Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1389

The Blood Demon didn’t lift his head from the floor.

Utter reverence.

And respect for the strong.

Watching this, Kang Jin-ho was lost in subtle thoughts. Although he was currently in the martial world of Korea, the place that revered and feared him the most was actually China.

Especially those who grew up listening to the legends of the Demonic Cult and the Heavenly Demon Lord feared Kang Jin-ho even more.

Jang Min was like that, and so was the current Blood Demon.

Of course, the Blood Demon had once attacked Kang Jin-ho, but that was why he showed even more unwavering respect. If he didn’t, he would die.

The Blood Demon carefully opened his mouth.

‘They want the Demon Lord.’

‘After making such a fuss about killing me?’

‘Because they failed.’

It was a calm statement.

‘Do you think I’ll join hands with them?’

‘No, Demon Lord. They don’t think like that.’

‘Why?’

‘Because if they don’t, there’s no way for them to survive.’

‘Hmm.’

The Blood Demon carefully spoke again.

‘Because of this incident, their relationship with the Three Kings has reached its worst. To guarantee their safety, they need only one thing. The power to balance things out. A power that none of the Three Kings can touch them first.’

The Blood Demon slightly raised his head and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

‘You possess that power, Demon Lord.’

Without waiting for an answer, the Blood Demon continued to explain.

‘They thought they already had that power. They believed that if they could properly utilize their military might, they could compete with the Three Kings. But thanks to you, Demon Lord, they realized that it was just a pipe dream.’

Kang Jin-ho slightly tilted his head back.

The sound of his head hitting the wall echoed in the room.

‘From my experience in North Korea, it seemed more than enough?’

‘No, that’s only possible in North Korea. Even if they know you’re here, Demon Lord, can the state just fire cannons and missiles here?’

Absolutely not.

In a developed country like South Korea, even a cannon fired into an uninhabited mountain would be quickly detected. Although China is vast, it also has a large population. It was practically impossible to deceive so many eyes and silence so many mouths.

‘Moreover, what they have to face is not just one person like you, Demon Lord. If a war breaks out with the Three Kings, it would be no different from a civil war. Do you know what China fears most?’

‘A civil war?’

‘China is a nation created by suppressing numerous ethnic minorities with the power of the central government. Even now, if there’s even a small opening, it wouldn’t be strange for it to split into numerous independent states. The place where this is most evident is Tibet.’

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

It was a well-known fact worldwide that China was carrying out ruthless killings and completely restricting the freedom of Tibetans to prevent their independence.

‘If a civil war breaks out, there might be more places than just Tibet trying to become independent.’

In that case, the central government must prevent a civil war at all costs. China’s current power comes from its size and population. If the population were to decrease by just 30%, China’s influence would be reduced by more than half.

‘Continue.’

‘Therefore, for them, forming an alliance with you, Demon Lord, is not a matter of choice or understanding. It’s a paramount task that they must achieve for their survival.’

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at the Blood Demon before taking out a cigarette from his pocket. He put the cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

Click.

The white smoke slowly scattered into the air.

‘Hmm.’

Kang Jin-ho, after exhaling the smoke, looked at the Blood Demon and said,

‘So…’

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

‘Your attitude doesn’t seem like that of their envoy. There’s no need for you to open up this information to me, is there?’

‘That is exactly as you say, Demon Lord.’ The Blood Demon bowed his head respectfully.

‘Their intention is as such. They will try to form an alliance with you, Demon Lord, no matter the cost. But that’s just to save face, it doesn’t mean they will pledge their loyalty to you. They may have raised the white flag now, but they will try to betray you again at any time.’

‘And you won’t?’

The Blood Demon raised his head and looked at Kang Jin-ho. His eyes curved into a crescent shape. But his gaze was as serious as ever.

‘Demon Lord, I am their dog.’

‘You know that well.’

‘But the reason I became their dog is very simple. It’s because that’s the only way to survive.’

‘You became a dog to survive?’

‘Is that wrong?’

The Blood Demon asked back.

‘Since the story of Tibet came up, let me say this, intermediate martial sects that have not properly established their power have no way to survive. That was the case with the Potala Palace, and that was the case with the Demonic Cult. If you, Demon Lord, had not appeared, the Demonic Cult would have lost its lineage before a generation passed.’

Kang Jin-ho readily nodded.

That was true.

The reason why the Demonic Cult was able to maintain its name before Kang Jin-ho returned was because Jang Min was still alive. But Jang Min couldn’t live forever either. The moment his lifespan ended, the Demonic Cult would have lost all its cohesion and disappeared into history.

‘The Demonic Cult was oppressed. But the oppression the Demonic Cult received cannot be compared to the oppression the Blood Cult received. We were shunned by everyone. Even by those of the same demonic path.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and corrected the Blood Demon’s words.

‘You weren’t shunned. You rejected them. When I was unifying the demonic path through the Demonic Cult, the only one who refused me and declared that they would walk their own path was the Blood Cult and the Blood Demon of that time.’

