Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 299

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho clenched his fist, looking at the car parked in the garage.

Jo Gyu-min’s words suddenly came to mind.

“A supercar might suit Mr. Kang Jin-ho’s taste, but it definitely won’t suit your mother’s. So, for now, shut up and get a big, beautiful car with a spacious and comfortable back seat, one that can make her feel proud that ‘my son has achieved this much.’ Put aside your own preferences for now. This car isn’t for you. At least when you’re driving this car, you’re just a chauffeur.”

There was much to learn from Jo Gyu-min. Kang Jin-ho had never thought about it that way. But listening to him, Jo Gyu-min’s words were all correct.

And from long experience, he had concluded that following Jo Gyu-min’s advice, even if it seemed questionable, never resulted in a loss.

That’s why Kang Jin-ho could look at the imposing car before him with a satisfied expression.

‘What was its name again?’

It was something like Be… something? Be… Beethoven?

Before getting into the driver’s seat, Kang Jin-ho recalled Jo Gyu-min’s earnest request.

“One thing you must keep in mind is that when your mother is in the car, never exceed the speed limit. And if possible, don’t overtake anyone!”

Jo Gyu-min’s eyes, as he looked at Kang Jin-ho who was about to ask ‘why?’, were more desperate than he had ever seen before.

“Just listen to me. This is not something you need to understand. And absolutely do not accelerate suddenly. Increase your speed as if a grub is becoming a worm, and a worm is becoming a turtle. When you’re alone in your supercar, drive however you want, but please, when you have your family in the car, just do as I say.”

“Hmm…”

Kang Jin-ho nodded to himself.

When they went to the department store before, his mother had gone in Kang Eun-young’s car, so there hadn’t been any issues, but now that they were traveling together, it was right to do as Jo Gyu-min said.

Kang Jin-ho sat in the driver’s seat and started the engine. Unlike his car, it was very quiet. He was used to cars that roared ‘I’m here!’ as soon as they started, so it felt a bit awkward to be in a car that didn’t feel the need to prove it was running.

Of course, that wasn’t the only awkward thing.

The wide and comfortable driver’s seat, which also felt strangely heavy, was also a new experience.

“Interesting.”

‘So this is what it’s like to drive a different kind of car,’ he thought. Come to think of it, except for when he was practicing driving, this was the first time he had been away from his beloved car. How many years had it been?

The heavy feeling of the car moving wasn’t bad. It was unfamiliar, but it also felt novel.

“Are you still not done parking the car?”

If only that wasn’t there, it would be more novel and comfortable.

Kang Eun-young, who had come out with their mother, was nagging. Kang Jin-ho sighed involuntarily. Just the thought of spending the day with her made his shoulders feel stiff already.

“When did you even get this car?”

‘It’s been here for a few days.’

I didn’t know either, Mom.

“I brought it this time.”

“You have a car. Why are you collecting cars? You have the strangest hobbies. Anyone would think you’re incredibly rich.”

‘I am rich.’

Kang Jin-ho kept his mouth shut.

Right now, his bank account was overflowing with cash. He had already checked his account and his heart had nearly jumped out of his chest, and he had begged Hwang Jung-hoo to stop putting money in, but Hwang Jung-hoo had ignored him and continued to deposit money.

He said that a favor should be repaid until the person who received it is satisfied, not when the benefactor tells them to stop.

Anyway, thanks to that, if you only counted the amount of cash he had, there wouldn’t be many people in Korea who had more money than Kang Jin-ho.

Of course, if you included stocks or real estate, it would be a completely different story.

“You shouldn’t keep doing things like this.”

“I didn’t buy it. The chairman gave it to me so it would be comfortable for Mom to ride in.”

“The chairman?”

When the story of Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo came up, his mother’s expression softened.

‘I think you’ve repaid your debt enough with this, Chairman.’

Just the fact that he had been a refuge from the immediate crisis, regardless of money, was a great help to him. It felt as if he had repaid the favor of saving his life right away.

“If the chairman gave it to you, I guess it can’t be helped, but is it okay to accept something like this? Even if it’s a gift, it’s too much. Who even receives a car as a gift?”

“Oh, Mom.”

Kang Eun-young pushed her way next to her mother and shook her head.

“You can’t think of a conglomerate chairman’s scale on the same level as ours. Honestly, for someone of the chairman’s level, a car gift is nothing. People like that give and receive gifts like this all the time.”

“Is, is that so?”

‘I don’t think so…’

Kang Jin-ho subtly avoided his mother’s gaze.

Hwang Jung-hoo was frugal.

Very frugal. He still drove a car he had bought fifteen years ago… To put it nicely, he was frugal, but to put it badly, he was a miserly skinflint.

He didn’t know how other conglomerate chairmen lived, but Hwang Jung-hoo probably wouldn’t do something like giving a car as a gift.

“Then I’ll start driving now.”

“Okay.”

“We’re going somewhere close, right?”

At that moment, his mother’s eyebrows twitched.

“Son.”

“…Yes?”

“Today, we’re going out for Mom, right?”

“Of course, Mother.”

