Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1483

“I’m home.”

Kang Jin-ho opened the door and stepped inside. He always tried to wear a smile when entering his home, no matter what, but today, a good expression just wouldn’t come.

‘I’m terribly exhausted.’

Kang Jin-ho rarely felt physical fatigue.

Even when he pushed his body to its limits, he usually recovered almost completely with just a short rest.

However, when it came to mental fatigue, he was only slightly more resilient than the average person.

In other words, on days like today when he was mentally exhausted, even Kang Jin-ho couldn’t escape the effects of fatigue.

‘I’m never doing that again.’ Kang Jin-ho shook his head repeatedly.

He was starting to feel respect for Choi Yeon-ha. How could she remain so calm during filming that even left him drained?

Towards the end of the shoot, Kang Jin-ho was more exhausted than Choi Yeon-ha.

Kang Jin-ho realized that people definitely had their own areas of expertise.

“You’re back?”

“Yes.”

Baek Hyun-jung looked at Kang Jin-ho with a worried expression.

“My baby, your face is half its size.”

“Did something happen outside?”

“Oh, no. I had a CF [Commercial Film] shoot today, and it was a bit tough.”

“A CF? You?”

It was at that moment.

Thump thump thump thump thump!

With the sound of the floorboards cracking, Kang Eun-young sprinted towards Kang Jin-ho with all her might.

“Oppa! Oppa! You filmed a CF?”

“Yeah.”

“Why did Oppa film a CF? Is it because of that opening thing?”

“Yeah.”

Kang Eun-young’s face twisted like a demon.

“No! You’re my Oppa, how could you do that!”

“…What?”

Kang Eun-young’s eyes blazed.

“It’s Oppa’s business, so of course, I should be the model! Why did Oppa film the CF! I should have filmed it!”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head to look out the window.

What on earth…

Siblings…

What are they?

He had lived for decades, but he still couldn’t understand. What on earth was the purpose of a female human being with shared blood?

If God created the existence of a younger sister to irritate people, there couldn’t be a more perfect creation.

“Why would you film it?”

“Oppa, don’t you know?”

“…Know what?”

Kang Eun-young snorted.

“I’ve never done a TV CF before! If Oppa doesn’t take care of his sister, who will! If all my fans leave because of this, will Oppa take responsibility?”

“Why would I…”

Kang Jin-ho stopped speaking and shook his head.

No, he shouldn’t even say anything.

“I don’t care. I’m going to film it, so quickly reschedule the shoot.”

“We already finished filming today.”

“It’s not like you’re only doing one CF! I’ll do the next CF. How nice am I? I’m not even telling you to throw away the one you already filmed, and I’m not even asking for a fee. I’m offering to appear for free! If it were anyone else, they’d be running out barefoot to thank me…”

Splat!

Kang Eun-young twisted her body like a squid.

“Ah… Ack!”

Baek Hyun-jung glared and smacked Kang Eun-young on the back.

“What on earth is wrong with you, lying around at home and then bothering your brother who just came back from work! Why don’t you go away?”

“Mom, I’m trying to help Oppa!”

“I’m helping your Oppa too. If you don’t want your back to catch fire, go back to your spot. The sofa is waiting for you.”

“Tch!”

Kang Eun-young scoffed, but she didn’t want to get hit again, so she obediently headed for the sofa.

Only then was Kang Jin-ho able to escape from Kang Eun-young and leave the entrance.

“Are you tired?”

“I’m okay.”

“I heard that’s how business is. If you fail alone, there’s nothing to worry about, but the burden of potentially harming others is huge.”

Kang Jin-ho hadn’t really thought that far, so he felt a little embarrassed.

“Your father hasn’t been able to sleep either.”

“Why?”

“Why else, it’s because of that coffee. He hasn’t even come home yet. It seems like he’s been roasting this and that all night, even after closing the store.”

“I thought he had done all that a long time ago.”

“Who knows what’s going on in that man’s head. What was it? That… coffee factory, you know.”

“Yes.”

It was a bit embarrassing to call it a factory, given its size.

In any case, all the coffee beans used in the cafe that was opening this time were supplied by the coffee factory run by Kang Yoo-hwan. It was a state-of-the-art (?) factory that had achieved unmanned manual operation instead of full automation.

“It seems like there’s a difference between roasting in small batches and large batches, so he’s trying to find the best bean blend for large-scale roasting. I don’t understand it at all. Coffee tastes the same to me anyway.”

“Father has a good palate.”

“What good is a good palate! He’s so dull!”

Kang Jin-ho quietly closed his mouth. He couldn’t agree, and he couldn’t disagree. In these situations, it was best to keep his mouth shut.

Or maybe change the subject slightly…

“Father is working hard.”

“He is.”

It worked!

As Kang Jin-ho breathed a sigh of relief, Baek Hyun-jung spoke in a slightly worried tone.

“It seems better than just doing the same old thing, now that he’s older. But I’m a little worried that he might overdo it and hurt his health.”

“I’m sorry, it’s because of me.”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s a hundred times better than him just lazing around at home.” Baek Hyun-jung turned her gaze sharply as she said that.

