Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 320

“Are you in a bad mood again today?”

“Shhh, be quiet. Everyone can hear you.”

“It’s too quiet, so it feels weird.”

Cho Gyu-min sighed quietly, listening to the voices around him.

Although he had his own office inside the secretary’s office, his desk was also outside because there were so many things that needed to be shared in secretarial work.

So, he started working outside today to get a feel for the atmosphere. He regretted it less than five minutes later.

Actually, that’s how groups are. Because so many people work there, it seems like there wouldn’t be any special atmosphere to share, but even a cough from the upper floors can make the atmosphere tense.

And the place most affected by this was the secretary’s office, where they had to serve the chairman up close.

To put it bluntly, the secretary’s office could spend the whole morning wondering, ‘What happened to make the chairman so upset?’ even if Hwang Jung-hoo just coughed as he opened the door.

It’s not that they don’t work and only think about that, but rather that the thought doesn’t leave their minds while they’re working. But…

“How many days has it been?”

“I’ve never seen the chairman like this before…”

There was almost a martial law in place for the secretaries.

Hwang Jung-hoo, who never showed his bad mood because it would lower morale, had been unable to hide his displeasure for the past few days.

Thanks to Hwang Jung-hoo entering the chairman’s office with a stiff face every time he came to work, the secretary’s office was in a state of terror.

“There’s a rumor that there will be restructuring.”

“Restructuring? The chairman said that employees are family and that he would never fire anyone.”

“That was a long time ago. In this day and age, even the chairman can’t help it.”

“Still, he’s the chairman.”

“You never know. To put it bluntly, he’s someone who abandoned his own children, so he could get rid of employees anytime.”

“Ahem!”

Cho Gyu-min’s cough made the secretary’s office fall silent.

‘Those bastards.’

Among those gossiping were people who were higher up and senior to Cho Gyu-min. But they were all watching Cho Gyu-min’s reaction.

He tried to restrain himself as much as possible because he knew that making a sound would create this kind of atmosphere, but this was a bit too much.

“Keep it down, everyone.”

“Y-yes, we should work.”

“Tsk.”

Cho Gyu-min got up from his seat and headed for the stairs.

Those who remained frowned slightly as they watched Cho Gyu-min leave.

“What’s wrong with that guy?”

“Isn’t it because he knows he won’t get fired?”

“He’s been acting too cocky lately just because he’s favored by the chairman. Doesn’t he know that he’ll be a kite with a broken string if he loses that favor?”

“Shouldn’t we give him a piece of our mind later?”

“Why would I bother giving him advice?”

Cho Gyu-min leaned against the door and sighed.

‘I can hear everything, you guys.’

It wasn’t that he wanted to hear it. He just leaned against the door because he was a little tired, but their voices were too loud.

Cho Gyu-min shook his head and headed upstairs. It seemed like there would be more to say, but he didn’t want to hear it anymore.

The words that would come out were obvious. There was no need to listen to them.

Cho Gyu-min walked up the stairs and headed to the rooftop. He went to the smoking area in one corner of the rooftop, sat on a bench, and put a cigarette in his mouth.

‘The breeze is nice.’

It’s always nice because there’s always a breeze when you come up to the rooftop. Moreover, the rooftop of the Jae-kyung headquarters is open, so the breeze always feels cool. It feels like a biting cold in the winter, but it’s just right for the current weather.

‘No, is it a little hot?’

Cho Gyu-min, who was smoking without much thought, slightly raised his head when he heard someone approaching.

“C-Chairman?”

Hwang Jung-hoo nodded at him, and Cho Gyu-min jumped up from his seat.

“Sit down.”

“What brings you here?”

“I came to the smoking area to smoke, not to sleep.”

Cho Gyu-min couldn’t help but look at Hwang Jung-hoo with a puzzled expression.

‘Smoking?’

Why would Hwang Jung-hoo, who smokes in his office, come here? It was natural for him, who was just a low-level employee, to come up here to smoke unless Kang Jin-ho was visiting, but it shouldn’t be the same for Hwang Jung-hoo.

“I just came to get some fresh air.”

Cho Gyu-min, noticing a hint of bitterness in Hwang Jung-hoo’s expression, didn’t ask any further questions. If Hwang Jung-hoo didn’t want to talk, he couldn’t dare to ask.

“A man’s jealousy is an ugly thing.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you know?”

“Ah…”

Cho Gyu-min clicked his tongue.

“I think it’s a price I have to pay.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes. If I’m enjoying something more than I deserve for my abilities, then there are things I have to lose.”

“Hmm…”

Hwang Jung-hoo looked at Cho Gyu-min as if he was impressed.

Office politics are more insidious, dangerous, and petty than one might think. Once a man starts to dislike someone, it becomes much more trivial than a woman’s dislike.

Cho Gyu-min was in a position that was too high for his age. In Hwang Jung-hoo’s eyes, it was a reasonable position, but others would think of him as a parachute hire [someone who gets a job due to connections, not merit].

