Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 192

“I don’t know much about them either. I’ve only heard rumors that such people exist.”

“Are you saying that even you, Chairman, don’t know?”

“Look.”

Hwang Jung-hoo pointed at the TV.

“These days, everything is known. If there’s a suspicion, it gets verified.”

“…That’s right.”

“But if there are no reports about such people, not just in our country but worldwide, what would you think?”

“I’d think it’s an urban legend.”

“Exactly.”

Hwang Jung-hoo slowly nodded.

“Just rumors, only rumors. That there are people different from ordinary people in the world, and that they manipulate the world from the shadows. But isn’t that a common saying everywhere? Like the Freemasons or the Rosicrucians [secret societies often associated with conspiracy theories].”

“A conspiracy theory.”

“So I just let it slide. As you know, I’ve done everything to build Jae-kyung [likely referring to a company or organization]. In the process, I experienced some strange things. Looking back now, I think I know why those things happened, but at the time, I couldn’t think that way. I just thought it was a coincidence. Then I met Kang Jin-ho.”

Jo Gyu-min slowly nodded.

“That’s when I realized that the rumors were true. At least half of them.”

“Why half?”

“I realized that there are indeed special beings in the world, but it hasn’t been verified that these special beings are manipulating the world. Does Kang Jin-ho look like he’s manipulating the world?”

“…No.”

What Kang Jin-ho looked like to Jo Gyu-min was….

Like a bumpy rubber ball that wouldn’t bounce unless you touched it first.

Normally, it would sit quietly on the floor, but once someone picked it up and started throwing it around, there was no telling where it might bounce.

But that rubber ball wouldn’t bounce unless you touched it.

“And what confused me even more was that Kang Jin-ho seemed to know nothing about that world.”

“That’s right.”

“So I couldn’t make a judgment. I couldn’t tell what was true and what was false.”

Jo Gyu-min nodded.

“So now it’s a fact.”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Chairman, honestly, I’m confused.”

“Confused?”

Hwang Jung-hoo tilted his head.

“It feels like the world I knew wasn’t the whole world. It’s like I thought the Earth was round, but someone is saying, ‘Actually, the Earth is flat, and gravity is just a lie the world made up to deceive you.'”

Hwang Jung-hoo chuckled.

“That’s an interesting way to put it.”

“What should I do now?”

Hwang Jung-hoo stared blankly at Jo Gyu-min.

“What do you mean, what should you do? Just live as you always have.”

“How can I do that?”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

Hwang Jung-hoo smiled at Jo Gyu-min.

“Aren’t you already living that way?”

“Me?”

“People tend to ignore things that are obvious and easily guessed if they don’t see or feel them clearly.”

“…I’m not like that.”

“Really?”

Hwang Jung-hoo chuckled and said,

“How much do you think politicians are taking in kickbacks [bribes or illegal payments]?”

“Kickbacks, you say?”

“That’s right.”

Jo Gyu-min pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Maybe in the tens of billions?”

“Tens of billions?”

Hwang Jung-hoo burst into laughter. The meaning of his laughter was so clear that Jo Gyu-min couldn’t help but sigh.

“Okay, fine. Let’s say tens of billions. But why are you staying silent?”

Jo Gyu-min quietly closed his mouth. He understood what Hwang Jung-hoo meant.

“It’s not just you. Most people ignore facts they clearly know. Not many people think politicians are clean and don’t take any money. But none of them try to expose their corruption. They just stop at knowing.”

Jo Gyu-min slowly nodded.

Hwang Jung-hoo’s words were correct.

“It’s not that it’s wrong. Unless it significantly affects what I’m doing and how I’m living, people don’t try to dig up the dirt they’ve covered up. Think about it, how much injustice is there in this world? But we ignore it until we become direct victims of that injustice.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“So, just live as you normally do. It’s not difficult. But…”

Hwang Jung-hoo smiled as if amused.

“It seems your life has already started to get entangled with them. I wonder if you can cover it up?”

Jo Gyu-min lowered his head.

Hwang Jung-hoo was right. He was already deeply involved in their world.

He had learned the hidden side of the world, but in return, Jo Gyu-min’s life would become incomparably more dangerous than in the past.

“This is the Maginot Line [a defensive line, often used metaphorically to represent a point beyond which one cannot retreat].”

Hwang Jung-hoo reached out and drew a line across the table.

“You’ve worked hard enough. I acknowledge that. So, I’ll give you a chance.”

“A chance, you say?”

“This is it. If you want, you don’t have to get involved with Kang Jin-ho after this. I’ll transfer you to a normal department. And in recognition of what you’ve accomplished so far, I’ll maintain your position and seniority.”

It was an extraordinary offer.

Jo Gyu-min had been promoted rapidly, riding on Kang Jin-ho’s coattails. It was an inevitable measure as Kang Jin-ho, who was a student, gradually grew into an adult and had more to do.

In other words, although he had been promoted rapidly, it couldn’t be said that it was all thanks to Jo Gyu-min’s own abilities. He had been prepared to have his position demoted if he could no longer assist Kang Jin-ho.

