Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1381

A listless gaze scanned his entire body.

Kang Jin-ho swallowed hard without realizing it.

He had lived receiving countless gazes. Among them were gazes filled with resentment, and gazes filled with trust.

There were also gazes tinged with subtle fear, and of course, gazes full of affection.

But none of those gazes had ever made Kang Jin-ho feel as chilled as this one.

“Hmph.”

The slight, high-pitched sniff made Kang Jin-ho flinch.

It felt as if a cold chill was radiating from Choi Yeon-ha, who stood on the other side of the acrylic barrier.

“I’ve never in my life…”

“No…”

Even the formidable Choi Yeon-ha was at a loss for words.

And why wouldn’t she be?

After all that hardship, she had barely managed to return to Korea, only to find that her boyfriend was locked up in a detention center.

It would be stranger if she wasn’t mentally shaken.

“…Um, Mr. Kang Jin-ho.”

“Yes.”

“Is this, like, a hidden camera prank?”

“I’m incredibly dumbfounded right now, you know?” Cold sweat beaded on Kang Jin-ho’s forehead.

When the situation had turned out this way, he had thought there were two things that would be the most difficult to deal with.

One was how to explain this situation to his family.

Since they had already seen him being arrested, there was no need to explain that he was detained. But he had to make them understand why this had happened.

And the other was how to show this side of himself to Choi Yeon-ha….

‘What kind of action is this…’

Choi Yeon-ha didn’t even give Kang Jin-ho time to worry and came straight to the detention center.

It seemed she had heard the news about Kang Jin-ho as soon as she got off the plane and had come directly to the detention center.

Choi Yeon-ha’s sharp gaze pierced Kang Jin-ho.

Kang Jin-ho unconsciously leaned back slightly. Even the guard observing from behind shivered at the unknown chill.

“National Security Law ~ what?”

“National Security Law?”

Choi Yeon-ha chuckled.

“Seriously, is this the Fifth Republic era? [A period of authoritarian rule in South Korea] How can someone be arrested under the National Security Law? What do you think?”

Kang Jin-ho gave a wry smile.

He knew, and Choi Yeon-ha knew too.

How absurd the charges against Kang Jin-ho were.

“It’s not, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Okay. That’s all I need to know.”

Choi Yeon-ha nodded with surprising composure.

“…That’s it?”

“Well, if the person involved says it’s not true, why would I not believe them?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Choi Yeon-ha with slightly wavering eyes.

He wasn’t worried about the others. Because the people of the General Assembly knew why Kang Jin-ho was in this situation, and his family would understand no matter what he had done wrong.

But Choi Yeon-ha was different.

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t explain everything to her. Yet, he had to make her understand the situation he was in. He had been struggling with this difficult mission, but Choi Yeon-ha had nodded as if she understood.

“Thank you for understanding…”

“Why would Mr. Kang Jin-ho do something like that? He has so much money he doesn’t know what to do with it. And Mr. Kang Jin-ho, you don’t know anything about politics.”

“He doesn’t have some grand conviction in life, he just lives day by day, so the National Security Law is just nonsense.”

It was nice that she understood so well, but…

What should he say, uh… it felt a bit strange….

“Why did this happen?”

“Ugh…”

“Did you do something wrong?”

“Well, that’s…”

Kang Jin-ho scratched his head.

If asked if he had violated the National Security Law, he would confidently say no, but when asked if he had done anything wrong, his tiny conscience pricked him a little.

In the end, there was only one answer he could give.

“Things got a little twisted.”

“But there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll sort it out soon.”

Choi Yeon-ha looked at Kang Jin-ho silently without answering.

Kang Jin-ho, who was about to make some more excuses, closed his mouth. A single tear fell from Choi Yeon-ha’s inner eye, which seemed expressionless.

Choi Yeon-ha turned her head as if nothing was wrong and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

‘Of course, she wouldn’t be okay.’

Thinking about it, it was obvious.

Choi Yeon-ha was the type of person who hated showing weakness to others, so she was just pretending to be calm, but inside, she must have felt like the world was collapsing.

Even ordinary people would have a hard time keeping their sanity if their boyfriend was imprisoned for violating the National Security Law, let alone Choi Yeon-ha, who had been going through a series of hardships recently.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I should be the one comforting you, but I’m just asking questions and showing you my pathetic side.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled slightly.

She was a really strange woman.

Usually, in this kind of situation, they would either ask what the hell was going on or try to avoid getting involved as much as possible, but she was instead feeling sorry for not being able to comfort Kang Jin-ho.

“Is it okay for you to come here? You have an image to maintain.”

“Who cares? Do you think I’m in a position to worry about that right now?”

“What if there’s an article about it?”

“Let them write it. Do I have some disease where I’ll die if I can’t be a celebrity? If I can’t do this job because of a scandal, Mr. Kang Jin-ho will have to support me. You have so much money.”

“It looks like I’m about to lose it all.”

“It’s okay. With your skills, you won’t starve even if you work on a construction site. I’m surprisingly cost-effective, you know.”

“…Ha.”

Kang Jin-ho laughed.

It was the first genuine laugh he had had since entering the detention center.

“Don’t worry about the company. It must be in chaos, but I’ll do something about it.”

