Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1390

‘…We failed to secure a proper lawyer.’

Upon hearing Lee Hyun-soo’s report, Wiggins quietly closed his eyes. It felt like a needle was piercing a corner of his head.

‘Even the lawyers who initially agreed to take the case have been resigning. They say the defense is too difficult.’

‘That bad?’

‘It seems the government’s pressure is beyond imagination.’

Wiggins sighed deeply.

‘I figured.’

A nation is essentially the culmination of all the power humanity possesses.

They only restrain that power in the name of human rights and protecting their citizens. But if the nation were to lift those restrictions and unleash its full force, no individual or group could stand against it.

Frankly, the aftermath is the only issue. Even the corporations that supposedly control South Korea could be dismantled in less than a month if the government truly set its mind to it.

Fighting against such a nation is an incredibly difficult task.

Moreover, this isn’t even a battlefield where the Assembly [a group or organization] feels confident.

‘It would be better to fight an army.’

In terms of raw power, even if they were outnumbered, there would be ways to fight back. At least they could go down swinging.

But not here.

‘Our side isn’t the only one having trouble. MK is also trying to form a defense team, but… it doesn’t seem easy.’

Wiggins nodded slowly.

‘Well, we don’t have any other choice. We have to keep struggling. How’s the evidence gathering going?’

‘We’re trying our best, but…’

‘Damn it.’

It felt like they were falling into an endless abyss.

‘How about the EU?’

‘Not good.’

Wiggins sighed deeply.

‘The Lord’s prolonged absence is working against us. After our sluggish response, they’re starting to suspect that the Lord might not be able to get out of prison.’

‘…That’s the worst.’

‘The Master is trying to sort things out, but… it seems even he’s having trouble getting full cooperation from the Knights. We’ve become like a tiger with its teeth pulled out.’

Lee Hyun-soo gritted his teeth.

‘Master, no, Director.’

‘…What?’

‘Isn’t there no other way now?’

Wiggins couldn’t bring himself to answer.

How could Wiggins not know?

They had failed.

Winning in their territory, fighting on their terms, was impossible from the start. They even had the power to manipulate the battlefield as they pleased.

They would lose a hundred times out of a hundred.

No, they would lose every single time, even if they fought a thousand times.

‘I think it’s time to make a decision.’

‘A decision?’

Lee Hyun-soo spoke with cold eyes.

‘How about we just turn everything upside down?’

‘It’s not that difficult. If you give me permission, I’ll do it.’

‘What do you plan to do?’

‘We just need to kill Kim Myung-chan.’

‘…It’s not something that will end with just Kim Myung-chan. Do you think he could have done all this alone?’

‘Then we just kill the rest of them, wouldn’t we?’

Wiggins laughed in disbelief.

Not because what Lee Hyun-soo was saying was absurd, but because his own heart was saying the same thing.

‘If we’re going to get screwed anyway, we might as well put up a fight. I’d rather kill all those bastards and go to jail.’

‘Trying to save the Assembly will destroy the country.’

‘Let it be destroyed.’

‘…Director Lee.’

Lee Hyun-soo looked him straight in the eye.

‘Isn’t the purpose of a nation to protect its tax-paying citizens? If that nation considers us enemies, why should we protect it? It’s better if it just collapses.’

‘Get a grip on yourself.’

‘I’m being perfectly rational right now. I’ve thought about this countless times since this whole thing started. Those bastards are holding the rest of the citizens hostage. They believe that no matter how much they mess around, we won’t dare to eliminate them.’

Lee Hyun-soo gritted his teeth.

‘There’s only one way to deal with a madman running wild. Either smash their head in or put them in restraints. If they refuse to be restrained, we have no choice but to beat them down.’

Wiggins closed his eyes.

Part of him wanted to agree with Lee Hyun-soo.

But it was impossible for him.

‘No.’

‘Director!’

‘If you really want to do that, get the Lord’s permission. Then I’ll allow it too.’

‘…You know that’s impossible.’

‘If you know it’s impossible, why are you still insisting?’

Lee Hyun-soo gritted his teeth.

‘The Chairman would never allow it. It’s a way for only him to be comfortable while everyone else suffers. There’s no way he’d allow something like that. That’s just the kind of person he is.’

‘But we’re different. We’re willing to suffer for his sake!’

Wiggins rubbed his temples.

‘I understand what you’re saying. I won’t tell you to just endure it. But let’s think about it a little more.’

‘Master.’

‘Do you think I’m happy just sitting here and doing nothing?’

‘I want to run over there and put holes in those bastards’ heads more than you do! I’m the one who’s been doing the work they were supposed to be doing. But there are principles that people have to uphold. And those bastards have abandoned those principles.’

Wiggins gritted his teeth.

The sound of his teeth grinding echoed in the room.

‘So, let’s wait a little longer. My patience is about to run out.’

It was then.

‘There’s no need for that.’

The door opened.

At the same time, a man bowed and entered the room.

