Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1413

[Hey, bro. They say all the kids are going.]

“Really? Will their attendance be okay?”

Kang Jin-ho figured it might not be a big deal if their attendance was a little off, but the kids at the orphanage were so sharp that they didn’t miss even the smallest details.

They woke up and went to school without needing to be told, and they took care of their own things without needing supervision. Sometimes, Kang Jin-ho felt like the kids were much more mature than he was.

Ah, except for Han Jin-sung.

[I heard that Chief Lee took care of it by calling everyone individually?]

“Oh? Really?”

[Yeah. It’s considered a field trip to the US, so they’ll approve it. Apparently, they usually allow about 7 days?]

“…The world has gotten better.”

Kang Jin-ho wasn’t sure if such a system existed back in his day. Well, even if it did, he never had a reason to go abroad anyway.

“So, everyone can go? Even the elementary school kids?”

[They’re not close to Yu-min hyung.] It’s a sad story.

Park Yu-min, who was the father of the Seongsim Orphanage, the workhorse of the Sangsim Orphanage, and the all-around handyman of the Seongsim Orphanage, was now hearing such words.

Well, now that he’d left the orphanage and only visited occasionally, he probably wouldn’t get the same treatment as before.

“Any other problems?”

[The orphanage teachers are happy too. They’re asking him to please come back slowly?]

What the heck are you guys doing at the orphanage?

Kang Jin-ho felt a renewed need to visit the orphanage again. Well, since Kang Jin-ho, Choi Yeon-ha, and Park Yu-min were all busy and couldn’t visit the orphanage properly, it was only natural that the atmosphere would be a mess.

[They said to buy them gifts.]

Ah, so it seems like they’re not on bad terms after all.

“Okay, I got it. Then I’ll prepare accordingly. Can you help with things like packing the kids’ clothes?”

[Don’t worry, bro. But there’s one thing I don’t understand…]

“Yeah? What is it?”

[I’m sure you handled it well… but we don’t have passports, and can you really get a passport in one day? And a visa too?]

“Huh?”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head.

“What’s a visa?”

[…]

Only Han Jin-sung’s silent sigh could be heard over the phone.

* * *

“Passport issuance complete! Visa issuance also complete!”

Kang Jin-ho stared blankly at the passports that were thrown onto the desk.

“…Can this really be done?”

“What part are you referring to?”

“Jin-sung said it would take time?”

“Hah…”

Lee Hyun-soo let out a short breath and wore a triumphant expression.

“Who do you think I am! I’m the capable Lee Hyun-soo of the Assembly!”

Kang Jin-ho vowed that he would never again mention the word ‘capability’ in front of Lee Hyun-soo, even as a joke.

He was so petty, getting hung up on that one word.

“I got cooperation from the government. They said there was no need to come in when I called, and they made them and brought them over. They also contacted the US embassy and got the visas issued quickly.”

“That’s possible?”

“What isn’t possible in Korea!”

Kang Jin-ho felt like he understood why Koreans were so obsessed with the word ‘success’.

No wonder people try to succeed.

“But there are laws…”

“There are no legal issues. One thing people misunderstand is that they think the rich and powerful can easily break the law, but in reality, successful people benefit more from these kinds of things than from legal loopholes. They need to understand that.”

Lee Hyun-soo chuckled.

“Though I shouldn’t be saying that as someone who benefits from those privileges.”

“No, but we haven’t even decided who’s going yet, or what to do with Choi Yeon-ha.”

“What does that matter? Just get them all, and those who don’t go can just not go. It’s not like there’s any problem with getting a visa or passport and not using it.”

It was an amazing way of thinking.

Sometimes, Kang Jin-ho found it hard to keep up with Lee Hyun-soo’s way of thinking. Kang Jin-ho would never have been able to solve things like that.

“Then what about the plane tickets?”

“We don’t need them.”

“Why? Are they hard to get?”

“No. I chartered a private jet?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Lee Hyun-soo with a dubious expression.

“Can that be arranged so easily?” Lee Hyun-soo grinned.

“Well, this was a bit tricky to get the government involved in, so I contacted the airline directly. I thought that if the government ordered it, the maintenance and service might be a bit lacking.”

“So what did they say?”

“They said they couldn’t do it originally, but when I offered three times the price, they said they’d prepare it right away?”

“…Three times?”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-soo replied with a satisfied smile.

No, but that’s public money…

Even if you’re the chief, spending the Assembly’s money so freely on personal matters…

“Ah, and this is a personal matter for the Chairman, so I handled it separately.”

At least he has some sense.

“But you handled it separately?”

“Yes. I charged it to the Chairman’s card.”

Why are you charging my card? It’s mine?

And my card limit is so high… No, before that…

“But do I even have a card?”

“Yes. I got one issued for you. I thought you might need it.”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes twitched.

They say the 21st century is all about personal information security, and now he knew what that meant. It felt like he was being robbed right in front of his eyes.

