Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1410

The world remained unchanged.

Whether it was the upheaval caused by Kim Myung-chan’s actions or the uproar surrounding Choi Yeon-ha’s scandal, with time, they were nothing more than past stories.

The world simply flowed on, crushing all those events.

MK quickly regained stability.

Although MK suffered the most significant damage from this incident, paradoxically, it was the least affected. The cash flow was blocked, putting them in a position where they couldn’t do anything.

“It’s okay. We didn’t have anything to do anyway.”

It was a sad assessment, but it was the undeniable truth.

While a typical company would have been severely impacted by a mere week of frozen bank transactions, MK was a company with no transactions, no work, and no expenses.

Even a paper company would have more transactions than MK.

Lee Hyun-soo summarized the situation in one simple sentence.

“I don’t know whether to be happy or sad.”

And Kang Jin-ho wholeheartedly agreed with that assessment.

What was fortunate was that even though payday came during the period of frozen transactions and salaries couldn’t be paid on time, no one expressed any dissatisfaction.

Even Hwang Min-soo couldn’t hide his bewilderment at this.

Well, you know…

None of the employees currently working at MK were short on cash. And since MK’s employees were inherently part of the Assembly [a group or organization], they simply believed that the Assembly would take care of things no matter how bad it got.

This wasn’t necessarily due to loyalty to Kang Jin-ho.

Still, it was something to be grateful for.

Kang Jin-ho’s surroundings also quickly regained stability.

His father reopened the cafe he had closed. It seemed he had opened the shop to try and remain steady when Kang Jin-ho was first taken to the detention center, but as his time there increased, he eventually closed it.

According to his mother, he had even started smoking again after more than ten years of quitting.

‘I need to check on my father’s health again.’

Kang Jin-ho felt many things from this incident.

The importance of the people around him.

The gratitude for those who supported him.

The fragility of the foundation he stood on.

And more than anything else…

“So incompetent…”

Lee Hyun-soo and Wiggins’ eyes twitched.

Sluuuurp.

Kang Jin-ho sucked on his iced Americano, looking at the two with a pathetic gaze.

Lee Hyun-soo and Wiggins looked very wronged, but Kang Jin-ho had no intention of indulging their whining this time.

“Chairman… this was an unavoidable situation. We tried, but there was nothing we could do.”

“That’s right. The country was going crazy with the court, what could we possibly do?”

“Then what about me?”

Ah…

Why did you have to go and solve that?

Kang Jin-ho said with a sulky look.

“And yet you still manage to get your salaries.”

“That measly amount…”

“Measly?”

“…No, let’s call it a dragon’s tail [a small but valuable thing].”

Lee Hyun-soo sighed.

‘They should have solved it no matter what.’

This was a matter of trust.

Lee Hyun-soo and Wiggins had solved any task Kang Jin-ho had ordered them to do. But once trust is broken, it inevitably affects future tasks.

‘No, it’s more of a matter of ability than trust.’

That was the bigger issue.

They could accept being treated as untrustworthy, but they couldn’t stand being treated as incompetent. Especially for Lee Hyun-soo, this was an unbearable issue.

His personality was terrible, but his abilities were outstanding.

It was a phrase he had heard countless times, and it had become Lee Hyun-soo’s pride. If you take away ‘outstanding abilities’ from that, all that’s left is ‘terrible personality’! Damn it!

“It was a bit disappointing this time, but it’s just this once. This won’t happen again.”

“We’ll see.”

At that moment, a strange voice reached Lee Hyun-soo’s ears.

‘Chinese?’

From behind Kang Jin-ho’s shadow, a person slowly rose.

‘A kid?’

No.

He was youthful, but not a child. Rather than feeling young, it was more like… just looking at him made you feel unpleasantly sinister.

“I couldn’t understand exactly, but it seems like you’re saying you’ll prove your abilities… needing multiple chances to prove your abilities is incompetence in itself.”

Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes twitched as he looked at the smiling man.

Seeing that he appeared from behind Kang Jin-ho, he wasn’t an enemy…

“You?”

Lee Hyun-soo jumped up from his seat.

Come to think of it, he looked familiar. It was the face of the guy who had flipped their car in China before.

“Why are you here!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t understand, you bastard!”

The man who appeared.

Blood Demon chuckled and stood behind Kang Jin-ho.

“Is there something wrong with calling incompetence what it is?”

“You…”

“I don’t do such pathetic things. Proving one’s abilities is important to everyone.”

Blood Demon spoke arrogantly.

Just as Lee Hyun-soo was about to say something, Kang Jin-ho extended one hand to the side, palm open.

“Here it is.”

Then, Blood Demon politely placed the plastic cup of iced Americano in Kang Jin-ho’s hand.

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded as if satisfied.

“Have you ever thought about switching to a career in quick delivery?”

“If it’s delivering to the Demon Lord, I’m always ready. Just say the word.”

What is with this sycophant?

His reaction is so different from when he talks to me.

It was as if a dog’s tail was wagging from Blood Demon’s rear.

