Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 2072

Chiiiiiiii.

The screen showed nothing.

Only the noise from the speaker indicated that the screen wasn’t off.

It seemed like quite some time had passed.

Since the screen went dark, that is.

However, she, Choi Yeon-ha, hadn’t moved an inch from the sofa, her gaze fixed on the screen. As if she wouldn’t miss the moment someone appeared on that screen again.

A silent living room.

The sound of the air purifier running in the distance was clearly audible, the space was enveloped in silence.

Chiiiiiiii.

A hardened face.

A face that showed no emotion.

Choi Yeon-ha, staring at the screen, slowly closed her eyes.

The trembling eyelids seemed to reveal her current state.

RRRRRR.

At that moment, Choi Yeon-ha’s head dropped sharply.

The screen of the phone she was tightly holding was glowing. Choi Yeon-ha quickly picked up the phone and checked the name on the screen.

Brief hope, followed by swift disappointment.

A thin, long sigh escaped from her slightly parted lips.

Choi Yeon-ha pressed the call button and brought the phone to her ear.

“Yes, Eun-sol.”

[Sister.]

Han Eun-sol’s voice came through the receiver. Even the faint trembling at the end of her voice was vivid.

[Are you okay, Sister?]

“What about?”

[Sister…]

Choi Yeon-ha chuckled.

But unlike her lips, her eyes weren’t smiling at all.

“Why? Did you call because you thought I’d be crying my eyes out?”

[No, Sister. It’s not that…]

“You don’t have to, Eun-sol.”

Choi Yeon-ha’s gaze returned to the screen. The screen where his figure was no longer visible.

“Well, what can I do? I sent him away.”

[Sister…]

“You’re like a parrot. You call me just to say ‘Sister’.”

[No. It’s not that…]

Choi Yeon-ha said with a sullen face.

“If I was going to cry and whine, I should have begged him. I should have grabbed his pant leg and cried and begged.”

[…]

“I’m not shameless enough to send him away and then act sad and hurt. If I was really desperate, wouldn’t I have held on to him somehow?”

[Don’t say that, Sister. You knew he was going to leave even if you tried to stop him, so you let him go.]

“Well, is that really the case?”

Choi Yeon-ha’s gaze shifted slightly upwards.

The ceiling, where there was nothing in particular. Choi Yeon-ha, who had been staring at the ceiling silently, opened her mouth again. Her voice was a little more drained.

“I don’t know, Eun-sol. Whether I sent him away because of that, or because I didn’t have the courage to throw away my pride and grab his pant leg.”

[Don’t do that, Sister. It’s not your fault.]

[You didn’t know, did you? That it would be like this. Surely…]

Choi Yeon-ha laughed softly.

Didn’t know?

Did she really not know?

Yes, she didn’t know.

Maybe she had thought that way. That no matter what happened, Kang Jin-ho would be safe. Like how even if you know people die in war, no one thinks their family member going to war will die.

But the world beyond that screen was so different from what she had glimpsed.

It felt like she couldn’t breathe properly.

“Eun-sol.”

[Yes, Sister.]

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

[…]

“I’m happy. Our Eun-sol is even worrying about her sister.”

[No… that’s only natural.]

“But Eun-sol, what should I do? This sister is tired of playing the tragic heroine. I’ve done that too much in dramas. I want to stop crying and stomping my feet every time something happens.”

A sigh was heard over the receiver.

Even though she was trying to act calm, Han Eun-sol seemed to see through her. Well, it would be stranger if she didn’t, after working together for so long.

But Choi Yeon-ha had no intention of changing her attitude.

Everyone lives by acting. Even those who don’t make a living by acting play the roles they have set for themselves according to the situation. Even if her true feelings were exposed, the act had to be carried out to the end.

“So don’t worry. I won’t be moping around alone. He’s not dead yet, after all.”

[Yes, Sister. I’ll… call you again.]

“…Okay.”

Choi Yeon-ha, who was about to tell her to mind her own business, ended up just nodding. There was a limit to how much she could pretend to be strong.

“I’m hanging up.”

[Okay.]

Choi Yeon-ha hung up the phone and leaned back on the sofa.

Then, she slowly closed her eyes.

‘I don’t know.’

She thought she had held on enough. She thought she had done everything she could. But… yes, Han Eun-sol’s words weren’t wrong either. Choi Yeon-ha knew. That she wouldn’t be able to hold onto Kang Jin-ho in the end.

Because that’s the kind of person he was.

She understood.

She couldn’t control someone’s actions just because she wanted to. Everyone has a different scope of what they must do. Kang Jin-ho was just a little different from others in that scope.

What if she couldn’t accept it?

That would be the end. That’s what relationships are like.

“…Still, you damn bastard.”

She knew.

That from the moment two people become one, there is no best way for everyone to be happy. In the end, someone has to give up their own thoughts little by little in the name of compromise.

Perhaps this was something Kang Jin-ho couldn’t compromise on.

But…

Choi Yeon-ha pulled up her knees and buried her face between them.