There were countless people in the world, but there was only one person who had to bow to enter that door.

‘Bator-nim [a respectful title, similar to ‘Sir’ or ‘Lord’].’

‘You’ve arrived?’

‘It took a little longer than I expected. The Chinese were blocking my departure. I didn’t know the Mongolian government was so wary of China. It’s never happened before.’

Bator gave a wry smile.

His expression showed that he was bothered by the fact that he had been relaxing in Mongolia while the situation had escalated this far. Though no one thought he had been relaxing.

‘The time for patience is over. I’m going to see the Master.’

‘Bator-nim, please calm down…’

‘Do I look like I’m agitated?’

Wiggins couldn’t say anything.

Bator’s eyes were coldly calm. There was no sign of agitation.

Well…

That was just the kind of person Bator was. Despite his large build and rough manner of speaking, he was surprisingly thoughtful and sharp-minded.

‘It gets harder as time passes. Because the time we’ve endured becomes more precious. Sometimes, you have to be bold.’

‘Thinking that taking the Master out will put us at odds with the government is the problem. Just as we can’t do anything to them, they can’t do anything to us.’

‘But isn’t that just ruining the Chairman’s life?’

‘We have to endure the inconvenience. But trying to avoid inconvenience will lead to something truly irreversible.’

‘Bator-nim.’

Just as Wiggins was about to say something, Bator lightly raised his hand.

‘That’s enough talk.’

‘I’ve already made up my mind. And this isn’t the decision of Bator, an executive of the Assembly, but the decision of Bator, the human being. If you want to stop me, you’ll have to take me down.’

Wiggins sighed deeply.

Who could stop Bator?

Unless Jang Min returned, there was no one in the Korean peninsula who could stop Bator. And even if Jang Min were here, would he really stop Bator?

He would clap and cheer him on.

‘Is this how it ends…’

He had worked so hard for so long to avoid this situation. But in the end, all of that had been for nothing.

‘…Do as you wish.’

‘Director Lee!’

‘Maybe this is the right direction. No, even if it’s the wrong direction, I can’t take it anymore. Just the fact that the Chairman is in prison is making my insides rot.’

Lee Hyun-soo bit his lip.

‘It’s like they’ve put a barrier around him and told him not to come out. It would be better if the Chairman were an ordinary person who couldn’t get out of prison on his own. This is not some childish game.’

Wiggins sighed.

If everyone except him was saying the same thing, then he was probably wrong. Wiggins didn’t absolutely believe in his own rationality, nor did he think that his own thoughts were the only truth.

‘Alright. But keep one thing in mind. If you’re going to break him out, don’t leave any evidence or footage.’

‘I’m aware of that. Then I’ll leave right now. Lee Hyun-soo, lead the way. I need a guide.’

‘Yes. I…’

It was then.

Bang!

Wiggins looked at the door with an annoyed expression.

‘Does this sect teach people to kick down doors?’

No one ever opened the door quietly. They all knew who was inside.

‘Director Bang?’

Wiggins frowned as he saw who had entered the room.

‘Didn’t I tell you before, you don’t kick doors, you…’

‘Ah, this isn’t the time for that!’

That’s not the time?

Just as Wiggins’ face flushed with anger, Bang Jin-hoon grabbed Wiggins’ shoulder.

‘Come quickly.’

‘Let go of me!’

‘No, I’m not kidding! It’s a mess right now! Hurry!’

‘Huh?’

Wiggins narrowed his eyes at Bang Jin-hoon’s expression.

It felt like there had been a similar situation before, but the reaction was subtly different. If Bang Jin-hoon had been pale as a ghost back then, now he was surprised, but something was…

Wiggins, sensing that the situation had changed, ran after Bang Jin-hoon.

Lee Hyun-soo and Bator followed behind.

Bang Jin-hoon, leading the way, arrived at his office.

‘Why here…’

‘That! Look at that! Quickly!’

‘Huh?’

Bang Jin-hoon pointed to a large TV.

Just as Wiggins was wondering why he was making such a fuss about having a TV in his office, the news screen on the TV caught his eye.

‘Is something happening in China?’

The screen showed a scene of the Chinese Communist Party’s meeting, with the chairman announcing something.

Wiggins, who had been watching the screen casually, fixed his gaze on one spot.

The bottom.

There were subtitles written in Korean at the bottom of the screen.

And the moment Wiggins saw the words written in the subtitles, he forgot all decorum and gaped.

– Chinese Communist Party. Central Military Commission member arrested for colluding with the South Korean Prime Minister.

‘Wh, what is that?’

Wiggins’ eyes widened as much as they could.

‘What does that mean? Is that actually on the news?’

‘That’s what I’m saying!’

‘Colluding with the South Korean Prime Minister? Crazy!’

Even if it were true… no, it must be true!

How could such a thing be on the news? Unless the Communist Party had gone mad, how could they announce it so openly?

‘…What the hell is going on?’

One thing was certain.

The situation had begun to turn around. In an unbelievable way.