Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1372

Having finished his rough treatment, Kang Jin-ho leaned back in his chair, slightly relaxing.

“Your family is safe and sound.”

“Okay.”

Wiggins mentioned the matter that Kang Jin-ho would be most concerned about first.

“Were there any problems?”

“Since I didn’t personally go to protect them, I can’t say for sure if there were any observers. However, it’s certain that they didn’t try to harm your family, Chairman.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“So, they’re at least keeping to the bare minimum.”

“They’ve already crossed the line.”

His voice was firm.

Wiggins realized that Kang Jin-ho had already made up his mind not to coexist with them.

‘This is no small matter.’

Wiggins had anticipated that the situation would inevitably unfold this way the moment Kang Jin-ho returned.

But…

‘The enemy is powerful.’

Just as the Assembly is struggling to deal with the government, or perhaps even more so, the Assembly is not going to have an easy time going up against the government.

However, Wiggins also knew that there was no turning back now that they had come this far.

‘Negotiation is impossible.’

They had tried to take Kang Jin-ho’s life.

This was something the Assembly could never forgive. It was like trying to negotiate with someone who had stabbed you in the neck.

“What about their movements?”

“There haven’t been any unusual movements yet. There are no signs of surveillance around the Assembly. And just in case, we’ve also placed surveillance on the surrounding military units, but there’s nothing to report yet.”

Click.

Kang Jin-ho lit a cigarette and, with his eyes lowered, looked at Wiggins and said,

“What about the Prime Minister?”

“We haven’t located him yet.”

Wiggins quickly added, worried that Kang Jin-ho might act too hastily.

“It’s too early to assume that the Prime Minister has gone into hiding. We weren’t monitoring his every move, and it would be best to observe for a couple of days first…”

“I know.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and exhaled cigarette smoke.

Wiggins seemed worried that Kang Jin-ho might rush to deal with Kim Myung-chan right away.

But in reality, Kang Jin-ho wasn’t feeling particularly impatient about dealing with Kim Myung-chan right now.

If it was true that Kim Myung-chan had tried to kill Kang Jin-ho, then Kim Myung-chan would not be able to escape Kang Jin-ho’s grasp no matter what he did. Whether he left Korea or hid somewhere no one knew, Kang Jin-ho would find him and kill him.

And…

‘That’s unlikely.’

Kang Jin-ho knew the habits of those in power.

He had experienced it many times in the Central Plains [a historical term for China]. They could never let go of absolute power.

For Kim Myung-chan, giving up everything and fleeing overseas would be more painful than death. Kang Jin-ho was certain that he wouldn’t make that choice.

However, it seemed that there were others who didn’t think the same way.

“Is it possible that that rat bastard disappeared without a reason?”

Bang Jin-hoon shouted, as if he was about to breathe fire.

“We need to send our people to find him right now! We need to make him pay the price!”

“Didn’t I say that it’s not that simple?”

“That’s the problem, Director Wiggins. When is anything ever simple? If we keep hesitating and considering this and that, we’ll miss our chance! Do you think we can just let things slide like this?”

“It’s not that we can’t touch it because it’s complicated. You’re just shrinking back because you’re afraid of the consequences!”

Wiggins closed his mouth.

To be honest, Bang Jin-hoon’s words weren’t wrong. If this wasn’t related to the government, Wiggins would have ignored minor side effects.

Clearly, Wiggins and Bang Jin-hoon were polar opposites in this regard.

“That’s enough.”

Kang Jin-ho waved his hand, stopping Bang Jin-hoon’s words.

“But, Chairman.”

“I have no intention of letting it slide.”

Bang Jin-hoon nodded.

If Kang Jin-ho said this, it was certain. Kang Jin-ho was a man who always kept his word.

“However, Wiggins is right that it’s not something we should rush.”

“But…”

“I won’t let it slide. We’re past that point. But we need to handle it carefully. Director Bang needs to be more restrained.”

Bang Jin-hoon slightly lowered his head as if he agreed.

“Lee Hyun-soo.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Speak your mind.”

Lee Hyun-soo got up from his seat, staggering slightly. His hollow eyes and rough skin seemed to show how much he had suffered, both mentally and physically.

However, the light in Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes was not dead at all. In fact, it seemed even sharper.

“Right now, the most important thing the Assembly needs to consider isn’t Kim Myung-chan’s whereabouts.”

“Then?”

“It’s about how far we should consider them as enemies.”

Wiggins let out a groan.

That was the most difficult and sensitive issue.

“Whether Kim Myung-chan betrayed us or not isn’t that important. What’s certain is that there’s a traitor within the government, and when that traitor is revealed, the question is how far we should consider those who cooperated with them as enemies.”

Kang Jin-ho took a deep drag of his cigarette.

“What do you think?”

“Everyone except one person.”

Lee Hyun-soo said firmly.

“Of course, ‘everyone’ doesn’t mean we’ll strike them all. If they are guilty, we shouldn’t turn a blind eye. There should be no exceptions.”

