Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1571

‘Lee Hyun-soo?’

He wasn’t in any of the reports.

His name was nowhere to be found on MK’s organizational chart, nor in any of the separate investigations.

“Welcome, Director.”

However, Prime Minister Go Han-bong naturally rose from his seat and shook hands with Lee Hyun-soo.

“Thank you so much for the warm welcome, especially on our first meeting.”

“Hahaha, how can you say it’s our first meeting? I know you, and you know me. Does it really matter if we’re meeting face-to-face for the first time?”

“I’m learning something new. You’re right, Prime Minister.”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled and bowed his head once more towards Jeong Hong-geun.

“Greetings, Chairman. I am Lee Hyun-soo.”

“Ah… Ah, it’s a pleasure.”

Jeong Hong-geun greeted Lee Hyun-soo with a slightly awkward tone. Then, Go Han-bong frowned slightly behind Lee Hyun-soo.

Jeong Hong-geun, sensing the change, quickly corrected himself.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Jeong Hong-geun.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Chairman. It’s an honor to meet you like this.”

Jeong Hong-geun flinched slightly at the word ‘Chairman’ coming from Lee Hyun-soo’s mouth.

“Well, please have a seat.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Jeong Hong-geun narrowed his brows slightly as he looked at Lee Hyun-soo, who had taken a seat. He relaxed his expression soon after, but the suspicion in his heart did not disappear.

‘The seat of honor?’

A seat has its own symbolic meaning.

The place where Lee Hyun-soo was sitting was the seat between the two people facing each other, usually called the seat of honor. [The most prestigious seat at a table, often reserved for the most important guest.]

In a place where the Prime Minister of South Korea and the Chairman of Taekwang are present, an unidentified person takes the seat of honor?

This was something that should not happen under normal circumstances.

Jeong Hong-geun was not in a position to sit in the seat of honor in the first place. If he were in a place with Go Han-bong, he would have to yield the seat of honor, no matter who he was.

The problem was that Go Han-bong, who arrived late, left the seat of honor and sat in front of him. When it was just the two of them, there was nothing particularly strange, but with the arrival of a new person, the situation became strange.

Another problem was that the young man naturally took the seat of honor and sat down without feeling uncomfortable or awkward. Someone who had not experienced social life might do that, but this young man did not seem like that.

Then?

‘Does he think it’s natural for him to sit there?’

It was absurd.

Not even Kang Jin-ho, but one of his subordinates, thinks he is superior to the Prime Minister of South Korea and the Chairman of Taekwang?

Jeong Hong-geun, suppressing the discomfort in his heart, managed his expression.

“I’m sorry for having to bring the two of you here while you’re busy… I’m just feeling apologetic.”

“No, Director. It’s an honor if you call us.”

Jeong Hong-geun raised his head and looked at Go Han-bong.

This was not something a subordinate would say to a superior.

‘Why is he acting like this?’

Without any pride?

‘No, that’s not it.’

That doesn’t make any sense.

What kind of person is Go Han-bong? He was someone who stood his ground and said everything he had to say, even during the harsh military regime, and suffered severe hardships. [A reference to South Korea’s past authoritarian governments.]

Former activists are people who have nothing left but their pride. There was no way such a person would throw away his pride.

Then, it’s one of two things.

Either the power that this Lee Hyun-soo has is so strong that Go Han-bong has to give up his pride, or Lee Hyun-soo’s position is actually higher than Go Han-bong’s, so he has no qualms about bowing his head.

Either way, the result is the same.

‘What is this…’

Jeong Hong-geun looked at Go Han-bong with a dumbfounded expression.

At the same time, Lee Hyun-soo did not miss the fact that Jeong Hong-geun’s gaze changed several times in a short period.

‘Think. Yes, think.’

He swallowed his laughter.

It was obvious what Jeong Hong-geun was thinking. He probably didn’t understand Go Han-bong’s attitude right now. And that thought was not wrong. Normally, Go Han-bong would never have shown such an attitude to Lee Hyun-soo.

The reason why he was acting so humble now was simple.

It was because he saw hope in restoring the relationship between the government and the General Assembly, which had been completely strained due to the Kim Myung-chan incident. The fact that Lee Hyun-soo contacted him first would be taken as a gesture of reconciliation.

If Go Han-bong could reconnect the relationship between the General Assembly and the government here, it would be a great achievement for him. It was an achievement that could not be publicly announced, though.

There was no way Go Han-bong wouldn’t know what Lee Hyun-soo wanted. Politicians at that level were almost like monsters, so they could catch what they had to do with a simple nuance.

Thanks to that, Go Han-bong was acting more humble than usual right now. Sending signals to Lee Hyun-soo from time to time.

“How is the Chairman doing?”

“He’s always doing well. Thanks to him, I’m suffering.”

“Haha, that’s how that position is.”

“I’m sure the Prime Minister has a lot of difficulties as well.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t say such things carelessly. I’m very happy, very!”

“Were you from Chungcheong Province?” [A region in South Korea known for its people’s indirect way of speaking.]

“Ahem.”

Go Han-bong coughed as if he was caught off guard.

Lee Hyun-soo opened his mouth with a smile.

“I’m sorry for making you busy people waste time with unnecessary jokes. The reason I brought you two here today is that I have a few things to discuss.”

“If you say discuss?”

“It seems the Chairman is thinking of building a good relationship with Taekwang.”

