Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1612

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Kang Jin-ho lit a cigarette.

White smoke billowed from the end of the cigarette as it burned with a crackling sound.

With the cigarette in his mouth, Kang Jin-ho looked at the directors gathered in the conference room.

Bator, Jang Min, Wiggins, and Bang Jin-hoon.

Behind him stood Lee Hyun-soo, and Blood Demon sat in front to give his report.

The people gathered here were the core members of the current Assembly.

“It’s been a while since we’ve all gathered like this.”

Wiggins chuckled.

“Everyone’s so busy, it’s hard to see each other’s faces. Especially the Elder, it’s not easy to meet him, even though we’re in the same Assembly.”

Jang Min glared.

Then, he prostrated himself on the spot.

“Oh, Great Demon Lord, this subordinate is foolish and has failed to pay respects to the Demon Lord in a timely manner! I have forgotten my duty as a servant and have not given my all! Punish me! Training the disciples is my duty, and paying respects to the Demon Lord and receiving teachings is my obligation, but this subordinate has failed to fulfill his duty! Please, kill me.”

Kang Jin-ho covered his face with his hand.

Enough already.

Enough.

“Jang Min.”

“Yes, Great Demon Lord!”

“Sit down before I kick you out.”

Jang Min quietly got up from the floor and sat on the sofa. He had seen the look in Kang Jin-ho’s eyes that suggested he really might be kicked out.

Bang Jin-hoon chuckled wryly.

“Don’t scold him too much. The Elder has been working really hard these days.”

“I know what it’s like to teach kids. Controlling that many people and teaching them demonic energy separately is definitely not easy. I couldn’t do it even if I had two bodies.”

“Haa.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed.

It’s not like he didn’t know that. The problem was something else.

‘It’s about time we got used to each other.’

It’s not easy for a person to maintain their initial mindset, but Jang Min hadn’t changed even a little since the first time he met Kang Jin-ho.

In a good way, he was like an evergreen tree, and in a bad way, he was incredibly stubborn.

“That’s right. Elder…”

“You shut up.”

“Yes.”

Blood Demon, who had tried to add a word, was shot down by Jang Min before he could even take off.

Kang Jin-ho sighed and proceeded with the meeting.

“Now that everyone’s here, let’s get to the point. Blood Demon.”

“Yes, Great Demon Lord!”

Blood Demon’s face hardened slightly as he opened his mouth.

“After observing the situation in China, the war has reached a point of no return.”

“Hmm.”

The word ‘war’ made everyone’s faces stiffen.

Of course, the Assembly wasn’t directly involved in the war, but no one was unaware of the impact the Three Kings’ war would have here.

“Tell me more. What’s going on?”

At Jang Min’s words, Blood Demon nodded.

“Local battles are taking place in the border area between the Chang King faction and the Hong King faction.”

“Isn’t that what’s been happening all along?”

“The number of casualties is increasing exponentially.”

Jang Min closed his mouth.

Until now, the Hong King faction and the Chang King faction had been continuously engaging in local battles, but they had only fought battles where there were no casualties on either side. They knew that if they escalated things carelessly, it would become uncontrollable.

But the number of casualties was increasing exponentially…

Wiggins narrowed his brow.

“This is definitely a problem.”

If the situation seemed to be escalating, the higher-ups would have intervened. But the fact that casualties were increasing meant that the higher-ups had no intention of stopping the situation.

“Which side is actively engaging in battle?”

“The Chang King faction.”

Kang Jin-ho took a deep drag of his cigarette.

‘The Chang King faction…’

This was several times worse than the Hong King faction starting a fight. Until now, the Hong King faction had been holding back from escalating the situation because they hadn’t been able to accurately grasp the Chang King’s intentions or whereabouts.

If the Hong King faction suddenly became aggressive, it would mean that they had grasped the Chang King’s intentions or found his whereabouts, but if the Chang King faction suddenly became aggressive, there was no way to know the reason.

“What is the Chinese government’s reaction?”

“There isn’t really any reaction. They can’t get involved.”

Blood Demon frowned slightly.

“It’s not my place to say this, since I used to be part of that side, but the Assembly tends to overestimate the government forces. Unless they can actually use heavy weapons to bomb their own territory, it’s a pipe dream for them to fight against the Hong King faction or the Chang King faction with any other forces.”

“Is it like the difference between a tiger and a dog?”

“More like a chick, not a dog.”

Wiggins groaned as he watched Blood Demon laugh cynically.

So that’s how it is…

“So, they can hold onto the pretense of being on the government’s side and puff out their chests, but when they actually start a full-scale war, all they can do is hide under the covers and tremble.”

“Enough with the unnecessary remarks.”

Kang Jin-ho cut off Blood Demon and turned to look at Lee Hyun-soo.

“What do you think?”

“It’s not good.”

Lee Hyun-soo frowned.

“If casualties have already started to occur, neither side can turn back. It will definitely escalate into a full-scale war.”

“Why?”

“Because they are righteous sects.”

“Hmm?”

Lee Hyun-soo frowned.

“The Assembly is also a righteous sect in its own way, but it’s closer to being pragmatic. To be blunt, we should be seen as a demonic sect.”

Bang Jin-hoon looked at Lee Hyun-soo, looking very uncomfortable.

“Before you joined, I think we could proudly call ourselves a righteous sect?”

