Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1324

“Ah, yes. I’m Choi Yeon-ha.”

Choi Yeon-ha was completely out of it.

She had only come for a meal, but the situation had spiraled out of control, leading her here.

Not knowing who the man before her was or why they had been summoned, Choi Yeon-ha could only listen intently and try to grasp the unfolding situation.

From this, she identified two things.

First, the middle-aged man before her was someone of great importance.

Was it because he could reserve an entire building?

Or because he possessed such immense power that those who had made reservations before them had to leave without complaint?

Or was it because she could sense a strong power emanating from him?

None of those were the reason.

What made Choi Yeon-ha perceive the man before her as extraordinary was the way the Hong King treated Kang Jin-ho. It was something Choi Yeon-ha hadn’t noticed before, but those who interacted with Kang Jin-ho displayed a subtle awkwardness and deference. It was so natural that she hadn’t been aware of it.

However, seeing how the Hong King treated Kang Jin-ho, those natural interactions suddenly felt jarring and out of place. Only then did she realize that everyone who had dealt with Kang Jin-ho had been overly conscious of him.

Among all the people Choi Yeon-ha had seen, only the Hong King treated Kang Jin-ho as an equal.

And the second thing was…

Choi Yeon-ha’s gaze shifted slightly to the side. After observing Kang Jin-ho’s profile, she sighed. Kang Jin-ho’s calm demeanor in the face of the Hong King was just as unbelievable.

‘I shouldn’t think about it.’

The stories Kang Jin-ho had told her were starting to feel more real.

“I heard what you said downstairs.”

“Ah, that was…”

Choi Yeon-ha covered her mouth in surprise.

‘How did he hear that from here?’

The fact that he heard it was a problem, but what she said was an even bigger problem. She had openly criticized China, hadn’t she?

Her head was already in a mess, and the fact that Cai Kechang and Lee Hyun-soo started translating simultaneously as soon as the Hong King finished speaking only made it more confusing. It felt like the translation was coming from all directions.

“I feel like I should apologize on their behalf.”

At that moment, something astonishing happened.

The Hong King slightly rose from his seat and subtly bowed his head towards Choi Yeon-ha.

It wasn’t a grand gesture of respect, but the impact of the sight was immense. Lee Hyun-soo, in particular, was so shocked that he almost jumped out of his seat.

If he had lost his self-control for a moment, he would have been hanging from the chandelier on the ceiling by now.

‘Was it even possible for him to bow his head?’

It felt like seeing something that shouldn’t exist in reality. Like the sky and earth flipping over, or water flowing backward.

It was beyond surprising; it was shocking.

The Hong King straightened his posture and looked at Choi Yeon-ha with a serious expression.

“I apologize for the unpleasant experience you had. Especially, um…”

The Hong King’s gaze turned to Kang Jin-ho.

“It was not something that should have happened to the Demon King’s lover. I apologize on behalf of China.”

No one in the world could easily claim to represent China. China was too vast to be represented by just one or two people. However, no one could object to the Hong King’s words. He was one of the few who could represent China.

“Ah, no. Well, you don’t need to apologize on their behalf. It was their fault.”

“I don’t know if this will be enough of an apology, but…”

The Hong King stopped speaking, and Cai Kechang gestured. Then, a slightly noisy sound came from downstairs.

And when Choi Yeon-ha realized the reason for the commotion, she couldn’t help but open her mouth wide.

Two people were being dragged up the stairs.

Those two were people Choi Yeon-ha knew well.

‘Oh my god!’

Wu Chao and Zhao Xu.

The two people who had caused trouble for Choi Yeon-ha were being dragged up, covered in blood, their arms held by others.

Choi Yeon-ha couldn’t close her gaping mouth.

Choi Yeon-ha, who had always been conscious of how she appeared to others, had no room to worry about such things at this moment.

The people who had dragged Wu Chao and Zhao Xu threw them onto the floor.

“Ugh…”

The two, barely lifting their heads, spotted Choi Yeon-ha and crawled towards her. Their movements were surprisingly swift despite their battered bodies.

“We’re sorry! We’re so sorry! Please forgive us!”

“We deserve to die! I was out of my mind! If you spare us, we’ll live honestly. Please… I have a wife and children.”

“Uh…”

Choi Yeon-ha, with a dazed expression, looked at the two before turning her head to Kang Jin-ho.

Kang Jin-ho sighed quietly.

“It doesn’t seem like a pleasant sight before a meal.”

“Hmm, I didn’t think of that. I was not being considerate.”

The Hong King shrugged and said to Choi Yeon-ha.

“I’ll leave their fate to you. What do you want to do with them?”

What to do?

What more could she do here?

Choi Yeon-ha’s eyes fell on Wu Chao’s swollen face, which no longer looked human. It was a wonder that he was still alive and able to speak.

