Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1577

“Just how did you manage to change Chairman Jung’s mind?”

“Well…”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled faintly.

“Isn’t it all thanks to what the Prime Minister told him?”

“That alone couldn’t have changed a person so much. And recently, it seemed like he had completely turned his back.”

“Let’s just say we clicked.”

Lee Hyun-soo shrugged.

“That’s how relationships are. Even people who were enemies yesterday can become friends overnight if they get to know each other and their hearts connect.”

“Hahaha, that’s true.”

Ko Han-bong laughed heartily.

However, his heart wasn’t laughing.

‘That Jung Hong-geun…’

According to recent reports, Jung Hong-geun is completely turning his group upside down to create a joint venture with the Assembly.

He’s been working energetically, as if his previous businesses don’t even matter anymore.

It’s not difficult to threaten and pressure someone into working. But it’s really difficult to make someone work passionately.

Ko Han-bong, who leads an organization, knew that difference better than anyone. If the people filling that massive organization would work hard voluntarily, efficiency would increase several times over.

And the fact that he made Jung Hong-geun, who is not an ordinary person and is full of pride, act like that was truly amazing.

“That’s usually how it goes.”

“…Yes?”

“Our Lord Chairman doesn’t do things halfway.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Lee Hyun-soo shrugged.

“As you’ve seen, those who get to know the Lord Chairman well become one of two things. They either completely understand the Lord Chairman and try to work together, or…”

“Become enemies.”

“Yes. It’s strangely like that. Maybe it’s because his personality is so strong.”

Lee Hyun-soo joked.

Ko Han-bong shook his head at the jest.

“Anyway, it’s fortunate that Chairman Jung has come forward proactively. Then, can the plans that the Assembly has been working on proceed as planned?”

“If the government helps, it will be processed smoothly. You need to take care of the joint venture approval. After all, even creating a new subsidiary requires large corporations to go through all sorts of regulations.”

“I’ll try to enact a special law at the appropriate time. The higher-ups are also enthusiastic about this matter.”

Lee Hyun-soo grinned.

‘They would be enthusiastic.’

There’s no reason to dislike it when they can legally plunder another country. It’s all tax money and money that goes into the national treasury.

If it’s something that can fill his own coffers, there’s no reason to dislike it.

“But is it really okay? Their backlash won’t be easy.”

“I have no intention of fighting in the legal realm.”

Lee Hyun-soo doesn’t take Japan lightly.

They are as scary as they are disliked. Their biggest fear is that they don’t care much about face [saving face, or maintaining one’s public image].

The characteristic of Japan is that they emphasize etiquette to an extreme degree, but they only emphasize the outward formalities, and they don’t care about the mental aspects that should follow.

So, politicians don’t care about face and make outrageous remarks, and they don’t feel ashamed of the mistakes they’ve made.

If MK starts plundering Japan, they will definitely try to interfere, regardless of international law or anything else.

“I’m rather hoping for that.”

“Yes?”

“If they start using shallow tricks, we can also move as we please. Then we can unleash a mad dog… no, an angry tiger on Japan.”

“Did you just say mad dog…”

“Ehehehe! It seems like your hearing isn’t good. I think I should get you a hearing aid.”

Ko Han-bong chuckled.

“Then I understand. Now, let’s put the work talk aside…”

“Yes?”

“Bring it!”

Ko Han-bong shouted loudly, and a moment later, the door opened, and employees came carrying sake bottles with both hands.

Ko Han-bong smiled at Lee Hyun-soo.

“There’s nothing better than alcohol to build friendship. I heard that your people are good drinkers, and I’ve never lost to anyone when it comes to drinking. Let’s drink until we’re completely out of it today.”

“Yes?”

…Where did you hear that martial artists are good drinkers?

I’m not….

Lee Hyun-soo’s face turned pale.

“Uuuurgh!”

Kang Jin-ho takes a step back, watching Lee Hyun-soo gag.

“This… it’s all… that… ugh.”

Lee Hyun-soo wiped his mouth and sighed.

“The talk about activists fighting with their lives on the line, that’s all a lie. You can’t have that kind of alcohol tolerance unless you’re drinking every day.”

“No, how can a person drink so much? Seriously.”

Lee Hyun-soo, who was thoroughly defeated by Ko Han-bong’s alcohol tolerance, which was trained with bowls of makgeolli [a Korean rice wine], rubbed his forehead as if he was dizzy.

“Ughhh, anyway…”

Kang Jin-ho chuckles at the sight.

“So, did you win?”

“No, I kept skipping out on drinking, so I was drinking alone for a bit, and when I looked again, he had passed out while sitting.”

“The old man is in good shape.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

Kang Jin-ho isn’t someone who would lose in terms of alcohol tolerance, but unfortunately, Kang Jin-ho doesn’t really enjoy drinking. Unless he has to go to a drinking party, he doesn’t actively seek out alcohol.

So, when he sees someone who has that kind of alcohol tolerance without being a martial artist, he feels a sense of awe.

“Did the talk go well?”

“He was a better person than I thought.”

“…It wasn’t because of the alcohol, was it?”

“Of course not.”

Lee Hyun-soo waved his hand.

