Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 39

The next day.

Kang Jin-ho stared at his bicycle with a dismal expression. Even though he had only pedaled it lightly today, the pedal had broken.

What on earth were the bicycles of this era made of? They broke even with light use. And they were selling these defective products for a good price.

“I need a sturdy bicycle.”

A normal person could pedal a billion times without breaking a pedal, but if Kang Jin-ho put his mind to it and pedaled a couple of times, the pedal couldn’t handle it.

The chain would break easily, and even if he rode it safely, it would be out of order the next day.

Kang Jin-ho sighed and headed to his classroom.

The school was in an uproar.

The chairman had stepped down from his position as of today, and news had spread that a new chairman was coming.

It was surprising news, but since the rumors of yesterday’s events had already spread far and wide, no one was surprised.

Rather, they thought it was only natural. What was surprising was that Kang Jin-ho was the grandson of Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo.

“Kang Jin-ho is the grandson of Jae-kyung Group Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo?”

“That’s what I heard!”

“Hey, Kang Jin-ho’s last name is Kang, and Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo’s last name is Hwang, though?”

“It must be from his mother’s side.”

“Oh, right?”

They easily accepted it that way. If they had just heard it, they wouldn’t have believed it, but since Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo had come to the school himself and said it, there was no way not to believe it.

“Isn’t Jae-kyung Group one of the top 5 companies in the country?”

“Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo has over a trillion won in assets.”

“How much will his grandson get?”

“Is money the issue? He could inherit the Jae-kyung Group.”

The rumors spread like wildfire.

Later, rumors even started circulating that Kang Jin-ho was the successor to Hwang Jung-hoo.

Of course, all this was happening without Kang Jin-ho’s knowledge.

Kang Jin-ho walked slowly down the hallway.

‘Those stares are intense.’

The gazes directed at him from inside the classroom were several times more intense than before.

“Hmm…”

The way they were staring so blatantly made him feel like a zoo monkey.

‘Am I that fascinating?’

Even if he was a chaebol [a wealthy business conglomerate heir], he was still a person.

It wasn’t like they were of a different status or species, so what was so fascinating?

‘Besides, I’m not even Chairman Hwang’s grandson.’

He could deny it later, but it was an awkward time to say he wasn’t right now.

In this situation where the chairman was being bombarded, there was no need for him to ruin the mood.

Kang Jin-ho shook his head and entered the classroom.

“You’re here?”

Jung In-gyu rushed towards Kang Jin-ho.

“Why did you hide it?”

“Hide what?”

“You’re Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo’s grandson!”

It was a problem that should have been resolved yesterday. He could have easily brushed off the unsettling atmosphere, but because Chairman Hwang was waiting in his car until the end of his classes, the teachers came to him to ask about the situation.

Thanks to that, Kang Jin-ho was forced to leave school early, and he couldn’t explain the series of events from yesterday.

“I’m not his biological grandson.”

“What does that matter? You’re still his grandson, right?”

“I guess so…”

Kang Jin-ho thought to himself, ‘Grandson, my foot,’ but he didn’t say it out loud.

“Wow, you’re really good at keeping secrets.”

“What?”

“How did you not show it until now?”

“Show what?”

“Rich guys usually show off, like with the clothes they wear or the cars they drive.”

“I don’t have a license.”

“I’m talking about your father’s car!”

“Do I have to show off with that?”

“Be honest. Isn’t it something like your grandfather telling you to experience the life of a commoner?”

Kang Jin-ho stared blankly at Jung In-gyu.

What on earth was going on in this guy’s head?

“You watch too many dramas.”

It wasn’t just Jung In-gyu.

Even people who weren’t usually close to him rushed towards him. Kang Jin-ho sighed.

‘This is tiring.’

Being rich had its fair share of side effects.

“Don’t fall asleep.”

The only person whose attitude hadn’t changed was Mr. Kim Sung-joo.

With the situation completely resolved by Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo’s intrusion, Mr. Kim Sung-joo’s resignation was naturally canceled.

As soon as Mr. Kim Sung-joo entered the classroom, he glared at Kang Jin-ho.

“Try falling asleep again.”

“I’m always trying my best.”

“If effort doesn’t work, you have to use technique.”

“How do you mean?”

“I’ll show you today. Don’t fall asleep if you don’t want to see it.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“Yes.”

But as always, resolutions were easy, but putting them into practice was difficult.

Today, Kang Jin-ho was dozing off again when he suffered the tragedy of his head and chair being connected by a string that Mr. Kim Sung-joo had brought. However, seeing Kang Jin-ho still dozing off even with his head held stiffly, Mr. Kim Sung-joo fell into despair.

Lunchtime.

Kang Jin-ho left the classroom with a stiff expression.

It was the same classroom as always, but today it felt incredibly uncomfortable. He was tired of pretending not to notice the kids watching him and whispering.

Kang Jin-ho left the whispering kids behind, walked out of the classroom, and into the hallway.

‘There’s no place to rest.’

Except for the classroom, there was no place to rest in the school.

“Sigh…”

“Why are you sighing?”

Kang Jin-ho saw Han Se-yeon approaching from behind.

“Do you live in the hallway?”

“Huh?”

“It seems like you’re always here whenever I come out.”

“I don’t usually stay in the classroom during breaks.”

“Why?”

“I walk around for exercise. It’s good for losing weight.”

“Have you ever thought about the purpose of the schoolyard?”

“No way. I’ll get a tan.”

It was a very realistic and practical reason.

But why did it feel so pathetic?

“You’re Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo’s grandson, right?”

“…I’m not his biological grandson.”

“Still, a grandson is a grandson.”

He had lost count of how many times he had heard that today.

Kang Jin-ho was now resigned.

“Yeah.”

