Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 178

“Alright, you too, don’t just stand there. Hurry and change your clothes and come out.”

“…Me too?”

“Then, were you planning on just playing around?”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

He figured that carrying drinks would be more comfortable than just standing around and watching.

“But Father, about the SNS…”

“Hurry! Hurry and change and come out! The customers are waiting.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho sent a suspicious look, but Kang Ji-hwan avoided his gaze.

“But, do we even have clothes?”

“Your dad bought them in advance.”

Seeing his father’s pleased smile, he couldn’t help but think that this was all planned.

Why did he feel like he had found the culprit who posted on SNS that Kang Eun-young was working at the cafe?

Shaking his head, Kang Jin-ho headed to the changing room and sighed as he saw the fancy tuxedo.

‘It’s uncomfortable.’

Kang Jin-ho had gotten used to loose-fitting clothes. So, these tight clothes were always uncomfortable.

But what could he do? He couldn’t say he wouldn’t wear it after his father had gone to the trouble of getting his size and having it tailored. His father’s lips would pout out.

Kang Jin-ho changed his clothes and came out to the store.

‘It seems like it’s gotten a bit smaller.’

The store was still packed with no empty seats. People were even sharing tables with strangers to make room.

“You need to take orders! Can’t you see Eun-young running around by herself?”

“…Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t understand it at all.

‘Wasn’t this place self-service to begin with?’

This wasn’t the 90s. Why would a waiter take orders? Last time he came, it was a system where you ordered at the counter. What had changed so quickly?

He felt like his father was up to something, but it was too late to complain now.

“Excuse me… order.”

“Jin-ho.”

“Yes?”

“You’re not that way, you’re this way.”

“Yes?”

Where his father pointed, female customers were squealing and looking at him.

Kang Jin-ho looked at the ceiling for a moment, then slowly approached them, cleared his throat, and said,

“Would you like to order?”

“…What is this all about?”

Jo Gyu-min glared at the posts exploding on SNS [Social Networking Service].

– Kang Se-ah, currently working part-time at a cafe. Cafe location.

– One drink for 30 minutes! A free fan meeting.

– Where is it? Please give me the link. I can’t find where Kang Se-ah is working part-time.

– It’s Kang Se-ah’s father’s cafe. The location is attached on the map. It’s been on the news a few times, her father owns a cafe…

– 30 minutes for one drink? Isn’t that a rip-off? I’d rather not go than pay for a drink and get kicked out after 30 minutes just to see a celebrity’s face.

– Jackpot. There’s already a three-hour wait, so if you don’t come, thank you. Only those who want to see her should come quickly.

– Kang Se-ah’s brother is also working part-time. His face is glowing. This family’s genes are weird.

– Her father looked ordinary though… Her mother must be a beauty.

“Cafe part-time job?”

He was supposed to be doing package handling, but what kind of cafe was this? Even if Kang Jin-ho’s body was made of steel, how could he do package handling in the early morning and then work at a cafe from morning?

“Ugh.”

What he saw on SNS was meaningless. Jo Gyu-min groaned and stepped on the accelerator. He felt like he had to go see it for himself.

After driving for a while, Jo Gyu-min arrived at Kang Ji-hwan’s cafe and sighed at the crowd of people.

‘Of course it would be like this.’

What would happen if a top idol was serving at a cafe?

It was fortunate that this place was out of the way. If it were a cafe on the street, the police would have to be called to control traffic.

‘What’s with the banners?’

It seemed like the official fan club had also come. There were banners and signs that made his hands and feet curl up [a Korean expression for feeling embarrassed or cringey], like ‘Milky Skin Kang Se-ah’ and ‘One Million Signatures Against Retirement’.

“Excuse me, I need to get through.”

“Why don’t you go to the back?”

“Can’t you see? Can’t you see the line? I’ve been waiting in line for two hours.”

Jo Gyu-min smiled confidently and replied,

“I’m Kang Se-ah’s manager.”

But the answer he got was different from what he expected.

“So?”

“Do you want to go to the back, or do you want to get hit?”

“…I’ll go to the back.”

Jo Gyu-min’s shoulders slumped as he walked to the back.

‘Lately, I feel like my life is a bit pathetic.’

Jo Gyu-min looked up at the sky, feeling a sense of sadness without realizing it.

“You’re here?”

“Yes.”

Jo Gyu-min, half-exhausted, sat down heavily.

“Were you waiting?”

“They wouldn’t let me in. So I just waited.”

“Yes? If you had called, I would have come out to get you.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Jo Gyu-min, who was staring at him blankly, and didn’t say anything more. Saying anything more would completely break him.

“Th-that’s a good idea…”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

That person… before, he was a very capable and sharp person, but as he got older, he seemed to have become a bit dull, even though he was still capable.

“But what’s going on here?”

“…My father told me to.”

Jo Gyu-min looked around the cafe.

‘The place is going to burst.’

There were no empty seats at any of the tables.

Come to think of it, it was obvious. A cup of coffee was less than ten thousand won [approximately $7-8 USD], and there would be plenty of people willing to pay that much to see a current idol up close for thirty minutes. Besides, Kang Se-ah wasn’t just any idol, nor was she a member of a group.

‘I think I see some office workers too…’

Whether they had left work early or lied about going on a business trip… anyway, there were office workers.