“With the Assembly Leader being Lee Joong-geol, you call that a righteous sect? Then, you should also acknowledge that Kim Seok-il’s Yeongnam Association was a righteous sect.”

“Ugh.”

Bang Jin-hoon groaned as if he couldn’t win with words.

“Continuing on…”

Lee Hyun-soo took a small breath and continued.

“It’s difficult to say for sure about the Chang King faction, but the Hong King faction definitely claims to be a righteous sect. For them, they can’t say that they should retreat because the situation is difficult, even though their comrades are dying.”

Everyone nodded as if they agreed with that statement.

This wasn’t a matter of pride.

It was a matter close to the identity of the sect.

“So, in the end, they’re going all the way.”

“Yes. That’s what I think.”

“How long will it take?”

“I can’t predict it.”

Lee Hyun-soo shook his head.

“That’s what war is like. A war that seems like it won’t be a match can unexpectedly become a long war, while a war that seems like it will take a long time can end in an instant. The key is when the Chang King and the Hong King will step in.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded quietly.

Kang Jin-ho was the type to charge to the front and attack until the very end once a war broke out, so he hadn’t experienced many long wars.

But wars between other martial arts forces, not Kang Jin-ho, often escalated into long wars.

The reason was very simple.

‘Because they’re afraid of losing.’

The reason why the Chang King faction and the Hong King faction hadn’t moved recklessly even though they had been showing their teeth to each other was simple. It was because they thought that what they would lose in the war was more than what they would gain.

“So, in the end, all of this is the result of the Chang King’s actions.”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm.”

Bator, who had been listening to the conversation, opened his mouth.

“I had already heard from the Mongolian side that the Chang King faction’s movements were unusual. I kept quiet for now because I thought it might create unnecessary tension.”

Bator frowned.

“What I can’t understand is why the Chang King started moving at this particular time. He wouldn’t have drawn his sword simply because he couldn’t stand it anymore. The Chang King is a cunning snake.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded.

“He must have been certain.”

“Certain that he could defeat the Hong King faction?”

“It would be more accurate to say that he was certain that he could deal with the Hong King faction without any losses.”

“Is that possible?”

Lee Hyun-soo felt a sensation like his stomach was twisting.

‘What is he thinking?’

There were countless strategies that the Chang King could think of. But he kept getting the feeling that there was something beyond simple tactics.

“What about the information on the Chang King faction that we requested from the Hong King faction earlier?”

“As you said, the Hong King faction surprisingly handed over the information without any fuss. We have a general understanding of the Chang King faction’s forces, but the Hong King faction didn’t have much information about the Chang King himself.”

“Hmm.”

That’s when it happened.

“You’re just talking nonsense.”

Jang Min said in an unusually cold and calm voice.

“What does it matter what the Chang King’s intentions are or what the Hong King is thinking? Are there any commentators gathered here? That’s not what’s important. Now that the war has started, one of them will definitely win, and there’s a high probability that the eyes of the victors will turn this way. Isn’t that what’s important?”

Everyone nodded at Jang Min’s words.

Of course, the problem of the Ho King would also be involved after that, but generally, that was the order of things.

“Director Lee Hyun-soo.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“Does the Assembly have the will to actively intervene in this battle?”

“…Currently, I think it’s best to observe. After all, it’s clear that both the Hong King and the Chang King are our enemies. There’s no need to stop enemies from fighting each other.”

“I asked if we would intervene. I didn’t ask if we had the will to stop it.”

Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes narrowed as he immediately understood Jang Min’s words.

“Are you saying we should secretly support the losing side?”

“Yes. It’s a classic strategy.”

“It’s one of the strategies we can consider… but it’s not easy. If we mobilize Korean martial artists, we’ll be exposed immediately, and even if we mobilize the Demonic Cult’s martial artists, it’ll be difficult to hide their identities because of their demonic arts.”

“There is someone.”

“Yes?”

Jang Min turned his head slightly.

Blood Demon’s face turned slightly pale as he saw Jang Min’s gaze fixed on him.

“A Chinese person who doesn’t use demonic arts.”

“We, we have already devoted ourselves to the Demonic Cult!”

“I said a Chinese person who doesn’t use demonic arts. Not a Chinese person who isn’t a member of the Demonic Cult.”

Blood Demon’s face turned black this time.

Seeing that, Lee Hyun-soo grinned.

“There is indeed someone.”

Even if they were discovered, the primary suspicion would fall on the Chinese government forces.

“If the directors agree, I will select disciples from the Blood Cult and entrust them to Blood Demon. I want them to intervene appropriately and help the losing side.”

“There’s no reason to object.”

Bator said indifferently.

“It’s not a bad idea. It’s dangerous, though.”

Wiggins also agreed cleanly.

“It might not help, but it’s better than doing nothing.”

Bang Jin-hoon also nodded.

At this point, Blood Demon became desperate.

“I ran away from the battlefield, and now you’re telling me to go back there on my own two feet? I…”

“Blood Demon.”

Kang Jin-ho called Blood Demon in a low voice. Blood Demon trembled slightly and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

“Go.”

“…Great Demon Lord.”

“Let’s stop with the jokes. There’s no need to risk your life and intervene directly. Select those with high stealth skills and go to China. Assess the situation on the battlefield and report back.”

The playfulness disappeared from Blood Demon’s face.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Kang Jin-ho leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes slightly.