“We were able to handle things so quickly because we prepared in advance. Heh, isn’t this capability?”

He really shouldn’t say the word ‘capability’.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“Yes. Please do.”

“That card issuance thing, can Chief Lee do that without me?”

“Originally, the application forms and such are just to make the process easier. For someone like the Chairman, if you just throw them a bank statement, they’ll figure out how to make a card.”

Oh, that might be true. Right. But…

“But why does Chief Lee have it? If you got it issued, shouldn’t you give it to me?”

“You’re mistaken. Have you ever seen a CEO of a large corporation swipe their own card?”

No, he hasn’t.

He never had a chance to meet a CEO of a large corporation. Hwang Jung-hoo is a bit of an oddball, so he’s not a good reference.

“Originally, the secretary swipes it. And I’m practically the Chairman’s secretary, aren’t I?”

“…That’s true.”

“So, of course, I should have it. It’s obvious.”

It doesn’t make sense, but it does.

Kang Jin-ho stared blankly at Lee Hyun-soo with a dumbfounded expression, but eventually, he accepted it.

“You handled it well.”

“That’s right.”

As long as you get to Seoul, it doesn’t matter how you get there. Of course, a lot of strange things are happening on the way to Seoul… but as long as the result is good, that’s all that matters.

“So, is everything ready?”

“We’re still coordinating the hotel accommodations. But that’s not really a big issue. There are plenty of hotels.”

“Okay.”

If you say so, then it must be so.

“The transportation upon arrival is not very convenient, so I’m thinking of chartering a bus. I’m trying to find a good person to act as a guide, so I haven’t finalized it yet.”

“…Okay, sure.”

At this rate, he’ll even pack a lunch box.

“We can coordinate that when we get there. I’ll take care of it, so don’t worry about it.”

“Yes. So, I’m planning to change it if I don’t like it when we get there. There are a lot of people, so I can’t do it all by myself.”

“Huh?”

“Yes?”

“Are you going too?”

“Of course. Have you ever seen a needle go without thread?”

No, why are you my thread?

“No, I don’t think you need to go that far. I can speak English, and Chief Lee has things to do, so there’s no need for you to follow me…”

“Have you been to the US?”

“I haven’t.”

The only places he’s been are China. Oh, and he briefly stopped by Japan.

“The US has a different culture. If you think you can get by just by speaking English, you might be in trouble.”

“Has Chief Lee been there?”

“I haven’t either.”

Should he trust this guy?

“But how do you know so much about American culture?”

“I’ve watched a lot of American dramas. I have some recommendations too.”

Put it away.

Put it away, you idiot.

Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply.

But Lee Hyun-soo’s expression didn’t change at all.

“It’s not just that issue, there are many other things, so I need to go. I need to contact the private jet company, check the situation in Korea, and most importantly, pick up the tickets. Do you think you can meet all those people and get the tickets?”

“…You got the tickets?”

“They’re all sold out. So, I found the people who bought them and contacted them personally to buy them back. They said they’d sell them if I offered 30 times the price.”

“It’s a win-win for everyone. Ah, of course, the Chairman will have to pay for this.”

It’s because of guys like you that scalping doesn’t disappear.

But he had to acknowledge his ability.

Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply.

“Okay. Then let’s go together. So, are all the other problems solved?”

“There’s one very important problem left.”

“What is it?”

“I’m still debating whether to bring one more person because of what you mentioned.”

“What did I mention?”

“Culture.”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head, as if he didn’t understand.

“No, if you’re going to bring someone because of that, then people going on a tour of the US should form a party…”

“It’s not a general issue. It’s a problem related to the Murim world [a fictional world of martial arts and cultivation].”

“Huh?”

Kang Jin-ho blinked as if he had heard something completely unexpected.

“There’s that in the US too?”

“Wouldn’t there be? Basically, the US was founded by people who came from England. It’s not that strange that they share the same culture.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded blankly.

He didn’t know what was going on, but if that’s what they said, then he’d just go with it.

But there was one thing he couldn’t understand no matter how much he thought about it.

“But is that a problem?”

“Of course, it’s a problem. Because the person going to the US is none other than the Chairman.”

“…Why is that?”

“Is there anyone in the Murim world who doesn’t know who the Chairman is? They probably know even on the other side of the world?”

“…That much?”

“I don’t know about other places, but they’ll know in the US. They’re crazy about information. They might even know more about the Chairman than China does.”

“…That much?”

Lee Hyun-soo chuckled.

“I was wondering if we’d even get the visa, but seeing how quickly they issued it, it’s probably one of two things. Either the embassy doesn’t know the Chairman well, or they know and want to observe him up close.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded quietly.

The US and the Murim world.

There couldn’t be a more mismatched combination.

“So, who are you suggesting we bring?”

“Someone who is likely to know the Murim world in the US, and who knows their culture well enough to avoid creating conflict. There’s only one person, isn’t there?”

“Ah…”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

There was definitely one person in the Assembly who could do that.