“Hello? Thank you for coming. Would you like to order?”

“Americano, sweet.”

“Would you like syrup? How many pumps?”

“As much as Se-ah loves me!”

“Manager! Black coffee here!”

Sullen.

Seeing Kang Eun-young greeting customers, she seemed to have a knack for it.

There were some mischievous customers, but she didn’t forget her business smile.

He had expected this much.

But there were also things that went beyond his expectations.

“Are you a student?”

“…Yes.”

“On a break?”

“Yes. I haven’t gone back to school yet since I was discharged from the military.”

“Oh my, you’ve been to the military! You look so young.”

Jo Gyu-min looked at Kang Jin-ho with a subtle gaze.

‘What are these female customers?’

When he first got in line, there were hardly any female customers, but as more women joined the line with him… now, women occupied almost half of the tables.

And unlike Kang Eun-young, who was skillfully greeting customers, Kang Jin-ho was struggling to greet them.

“Your mocha frappuccino is ready.”

“I asked for whipped cream?”

“…You didn’t mention that when you ordered.”

“Huh? I clearly said it. Hey, if you forgot, you can just say so.”

“I’m sorry.”

Jo Gyu-min shook his head.

Considering Kang Jin-ho’s memory, there was no way he could have taken the order wrong. Whether they were doing it on purpose or not, there were many customers who were trying to extend the time they spent talking to Kang Jin-ho.

‘I didn’t know the video would have this kind of ripple effect.’

He just did one interview, and he already had fans.

Jo Gyu-min realized that people should be good-looking.

“Did you have coffee?”

“Ah, yes. I’ll order.”

“Here, Americano, right?”

“Thank you.”

Jo Gyu-min smiled as he saw Kang Ji-hwan handing him a cup.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“It’s been my dream for a long time.”

“Dream?”

Kang Ji-hwan smiled happily and replied,

“I own a cafe, and my son and daughter are serving there. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of, and seeing it in real life is… how should I say it, deeply moving?”

Kang Ji-hwan nodded repeatedly with a pleased look on his face.

“Besides, even though they’re my kids, don’t they look like a picture?”

“That’s true.”

I don’t know why such handsome and beautiful people came from your father, but…

Jo Gyu-min hid his inner thoughts that could cause a catastrophe and put on a business smile.

“Hehehe, and!”

“Yes?”

“Sales! Sales are going up! We made three days’ worth of sales in just the morning! At this rate, we won’t be in the red anymore! No, we’re in the black! Now I don’t have to be nagged by my wife for eating up my children’s money…”

That was it.

When Kang Ji-hwan saw Jo Gyu-min looking at him with a subtle gaze, he cleared his throat and pushed the cup forward.

“Drink, drink.”

“…Yes.”

Jo Gyu-min took a sip of his coffee.

The Americano tasted bitter today. No, was Americano always bitter?

* * *

Chai Ke-chang frowned at the voice coming from the phone.

– What do you want me to do with that brat?

“It’s an order from Hong Wang.”

There was a moment of silence at the mention of Hong Wang.

– A big shot has arrived.

Chai Ke-chang put out the cigarette he was holding and continued his explanation.

“Your mission is to find out what kind of skills the target has and what kind of personality he has. The method doesn’t matter. However, don’t touch his family. Hong Wang will be furious.”

– When figuring out what kind of person someone is, isn’t it easiest to mess with the people around them? You’re not saying that because you don’t know that, are you?

“That’s also Hong Wang’s order.”

– Damn it.

A grumbling voice came from the phone.

– You make it easy to use me, but there are too many conditions. Well, whatever. I just need to get paid. How much are you going to give me?

“Five times.”

– Are you serious?

Chai Ke-chang said in a low voice,

“It’s that important. It’s also something that needs to be done immediately.”

– That’s worth doing.

“Keep it in mind.”

Chai Ke-chang warned in an extremely serious voice.

“He’s a person that Hong Wang is watching. If you don’t do your job properly, Hong Wang’s anger will be directed at you.”

– You should keep that in mind too. If I didn’t take the job, I wouldn’t know, but once I take a job, I do my best to handle it. Have you ever seen me do a sloppy job?

“That’s a cocky statement. But that’s why I like it. I’ll send you all the information we have about the target. I’ll be waiting for quick news.”

– I’ll move as soon as the payment is in.

“You unlucky bastard.”

– Oh, and one more thing…

“Speak.”

– Can I kill him?

Chai Ke-chang narrowed his eyes and replied,

“If he’s someone who can be killed by you, then even attracting Hong Wang’s attention is too much for him. Do as you please.”

– Then it’ll be easy. I’ll contact you soon. Then.”

Chai Ke-chang hung up the phone and took out a new cigarette.

‘I don’t want to borrow the hands of this money-grubbing bastard, but…’

For a martial artist, movement in a foreign country is extremely limited. This is because the martial artists of that country will object, and also because Hong Wang’s movements are not free due to the current situation in China.

So, it couldn’t be helped.

And this guy was a money-grubber, but he was reliable when it came to getting things done.

He was so reliable that sometimes he went overboard, which was a drawback.

“Kang Jin-ho…”

Chai Ke-chang smiled.

Perhaps he would never hear that name again.