Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 323

People tend to think simplistically.

They’re often interested in how much those at the top of organizations or companies enjoy their positions, but they rarely consider the chaos and struggles they endured to get there.

Just thirty years ago, Kim Seok-il was merely one of many martial artists. How many trials must he have overcome to rise to the leadership of the Yeongnam Association, the largest martial arts group in Korea?

Facing near-death experiences multiple times a day was hardly something to brag about.

What’s certain is that among the countless martial artists in Korea, few have navigated as much turmoil as Kim Seok-il.

So, how did Kim Seok-il manage to overcome so many crises and reach his current position?

Whenever people asked him, Kim Seok-il would give the same answer.

Instinct.

It wasn’t because he was inherently stronger than others. There were many who were stronger than him when they were the same age. Yet, they didn’t achieve the same level of success as Kim Seok-il.

The reason Kim Seok-il has survived until now and built his own empire is because he was true to himself. He prioritized his immediate instincts over rational and logical thought.

Thanks to this, he was able to overcome several crises that would have been fatal if he had approached them rationally.

That instinct was now warning him.

To run away from Kang Jin-ho.

‘This much?’

His instinct was pulling him more fiercely than ever before. It was screaming at him to abandon all pretense and jump into the river right now if he wanted to live, to get as far away as possible from the person in front of him.

But Kim Seok-il couldn’t back down.

The first reason was that if he retreated, the alliance would collapse. The second reason was that if his instincts were warning him this intensely about someone, running away wouldn’t solve anything.

So, Kim Seok-il didn’t run. Instead, he chose to ask.

“Why are you smiling?”

He was curious.

Why was this man smiling at this moment?

And with such an ominous expression that Kim Seok-il had never even imagined before.

“Because it’s amusing.”

“What’s so amusing?”

Kang Jin-ho stared at Kim Seok-il silently. His face was smiling, but his eyes held no trace of amusement.

“You’re speaking so arbitrarily. It’s ridiculous.”

“What?”

The moment Kim Seok-il was taken aback, Kang Jin-ho spoke.

“So, what are you going to do about it?”

Kim Seok-il couldn’t answer.

No, he didn’t answer.

He understood that the question wasn’t asked out of ignorance. It wasn’t a question but a rejection. Kang Jin-ho was now dismissing all the proposals he had made.

“The Japanese are targeting Korea!”

“So?”

“If we don’t join forces…”

Kim Seok-il’s desperate plea was cut short by Kang Jin-ho’s sneer.

“You talk a good game.”

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes began to distort.

“You were the ones who attacked me first when I was minding my own business. You started it as you pleased, and now you’re going to end it as you please?”

“…It’s not about ending it. Let’s deal with the immediate threats first, and then settle our differences. I also have a deep-seated grudge against you.”

Kim Seok-il gritted his teeth.

“Frankly, you have nothing to lose! But thanks to you, my influence has been weakened. And the plan I’ve been preparing for decades has become useless. If anyone should hold a grudge, it should be me! However!”

Kim Seok-il took a deep breath.

“When the greater good is at stake, personal grudges must be set aside. A man of your caliber should understand that, shouldn’t you?”

“I don’t.”

“Kang Jin-ho!”

Kang Jin-ho, on the contrary, stared at Kim Seok-il as if he couldn’t comprehend him.

“All I know is… that anyone who crosses me will pay the price.”

What Kim Seok-il had misjudged was that he thought Kang Jin-ho was the same kind of martial artist as himself.

When it came to the baseness of means, Kang Jin-ho was incomparable to Kim Seok-il. Even Kim Seok-il, who would advocate for unity in the face of external invasion, was setting aside his personal feelings, while Kang Jin-ho showed no such inclination.

Kim Seok-il, who was often labeled as heartless in the martial arts world, still considered himself a part of the Korean martial arts community, whereas Kang Jin-ho had no sense of belonging to it.

Even if he did have a sense of belonging, Kang Jin-ho’s choice wouldn’t have changed.

“Are you trying to cause internal conflict even though an enemy is invading?”

“Internal conflict?”

Kang Jin-ho said as if he was dumbfounded.

“Internal conflict… That’s not the right term. From my perspective, ‘extermination’ or ‘revenge’ would be more accurate, wouldn’t it?”

As Kim Seok-il tried to say something more, Kang Jin-ho raised his hand to stop him.

“That’s enough.”

“I’ll give you credit for having the courage to come to me on your own. I appreciate courageous people. So, I’ll let you go today. Keep in mind that this is the greatest leniency I can offer.”

Kim Seok-il couldn’t even retort.

It wasn’t because he was speechless, but because the murderous intent emanating from Kang Jin-ho’s body was stifling him.

‘This guy is not someone you can reason with.’

But he couldn’t stop trying to persuade him.

If Kim Seok-il gave up, the General Assembly and the Yeongnam Association would inevitably clash, and Japan would exploit the situation.

‘Why now of all times!’

If it weren’t for this timing, they could have checked Japan with the help of China. No matter how strong Japan became, if Hong Wang [a powerful figure in the Chinese underworld] intervened, they would have no choice but to back down for now.

