Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1803

“Um…”

Lee Hyun-soo subtly gauged Kang Jin-ho’s mood.

‘That’s strange.’

Considering the roar he unleashed during the meeting earlier, Kang Jin-ho’s expression wasn’t that heavy. If anything, he looked even more relaxed than usual.

“Um, excuse me…”

“Hmm?”

Kang Jin-ho, sipping his iced Americano, which he had made himself, looked at Lee Hyun-soo as if asking what was wrong.

“…Weren’t you angry?”

“Angry?”

“Yes.”

“Why would I be?”

Kang Jin-ho, with a nonchalant look, snapped his fingers.

“Well, I was a little angry, I guess. But that’s it. There’s no need to stay angry.”

‘Hey, President? You weren’t like this before.’

‘Before, when you got pissed, you’d hold a grudge for three days. How did you become so easygoing?’

‘This is strange. This guy isn’t usually like this…’

“There are aspects I understand.”

Kang Jin-ho leaned back on the sofa with a strange smile, and Lee Hyun-soo said something he didn’t need to.

“…Let’s be honest.”

“Huh?”

“You were also slacking off, weren’t you? So, you feel awkward pushing the directors so hard, right?”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes bore into Lee Hyun-soo. Lee Hyun-soo subtly avoided Kang Jin-ho’s gaze.

“Ahem.”

Kang Jin-ho cleared his throat loudly.

‘That guy always pokes at my sore spots.’

Kang Jin-ho smiled wryly.

In fact, there was no way the other directors wouldn’t feel the same emptiness he felt. Even the ordinary members of the General Assembly, not just the directors, must have felt a sense of lethargy with the sudden disappearance of the enemy.

It’s Lee Hyun-soo who’s strange for maintaining his composure as if nothing happened in such a situation.

“Understanding is one thing, but we still need to keep things in check.”

“Of course.”

“So…”

Kang Jin-ho stared at Lee Hyun-soo and said,

“You haven’t thought of anything at all?”

“Ugh, well, that’s…”

Lee Hyun-soo scratched his head.

“It’s not as simple as I thought. It’s not that hard to turn the General Assembly into a business or have everyone do different things. The problem is making them do other things while maintaining their identity as martial artists.”

“That’s right.”

“And this branches out into two paths…”

Lee Hyun-soo sighed and continued.

“Whether they should train as martial artists while having another job, like a side hustle, or find a job that they can do as martial artists.”

“It’s not easy to decide. Even if we decide on this, there are mountains of problems, and we’re already facing a hurdle at the first mountain.”

Lee Hyun-soo sighed deeply.

‘It’s true that we need to prepare for the future. But trying to implement it, I understand why even someone like Lee Joong-gul or the monsters of the Three Kings didn’t touch this issue.’

“Honestly, this is a problem without an answer.”

“No answer?”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-soo said firmly.

“Because this is a problem for the General Assembly, but not for martial artists. If those guys wanted to make a lot of money and succeed, they would have started a business, and if they wanted a stable life, they would have taken the civil service exam. Their goal in living as martial artists wasn’t a stable life in the future, was it?”

“They’re even the type to seclude themselves in the mountains to train, even though there’s the most perfect alternative option of being a soldier. If we tell those guys to start doing other things and make some money, it’s… ha~ it’s like…”

“It’s not wrong, but it won’t work?”

“Exactly! Yes! Exactly!”

Lee Hyun-soo exclaimed, his face lighting up.

“Of course, if the President forces them, they’ll do it without complaint, even if it’s going to some remote area to catch rare animals. But it’s not something they’d truly accept and understand.”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho scratched his cheek.

Putting aside the content, seeing Lee Hyun-soo speaking so passionately, it seemed like a truly frustrating problem.

However…

“I never thought it would be solved in one go anyway.”

“As you said, there will be those who want to live as martial artists and those who want to think about a different life.”

“That’s probably true.”

“Then we can start there. Let’s find out what those who want to live a different life want, what kind of life they want to live.”

Kang Jin-ho stroked his chin.

“That’s your biggest problem.”

“Huh? My problem?”

“Yes.”

“My problem? What…”

“Thinking there’s an answer.”

Kang Jin-ho shrugged.

“I’ve learned as I’ve lived. Most problems can be solved if you try hard, but some problems have no answer no matter what you do.”

“You’re like that, President.”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing.”

Kang Jin-ho, glaring at Lee Hyun-soo with narrowed eyes, sighed and opened his mouth.

“There are those who must find the right answer, even so.”

“Like you, President?”

“…I can’t deny that.”

It was true that Kang Jin-ho had such a tendency.