Kang Jin-ho raised his head and looked at Choi Yeon-ha.

“What? Why? I’m still a director, and the only people higher than me in the company are the chairman and the president, so they have to listen to me. What are they going to do?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then what is it?”

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t speak and just laughed.

‘That’s right.’

He had thought he was receiving help from Choi Yeon-ha. In many ways.

But the help Kang Jin-ho was thinking of was only in a mental sense. He had never really thought that Choi Yeon-ha would be directly helpful in his life.

But now, Choi Yeon-ha was trying to support his life.

It was strange.

Kang Jin-ho had wanted to give.

What he wanted in this life was just small happiness. For that happiness, he thought he had to sacrifice and support others.

But when Kang Jin-ho was in crisis, those he thought he was supporting were trying to support him.

Come to think of it, they had never tried to unilaterally receive something from Kang Jin-ho. They had always tried to give something back as much as Kang Jin-ho gave.

It was just that Kang Jin-ho had pushed it away. He realized that fact anew.

“Do Lee Hyun-soo and the others know about this?”

“Yes.”

“Tell them I’ll take care of the company, so they should focus on this. Or should I introduce you to a lawyer I know well?”

“It seems like they’re busy working on this, so it’ll be fine.”

“Is the food okay? I heard prison food is terrible.”

“It’s edible.”

“Should I put in some food for you? Or some money?”

“…I don’t think I need it.”

“You never know, so I’ll put some in and go.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

He didn’t think he needed it, but this wasn’t for Kang Jin-ho, it was for Choi Yeon-ha. She probably wanted to feel like she had done something.

“Anyway, I… I really can’t live like this.” Choi Yeon-ha turned her head slightly.

It seemed she didn’t want to show Kang Jin-ho her face right now.

After a short, or perhaps long, time of turning her head and calming herself, Choi Yeon-ha turned her gaze back to Kang Jin-ho.

“Every time this happens, I really don’t know what to do. I want to be helpful to you, but it seems like I’m never helpful in the things you go through.”

“You’re helpful enough.”

This was Kang Jin-ho’s sincere feeling.

“I’ve never once thought you weren’t helpful.”

Kang Jin-ho looked directly into Choi Yeon-ha’s eyes and said. At that gaze, Choi Yeon-ha let out a low sigh.

“If you couldn’t talk, I wouldn’t hate you. How did I get caught up with such a thug…”

“I thought you were a thug, but you were a mob boss, and I thought you were a mob boss, but you were an international mafia… now what? National Security Law? Did I date a spy in my life?”

“…Absolutely not.”

Choi Yeon-ha’s eyes narrowed.

“I can give up my acting career, but I can’t die with the rumor that Choi Yeon-ha retired because she fell for a spy, so clear this name no matter what. Got it?”

“Of course.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled brightly.

“Don’t come anymore. I’ll be out soon.”

“That’s up to me. If you’re so upset, refuse the visit. I’ll come once a day to annoy you, so if you want to stop me from coming, get out of here as soon as possible.”

“…I’ll try.”

Her words didn’t sound like a joke.

“Ah, and…”

Kang Jin-ho sighed and said,

“Please don’t tell the orphanage.”

“…Are you worried about that in this situation? You need to stop being so nosy.”

“It’s nothing, but I’m worried the kids might worry for no reason. Just tell them I went abroad for a while. And don’t tell Yoo-min either. It’s an important competition, she needs to focus.”

“You, really…”

Choi Yeon-ha bit her lower lip tightly.

She couldn’t understand Kang Jin-ho, who was thinking of others even in this situation.

Choi Yeon-ha, who had slightly raised her eyebrows, eventually sighed.

‘What can I do, he’s always been like this.’

Choi Yeon-ha had been drawn to that side of Kang Jin-ho after all.

It was thoughtless to blame Kang Jin-ho now.

“But you can really get out, right?”

“Yes. I can get out.”

“How long will it take?”

“…I can’t guarantee that.”

Choi Yeon-ha’s eyes trembled. Kang Jin-ho, who saw that look, turned his head slightly.

“Is this guy crazy! Trying to make someone a widow! Hey, you! If it’s not a death sentence or life imprisonment, anyone will eventually get out!”

“Ah, no, it’s not that…”

At most a few years.

No, a few months.

Kang Jin-ho scratched the back of his head. He couldn’t specify an exact date either. It could be tomorrow, or it could be a few years later.

Choi Yeon-ha smoothed out her distorted face and let out a deep sigh.

“Hey, Mr. Kang Jin-ho.”

“Yes.”

“I can’t wait that long.”

Choi Yeon-ha stared intently at Kang Jin-ho.

“There’s a limit to what fillers and Botox can do, so get out before I get any older and uglier. That way, you’ll be less wronged, right?”

Kang Jin-ho smiled and nodded.

“It won’t take long.”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes became resolute.

“I promise.”

Choi Yeon-ha lowered her head slightly.

‘He’s really a con artist.’

How could he have that face in this situation? It really made her angry sometimes. Choi Yeon-ha, who had cleared her throat, raised her head.

“Just you wait until you get out. I’m really going to pull out all your hair this time.”

The problem was that her words didn’t sound like a joke.