But now, Hong Wang was unable to act because he was preoccupied with Chang Wang [another powerful figure in the Chinese underworld].

‘He probably calculated that too. So, we should be uniting even more…’

The man in front of him was not someone to negotiate with.

There was no concept of pursuing profit in this man’s mind. He didn’t consider at all what would be most beneficial to him in the current situation.

The driving force behind Kang Jin-ho was simply the obsession to repay any slight against him several times over.

Only then did Kim Seok-il realize who he had provoked. No matter how the situation unfolded, as long as Kang Jin-ho was alive, he wouldn’t stop seeking retribution.

Even if the Korean peninsula were to be engulfed in flames as a result of that conflict.

“…I understand.”

Kim Seok-il gritted his teeth and turned away.

‘Damn it.’

Unlike Kang Jin-ho, Kim Seok-il was a quick strategist. The moment Kang Jin-ho rejected his negotiation, the calculation of how to move most efficiently was complete.

The best option was to eliminate Kang Jin-ho right here and now.

At the very least, if he was dealing with someone who could be reasoned with, the best option would be to negotiate even if it meant giving up everything. But what kind of negotiation could he have with a wall that could not be reasoned with and only showed fundamental hostility towards Kim Seok-il?

What he had to do was to eliminate Kang Jin-ho as quickly as possible and integrate the General Assembly before Japan revealed its true intentions. There would be some chaos, but it was a hundred times better than Japan invading while the General Assembly and the Yeongnam Association were at odds.

But…

‘Damn it.’

Kim Seok-il kept cursing.

He knew that was the fastest way, but he couldn’t move.

When he made eye contact with Kang Jin-ho, his body wouldn’t move. He just cowered like a mouse in front of a cat.

‘Am I scared? Me?’

He couldn’t accept it.

He had always been submissive in front of those stronger than him. But that was his way of surviving, not because he was actually afraid.

But now, he had to desperately ignore the fear that was slowly rising from within.

Kim Seok-il was not someone who would be scared just because the opponent was stronger than him. Then where did this fear come from?

‘I need to come up with a plan.’

Suddenly, what Lee Hyun-soo had said came to mind.

“Have you ever seen him in person?”

He was right.

He had heard about Kang Jin-ho’s actions and had been told countless times how dangerous he was, but all of that was meaningless.

Kang Jin-ho was the kind of person that could not be understood unless you saw him with your own eyes.

‘I need to meet Lee Hyun-soo.’

And…

Kim Seok-il’s gaze shifted slightly behind him.

Kang Jin-ho was looking at the river and smoking a cigarette, not even glancing in his direction.

‘I might need to meet Bang Jin-hoon too.’

Kim Seok-il’s gaze darkened.

Kang Jin-ho smiled quietly as he felt Kim Seok-il’s presence gradually fading away.

‘Like a rat.’

Even at this moment, Kim Seok-il would be agonizing over how to kill him. A person with those eyes is tenacious and also despicable.

There was no type of person more annoying than a tenacious and despicable human. Considering all of that, it would be best to take Kim Seok-il’s head right here and now, but Kang Jin-ho had no intention of doing so.

That would be too easy a death for Kim Seok-il.

They dared to harm his family. He needed to see the forces he had built collapse before his eyes, and feel the grim reaper approaching very slowly.

To do that?

Kang Jin-ho slowly turned his head.

“Hey.”

Kim Seok-il, who was moving away from Kang Jin-ho, turned back with a questioning look.

“I’ll give you a gift.”

Kang Jin-ho grabbed the cigarette he was holding and flicked it towards the water.

Thump!

He had only flicked the cigarette with his finger, but an incomprehensible sound rang out. At the same time, the cigarette that Kang Jin-ho had flicked pierced into the river at a speed that could not be followed by the eye.

‘What is he doing?’

Kim Seok-il looked at Kang Jin-ho with a completely bewildered face.

He had no idea what Kang Jin-ho’s actions meant.

“Take care of the cleanup.”

“What…”

At that moment, Kim Seok-il shut his mouth.

He saw it.

At the place where Kang Jin-ho had flicked the cigarette, a crimson liquid was rising from under the water.

‘Blood.’

It wasn’t a large amount at all. It was such a small amount that even passersby wouldn’t notice anything strange unless they looked carefully. But it was definitely blood.

“You didn’t just enter through the airport, did you?”

Kim Seok-il’s body trembled at Kang Jin-ho’s mocking words.

‘He’s already been watched.’

Kim Seok-il hadn’t noticed at all, but it seemed that Kang Jin-ho had known from the beginning.

The fear deepened even more.

When he barely raised his head to look, Kang Jin-ho said with a small smile.

“Don’t forget. I’ll come find you soon. Don’t think you’ll be as lucky then as you are today.”

Kang Jin-ho left those words and turned away.

Kim Seok-il, who was alternating between looking at Kang Jin-ho slowly moving away and the bloodstains rising from the water, clenched his fist tightly.

‘I need to come up with a plan.’

If he couldn’t come up with a plan by the time Kang Jin-ho came to find him,
death would come.

A definite death that could not be avoided.