‘That foolish decision has led to the current situation. If the cult members could go back to the past, they would try to chew the flesh of the Blood Demon at that time.’

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at the Blood Demon.

‘So, what is it that you want to say?’

‘Please accept us.’

Thud!

The Blood Demon slammed his head on the floor.

‘We want to correct the mistakes of the past. Demon Lord, we need a place to lean on and rest. Just as the Demonic Cult has found comfort in your embrace, we also need a roof and a fence. If you allow us, we want to serve you and pledge our loyalty.’

The Blood Demon’s eyes shone with utmost sincerity.

‘If you just allow it, I will step forward and resolve this situation. I know everything about them, and I can use all their information. There is no one who knows better than me what benefits you can get from them, Demon Lord.’

Kang Jin-ho, who had been quietly looking at the Blood Demon, opened his mouth indifferently.

‘It doesn’t sound like something someone who sent out zombies to attack people should say?’

‘Demon Lord, as I said, I am a dog. A dog has no way of knowing the strength of its opponent other than by biting. Only after biting and getting beaten does it truly know its master.’

‘So you’ve been beaten enough?’

‘I have only come to know who the rightful master I should pledge my loyalty to is.’

He thought that the world was ultimately ruled by science and weaponry. So he just stuck to the stronger side. But his experience with Kang Jin-ho completely changed the Blood Demon’s thinking.

Surely, such a world might come someday.

But not yet, not yet.

As long as these monsters with human names live and breathe, the world of the martial artists will not end. The Blood Demon believed so.

Kang Jin-ho chuckled softly.

‘You must have oiled your tongue. You’re talking like a waterfall.’

Thud, thud!

The Blood Demon slammed his head on the floor twice again, and without lifting his bleeding head from the floor, he opened his mouth.

‘You can kill me. If all this is over, I will die in your hands. So please, just accept the cult members as part of the Demonic Cult.’

‘Raise your head.’

The Blood Demon quietly raised his head. The blood that had seeped from his forehead trickled down his face.

‘I don’t spare those who have targeted me once.’

‘I know.’

‘But…’

Kang Jin-ho said, leaning his head against the wall.

‘There are always exceptions.’

Since there was already an exception named Bator. And there was also an exception named Lee Hyun-soo.

So, could the Blood Demon also be included in that exception?

Well.

‘Blood Demon.’

‘Yes, Demon Lord.’

‘I don’t trust you.’

‘Trust is something that builds up over time. I have no reason to believe in your loyalty, and you have no way to prove that loyalty to me.’

‘I…’

‘Loyalty that comes with benefits is not loyalty.’

The Blood Demon quietly bit his lip.

Kang Jin-ho was right.

Loyalty is something given without any compensation.

Saying that he would pledge loyalty if his safety was guaranteed was just a transaction.

But from his perspective, this was the best he could do.

‘Is this a failure?’

Just as he was about to close his eyes in despair, unexpected words flowed from Kang Jin-ho’s mouth.

‘So, stop talking about loyalty and such nonsense. I never asked you for that.’

The Blood Demon raised his head abruptly.

‘Bring me benefits. Then I will protect you. I will give you a place to live, and I will make your name last forever as the name of the cult. How much I give you will depend on how much you bring me.’

Joy filled the Blood Demon’s face.

‘Of course, Demon Lord. I will never disappoint you.’

‘So, stop with the pathetic act. It makes me nauseous to watch.’

The seriousness disappeared from the Blood Demon’s face.

Then, he looked up at the Demon Lord with a bright smile.

‘Was it that obvious?’

‘It was disgusting to watch.’

‘I’m sorry. I thought I had to act serious for you to understand. It’s not really my style, though.’

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

This was good enough.

‘Blood Demon.’

‘Yes, Demon Lord.’

‘In the first place, those who belong to the demonic path, whether they are from the Blood Cult or the Demonic Cult, are all mine.’

‘Go and prove your worth. How much I value you will depend on what you do.’

‘Demon Lord.’

The corners of the Blood Demon’s mouth twisted upwards.

‘Is it okay if I make a big mess?’

‘I allow it.’

The Blood Demon jumped up from his spot and bowed once again.

‘Please wait here for a moment. I will show those who dared to oppose you, Demon Lord, what the pain of hell is like.’

‘Keep one thing in mind.’

‘Yes.’

‘Don’t think about solving it with martial arts.’

‘Of course. If it was something that could be done with martial arts, you, Demon Lord, would have already taken their heads.’

Their blood-soaked heads.

‘Go.’

‘Yes! Demon Lord, I will see you again soon.’

The Blood Demon’s body melted into the shadows.

As soon as his presence completely disappeared, Kang Jin-ho took out a new cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

‘Interesting.’

Something unexpected had happened.

Watching what kind of solution they would come up with wouldn’t be so bad either.