‘Still…

Couldn’t I have tried to stop him?

Shouldn’t I have stopped him, even if it meant throwing everything away and begging?

Maybe the reason I let Kang Jin-ho go was because I couldn’t let go of my petty pride?

I don’t know, I don’t know…’

“I don’t care anymore…”

Her tearful voice flowed out slowly.

“Please…”

So I can get angry and curse.

So I can get annoyed, whine, and bite.

Because if you don’t come back, I won’t be able to do that. I’ll have to spend my whole life just being sad or pretending to be cheerful.”

Choi Yeon-ha gripped her knees.

“Wait?”

Her eyes, which had lifted, were bloodshot.

“Don’t be ridiculous, you damn bastard.”

Choi Yeon-ha jumped up from her seat.

That screen.

She had been waiting blankly for that screen to turn on again. But she realized. That this wasn’t the best she could do.

To just stay here and wait for Kang Jin-ho to come back alive?

That was ridiculous.

Waiting wasn’t her role.

Choi Yeon-ha reached out and grabbed her phone and wallet. She didn’t know the method well.

Her mind wasn’t clear enough to understand exactly what to do.

But she knew one thing.

‘If I wait here like this, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.’

Whether Kang Jin-ho came back or not, she had to do everything she could.

Choi Yeon-ha grabbed her wallet and car keys and ran to the front door.

‘Idiot.’

Why did she only realize it now? If she had moved as soon as that broadcast came out, the situation would have been very different now.

‘It’s not too late. No, it shouldn’t be too late!’

Choi Yeon-ha slipped on her shoes and violently threw open the door.

“Oh!”

“Wh-what!”

Choi Yeon-ha was startled and grabbed the doorknob.

Someone was standing in front of the door and bumped into it as she opened it.

“Wh-who are you!”

“Ah, this is…”

A middle-aged man.

A man with a somewhat familiar face looked at Choi Yeon-ha with an awkward expression.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to come out so suddenly.”

“I asked who you are.”

The man nodded with a stiff face.

“I am Go Han-bong.”

“Go… Han-bong?”

Choi Yeon-ha’s eyes widened.

“That… uh…”

The name Go Han-bong and this face.

“Could it be… Prime Minister?”

“Hello, Ms. Choi Yeon-ha.”

Choi Yeon-ha bit her lip. If it were her usual self, she would have apologized for opening the door so violently and hurting an elderly man. Or she might have greeted the Prime Minister politely.

But this wasn’t the time for that.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but you’ll have to come back later. I’m busy right now.”

“It’s perfect timing. I don’t have time either.”

“No. Right now…”

As if she didn’t have time to explain, Choi Yeon-ha was about to pass by Go Han-bong and head to her car.

“You can’t go that way. The area around there is blocked off.”

Choi Yeon-ha turned her head and looked at Go Han-bong.

“And… even if you take the fastest flight, you’ll be late.”

“What the…”

“You’re trying to go to Kang Jin-ho, right?”

Choi Yeon-ha’s lips trembled slightly.

“How…”

But Go Han-bong didn’t give her the answer she wanted. He just continued to speak.

“As a human being, and as a politician who has entrusted him with a heavy burden, I have been thinking about what I should do.”

“Originally, I thought that following his wishes was what I should do, but I changed my mind a little while ago. Sometimes, refusing a request can be a way to help someone.”

Go Han-bong bit his lip slightly, still unsure.

“This is also against my lifelong belief of protecting the people. It will be dangerous. No, it’s really dangerous. If something goes wrong, someone might ignore the process and try to resolve the situation by blowing up the area. Even if you secure a distance, you might die without knowing it.”

Go Han-bong lifted his head and looked directly at Choi Yeon-ha.

“Still… will you still go?”

Only then did Choi Yeon-ha fully understand what Go Han-bong was saying, and she chuckled.

“Can you take me there?”

“I can.”

Go Han-bong nodded heavily.

“Ms. Choi Yeon-ha, you have already used the Assembly’s gate before, haven’t you?”

Choi Yeon-ha quickly nodded.

“There is a gate connected to China. It’s not far from where Mr. Kang Jin-ho is. It’s a permanent gate, so we can open it right now. So… I need Ms. Choi Yeon-ha. With all the board members of the Assembly absent, the only person who can ask to use that place is…”

“I’ll go.”

Choi Yeon-ha answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“…Aren’t you afraid?”

“What are you talking about? Of course, I’m scared! I’m so scared that my legs are shaking!”

Go Han-bong closed his mouth and waited for Choi Yeon-ha’s next words. Because this wouldn’t end here.

“But staying here like this is a hundred times scarier. What’s the worst that can happen? I’ll just die!”

“Let’s go!”

Go Han-bong nodded.

Indeed… she wasn’t an ordinary person.

“Let’s go. First, get in the car. We’ll take a helicopter from a nearby schoolyard.”

Choi Yeon-ha nodded.

‘I’m going now, you damn human!’