“Ch, Chairman, that guy… isn’t he the one who attacked us?”

“Yeah. Like you.”

Oh. Right.

I did attack you.

“Th, that’s not the point. That guy shot an anti-tank missile at the Chairman! He’s crazy!”

“Yeah. You blew up a bomb and buried me alive in a tunnel.”

Wiggins, who had been listening quietly, turned to Lee Hyun-soo with a dumbfounded expression.

“…Really?”

Why are you bringing up old stories?

That was ages ago! I’ve turned over a new leaf!

Wiggins couldn’t hide his bewilderment and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

“And you still let him live?”

“I wonder about that too. Why did I let him live? It’s not like I was possessed… Thinking about it makes me annoyed.”

“Ha, haha…”

Lee Hyun-soo laughed awkwardly.

“You’ve gotten better at joking since you were in detention for so long.”

“I was in solitary confinement?”

“You must have been talking to yourself.”

No, that’s not the important thing right now.

“Anyway, why is that guy here?”

“He’s going to join the Assembly. His position is Elder.”

“Elder? That young guy?”

Kang Jin-ho quietly nodded, and Lee Hyun-soo frowned.

“Ch, Chairman, if that guy becomes an Elder… no, before that, I’m against that guy even joining the Assembly, but even if he has to join, you shouldn’t give him the position of Elder. It’s too high.”

“Why is that a problem?”

“Why is it a problem? The position of Elder is too high. Of course, there’s no rule that says someone young can’t hold a high position, but the members will have to bow their heads to someone who hasn’t even properly proven their abilities. I, for one, don’t feel good about it.”

“…Why?”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head.

“Ha…”

It seemed to be a clash of perspectives.

“Just imagining myself calling that guy ‘Elder, Elder’ and bowing my head…”

“No, I’m saying, why would you bow your head? Why is an Elder higher than you?”

“Huh?”

Because he’s an Elder.

That’s a high position…

Lee Hyun-soo, who had realized something, widened his eyes and asked Kang Jin-ho in a trembling voice.

“Ch, Chairman, when you think of the Elders of the Demonic Cult [a fictional group or organization], what kind of position do you think they would hold in the Assembly?”

“Team leader?”

“Or maybe a section chief?”

Ah, that’s what he meant. Now I understand… No, I don’t understand?

“An Elder of the Demonic Cult should at least be considered an executive…”

“Executive?”

Kang Jin-ho’s head tilted to the side.

“What have those guys done to be executives?”

“All they’ve done is act like old fogeys in a failing Demonic Cult. Just because they’re old, you want to make them executives?”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled contentedly.

‘No wonder the Demonic Cult Elders never attended meetings.’

I thought they were separating the Assembly and the Demonic Cult. But then, it wouldn’t make sense for Jang Min to attend every meeting.

I couldn’t tell if this was rational or just strange.

“But they have experience in that position…”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head to look at Blood Demon.

“It’s the same for you. I’m giving you the title of Elder for the sake of the Blood Cult members, but don’t expect to be treated well.”

“I don’t expect that. Demon Lord, I didn’t come here to be favored by you. I came here to serve you with my abilities. I can earn any position with my abilities.”

Blood Demon looked at Lee Hyun-soo with a crooked gaze.

“Unlike some people.”

“Hey, you little…”

Blood Demon ignored Lee Hyun-soo and looked around.

“This is a good place. A really good place. This is a place where the powerful and the powerless live together. If someone like that was in the place I was, they wouldn’t last two days before getting their head chopped off.”

“If you were in Korea, you would have been dead by my hand already, you bastard! You should be grateful that the Chairman is being lenient.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Bloodlust flickered in Blood Demon’s eyes.

“Take responsibility for that…”

Thump.

Kang Jin-ho grabbed Blood Demon’s head and slammed it into the floor.

Thwack!

The sound was so tremendous that even Wiggins, and Lee Hyun-soo, who had been arguing with Blood Demon, were shocked and stared.

Blood Demon didn’t move, his head buried in the floor.

“It seems you didn’t understand, the person in front of you is your superior.”

“I understand, Demon Lord. However, I simply didn’t gauge the level of etiquette required for a superior here. Please forgive me.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

“Get up.”

Blood Demon smiled and jumped up from his spot.

Was it strange that Kang Jin-ho suddenly slammed someone into the floor, or was it strange that the guy got up as if nothing had happened after such an impact?

Lee Hyun-soo stopped thinking.

“Anyway, he’ll be working with us from today. Try to get along quickly.”

“With that guy?”

“Well, I’ll follow your orders, but… it won’t be easy. He’s a superior I really don’t like…”

The two started glaring at each other, and Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“Do whatever you want.”

Sluuuurp.

The iced Americano was sucked into Kang Jin-ho’s mouth.

Wiggins, who had been watching the whole situation, smiled and came to a conclusion.

‘Another weirdo has joined us.’

Wiggins wished there was just one normal person he could talk to comfortably, but he knew too well that his dream would never come true.