Kang Eun-young, who received the sharp gaze, flinched and turned her body slightly.

“Anyway, Jin-ho.”

“Yes.”

“We’ll help you as much as we can, so don’t try to do everything alone. Your dad and your sister… they’re all trying to find a way to help you.”

Father probably is.

But Eun-young?

Mother, isn’t your love for your daughter a bit too much?

“What?”

“…Nothing.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly lowered his gaze.

No matter how much of a chairman of the General Assembly he was outside, someone the government was wary of, and someone who negotiated with the United States, when he came home, he was just a young son who caused all sorts of trouble.

It had only been a short while since he was released from prison and ate tofu [a traditional Korean custom after being released from prison]. So, he couldn’t even make a peep at home.

“Your mom doesn’t ask for much.”

“Yes.”

“Just when I die, if you hold my hand on one side and Eun-young holds my hand on the other, that’s enough for me.”

“What about Father?”

“He’ll take care of himself.”

“…Yes.”

Baek Hyun-jung sighed softly.

“That’s all I ask for. If I had to ask for one more thing, I’d want you two to get married.”

She does ask for a little bit.

“And while you’re holding my hands, it would be nice to see your grandchildren running around.”

She asks for a lot.

“And on top of that, it would be nice to have grandsons and granddaughters.”

She asks for waaaay too much.

“If I had to choose just one, it would be for you two to be healthy. You know what I mean, right?”

Don’t get hurt, and don’t ruin your health.

She had gone all this way just to say that. Knowing her heart, Kang Jin-ho smiled and nodded.

“Don’t worry.”

“Okay. Your mom believes in our son.”

“Yes. Then I’ll go take a shower.”

“Okay. Go wash up quickly.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled and got up from his seat.

“Hoo.”

After showering, Kang Jin-ho entered his room and sat on the edge of the bed. Then, he flopped onto the bed.

‘I’ve been doing this a lot lately.’

It felt somewhat new.

In the past, Kang Jin-ho didn’t lie down on the bed often. Except for when he was sleeping, he mostly sat in a cross-legged position. He used meditation or internal energy cultivation to replace rest.

But recently, as soon as he saw the bed, he would lie down on it. Just like how Kang Eun-young would flop onto the sofa.

‘Is it because I can cultivate internal energy without having to sit cross-legged?’

That wasn’t it.

Even in the past, he didn’t need to sit cross-legged to cultivate internal energy. There was a matter of efficiency, but if he wanted to, he could cultivate internal energy in any position.

It was just that Kang Jin-ho had changed.

In the past, Kang Jin-ho couldn’t escape the past even while living in the modern world. He knew in his head that no one was trying to kill him, but his body couldn’t relax.

But now?

‘My former subordinates would be shocked if they saw me.’

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

His remnants as the Demonic Heavenly Sovereign of the Demonic Cult were almost gone. It had been over ten years since he returned to this world, and he had finally become a person worthy of the title of modern-day Kang Jin-ho.

Unlike the time when he was desperately trying to adapt to this world.

Whenever Kang Jin-ho thought about his second life, he felt a subtle sense of incongruity.

Throughout his life in the Central Plains [a fictional setting often used in martial arts novels], Kang Jin-ho longed for his modern life.

Most of that longing was for his family, but even if he didn’t have a family, he would have longed for his life in modern Korea.

For Kang Jin-ho, a modern person, life in the Central Plains was a continuous series of unbearable hardships. But once he returned here, he would vaguely recall his life in the Central Plains.

It wasn’t easy for Kang Jin-ho, who had lived his entire life in the past Central Plains, to adapt to the modern world again.

Outsider.

There was no word that could describe Kang Jin-ho more clearly than that.

Kang Jin-ho was an outsider in the Central Plains, and he was an outsider in the modern world.

A life where he couldn’t adapt to either side had continued until now.

And…

‘Only now.’

After all this time of trying and trying, he finally felt like he had completely adapted to this world.

Kang Jin-ho wore a subtle smile.

His life was here now.

His family was here, and the people who loved him were here.

And he had colleagues he could trust and work with, and friends who trusted him unconditionally.

Wasn’t that enough?

Now, there was only one thing Kang Jin-ho had to do.

‘Protect it.’

Kang Jin-ho closed his eyes slightly.

Everything he was doing was ultimately for one purpose. To protect the happiness of those he cherished, those who made up his life, with his own hands.

If he could do that, Kang Jin-ho was willing to do anything.

Kang Jin-ho slowly opened his eyes.

‘The situation in China will be resolved soon.’

No matter how it was resolved, their next move was obvious.

Eventually, they would target this place. Whether Kang Jin-ho wanted it or not.

So, in the end, there was only one thing Kang Jin-ho had to do.

‘Become stronger.’

Both him and the General Assembly.

Enough to grasp everything and protect it.

Kang Jin-ho closed his eyes. Then, he began to sink deeper and deeper into his own inner self.

Something that seemed within reach but wasn’t.

To find a clue to surpass the former Demonic Heavenly Sovereign and reach a new realm.