“Then, I’d like to go for a drive today, so do we have to go somewhere close?”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head vehemently. Kang Eun-young also chimed in.

“Driver Kang! Driver Kang! Let’s go somewhere big! Somewhere big!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Kang Jin-ho carefully stepped on the accelerator.

‘From a grub to a worm, and from a worm to a snail.’

As Jo Gyu-min had advised, he started very slowly. From Kang Jin-ho’s perspective, he had succeeded in starting from a grub to a slightly faster grub. Then, he started driving on the road without ever breaking the speed limit.

“Oh? Oppa, you’re a good driver?”

“…Huh?”

“Yumin oppa told me never to ride in your car… That’s strange?”

“Haha, he must be joking.”

Kang Jin-ho gave an awkward laugh.

‘Oh ho, Park Yu-min.’

He was selling my information well. And to Kang Eun-young, no less. I’ll have to give him a thorough punishment next time I see him.

“Yes. Maybe it’s because the car is good, but our Jin-ho is a good driver. Driving is supposed to be slow like this.”

“Yes, Mother. I always drive safely.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly stuck out his tongue and wet his lips. He had at least marked his territory.

“So, why don’t you leave that bright red thing and drive a car like this? Every time I see that red car, I’m so embarrassed I can’t even lift my head in the neighborhood.”

“Mom, that’s a good car.”

“What good is it if it’s just a car? It’s loud and flashy… It looks like a spaceship… You only drive cars like that when you’re young.”

“…Mom, Oppa is young.”

“Oh, right.”

Baek Hyun-jung covered her mouth and laughed.

He was her son, but sometimes she had no sense of his age. He just didn’t act his age.

“Anyway, I like this car. When you’re with me, drive this car.”

“Yes, I will.”

Kang Jin-ho answered immediately, and Baek Hyun-jung smiled gently.

“Still, I’m getting to ride in a car like this thanks to my son. This must be expensive, right?”

Kang Eun-young nodded.

“Mom, this is no joke. It’s incredibly expensive.”

“It’s a car I haven’t seen often…”

“It’s not common.”

Baek Hyun-jung looked at Kang Jin-ho with a sullen gaze.

“Jin-ho.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I hope you never forget that just because you’re driving a nice car and eating good food, it doesn’t mean you’ve become a great person.”

“Yes.”

“What you’re enjoying now is only possible because the chairman likes you. But I hope that one day you’ll return all of this. A man should stand on his own two feet. A person who enjoys what they haven’t achieved will eventually not be able to stand alone.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Okay. I’m sorry for nagging you on a day like this. Just know that I’m saying this because I’m worried.”

There was worry in Baek Hyun-jung’s voice.

“Don’t worry.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded lightly.

He could fully understand his mother’s worries. On the surface, Kang Jin-ho was still a student, and he had only recently opened a store. For someone like that to be driving an extremely expensive car, she would worry that he might get a big head.

It might be an unnecessary worry, but from a parent’s perspective, it was understandable.

‘More than that…’

Cold sweat started to run down Kang Jin-ho’s forehead.

‘Was the speed limit always this slow?’

The car felt like it was crawling like a grub. It felt like he was forcibly suppressing and coaxing a car that wanted to roar forward with just a slight touch.

He was trying to keep the speed limit while other cars were whizzing past him, and it was a living hell.

“Mom, Mom. What are we going to see today?”

“Is there anything I particularly want to see? I just like being out with you two. I raised my son and daughter, and now they’re too busy with their own work to care about me. If I don’t take care of myself, I’ll be left alone like this for the rest of my life.”

“Oh… Hehe, who would leave Madam Baek alone like that?”

Kang Eun-young glared at the back of Kang Jin-ho’s head with a venomous look.

“Driver Kang! Is our destination still far?”

‘That jerk.’

I’m about to go crazy because we’re going so slow, and look at how he’s talking.

For a moment, Kang Jin-ho was furious, but Baek Hyun-jung’s relaxed expression in the rearview mirror calmed him down.

“We’ll be there soon. Please wait a little longer, Madam.”

“Hmm, the driver is well-trained.”

“Not you.”

Kang Jin-ho vowed to give her a separate re-education later. While they were bickering, the department store came into view in the distance.

‘I found it!’

Kang Jin-ho wanted to praise himself. To find the department store in one go with a car that didn’t even have a proper navigation system, wasn’t that amazing? Kang Jin-ho, who was about to shout with a proud face, clenched his teeth at the voice he heard from behind.

“What? I told you to go somewhere big, why are we here? Turn the car around. We’re going south.”

“South?”

“You’re like a North Korean soldier, Oppa, go to Gangnam, Gangnam! Ugh, really! Turn the car around. I’ll tell you the way.”

“…Yes.”

Today, Kang Jin-ho was completely overwhelmed by Kang Eun-young’s force.

When Kang Jin-ho obediently listened, Kang Eun-young giggled and whispered to Baek Hyun-jung.

“Mom, you have to cover for me later. If you don’t protect me, my brother will beat me to death.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

“Really?”

‘I can hear everything.’

Kang Jin-ho sighed and stepped on the accelerator like a grub.