Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 522

“Huh?”Lee Hyun-soo blinked.What was this man talking about?”Bator?”Kang Jin-ho nodded without answering.”No, I mean…”Lee Hyun-soo grabbed his head.Bator?Why is Bator coming up here?”Is the Bator you’re talking about the same ‘Bator’ I know?”It was such an absurd question, but Kang Jin-ho didn’t seem to understand Lee Hyun-soo’s feelings at all.”I don’t know who the Bator you know is.”
“……Agh.”At this moment, Lee Hyun-soo felt like he understood what it meant to have a fire burning inside him.’I thought I was supposed to be calm and collected…’When he was with Kim Seok-il, he rarely showed any signs of agitation. That’s why people around him were very wary of him.And Lee Hyun-soo thought it was natural for people to fear him. But things had changed since he got involved with Kang Jin-ho.He could feel that the people who had been so afraid of him were now looking at him with pity. Sometimes, there were even energy drinks on his desk.’How did I become…’The image he had of being a somehow terrifying person was completely taken away by Kang Jin-ho. After the Yeongnam Association incident, those damn people seemed to have gotten a fear prevention shot, and they were no longer afraid of him.In fact, he had even heard someone say, ‘Lee Hyun-soo used to be so scary, but after seeing Kang Jin-ho, he seems kind of cute,’ though it was in the bathroom, not to his face.But the root cause of all this was this man.In terms of being a superior, Kang Jin-ho and Kim Seok-il were incomparable. The difference in their power and ability to handle people was too great. Even Lee Hyun-soo, who had a basic antipathy towards Kim Seok-il, couldn’t even dare to complain to Kang Jin-ho.That’s fine. That’s really fine, but…’Why does he do these crazy things every now and then!’Why does he decide things like that on his own?What? A challenge?If he’s going to throw away his position and go out to fight just because a challenge came, then why does he need a position in the first place?Oh, he’s an outsider.’Is that why he doesn’t take a position?’He had suggested to Kang Jin-ho several times to give him a director position because it didn’t look good for the others, but Kang Jin-ho had refused. Now he knew why.He takes everything he needs and doesn’t take responsibility. What a politician!”Why are you looking at me like that?””…Ah, I’m sorry. I got carried away for a moment.””Hmm?”Kang Jin-ho tilted his head as if he didn’t understand, and Lee Hyun-soo sighed.”There’s nothing we can do about what’s already happened.””You’re accepting it faster than I expected.””What can’t be helped, can’t be helped. After cooling down a bit, I realized that this isn’t a challenge that I can refuse just because I don’t want to.”Would refusing the challenge solve anything?Absolutely not.From that moment on, Bator would start targeting Kang Jin-ho. To escape that threat, Kang Jin-ho would only have two options.Either stay in crowded places where Bator would be hesitant to attack, or go around with a military force large enough to pose a real threat to Bator.Neither of those options were realistic.’It’s different from an assassination.’Assassinations happen because the assassin can’t face the target head-on. But this was different. That Bator was planning to face Kang Jin-ho head-on and crush him. The fact that there was no way to stop it was what annoyed Lee Hyun-soo.”When is it?””Today.””What?””I said today.”Lee Hyun-soo slumped onto the sofa with a defeated look.”Those damn bastards.”To come out so blatantly.That’s just how China is. They do things that other countries wouldn’t do even for the sake of face. Power is face, and those with power are justified in doing whatever they want.’It’s not wrong.’Sometimes, reputation and face are just cumbersome. Lee Hyun-soo knew very well that pursuing practical benefits, even if it meant being criticized, could lead to much better results.Except in cases like now, where they are not protected by reputation and face.”Why are you telling me all this?””Because it would be annoying to tell anyone else.”Lee Hyun-soo nodded.If he wanted to avoid a fuss when facing the inevitable, Kang Jin-ho had found the perfect person. Whether it was Bang Jin-hoon or anyone around him, no one would be able to accept this situation rationally.Lee Hyun-soo was the only one who could accept this situation rationally.Lee Hyun-soo wasn’t particularly close to Kang Jin-ho, nor was he someone who had blind faith in his charisma. He was the only key person who could see the situation objectively.”Kang Jin-ho.”Lee Hyun-soo took a low breath and spoke.”What I’m about to say is advice. Even if there are parts that don’t align with your views, please listen to it first and then think about it. If you want to get angry, do it after I’m done.””Alright.”Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes gleamed.”If they set the time and place, we can bring our own people. We can just take him down with a group attack without having to take any risks. That’s the most reasonable way to do it.””And even if you don’t like that, please don’t think about going alone. It could be a trap. There’s no way they wouldn’t think of what I’m thinking. When they told us the place and time, they must have already considered that we could come as a group.It would be foolish not to prepare, just trusting in Kang Jin-ho.”Kang Jin-ho nodded quietly.It made sense.”It’s very romantic to go out and settle things in a one-on-one duel, but reality is harsh. Please make a decision. If you just give the order, I’ll gather the people and take down Bator.”Click.Kang Jin-ho lit a cigarette.Then he smiled quietly.Seeing that smile, Lee Hyun-soo couldn’t help but smile wryly.”You’re not going to listen, are you?”Kang Jin-ho nodded as if to say, ‘What’s the point of talking?’ Lee Hyun-soo sighed deeply, as if he had expected it.’It’s like talking to a brick wall.’There are things you have to do even if you know it’s useless. Just like what he had just done.”What do you believe in?””It’s not about believing, it’s about knowing.””…I honestly don’t understand. What if it’s a trap?””Then the one who gets caught is the fool.””Sigh…”Lee Hyun-soo shook his head.He knew that this was not a matter of logic.There was a kind of understanding between those who had devoted their lives to martial arts that ordinary people could not comprehend. Lee Hyun-soo, who had used explosives to collapse an underground tunnel to catch a martial artist, would never understand that feeling.”Kang Jin-ho.””Speak.””Win.””This is different from the fights you’ve had so far. The moment you lose, the Hongwang Group will swallow Korea in an instant.””I know.””The General Assembly, which has lost its center, will collapse, and it will lose the power to resist other forces. Too much depends on whether you win or lose.”Kang Jin-ho smiled lightly.Lee Hyun-soo was talking as if it was something special, but when had Kang Jin-ho not carried such a burden? Whenever he fought, there were always many things at stake.In this life, and in his previous life as well.The burden was familiar.”And take one person with you.””Why?””If you lose, someone will have to collect your body, and if you win but get injured, you’ll need someone to take you to the hospital. It would be good to take one person with you.””Is that so?””Yes.””Then prepare.””…What?””I said prepare.”Lee Hyun-soo covered his face, seeing Kang Jin-ho speaking so calmly.’Ah, I shouldn’t have said anything.’It was always his mouth that was the problem, his mouth.”Is this it?””Hmm…”Kang Jin-ho leaned out.”I don’t know?””Where did they say the place was?””I got an address. I put it in the navigation, so I guess this is it?””…I guess so.”Lee Hyun-soo sighed at the scenery outside the car window.’This is just a forest…’They had driven a long way on the national highway, but all he could see was grass and mountains. If Kang Jin-ho hadn’t given the wrong address, then something was wrong….”Should I call?””Did you get a phone number?””They gave it to me?”Seriously, these guys… are they doing business?Thinking about it, it was a smart move, but this wasn’t the Joseon era [a historical Korean kingdom]. If you send a challenge letter saying, ‘Come to this place at this time,’ you should at least include a business card in the envelope. It would reduce the chance of something going wrong.He knew that, but…’It kind of diminishes the solemnity.’Where’s the romance! The romance!”…Call them.”Romance doesn’t put food on the table.Kang Jin-ho calmly took out his phone and dialed the number. After waiting a bit, the call was connected.”Uh… what was his name again?”Is that important, Kang Jin-ho?Aren’t we here for a very important fight?Why are you suddenly making me lose my tension like this! Seriously!”Right, Jang Da-jing. Jang Da-jing, right? I came to the place you told me, but there’s no one here. It’s a bit of a problem. If it’s a trap, I wish you’d attack quickly?”Please don’t say things like that. It makes my heart race.”Okay, I understand.”Hanging up the phone, Kang Jin-ho said in a calm voice.”They said to go straight up the road. They said it’s a place that doesn’t show up on the navigation, so they told me to come here on purpose.””What if we can’t find it?””They must have thought we’d call.”He thought they were quite clueless.But what was the point of saying anything? Lee Hyun-soo stepped on the accelerator nervously.Brummm.He turned on the headlights and carefully drove up the dark mountain road for a long time.Just when he was wondering if he was really on the right road, the thick grass seemed to thin out, and a large open space appeared.’Here?’Lee Hyun-soo frowned.It was a place full of artificial traces.As if it had been made for this kind of thing.Kang Jin-ho opened the door and got out without a word.Lee Hyun-soo also turned off the engine and followed Kang Jin-ho out. As the headlights went out, the surroundings were enveloped in darkness.”Kang Jin-ho, let’s check if this is the right place…””It is.””Huh?””They’re over there.”The moment Kang Jin-ho seemed to curl up the corners of his mouth, the surroundings suddenly lit up brightly.”Kuh.”Lee Hyun-soo, who had turned his head away from the light that had pierced his eyes, slowly opened his eyes.’What is this?’A bizarre sight unfolded before his eyes.