Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1559

A high-end restaurant. Wine is poured into a glass next to a slightly cooled steak. As the wine, like a long silk thread, filled the glass halfway, the server retrieved the bottle and bowed respectfully. “I hope you have a pleasant time.” Jeong Hong-geun thought the words were quite ironic. A pleasant time… That would depend on the person’s standards. Normally, those words would have held meaning. A private meeting with someone of this stature would usually bring him immense benefits. But not now. He had nothing to gain from this person now. Jeong Hong-geun narrowed his eyes, looking at the person sitting across from him. A neatly parted hairstyle, gold-rimmed glasses beneath it, a soft smile, and a gentlemanly suit. But all of this failed to describe the person before him. There was only one word to describe this man. The Prime Minister. The Prime Minister of South Korea. Koh Han-bong, who had taken over as Prime Minister of South Korea after the disgraced Kim Myung-chan, was sitting right across from him. “Please, eat.” “Ah, I’m fine.” “It’s an expensive steak, you know?” “It’s better than feeling unwell.” Koh Han-bong smiled faintly. “Well, I suppose a chairman like you can have steak like this anytime. It’s a rare opportunity for me…” “You seem quite concerned.” “Indeed. I used to get free meals, but times have changed, haven’t they? If a high-ranking official is caught accepting free meals, they’ll be in trouble.” “Can you call the Prime Minister a public servant?” “Haha, an appointee is still a public servant. If you’re paid with taxes, you’re a public servant. What else is there to it?” Koh Han-bong chuckled and picked up his knife to cut the steak. “Isn’t it a bit overcooked?” “As you get older, you prefer it well-done. It’s different when you’re young. When you’re young, you can eat raw meat without any problems, right? You have the vigor, and a stomach that can digest anything.” “That’s true.” “But as you get older, even if you eat the same things as before, your stomach will act up. If it’s not well-cooked, your stomach won’t accept it. Isn’t that right, Chairman?” Koh Han-bong asked casually. But Jeong Hong-geun didn’t bother to answer. He knew that the words weren’t about the meat. “You must be very busy.” “Haha, you’re the same, aren’t you? You’re one of the busiest people in South Korea.” Koh Han-bong put a piece of meat in his mouth and began to chew. After slowly eating the meat, he took a sip of wine and looked directly at Jeong Hong-geun. “But I’ve heard you’ve been doing some rather different things lately.” Jeong Hong-geun’s lips pressed together slightly. ‘Just as I thought.’ The Prime Minister had suddenly contacted him for a meal. But no matter how he thought about it, there was no reason for the Prime Minister to call him, except for this one. “Just what….” Jeong Hong-geun opened his mouth, his eyes still filled with tension. “What is it about that guy that makes everyone act like this?” “Haha, what do you mean? I only invited you here because I heard you were wasting your time on unnecessary things, and I was concerned.” “Concerned?” “Of course, I’m concerned. The economy isn’t doing well these days, and Taekwang, one of the pillars of South Korea, needs to do its part, don’t you think?” Koh Han-bong took a napkin and wiped his mouth. “That person is also very concerned. The situation is getting worse. At times like this, large corporations need to play a leading role. There are high expectations.” Koh Han-bong frowned. ‘How well he talks.’ When did he start implementing all sorts of policies to crack down on big businesses, and now he’s spouting such nonsense? Well. This wasn’t Koh Han-bong’s problem. All politicians were the same. They were like businessmen. They tried to grab anything that benefited them and coldly cut off anything that was a loss. “Taekwang has no problems.” “Not yet, that is.” Koh Han-bong said firmly. “There are no problems yet, not yet. But if you keep neglecting your management duties and doing other things, what will happen to Taekwang? Is there anyone who doesn’t know that Taekwang has come this far because of your efforts alone?” “…So, you called me because of that concern?” “As I’ve already said…” A smile appeared on Koh Han-bong’s face. “That person is very concerned. So much so that they specifically mentioned Taekwang, or rather, you, Chairman.” “That person hopes that Taekwang will play a big role. Then, wouldn’t that be good for Taekwang too? It’s a win-win situation. Haha.” That person. Jeong Hong-geun couldn’t possibly not know who that was referring to. That’s why he couldn’t shake off the question. ‘Why is even the President protecting that guy?’ Is he really the President’s hidden son? Anger surged up. The suppressed anger and defiance rose again. It was something unimaginable for the usual Jeong Hong-geun, but the current Jeong Hong-geun was cornered. So, he couldn’t just laugh off the other’s smile. “If I…” Jeong Hong-geun grabbed his wine glass and downed it in one gulp. Clank! Jeong Hong-geun put down the wine glass and glared at Koh Han-bong with slightly reddened eyes. “If I keep doing this, what exactly will happen?” “…Chairman.” “Isn’t it you who pressured the prosecution and police to prevent a proper investigation?