“Those who try to find the perfect answer usually make the same choice when they find a problem without an answer.”

“…They give up.”

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun-soo understood what Kang Jin-ho was trying to say. The reason he had been able to come up with schemes and plans without giving up was because he believed there was always an answer.

But if he faced a problem that truly had no answer, would Lee Hyun-soo have been able to rack his brain so much?

‘Impossible.’

Lee Hyun-soo knew himself well.

As Kang Jin-ho had said, he would rather find another way than try to do the impossible.

“That was enough until now.”

“But not anymore. Even if you can’t find the right answer, you have to find a way to go in a slightly better direction.”

Lee Hyun-soo nodded silently.

He understood what Kang Jin-ho was trying to say.

“This time, it won’t be a problem with a clear answer like before. But whether there’s an answer or not, it’s something we must do.”

“Yes, President.”

“Try. I’ll try too.”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled.

‘Definitely.’

‘He’s become more relaxed and different. He’s not as hasty as before, and he’s become more logical.’

‘Should I call this growth?’

‘Well, I don’t know. It feels similar, but it’s a bit strange to call Kang Jin-ho’s change growth.’

‘However, one thing is certain…’

‘Even Kang Jin-ho, whom I thought was already complete as a person when I first met him, is gradually improving.’

‘So, Lee Hyun-soo and the General Assembly will also be able to move forward.’

“I can’t promise that I’ll do well, but…”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled gently.

“I’ll try harder.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled and nodded.

“That’s enough.”

Brummm.

Kang Jin-ho, with a cigarette in his mouth, pressed the accelerator a little harder.

‘A problem without an answer…’

Now, Kang Jin-ho also knows.

People live with their own problems. They might seem trivial to others, problems that can be easily ignored, but to the person, they are infinitely large and important.

People who carry such problems and strive for a slightly better life fill this world.

What those who endure life day by day and walk steadfastly desire is just a slightly better life than yesterday, a better version of themselves than now.

‘It’s no different.’

Whether it’s martial artists striving to become stronger or ordinary people striving for a better life, they are essentially no different.

The corners of Kang Jin-ho’s lips curled up slightly.

So, there’s no need to be obsessed or cling to it.

Even if he lives a life without fighting, he will still strive for tomorrow. To live a better life than now, and to become a better person than now.

That’s how people climb a high mountain throughout their lives.

“I just shouldn’t fall down.”

Kang Jin-ho lightly pressed the accelerator.

Numerous problems still lay ahead of him.

But now, it didn’t feel like those problems were holding him back. Even if he couldn’t solve them right away, if he tried and talked, he would eventually see a way.

Even if he couldn’t find that way, wouldn’t it be meaningful just to see something different while wandering around trying to find it?

The road ahead felt a little wider.

His hands were clearly on the steering wheel, and his body was driving, but his consciousness was spreading beyond the car, a little more, a little more.

As if becoming one with the world.

A low hum came from Kang Jin-ho’s lips.

Brummm.

Kang Jin-ho parked the car on the side of the road and opened the door.

His house, with the lights on, came into his view. Kang Jin-ho, silently looking at it, took out a cigarette.

His family was inside.

He thought he had come a long way to get this ordinary sight. What was so easily given to others was so difficult for him.

But he didn’t regret it.

He knew its value because he had obtained it with difficulty. That’s why he could cherish it more than those who just accept what’s given to them.

That was enough.

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

Now he could say it.

He was no longer the Demonic Heavenly Demon Lord, nor was he Kang Jin-ho who struggled with this world.

He had regained his past self and was moving towards a future different from the past. The demon who descended into the present world had now completely transformed into the modern man, Kang Jin-ho.

So…

“It’s the perfect timing.”

“Is that so?”

The man leaning against his front gate shrugged.

“I was worried it might be a little early.”

“It’s just right.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled brightly.

“You’ve always been patient.”

The man’s expression became strange.

The man, looking at Kang Jin-ho with a subtle expression, shook his head slightly.

“You’ve changed a lot.”

“I never thought I’d hear those words from you. Indeed. Experience and time seem to change people. Even you, who seemed like you’d never change, are changing.”

Kang Jin-ho gave a faint smile.

“That’s true.”

“Yes. It is.”

The man shrugged.

“No matter how much I deny it, I can’t deceive your eyes.”

The man slowly walked out.

The man, freed from the deep shadows, smiled brightly under the moonlight.

Then, he slowly bowed his head and greeted Kang Jin-ho respectfully.

“It’s been a while, Demonic Lord. Please forgive my rudeness in greeting you only now.”

Kang Jin-ho stared at the man for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Since it’s a different world anyway, there’s no need to act like the past.”

“Of course.”