know the location of the Guild anyway. There’s no need to try to hide it.”

Bang Jin-hoon clicked his tongue.

“Just because they saw our faces doesn’t mean we have to show them everything.”

“You shouldn’t underestimate the country too much. They can get that kind of information easily.”

“Well, I guess so.”

Bang Jin-hoon still seemed uncomfortable. This was probably because Bang Jin-hoon had lived the longest, avoiding the eyes of the state and ordinary people.

“Let them in.”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-soo went outside.

After a little time, Lee Hyun-soo came back with an unfamiliar face behind him.

The person who opened the door and entered gave a light, very light bow.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Jong-wook, the section chief of the National Intelligence Service [South Korea’s primary intelligence agency].”

Then he smiled and extended his hand towards Kang Jin-ho.

Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes flashed with killing intent.

‘That bastard?’

A handshake.

Even if you think about it normally, it wasn’t the kind of greeting that a section chief of the National Intelligence Service and the Guild Leader of the Guild would exchange. And it was also annoying that he dared to extend his hand first.

It was a trivial action, but there was no way that someone working at the National Intelligence Service wouldn’t know what this series of actions meant. They were working together, but it was an expression of his will that he did not recognize the Guild.

Just as Bang Jin-hoon was about to get up from his seat, Kang Jin-ho casually reached out and took Lee Jong-wook’s hand.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Jin-ho.”

“Ah, yes. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Lee Jong-wook, who had finished shaking hands, looked at Kang Jin-ho with slightly surprised eyes.

‘He accepted it?’

He thought that there would definitely be trouble. And that was his intention, to create trouble. But Kang Jin-ho casually accepted his handshake.

Without a change in expression.

‘Is he doing this because he’s deep in thought, or does he really not care?’

Either way, he would have to add the word ‘bold’ to his assessment of Kang Jin-ho.

“Please, sit down.”

At Kang Jin-ho’s gesture, Lee Jong-wook nodded and sat down.

‘This person…’

Lee Jong-wook felt a subtle sense of incongruity.

There were others sitting in front of him besides Kang Jin-ho. When he checked their faces, he couldn’t help but swallow hard.

Lee Jong-wook had seen quite a few big shots due to the nature of his job. That’s why he could tell. The people sitting in front of him now were real big shots. It wasn’t a matter of position or status. These people would be thrown into the middle of an African civil war and still rise to become big shots.

But the real reason for the incongruity was Kang Jin-ho.

‘I don’t feel anything.’

He could clearly feel the aura of big shots from the others, but he couldn’t find any such feeling from Kang Jin-ho. He was very handsome, so he stood out, but that was it.

If he had met him on the street, he wouldn’t have paid attention to anything other than his face.

But this man was the Guild Leader, and the people sitting in front of him now were the directors of the Guild.

Isn’t it ironic?

“So, what brings you here?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. It’s an unfamiliar environment…”

Lee Jong-wook took a slight breath and opened his mouth.

“When you enter China, you will have to cooperate with us.”

Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes grew sharper and sharper.

‘This bastard, really.’

The tone and way of speaking were not those of someone addressing a superior. He was acting as an equal to Kang Jin-ho. Naturally, Bang Jin-hoon found it hard to tolerate this behavior.

“Hey, you.”

Kang Jin-ho slightly raised his hand to stop Bang Jin-hoon from speaking.

Bang Jin-hoon had a very displeased look on his face, but since Kang Jin-ho had stopped him, he could no longer open his mouth. Especially in front of others. He couldn’t let a role reversal happen where he would undermine Kang Jin-ho’s authority.

“Cooperation, you say?”

“We will be tracking the target’s movements and situation in real-time. I’m here to tell you how we will deliver that information.”

“Why bother?”

“We don’t want to risk being wiretapped. We don’t know if the Guild Leader is under surveillance, but we think that even a small possibility could ruin things.”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“Then I wouldn’t be needed.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I don’t know much about that kind of thing. Please discuss it with Chief Lee.”

“Guild Leader, this matter…”

Kang Jin-ho looked directly at Lee Jong-wook.

“Is there a problem?”

“Chief Lee and I are going to China together. If you don’t trust Chief Lee, then you don’t trust me either. If there’s no trust between us, I don’t think there’s any need to waste time.”

Lee Jong-wook nodded with a blank face.

Whatever he was thinking inside, he didn’t show it on the outside. That was the first lesson he had received.

“I understand what you mean. Then I will discuss that matter with Chief Lee. And I have something else to say to the Guild Leader separately.”

“Go ahead.”

“Could you ask the others to leave?”

“Why bother?”

Kang Jin-ho shrugged.

“I’m going to tell you everything I heard without missing a single word after you leave. If you’re asking me to ask them to leave because you’re uncomfortable with so many people watching, then I’ll do that.”

Lee Jong-wook’s expression almost changed.

He was calmly turning his insides out without pushing him too hard.

‘No, it doesn’t seem like he intended to.’

This person was just being honest.

Whether he was born that way, or whether he didn’t have a reason to be dishonest with someone like Lee Jong-wook, he didn’t know…

“Yes. Then… I’ll just tell you here.”

“Okay.”

Lee Jong-wook glanced around and opened his mouth.

“I want to emphasize once again that the government has never been involved in this matter. Please keep in mind that even if the Guild Leader fails in the assassination in China, or is arrested after the failure, the government will not take any action to rescue the Guild Leader.”

It was an obvious statement.

But it would be meaningful for them to mention it. It wouldn’t be enough to check it again and again.

“And…”

Lee Jong-wook sighed.

“I would like to apologize first for giving you this information. It seems that Li Gwang’s security will increase more than expected.”

“Security?”

“Yes. The number of people coming from North Korea has increased, but there is also information that China is preparing security separately for Li Gwang.”

Lee Hyun-soo narrowed his eyes.

“That means…”

There was no way that security would be increased for no reason.

“Doesn’t that mean that our information has been leaked?”

“Absolutely not. Our security is perfect…”

“This trashy bastard is trying to sell us snake oil!”

At that moment, Bang Jin-hoon, who could no longer hold back, jumped up and grabbed Lee Jong-wook by the collar, pulling him towards himself.

He reflexively tried to grab the gun in his pocket, but the pain in his neck stopped his hand. His whole body stiffened like a log.

“These bastards can’t manage their own information and they’re talking about it so calmly? Hey! You, do we look like pushovers to you? Should I break your neck so you can understand the situation?”

“O-misunderstanding… O…”

“Misunderstanding, my ass.”

“Director Bang.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed.

“Put him down and let’s talk.”

“But Guild Leader.”

“What’s going to change if you hit a chick? It seems like they sent him because they were embarrassed to say it themselves.”

Bang Jin-hoon glanced at Lee Jong-wook and threw him down.

“Cough! Cough!”

Lee Jong-wook grabbed his neck with one hand and the gun in his pocket with the other. It wasn’t that he was going to do something, but it was an instinctive self-protection.

“Lee Jong-wook, was it?”

Lee Jong-wook turned his head and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

Kang Jin-ho slowly crossed his legs and swept back the bangs that had fallen over his forehead with one hand. Then, Lee Hyun-soo politely handed Kang Jin-ho a cigarette.

Click.

Kang Jin-ho lit the cigarette and put it in his mouth, slowly exhaling the smoke.

“Tell me the story from the beginning. Don’t leave anything out. We’ll think about it later.”

Only then did Lee Jong-wook realize.

Why this person was the Guild Leader of the Guild.

The moment the atmosphere changed, the person changed. The ordinary young man was gone, and a bloodthirsty beast was sitting in front of him.

“Start.”

Lee Jong-wook nodded without realizing it.