For now, Hwang Jung-hoo’s charisma and authority were dispelling doubts about Cho Gyu-min’s abilities, but…

‘I focused too much on Kang Jin-ho.’

Others don’t know what Cho Gyu-min does. A few at the top know how important Cho Gyu-min’s work is, but to others, he looks like a guy who doesn’t do much, goes out on business trips every day, and lives comfortably in a high position.

So, it’s inevitable that they would be wary.

Fortunately, those who had seen how Hwang Jung-hoo had treated his children in the past didn’t say that he was a hidden son, but now they were even saying that Cho Gyu-min was Hwang Jung-hoo’s slush fund manager [someone who manages secret funds].

It was something that could never happen given his experience and status, but that’s how bad the rumors about Cho Gyu-min were.

“Are there any complaints?”

“No, Chairman.”

Cho Gyu-min said firmly.

“I think I’m maximizing my abilities right now. I’m very satisfied with my current life. So, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

There was not a hint of hesitation on Cho Gyu-min’s face.

“It’s the truth of the world that if you gain something, you lose something. I’ve received things from you and from Kang Jin-ho, and I know that it’s too greedy to want everything to go well. I’m not so sensitive that I’d be hurt by this, and I’m not so good at relationships that I’d want to explain everything. I’m just a petty person who wants to do my job well, so you don’t have to worry.”

Hwang Jung-hoo burst out laughing.

‘That’s not petty, that’s bold.’

Cho Gyu-min seemed to think he was speaking modestly, but to Hwang Jung-hoo, it sounded like he was bragging.

“Hoo.”

Hwang Jung-hoo sighed, and Cho Gyu-min carefully, very carefully, broached the subject.

“Do you have any worries?”

Normally, it would be a great disrespect to say such a thing to Hwang Jung-hoo first, but Hwang Jung-hoo seemed to want to confide something.

Hwang Jung-hoo smiled at Cho Gyu-min’s words.

“I’m thinking that I wish you were my son.”

“Yes?”

Cho Gyu-min’s face stiffened, and Hwang Jung-hoo smiled and added.

“I don’t even expect you to be like Kang Jin-ho. That guy is too much for me to handle. So, I’m just thinking how great it would be if my sons were as smart as you, even if they weren’t as good as Kang Jin-ho.”

“…Your children are all geniuses.”

“Having a lot of knowledge and being wise are two different things. People who know a lot are more likely to be wise, but they are not necessarily wise. Unfortunately, my sons may be smart, but they are not wise.”

Cho Gyu-min quietly closed his mouth at Hwang Jung-hoo’s words. When parents talk about their children’s shortcomings, it’s not a good idea to agree with them.

“I don’t know if I raised them wrong, or if they were just bad from the start. You alone are doing your job so well.”

“I…”

Cho Gyu-min, after much deliberation, finally opened his mouth.

“This is just my personal opinion, Chairman.”

“Hmm? Tell me.”

“If I had been born as your son, I wouldn’t have been as easygoing as I am now.”

“Why?”

Cho Gyu-min swallowed a bitter smile at Hwang Jung-hoo’s question.

“Because you are Hwang Jung-hoo.”

Hwang Jung-hoo’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Because you are the chairman, you don’t know how much pressure you put on others. Your children were very fortunate to be born as your sons, but it was also a great misfortune. Especially since you are several times stricter with your children than with others. I probably wouldn’t have been able to withstand that pressure.”

“…Is it my fault?”

“It’s not a fault. You can’t call it a fault. It’s just the way it is. It’s just a fact.”

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

“Hey, Gyu-min.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Didn’t you hate Min-jae? Didn’t your life almost get ruined because of Min-jae?”

“That’s right.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better to just agree with me here rather than defend them? If I give them another chance after hearing your words, you won’t benefit from it.”

“Of course. However…”

“However?”

Cho Gyu-min said with a slightly relieved expression.

“I can’t give you a false report just because it will harm me. That would be a sin against you. I can’t make up things to defend them, but I won’t hesitate to report the facts as they are.”

“Tsk tsk, you’re not the type to succeed. I misjudged you.”

“I guess it’s just my nature.”

“You fool.”

Hwang Jung-hoo looked at Cho Gyu-min with a very dissatisfied expression, but his eyes were warm, unlike his expression.

‘I taught him backwards.’

He should have taught him how to calculate and not lose after teaching him how to keep his faith, but he taught him how not to lose from a young age.

Things that were not clear from Kang Jin-ho’s words became clear the moment he heard Cho Gyu-min’s words. Hwang Jung-hoo clicked his tongue as if he was sorry.

“Then can I ask you one thing?”

“You can always ask me questions, Chairman.”

“Forget the formalities.”

“Yes. I will answer with all my heart.”

Hwang Jung-hoo hesitated for a moment, then turned his head to look up at the sky. After looking at the sky for a long time, Hwang Jung-hoo lowered his head again and looked straight at Cho Gyu-min.

With a sharp gaze, Hwang Jung-hoo slowly opened his mouth.