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Haha, you don’t know! You don’t know anything!” Jeong Hong-geun burst into laughter. “You should keep not knowing anything!” Now, Jeong Myung-chul was no longer important. Who had touched Jeong Myung-chul was no longer the issue either. This was already a problem between Jeong Hong-geun and Taekwang. “Are you going to put a leash on us if we don’t listen? After all the support we’ve given, are you going to act like it never happened and crush us?” Koh Han-bong listened to Jeong Hong-geun’s shouting without saying a word. “Try it! Do you think Taekwang is that easy to deal with!” As Jeong Hong-geun finished his outburst, Koh Han-bong offered him a glass of cold water. “Please, drink.” Jeong Hong-geun glared at Koh Han-bong before grabbing the water and gulping it down. As he put down the glass, Koh Han-bong sighed. “It seems there’s some deep misunderstanding…” “Misunderstanding?” “Yes. It’s a misunderstanding.” “Everything that’s happened so far…” “It’s not that!” Koh Han-bong interrupted Jeong Hong-geun for the first time. “We are truly worried about Taekwang, and about you, Chairman.” Suspicion filled Jeong Hong-geun’s eyes. What was he talking about now? “It may sound strange, but that’s the truth. And we are not protecting that person. Don’t get the wrong idea, Chairman. This isn’t a fight between us and Taekwang. We have no reason to do that.” “It’s not like we’re trying to protect that person for some reason, as you might think. As I said from the beginning!” Koh Han-bong loosened his tie slightly, looking uncomfortable. “It’s not good to keep going on like this.” His tone lowered. The words also lost some of their substance. He returned to a vague tone. “That person is truly worried about you, Chairman. And I am also worried about you, Chairman. Please return, Chairman. It’s still okay. If you stop now and return to your main job, everything will be peaceful. We can help you with that much.” “…And if I don’t, what will happen?” “Do you really need to ask?” Jeong Hong-geun closed his mouth. Didn’t know? No, he couldn’t not know. Everything that had happened so far, Jeong Myung-chul’s reaction, and even the Prime Minister directly mentioning the President and applying subtle pressure. All of it pointed to a single outcome. “…What kind of people are they?” “You don’t need to know. You shouldn’t know. Chairman, there are people in this world that money or power cannot control. Using money and power against them is meaningless. And most importantly…” Koh Han-bong’s voice trembled slightly. “Violence is not the answer.” “If it has come this far, there are only a few options left for you, Chairman. And you shouldn’t use any of them. Chairman, don’t touch their weak spot. You’ve already crossed the line. They… they are not merciful.” Jeong Hong-geun didn’t miss it. The moment he mentioned ‘they,’ a faint fear flickered in Koh Han-bong’s eyes. Who could possibly make the Prime Minister of South Korea afraid? “Is it because of Prime Minister Kim Myung-chan?” “The incident you know is just the tip of the iceberg. There were actually many more things that happened.” “…Like what?” “That’s not important. What’s really important is the result of that incident. Do you have the courage to face the same result, Chairman?” Jeong Hong-geun’s hand trembled. What had happened to Kim Myung-chan? Kim Myung-chan, locked in a cold solitary cell, had lost his mind. He had become a madman, screaming incomprehensibly every day and endlessly writing down nonsensical things. Could he handle such a result? He’d rather die. “I didn’t come here to warn you. I came to give you advice… no, a request. Chairman, stop there. If you don’t, we will never be able to face each other again. It’s not me who will make that happen. Please keep that in mind.” Koh Han-bong stood up from his seat. Jeong Hong-geun stared at the table for a moment before suddenly lifting his head. “Kang Jin…” “Shhh!” Jeong Hong-geun closed his mouth. “…Don’t say that name so carelessly. You must forget everything. And live as if you know nothing. I’ll say it again, Taekwang still has a role to play.” Taekwang still had a role to play. In other words, Taekwang could also collapse. A ridiculous story. An unrealistic story. But if that story came from the mouth of the Prime Minister of South Korea, it was no longer a joke, and it gained a sense of reality. “I hope we can meet again, Chairman.” With those words, Koh Han-bong left the room without looking back. Left alone, Jeong Hong-geun stared silently at the table. His shoulders trembled slightly. ‘What the hell is it?’ As he lifted his head, he seemed to see a dark abyss. Something without substance, something untouchable. But an abyss that was endlessly deep and impossible to fathom. That was what Jeong Hong-geun was trying to grasp. Until the server visited the room again to close the restaurant…. Jeong Hong-geun remained there, speechless and dazed.