“Ah, the Chairman?”

Go Han-bong’s face lit up.

“He has made a big decision. That’s a good thing. It’s a really good thing for the country as well.”

“However, um…”

Lee Hyun-soo paused slightly.

“It seems he’s somewhat pleased, but if we’re going to do something, we should do it properly, shouldn’t we?”

“That’s right. A friendship that remains just a friendship is meaningless. A friendship must have an effect to be meaningful.”

Jeong Hong-geun couldn’t say anything and just kept his mouth shut.

The news that Kang Jin-ho’s mind had changed was something he had been hoping for, but the situation he was witnessing now did not allow him to simply be filled with joy.

“So, what I’m saying is…”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled.

“I’m thinking of doing some joint projects with Taekwang. Of course, they will be projects that will greatly benefit Taekwang.”

“Oh, you said projects? What kind of projects…”

“I’m thinking of making a foray into Japan. It’s something I’ve considered several times… I think it’s time to start. I told the former director, but I don’t know if the handover has been completed…”

“Ah, I know about that.”

“Then it will be easy to talk.”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled.

“I’m planning to enter Japan in partnership with Taekwang. The problem is that there are many things that are hindering this, so I think you, Prime Minister, will have to help a little. Can you help?”

“Haha, if a company is going to expand overseas, is there any reason for the government to oppose it? We should be the first to help.”

“It’s not just a simple corporate expansion.”

Go Han-bong’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Is this the Chairman’s intention?”

“Yes. It’s something you could call a long-cherished wish.”

“Then I will help with anything.”

Go Han-bong said firmly.

“It would be a pleasure if I could be of help in any way. I was already ashamed because of what happened during the previous administration, so it would be great if I could change the Chairman’s mind, even in this way, wouldn’t it?”

Lee Hyun-soo laughed lightly.

“You don’t have to worry about that. The Chairman is not the type to transfer personal matters to the group’s domain. The former director is the former director, and you, Prime Minister, are you.”

“It would be more than appreciated if you think that way.”

Jeong Hong-geun couldn’t get his head around it at all.

The conversation was passing by like a storm.

And within that fast conversation, there were enormous things.

‘How can they talk about such things as if they’re just having a casual chat?’

Japan this, expansion that, government help this, all these things were passing by quickly like snacks at a drinking party.

Jeong Hong-geun couldn’t quite grasp what stance he should take in that rapid development.

“What do you think, Chairman?” Go Han-bong asked Jeong Hong-geun with a smile.

“Yes? Ah, I’m not sure exactly what the content is…”

“The Chairman of MK says he wants to join hands with Chairman Jeong and expand into Japan.”

“Ah…”

How could he not understand that?

Shouldn’t there be details about what field they would be expanding into and how?

They were glossing over all the details, and how could they have a discussion like this?

“Isn’t it a good thing?”

“……Yes?”

“It’s a great thing for Taekwang. If I were you, I wouldn’t miss this opportunity. If you do well, it seems like an opportunity for Taekwang to become the best company in South Korea…”

This was not just a casual remark.

He was passing information to Jeong Hong-geun while pretending to be making casual remarks.

‘Something that can’t be said in detail. Something that requires cooperation, but can’t be publicly announced. In other words…’

An illegal act at the level of a joint public-private venture?

His spine tingled.

‘What the heck is MK?’

It was clear enough just from the conversation between the two of them. The one who was taking the lead between the government and MK right now was MK. To be precise, that young man was grabbing Go Han-bong and swinging him around.

‘Is MK a much more amazing place than I thought?’

It was at that moment that Jeong Hong-geun was desperately searching for something to say.

“However…”

Lee Hyun-soo picked up his glass and took a sip.

“There are also things that the Chairman is concerned about.”

“What…”

“A joint venture is not an easy thing. It’s something that can only be done if there is a firm trust in each other. Especially overseas, and it’s not possible to start a business in Japan with a flimsy relationship, is it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Actually, the Chairman doesn’t trust Taekwang that much. Ah, please don’t misunderstand. It’s not that he has any ill feelings. It’s just that there’s no friendship, and there hasn’t been anything to build trust. That’s why the Chairman would rather handle this with Jaekyung.”

Jeong Hong-geun’s face changed when the name Jaekyung came up.

‘Come to think of it…’

Chairman Hwang defended Kang Jin-ho with all his might.

He had thought there must be some kind of relationship… but he never thought that name would come up here.

“Hmm, Jaekyung, Jaekyung. But Jaekyung doesn’t have any particular relationship with Japan…”

“Yes. That’s why I’m persuading the Chairman. In the end, there’s only one problem. Whether to choose trust or information.”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled slightly as he looked at Jeong Hong-geun.

“But if only one thing is resolved, isn’t it an obvious problem?”

“That one thing is…”

“If Chairman Jeong can give our Chairman trust, there’s no more room for hesitation. What do you think, Chairman?”

Jeong Hong-geun gritted his teeth.

To be honest, he had no idea what was going on.

But…

When had he ever made a real choice knowing everything?

What he needed at times like this was not his head, but his gut feeling.

“If there’s anything I need to do…”

Jeong Hong-geun took a deep breath and opened his mouth firmly.

“I will do anything!”

Lee Hyun-soo curled up the corners of his mouth as he saw Jeong Hong-geun’s earnest eyes.

‘If you’re a greedy raccoon, you should come out like that.’

It’s a good day.

A very good day.