Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1543

Lee Hyun-soo swallowed hard.

‘Which part is it?’

Is it a moral issue, or something else?

Lee Hyun-soo’s biggest concern was that Kang Jin-ho wanted the General Assembly to be different from the past Japanese Empire.

The imperialists of the past had presented a textbook on how to best exploit a country. If they tried to deviate from those methods one by one, they wouldn’t be able to do anything.

“Which part do you not like…”

“It’s not bad for a while.”

The power can be increased, and the amount of funds that can be extracted will also increase.

“But as a result, Japan’s power will be strengthened.”

Ugh…

Lee Hyun-soo tilted his head slightly.

“Teaching a few hundred people won’t dramatically increase their power.”

“That’s true now. What about after we die?”

Lee Hyun-soo stared blankly at Kang Jin-ho.

Did he have to think that far?

“Didn’t you feel it?”

“Yes?”

“I’m saying, didn’t you feel anything while fighting Japan?”

“I don’t really…”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“Japan is different from China or Europe. China is a place that tries to incorporate everyone under the name of China for the single goal of being the center of the world.”

“Yes.”

“In other words, their goal is to become one.”

“I understand what you mean.”

Even though ridiculous problems are occurring in the process of becoming one.

“But Japan is different. Japan bites the weak. They think it’s natural to bite anyone who is even slightly weaker.”

“National character doesn’t change easily. Even if we disappear and a hundred or two hundred years pass, their tendencies will remain. Perhaps someone in the future might suffer because of the seeds we sow.”

If that happens, that someone in the future will be Korea.

Kang Jin-ho didn’t like that fact.

“Wouldn’t it be okay if we continuously get stronger?”

“When I was in the Central Plains…”

“…Yes?”

“Could you have imagined that the Central Plains would check the Korean General Assembly and China would check Korea?”

They couldn’t have.

Back then, Korea was truly insignificant.

“Things that don’t happen often do exist. But once something happens, it will happen again someday. If we underestimate things now just because we’ve cleaned everything up, we’ll get bitten in the ankle someday.”

“Oh…”

Kang Jin-ho lit a new cigarette and said.

“Is it absolutely necessary?”

“I think so.”

As Lee Hyun-soo finished speaking, Kang Jin-ho looked at the other directors.

“What do the others think?”

The first to speak was Jang Min.

“Great Demon Lord, we should do as you wish.”

Just as he thought it was an obvious statement, Jang Min added.

“That place is the territory you conquered, and it is your domain. I’ve heard that the Great Demon Lord of the past did not hesitate to use the warriors of the conquered lands as arrow fodder.”

“That’s right.”

“The reason why the Demonic Cult [a powerful martial arts sect] was able to unify the Central Plains and raise its flag throughout the world was because the Great Demon Lord gained practical benefits. There’s no reason to hesitate now about what you did in the past.”

“Hmm, what about the others?”

Bator chuckled and said.

“There’s no need to worry about the distant future. They’ll take care of it themselves.”

“I hope you don’t think I’m saying this because I’m not Korean, Master. Even if Mongolia were involved in this, my answer wouldn’t change.”

Bator spoke in a serious tone.

“It’s natural for elders to think about future generations. But the future is something that future generations who live in it must create. Mongolian warriors do not create comfortable paths for their children and descendants. They make them grow by worrying and getting hurt themselves.”

Bator said firmly.

“Overprotection only makes them weak.”

“Hmm…”

He nodded as if he understood.

“I think so too.”

Bang Jin-hoon spoke in a slightly grumbling tone.

“I’m having a hard time making a living right now, so what’s the point of talking about future generations?”

He was overly cynical.

“People who have children wouldn’t say such things.”

“No. How did that guy become a Korean old man? Hey, Director. Aren’t you British?”

Wiggins gave a wry smile.

In fact, he was also slightly contemplating his identity these days.

“Anyway, that’s how it is. Descendants? Children? What’s the big deal? Do the kids from rich families in Gangnam [a wealthy district in Seoul] live comfortably because their parents love them so much? They just live well because their parents have a lot of money. If I live well, my children will live well, and if I do well, my children will do well. It’s the same for future generations.”

“Wow!”

Lee Hyun-soo looked at Bang Jin-hoon as if he was impressed.

“What, man!”

“Oh, no. It just doesn’t sound like something Director Bang would say.”

“That’s because he’s never raised a disciple, so he hasn’t thought about these things. You, you just need to do well, right?”

“Uh… that’s right.”

Bang Jin-hoon shook his head.

“I used to worry a lot about the future of the General Assembly and such things. But no matter how much I worried, the result was always the same. In the end, the only thing I can do is to do well now. Only then will there be an environment to raise disciples well.”

“Oh…”

“To be blunt…”

Bang Jin-hoon twitched his lips.

“What’s the point of worrying about the future of Japan when we’ll all die if we can’t stop the Three Kings? We should be doing everything we can. Master, aren’t you getting too relaxed these days? If it were the Master I knew, you would have told us to draw their blood right now, let alone worry about the future.”

Kang Jin-ho was speechless.

‘Me?’

Wait… was I that kind of character?