“He’s not the type who thinks too much like Kim Myung-chan, and he doesn’t have an enormous desire for power. He’s not someone who’s stuck on the idea of sacrificing himself for the country, and how should I put it… instead of being strongly opinionated, he’s flexible?”

“Hmm…”

If Lee Hyun-soo gives such an evaluation, it means he’s a good person.

“However, most of that is probably from the lesson he learned from Kim Myung-chan. Throughout the conversation, I definitely felt that he wasn’t trying to go against us.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Maybe he’s the type who thinks about his own well-being first rather than the country or the Blue House [the South Korean presidential residence]. As a person, he’s worse than Kim Myung-chan… but that kind of person is easier to deal with. I have the most trouble dealing with people who get fixated on one thing and can’t think straight.”

“Like Jang Min?”

“…Exactly.”

Lee Hyun-soo laughed.

Jang Min isn’t a good example. That person isn’t just incapable of normal thinking, he’s like a pseudo-religious fanatic.

The people he has trouble with are the Kim Myung-chan types.

When someone who seems like they would think rationally throws away their reason and starts acting however they want, it even messes up Lee Hyun-soo’s thought process.

‘Ko Han-bong is a hundred times better than that type.’

Lee Hyun-soo turned his head and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

“Anyway, I managed to patch up the completely broken relationship.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“It’s not hard work, it was something that was going to happen anyway. It’s just a matter of when and at what timing to reconnect.”

Lee Hyun-soo turned his head and looked to one side.

“Dealing with elected officials is difficult. Due to the nature of elected officials, there’s a high probability that they don’t have much information, and their understanding of us is low. We need to get a lot done before the presidential election and the president changes. We need to set up a system so that even if a president who is hostile to us comes in, they can’t do anything.”

Kang Jin-ho stared at Lee Hyun-soo.

Lee Hyun-soo tilted his head at the gaze.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No. How should I put it…”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled.

“It seems like you live with a lot of thoughts. Isn’t it hard to live thinking about everything like that?”

“In my opinion, the Lord Chairman doesn’t think too much.”

“Maybe so.”

Lee Hyun-soo pressed his temples as if his head was hurting.

“Anyway, with this, we’ve mostly resolved things domestically. For a while, we’ll be busy creating the joint venture and laying the groundwork in Japan… but that’s not really related to the Lord Chairman.”

“That’s right.”

“Now, the Lord Chairman can focus on what he was originally doing.”

At those words, Kang Jin-ho tilted his head.

What was he originally doing?

“You know, what you’re good at? Beating up undisciplined guys to instill discipline and teach them.”

“Ah!”

Lee Hyun-soo grinned.

“All the SOBs have crossed over to Korea. Now, all that’s left is training. And by tomorrow, all the pro-Korean people we picked from Japan will arrive at the Assembly.”

“I see.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“And I think it’s about time for the Lord Chairman to step up and discipline the other members as well.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“There’s one thing we need to do before that.”

“Yes?”

“We need to raise the overall level.”

Kang Jin-ho narrowed his brows.

“There’s a limit to just refining what we have now. At best, we’ll just get a little stronger.”

“Are you saying you’re going to teach new martial arts?”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-soo looked slightly worried.

“I understand the intention… but we don’t know when something might happen, so if we learn other martial arts, there’s a risk that we might actually become weaker in real combat.”

“Is there any way to avoid that risk?”

No, there isn’t.

Lee Hyun-soo quickly understood.

Maybe this is a gamble. But what the Assembly needs right now is that gamble.

“I understand what you mean. I will do my best to support you. Then, the demonic arts…”

“No.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“Demonic arts can be attributed [to a specific lineage or style]. What’s important now is the new martial arts to pass on to the Assembly. I’ve already hinted at it to Director Bang, so he should have a rough idea.”

“You’re planning to pass on ascension martial arts [martial arts focused on spiritual growth and enlightenment]. If it goes well, it will be a great help when fighting China. But is it possible?”

“It will be possible.”

Kang Jin-ho glanced down at his own hand.

‘It will be possible.’

It would have been impossible for the old Kang Jin-ho.

But it’s possible for the current Kang Jin-ho.

Now, half of his body is filled with orthodox energy, and his understanding of orthodox energy has increased to a level that can’t be compared to the past.

‘Interesting.’

In fact, Kang Jin-ho has now reached a level where he can’t accurately grasp whether he’s better than the former Heavenly Demon Lord [a powerful figure in martial arts lore].

To be precise, it wasn’t easy to distinguish whether he was still weaker than the Heavenly Demon Lord or whether the past was glorified and the old Heavenly Demon was much stronger.

But one thing is certain.

At least in terms of understanding and using orthodox energy, the current Kang Jin-ho has cleanly surpassed the past Heavenly Demon Lord.

‘It’s a relief that there’s at least one area where I’ve improved compared to the past.’

So, I should use it.

An advantage that can’t be used isn’t an advantage.

“However, what I’m a little worried about is…”

“Yes?”

“I wonder if the orthodox energy they think of and the orthodox energy I think of are the same…”

Lee Hyun-soo looks at Kang Jin-ho with a dubious gaze.

No, well, that….

Without even thinking about it, it seems like they’ll be different….

What on earth are you planning to create?