Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 358

“What… how should I put this?” Gong Young-gil felt a strange sensation.

“We’re going to war, right?”

“That’s right.”

Lee Myung-hwan nodded as if it were nothing.

“But why does it feel like we’re going on a trip?”

Normally, Lee Myung-hwan would have scolded Gong Young-gil for saying such a thing. But today, even he didn’t blame Gong Young-gil. Lee Myung-hwan was feeling the same way.

‘It’s not like we’re going on a school trip.’

Seeing so many people crowded onto buses was a sight he hadn’t seen since graduating from school. The solemnity of going to war was somewhat diminished by the scene.

As he took in the familiar smell of the bus and the black heads packed in like bean sprouts, he felt like he should have brought hard-boiled eggs and cider. Even though when he was in school, no one bought such things as snacks.

‘This is a fine mess.’

Considering where they were heading, this was something that should never have happened. They were in the midst of the biggest conflict since the establishment of the Assembly [a martial arts organization].

The Assembly had a long history, so there must have been many big and small incidents. But he could say with certainty that there had never been anything bigger than this. They had never clashed with an organization of a similar level to the Assembly, yet they were going to war with an even larger force.

Lee Myung-hwan clenched his knees tightly, trying to calm his trembling legs.

A large-scale war between martial artists was no ordinary matter. Considering the deteriorating relationship between the Assembly and the Yeongnam Association [another martial arts organization], he had thought that something like this might happen someday, but that was just a thought.

It was like thinking that war might break out someday because the relationship between South and North Korea was deteriorating, but everyone believed that war would never actually happen.

That was exactly how Lee Myung-hwan felt.

He thought he had predicted it in his head, but when it actually happened, he couldn’t quite grasp what was going on. He felt dazed, as if he were dreaming, and detached from reality.

Gong Young-gil’s comment about feeling strange was probably an extension of Lee Myung-hwan’s feelings.

“Get a grip.”

“…I will.”

Lee Myung-hwan pursed his lips.

‘I can’t imagine what kind of scene will unfold.’

There had never been a situation since the founding of the nation where so many martial artists clashed with each other. So, it was natural that they couldn’t predict the nature of the battle or its outcome.

He could feel that everyone was suffering from such anxiety.

And Lee Myung-hwan had one more reason to be anxious.

“Is Kang Jin-ho in the front car?”

“…Probably.”

Lee Myung-hwan covered his face and sighed.

‘I shouldn’t have acted out….’

Gong Young-gil was simply trying to confirm that Kang Jin-ho was in the front, but from Lee Myung-hwan’s perspective, it was not that simple. He knew that the core members of the Assembly, including Lee Jung-geol, were all in the front car.

The fact that Kang Jin-ho, who had joined last, had naturally boarded that car meant that those at the top of the Assembly knew and acknowledged Kang Jin-ho’s existence.

That was different from Bang Jin-hoon protecting Kang Jin-ho.

‘I’m going to die, really.’

Lee Myung-hwan grabbed his head.

Why did he provoke such a person?

Moreover, as far as he knew, Kang Jin-ho was not in his right mind. Just thinking about the aftermath made him feel nauseous.

“The problem is today.”

“…Why?”

“I have to stick by that guy’s side.”

“That’s right.”

“It’s easier said than done.”

Lee Myung-hwan sighed deeply.

Bang Jin-hoon’s intentions could be various. As he said, Kang Jin-ho was in a state where it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe, so it was probably also to have people around him to help him distinguish between allies and enemies.

But Lee Myung-hwan thought that wasn’t all.

If Kang Jin-ho continued to work with the Assembly, they needed a medium to connect the martial artists of the Assembly and Kang Jin-ho. Others had interacted with each other since childhood and had become acquainted through the Assembly.

Martial artists had an unfounded sense of pride that they were superior to ordinary people, but in return, they could not enjoy a normal life. This shared sense of sorrow also bound them together.

But Kang Jin-ho had suddenly appeared and become entangled with the Assembly. Naturally, he would not have a common ground with them, and it would not be easy to become close. Bang Jin-hoon would have anticipated such a situation and created a buffer zone so that Kang Jin-ho could blend in well with the people of the Assembly.

Lee Myung-hwan’s misfortune was that he happened to be that buffer zone.

‘If you’re unlucky, you’ll break your nose even if you fall backward.’

The antipathy towards Kang Jin-ho would probably be overflowing. A guy who had suddenly appeared was talking about a director position. Kang Jin-ho was a golden spoon [a person born into wealth and privilege] who had appeared for the first time in the Assembly, where people were mercilessly cut off if their skills were not guaranteed, even if there were subtle benefits depending on the faction.

The antipathy towards Kang Jin-ho was sufficiently proven by what had happened last night. And the role of the shield that would take that antipathy was given to Lee Myung-hwan and Gong Young-gil.

“I’m going to die, really.”

As Lee Myung-hwan kept sighing, Gong Young-gil asked cautiously.

“But Myung-hwan.”

“Why?”

“When you think about it, isn’t this also an opportunity?”

“Opportunity?”

“Yeah. So….”

Gong Young-gil hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Anyway, if we look at the facts, it’s true that this Kang Jin-ho is being protected by the higher-ups and receiving full support from the Assembly Leader. Isn’t he the core of the core line?”