“Haven’t we already made an exception?”

“Frankly, that’s impossible.”

Lee Hyun-soo waved his hand.

“There’s no way to touch the top officials. We have no justification. The top officials are not people we can deal with by force. They are people directly elected by the people. Only the people can remove them.”

“Hmm…”

“However, there is one thing.”

Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes flashed coldly.

“If the top officials are the masterminds behind this, we need to consider how to make them pay the price.”

Wiggins chuckled and said,

“What’s the problem with that? South Korea doesn’t have a system of re-election.”

“…Huh?”

“There’s a good saying in South Korea. ‘A gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after ten years,’ or something like that?”

No, how do you know that!

Did you go to a language school or something?

“We can’t touch the top officials during their term. But their term will end someday, and we can make them pay the price then.”

“Do you think they’ll just wait quietly until their term ends?”

“That’s anyone’s guess. But one thing is certain: the Assembly is not a place that can be easily defeated just because the living power has reached out its hand.”

Everyone nodded.

There were many losses in this incident.

But if there was one thing they gained, it was the realization that the government, which they had thought of as a partner, could turn into an enemy at any time. So now, they had to accurately gauge the power of the government and push it into the category of a target to be wary of.

“So, for now…”

That was the moment.

Kwaaaang!

“What was that!”

“Is it an attack?”

Everyone in the room was startled and looked towards the door. An intruder who had smashed through the door was rushing towards Kang Jin-ho at lightning speed.

“M-Ma…”

The intruder who had rushed in fell to his knees right in front of Kang Jin-ho.

“L-Lord Elder?”

“Oh, Great Demon Lord!”

Kang Jin-ho looked up at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh.

Right, he thought something was missing.

“Oh, Great Demon Lord, how much hardship have you endured! We were incompetent, and such an absurd thing has happened! Oh, Great Demon Lord, please give us your command right now! If you just say the word, I will immediately lead the enraged Ilman followers and punish those wicked people! I will quench your anger with the blood of the enemies, and I will beg for your forgiveness with their heads! Oh, Great Demon…”

“Japan?”

“…Yes?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Jang Min with a blank expression.

“What about Japan? Why are you here?”

“It’s going well…”

Jang Min rolled his eyes, looking slightly flustered.

“What is?”

Jang Min banged his head on the floor.

“Oh, Great Demon Lord! It is true that I have not completed the order you gave, but I judged that there was a situation where your safety could be at risk…”

“Do you think I would be defeated by those guys?”

Jang Min’s shoulders trembled slightly.

Wiggins clicked his tongue at the sight.

‘Checkmate.’

If he said yes, it would be like ignoring Kang Jin-ho, and if he said no, it would be disobedience.

Anyway, that old man’s problem is that he’s too much, too much.

“P-Please understand my loyalty!”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

“I understand your loyalty enough. Too much, in fact. There’s no need to make such a fuss.”

“But, Oh, Great Demon Lord.”

Jang Min raised his head.

His eyes were calm, unlike before.

“It is clear that they tried to take your life, Oh, Great Demon Lord. As you well know, authority comes from appropriate punishment. No! From excessive punishment that is not appropriate.”

“I know.”

“If we don’t make them fully aware of the price they have to pay for targeting you, this will happen again and again.”

“I know that too.”

“Oh, Great Demon Lord.”

“I know, I said.”

Kang Jin-ho said in a cold voice.

“I have never let those who have wronged me go unpunished.”

Just as Kang Jin-ho was about to continue speaking, Bang Jin-hoon’s head turned to the side.

Lee Hyun-soo, who had met his gaze, flinched.

“W-Why are you looking at me?”

“It’s nothing, uh… I just looked, just because. It’s not like there was a reason.”

“I’m already paying the price too much! I would have been better off dead back then!”

“I don’t think it’s too late.”

“Wow, you’re so harsh.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled as he listened to their conversation.

‘They’re back.’

Seeing them joking around even after talking about serious matters, he finally felt like he was back in Korea.

“Everyone…”

As Kang Jin-ho spoke, everyone closed their mouths and looked at him.

“I know you have a lot on your minds. I’m also quite confused. This is something we’ve never experienced before.”

It wasn’t a situation where the enemy was clearly visible.

“But nothing changes. If there’s an enemy, we crush them. All we need to do now is to clearly identify who the enemy is.”

“We will strengthen the investigation and find Kim Myung-chan’s whereabouts.”

“We will try to extract information from the National Intelligence Service using Jang Pil-jae. That’s probably the most reliable way.”

“We can get information by using some of the politicians we have connections with.”

After Wiggins, Lee Hyun-soo, and even Bang Jin-hoon finished speaking, one person wore a triumphant smile.

“Shall I hack them?”

Kang Jin-ho stared blankly at Jang Min.

“Can you do that?”

“What do you take me for?”

…I’m asking because I’m seeing you as you are.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get all the information from these bastards.”

Jang Min was someone who was impossible to tell whether he was reliable or not.