But Hwang Jung-hoo was now saying that he would maintain Jo Gyu-min’s position, even though he knew all of this.

It was a way to secure benefits and escape danger.

Jo Gyu-min also knew how much of an advantage Hwang Jung-hoo was offering.

“There’s no need for that.”

“Hmm?”

But Jo Gyu-min’s answer was firm.

“Why? I think I’ve offered a good path?”

Jo Gyu-min smiled.

“Of course, if I think rationally, I know that I should get out of here quickly when you give me the chance, Chairman. But humans aren’t that rational, are they?”

Hwang Jung-hoo, hearing Jo Gyu-min’s words, retorted in disbelief.

“My friend, is that something you should say in a company?”

“It’s the truth.”

Jo Gyu-min said cheerfully, with a face that had shaken off his confusion.

“No matter how much I think about it, I think I’ll regret it if I leave Kang Jin-ho’s side now. It’s a bit tough these days, but I don’t think I can live this dynamically with anyone else.”

“That’s something a young person would say.”

Hwang Jung-hoo shook his head.

“Alright then. I’ll leave Kang Jin-ho to you. Did you say that someone was targeting Kang Jin-ho in China?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Use all the channels you can to find out who is targeting Kang Jin-ho.”

“Yes. I’ll find out as quickly as possible and report back.”

Hwang Jung-hoo smiled as he watched Jo Gyu-min, who thought the conversation was over, awkwardly get up from his seat.

“You’re more daring than I thought. Just thinking about cleaning up after that guy’s messes makes my stomach churn.”

Jo Gyu-min smiled and replied,

“He does cause trouble from time to time, but he doesn’t do anything unless someone provokes him, so it’s okay. Especially with this China incident, he’ll be careful for a while.”

It was a futile hope from Jo Gyu-min.

“No.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head firmly.

“I won’t do it.”

“Please don’t say that…”

“I won’t do it.”

Jang Hak-seon tried to persuade him several times, but Kang Jin-ho was too firm.

He needed to say something, anything, so that he could grab onto the tail of the conversation and continue it, and continue the conversation to persuade him, but Kang Jin-ho didn’t even give him a chance.

Jang Hak-seon wasn’t the type to explain things with words either, so he was having a hard time. Jang Hak-seon looked at the assistant director.

The assistant director, realizing what he had to do from Jang Hak-seon’s gaze, sighed and approached Kang Jin-ho.

“You’re Kang Jin-ho, right?”

The assistant director smiled and was about to say something when Kang Jin-ho opened his mouth.

“I won’t do it.”

“No, I…”

“I won’t do it.”

“That’s…”

“I won’t do it.”

“Listen…”

“I won’t do it.”

The assistant director, hit with a four-combo, returned to the PD [Production Director] with a dazed look.

“Let’s just hold auditions. I’ll call them in quickly.”

“Get out of the way, you useless fool!”

Jang Hak-seon pushed aside the useless assistant director and approached Kang Jin-ho again.

The result already seemed obvious, but fortunately, he had a strong ally.

“You’re Se-ah’s brother, right?”

Choi Yeon-ha smiled brightly at Kang Jin-ho. Any man who saw that smile wouldn’t be able to resist without hearing her out.

“I won’t do it.”

In that sense, Kang Jin-ho was clearly not a man. Kang Jin-ho’s eyes when looking at Choi Yeon-ha were no different from when he looked at Jang Hak-seon or the assistant director.

‘What is that guy?’

Come to think of it, wasn’t that the guy who dragged Kang Se-ah off the stage during the live broadcast and took her home?

Because of that, the casting they had worked so hard on was almost ruined.

“How about you listen to what I have to say before making a decision?”

“It’s just a waste of time.”

“Could you waste just a little bit of time? I’m asking you like this.”

Choi Yeon-ha bowed her head, and Kang Jin-ho looked at her with a slightly subtle gaze.

“I’ll listen. But before that…”

“Yes.”

“Why are you going this far? From what Eun-young said, you seem to be a successful actress, so you don’t need to be involved in casting, do you?”

“It’s simple.”

Choi Yeon-ha smiled and replied.

“Because actors aren’t in the business of acting.”

“Huh?”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head. He couldn’t understand what she meant.

“I want to create a good work, not do good acting. Even if my acting is criticized, if people say the work is interesting, that’s better. There’s nothing more miserable than being praised for shining alone in a failed work.”

“Hmm…”

Her mindset was good.

If he could put her next to Eun-young, she could be a mentor for her future life. At least she was a senior walking the same path.

“I’ll listen.”

He knew she would probably say the obvious, but since he had heard her answer to his question, it was only polite to give her some time.

“You’re not interested in becoming a star, are you?”

“With that kind of face and a younger sister who’s a celebrity, you’d usually try to get into an agency at least once. But you have no intention of doing that at all. Right?”

Kang Jin-ho nodded without answering.

Choi Yeon-ha smiled as if she understood and slowly opened her mouth.

“That’s why you should do it even more, shouldn’t you?”