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

Choi Yeon-ha shuddered and turned her head to look at the Hong King.

“Isn’t that enough?”

“Do you think so?”

“There was no need to go this far.”

The Hong King nodded.

“I can’t say that emotions weren’t involved. Showing you such an ugly sight is the same as showing the Demon King an ugly sight. To be honest, I couldn’t maintain my composure emotionally.”

Lee Hyun-soo felt like he was seeing a new side of the Hong King every moment.

Words like excitement or losing composure were basically admissions of one’s own imperfection. It wasn’t easy to openly reveal such things to others.

‘Absolute confidence and certainty in oneself. Being able to reveal one’s shortcomings means there’s a solid foundation of strengths.’

He was arrogant.

But the one who made that arrogance seem natural was the Hong King.

“I thank you for your magnanimity. Take them away. Remove them from their positions and make sure they never do such a thing again.”

The people who had dragged them up grabbed the two fallen men by their shoulders.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“Thank… ugh.”

Choi Yeon-ha sighed as she watched the two men being dragged down the stairs.

Just a moment ago, she had wanted to tear them apart, but seeing them in such a state made her feel more bewildered than relieved.

“I apologize once again, Demon King’s lover. As an apology, I will ensure that everything you intended to do in China is accomplished.”

“Huh?”

“All restrictions on you will be lifted. This time, I will personally ensure that you can make any contracts you desire.”

“…Huh?”

She was so dumbfounded by his words that her mind couldn’t process their meaning. After a long moment of blankness, Choi Yeon-ha looked at the Hong King with a face as if she had seen a ghost.

“Is, is that possible? Can you do that?”

“It’s not a difficult task.”

The Hong King continued casually.

“Instead, I want you to remember one thing, Demon King’s lover. China is like a microcosm of the world. Everything exists here. There are good people and bad people, desires and virtues coexist. I hope you won’t have any prejudice by seeing only one side of China. That would be a sad thing.”

“…Yes. I understand what you mean.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

At that moment, Kang Jin-ho, who had been observing the situation, spoke.

“Saying that everything exists is just an excuse.”

It was a cold criticism that didn’t fit the atmosphere.

However, the Hong King didn’t seem offended; instead, he nodded as if he was pleased.

“You are correct, Demon King. That’s why I am striving. I am trying to reform and lead this chaotic land to a better place. But my power is still lacking, and my influence is still insufficient. Therefore, for now, I can only endure and wait.”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho leaned back in his chair.

Lee Hyun-soo felt a subtle mix of dissatisfaction and satisfaction at Kang Jin-ho’s actions.

“The high-ranking official of the Party who created all of this will also end up in the same state as them. So, I hope you can put your mind at ease and forgive them.”

“Is, is that possible?”

Lee Hyun-soo was so surprised that he interrupted the Hong King’s conversation.

“I’m being presumptuous.”

Cai Kechang’s sharp voice was heard, but Lee Hyun-soo continued as if he couldn’t hold back this time.

“O-of course, I’m not doubting the Hong King’s power. The Hong King can do anything. But as far as I know, the Party is influenced not only by the Hong King but also by the other three kings, maintaining a balance. But to remove such a high-ranking official with just the Hong King’s will…”

“Where there is gain, there is also loss. That is the way of the world. It is possible. However, there is a price to pay.”

“If you’re talking about a price…”

The Hong King smiled slightly.

Talking to Lee Hyun-soo felt like talking to Cai Kechang. Perhaps because that feeling wasn’t so bad, he even wanted to give unnecessary explanations.

“If I remove someone under my influence, someone else who is not my person will take their place. And to forcibly remove someone not under my influence, I have to give up something more. Isn’t that the way of the world?”

“Ah…”

“I simply judged that this matter was worth the cost. How can someone who can’t even correct small things discuss big matters?”

At that moment, Lee Hyun-soo felt a chill run down his spine.

It was terrifying.

If Kang Jin-ho was like a lone red star shining in the dark night sky, the Hong King was like a giant sun burning in the bright sky. He felt like he was being drawn into his resolute will and unwavering conviction without even realizing it.

Cai Kechang quietly opened his mouth.

“I will help with the handling of the related matters. I will contact you separately tomorrow, so please tell me then.”

“Ah… Thank you so much.”

Choi Yeon-ha bowed her head without realizing it.

She didn’t understand anything, but it was clear that something incredible was happening.

‘Where am I?’

It didn’t feel real.

In the vast land of China, only this round table was free from the heavy weight of reality, floating freely in the air.

‘This is the world Jin-ho lives in.’

It felt like she had glimpsed a world she could never dare to see.

“Well, then…”

The Hong King clapped his hands lightly.