Lee Hyun-soo also slightly agreed.

“That’s right. You’re the Master who invaded Yeongnam [a region in Korea], killed all the kids, confiscated all of Yeongnam’s assets, and dragged all the remaining warriors to make them subordinate organizations of the General Assembly.”

“That’s a bit different from this…”

“Well, it’s not that different. It’s not like we’re making the Japanese into subordinate organizations of the General Assembly. In a way, we’re being more lenient.”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

‘They really don’t listen to me.’

But he definitely agreed on one thing.

Now is not the time to nitpick. The important thing is not prosperity, but survival.

Surviving is the top priority. The rest can be thought about after surviving.

“What do you think, Wiggins?”

“We must not abandon human morality.”

Wiggins said firmly.

“But I don’t think this is against morality. They were the ones who started the war in the first place, so they have to pay the price.”

Wiggins curled up the corners of his mouth.

“Well, if the history of the Japanese martial world continues, we might be distorted as invaders who sucked their blood, but who cares? The evaluation of the future doesn’t matter.”

One thing is certain.

‘These guys all have bad personalities.’

He didn’t know how he had gathered only these kinds of people, but Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but admire the personalities of the General Assembly’s board members.

“I understand.”

And Kang Jin-ho agreed with that opinion.

“Let’s do it, Chief Lee.”

“Yes.”

“Draft a plan on how to proceed.”

“I’ll start right away.”

“Who’s the right person?”

“I think Director Bang is the right person.”

Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes widened.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Jang Min Elder was in charge of the Japanese side. Why am I suddenly going there?”

“This is closer to a conciliatory measure. Elder Jang Min is basically harsh to those who are not on his side.”

In a way, it was a negative assessment in front of the person himself, but Jang Min shrugged as if it was natural.

“Why show mercy to the enemy? There is no such thing in the teachings of the Great Demon Lord!”

Ah…

The culprit of all this slightly lowered his head.

Lee Hyun-soo thought that he would have to address this issue later and continued.

“Director Bang is the right person to sort out the ones who are reasonably cooperative and control them.

I know you have a lot of work to do and it will be hard, but I ask for your help.”

“Ah, no, well… it’s not that I don’t want to do it…”

Bang Jin-hoon scratched the back of his head.

Until now, he had focused on internal affairs rather than external affairs. In other words, he had been in charge of the General Assembly’s internal affairs. So, the reality of being in charge of external affairs felt a bit awkward.

“Anyway, I understand. If I have to do it, I have to do it. I just said that we have to do everything we can, so I can’t back out.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“Jang Min, help Director Bang.”

“I will follow the will of the Great Demon Lord. I will help Director Bang Jin-hoon and produce results that will satisfy the Great Demon Lord.”

“Good.”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head.

“Wiggins.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“It seems like Lee Hyun-soo has something in mind. Talk to Lee Hyun-soo separately and think about how to proceed.”

“Understood, Lord.”

Wiggins’ gaze was fixed on Lee Hyun-soo.

It meant, ‘What are you up to now?’ but Lee Hyun-soo just smiled.

‘Will Wiggins dislike it?’

That’s unlikely.

For him, Europe is no longer the land where he was born and raised.

The conversation won’t be that difficult.

“The meeting was a bit complicated, but the conclusion seems simple.”

Kang Jin-ho said firmly.

“We’ll do whatever we can. To survive.”

The words that came out of Kang Jin-ho’s mouth definitely had a different weight. The faces of the relaxed directors hardened with firm resolve.

“The Three Kings are difficult opponents. The situation is not good for us. Everyone, think hard about what we need to do to survive.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“I will do my best, Master.”

Kang Jin-ho put the half-burnt cigarette in his mouth and took a deep drag.

‘Me too.’

It was half a joke, but the words that Kang Jin-ho had become a bit relaxed pierced him sharply.

It’s not something to particularly regret.

That’s how humans are.

No human can live with the same tension for 365 days a year. If there is a human who lives like that, they will soon collapse from exhaustion.

The important thing is not to regret, but to clearly recognize one’s current state.

If you’ve relaxed, you just need to tighten up.

‘What else can I do now?’

Kang Jin-ho fell into a slight contemplation.

This is not something that can be figured out in a short period of time.

A topic.

This was a topic given to Kang Jin-ho.

The outcome of the war with the Three Kings may depend on how he solves this topic.

Kang Jin-ho glanced at Lee Hyun-soo.

Come to think of it, Lee Hyun-soo had been thinking about all of this on his own. Perhaps this process could be helpful to Kang Jin-ho.

“But Chief Lee.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Why did you suddenly think of this? Is it the result of your worries?”

“Ah, well…”

“Huh?”

Lee Hyun-soo scratched the back of his head slightly.

“Those bastards have been acting up lately.”

Kang Jin-ho stared blankly at Lee Hyun-soo.

“So, I got pissed off, and it suddenly came to me. Hehe.”

“…Didn’t you say you didn’t have any bad feelings earlier?”

“It’s not bad feelings. It’s a rational decision. They say they made a rational decision, so there’s no reason why we can’t.”

Anyway, he’s not someone to trust. Anyway.