“Why? Are you going to give him a nickname? Bang Jin-hoon’s crown prince?”

“It’s not something to be sarcastic about….”

Gong Young-gil swallowed hard and said.

“If you think about it the other way around, it’s like we’ve grabbed the line of that golden spoon.”

“…What?”

“Isn’t that right?”

Lee Myung-hwan looked at Gong Young-gil with a slightly surprised face.

‘This guy’s brain is really innocent.’

Lee Myung-hwan hadn’t thought that way. No, he couldn’t think that way. He couldn’t possibly foresee any benefits that could fall to them by becoming Kang Jin-ho’s close aides.

“It’s only an opportunity if there’s something to gain.”

“Originally, there’s always something to eat next to power. Even if Kang Jin-ho doesn’t try to give us anything, something will naturally fall if we’re by his side, right? Otherwise, why would people stick to power?”

It sounded like he had a point.

“Since it’s come to this, I’m just going to stick firmly to Kang Jin-ho’s side. Looking at it calmly, the situation isn’t bad. He’s proven his skills, and if he’s supported by Assembly Leader Bang Jin-hoon and former Assembly Leader Lee Jung-geol, his power is certain. Plus, he’s young, so he probably won’t fall from power for the next twenty or thirty years. Where else can you find a more secure lifeline?”

“…I didn’t know you had the brains to calculate that.”

“I’m good at smelling things.”

“You’re full of it.”

Lee Myung-hwan ignored Gong Young-gil’s words and closed his eyes. But his mind was also actively calculating.

“You really don’t think so?”

“Dude, if we lose the fight today, the Assembly is going to be wiped out, so why are you worried about thirty years from now? Stop talking nonsense and think about how to fight well today.”

“…Aish, damn it. You won’t let me say anything.”

Gong Young-gil grumbled, crossed his arms, and turned his head away. Lee Myung-hwan sighed softly and looked out the window.

‘He’s not wrong.’

If they could get through today safely, there was a high probability that Gong Young-gil’s words would come true.

Even if he didn’t take care of them, if they used the fact that they were Kang Jin-ho’s close aides well, it wouldn’t be difficult to create something to eat on their own.

However….

‘It depends on what kind of image Kang Jin-ho shows today.’

The fight with the Yeongnam Association was a battle that would determine the fate of the Assembly. If Kang Jin-ho could show a performance that would make people’s eyes pop out in today’s fight, he could quell the dissatisfaction of the opposition, but if he just watched from behind, people would say, ‘Who is that guy who didn’t even step up during the Assembly’s crisis to be so loud?’

In the end, that meant that Kang Jin-ho had to run wild in the danger zone today….

“Damn it….”

Interpreting that meant that their danger would increase. Lee Myung-hwan, faced with a situation where it was a problem either way, rested his head against the window.

The coldness of the cold glass penetrated his head along with the heavy vibration.

“…I think we’ve arrived?”

As the bus entered the mountain road, tension began to build. Everyone knew that the moment they got off this bus was the beginning of the war.

Even the guys who were usually playful were showing their anxiety with tense faces as if they had put on iron armor.

‘It’s no wonder.’

Even though they were martial artists and couldn’t avoid fighting, it wasn’t common for them to fight with their lives on the line like this. Moreover, the opponent was not just anyone.

It had been ten years since they had admitted that they were weaker than the Yeongnam Association. In the meantime, the gap had only widened, and now it was difficult to fight a decisive battle with the Yeongnam Association on their own.

‘What is the higher-up thinking?’

According to Bang Jin-hoon, they seemed to have a surefire card, but the ordinary members who didn’t know the existence of that surefire card would feel like they were walking into their own deaths.

Depending on the nature of the operation that had not yet been revealed, there could be a backlash.

Lee Myung-hwan, who had gotten off the bus, looked ahead. The front door of the first car had not yet opened.

‘Is it not ready yet?’

At that moment, the door opened with a hiss, and Bang Jin-hoon revealed himself.

Lee Myung-hwan, who had spotted Bang Jin-hoon getting off the bus, narrowed his eyes.

‘What’s going on?’

Bang Jin-hoon’s expression was not good. No, it wasn’t just not good, but he had a face full of dissatisfaction as if he had chewed on something.

If that was all, he would have thought, ‘There was a conflict of opinion with the directors during the strategy meeting,’ but Lee Jung-geol, who was getting off the bus after him, also had a bad expression.

“…What is it?”

The people getting off the bus all had faces that could only be described as terrible. It was to the point where he was worried if it was okay for the command to have such faces when they had to lead the war.

“Why are they like that?”

“I know, right.”

Finally, Kang Jin-ho got off the bus.

Unlike the others, Kang Jin-ho’s face was not particularly frowning. It was the same expressionless face that they had seen before.

‘Was there some internal strife?’

Internal strife among those who had to fight the war now.

Just as Lee Myung-hwan was about to start thinking, having discovered a bad omen, a nervous voice was heard.

“Lee Myung-hwan! Where’s Lee Myung-hwan!”

“Yes!”

At Bang Jin-hoon’s call, Lee Myung-hwan ran quickly.

Bang Jin-hoon, who had scanned Lee Myung-hwan who had run up to him with a fierce look, said as if grinding his teeth.

“Don’t ever leave that crazy… no, Kang Jin-ho’s side today. Got it?”