“Wow, now that I see it, you’re a rich kid.”

“I’m not rich.”

“Really?”

“I found out recently. My parents didn’t know either.”

“Does that kind of thing happen?”

“I don’t know either. It’s complicated, so don’t ask for details.”

Han Se-yeon looked Kang Jin-ho up and down and then smiled slightly.

“Well, Kang Jin-ho is still Kang Jin-ho.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just something. I’m going now.”

“What, so suddenly?”

Han Se-yeon sighed deeply as she looked at Kang Jin-ho.

Why was this guy so clueless?

“Can’t you see?”

“See what?”

“If I stay here any longer, I’ll be torn to shreds by their glares.”

Kang Jin-ho glanced around. Inside the classroom, sharp glares were directed at Han Se-yeon.

“What’s going on?”

“You’ve been popular lately because you’re handsome, and now that you have a great background, well. Oh my, I don’t have the courage to talk to a popular guy in front of others. See you later.”

“Okay.”

Han Se-yeon waved her hand and walked backward.

Kang Jin-ho felt the sharp glares soften and turn towards him, and he shuddered.

‘I’m going to faint.’

No matter how long he went to school, it was a place he couldn’t get used to.

That’s when it happened.

“You were here.”

Kang Jin-ho saw a man in a black suit approaching him.

‘Was his name Jo Gyu-min?’

He was the person Hwang Jung-hoo had assigned to him.

He was told to think of him as a secretary, but in reality, he was the one monitoring Kang Jin-ho.

“I’ve come to report.”

“…Report?”

“About the chairman, no, Choi Myung-gil.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“First of all, all of the chairman’s illegally accumulated funds will be recovered. I’ve requested it from the relevant authorities. Once that money is gone, he won’t be able to handle the debt and will go bankrupt.”

“Debt?”

“Rich people have some level of debt, whether it’s a lot or a little.”

“Even if they have money?”

“It’s not that they have debt because they don’t have money, but because it’s a way to make money faster.”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head. He couldn’t understand what he was saying. Why would they take on debt when they had money?

“For example, let’s say Kang Jin-ho’s annual salary is 100 million won.”

“Yes.”

“And there’s a 1 billion won building. If you have 500 million won right now, what should you do?”

“I can save up for five years.”

“No. You take out a loan using the 500 million won in cash and the building as collateral and buy the building. Because the rent from the building is higher than the interest, you’ll pay off the debt before five years, and you’ll make more money than if you had bought the building with cash after five years.”

“Hmm…”

“That’s a simple example. In reality, it’s much more complicated than that. Anyway, Choi Myung-gil also had debts in various places. It’s a debt that wouldn’t be a problem under normal circumstances, but in the current situation, it’s a bomb.”

“So, what’s the conclusion?”

“Choi Myung-gil will go bankrupt by tomorrow.”

“So quickly?”

“The chairman ordered it to be done in three days.”

Kang Jin-ho frowned.

Even though it was said to be three days, he didn’t know that everything would really be over in three days.

In reality, if they went through the proper procedures, it was absolutely impossible to finish it in three days. If it wasn’t for Hwang Jung-hoo’s power, such a thing couldn’t have happened in three days.

Kang Jin-ho didn’t like that. Thanks to Hwang Jung-hoo, other people’s work would have been delayed, and there would have been people doing unnecessary work that they didn’t have to do.

What would be the price for that? That’s why Kang Jin-ho didn’t like power very much.

But it was definitely clean.

It was also a futile thing to argue about something that had already happened, and it was strange for Kang Jin-ho to speak up about what Hwang Jung-hoo was doing.

Because his relationship with Hwang Jung-hoo was still a relationship that was hard to define clearly.

“I understand.”

“And the principal and the student affairs director have been dismissed. All the assets they have unfairly accumulated will be recovered, and they will be judged by the strict law.”

“Will they be judged by an objective law?”

“Objectively speaking, modern law is a bit lenient. Even if a little personal bias is involved, it won’t be against fairness.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head. But unless Jo Gyu-min intervened separately, it would be difficult to make them pay a fair price.

Kang Jin-ho stopped caring about them.

They were just small fry. They weren’t people he should be interested in.

Kang Jin-ho asked Jo Gyu-min.

“But is it okay to just come into the school like this?”

“Is there a problem?”

“It’s a restricted area for outsiders.”

Jo Gyu-min grinned.

“It’s okay. I’m not an outsider.”

“You’re not an outsider?”

“My exact title is acting chairman.”

“Huh?”

“Since Choi Myung-gil went bankrupt, there has to be someone to run the school. The Jae-kyung Foundation has decided to take it over.”

“Can that be done so easily?”

“Who would object to what the chairman wants to do? There are some minor procedures left, but there are no problems.”

“Power is quite good, isn’t it?”

“In this case, you should say it’s wealth.”

It was a case where wealth brought power, but it didn’t matter.

“So, you’re the acting chairman?”

“The chairman is the nominal chairman, but he’s too busy to handle these minor tasks.”

“He didn’t seem that busy…”

“That’s just how it looks. In reality, he’s involved in all the major affairs of the Jae-kyung Group. It’s a strange case where he sacrifices himself because he’s too outstanding.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded. In the case of Louis XIV, who first created the absolute monarchy, he created a system where everything in the country was reported to him, but thanks to that, he suffered from excessive workload.

Hwang Jung-hoo seemed to be in a similar situation.

“Still, his workload has decreased a lot compared to before he collapsed. There are rumors that he has changed a lot.”

“Is it okay to tell me these things?”

“Of course. You’re my superior.”

“Superior…”

Jo Gyu-min, watching Kang Jin-ho click his tongue as if he was displeased, remembered his conversation with Hwang Jung-hoo yesterday.