Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 68

Kang Jin-ho’s gaze settled on the woman who had been shouting. Even after learning he was Kang Eun-young’s brother, her brazen attitude spoke volumes about her character.

“Who is she?”

At Kang Jin-ho’s question, Jo Gyu-min, who had already done his homework, stepped forward.

“That’s Lee Ye-seul. She’s the second daughter of the CEO of Hwangseong Corporation.”

“Hwangseong Corporation?”

“I regret to say, they’re a company that primarily supplies goods to Jaekyung Electronics.”

“No need to apologize.”

“Still, I must.”

Jo Gyu-min bowed his head, looking genuinely apologetic. He could already envision the fallout if Chairman Hwang Jeong-hoo found out about this situation.

And if Kang Jin-ho were to lose his temper, things could spiral out of control.

Kang Jin-ho nodded and helped Kang Eun-young to her feet.

“Let’s go.”

“Oppa, if I give up now…”

“I never said you should give up. Do what you want, but not here.”

“Now that things have come to this…”

“It’s not too late.”

Kang Eun-young reached out, her hand trembling, and took Kang Jin-ho’s.

“Oppa.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply and pulled Kang Eun-young into a hug.

“Let’s go home.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho patted Kang Eun-young’s back and turned around.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Jo Gyu-min let out a sigh of relief, almost unconsciously.

He had braced himself for a major incident, but thankfully, it seemed like things were resolving themselves smoothly.

“Who are you?”

A stiff voice cut through the air.

“Who do you think you are, taking our trainee away like that?”

He turned towards the voice. Kang Jin-ho saw a man in a black suit, broad and imposing.

The man, who could be described as menacing, was glaring at Kang Jin-ho with a scowl.

“Who?”

Jo Gyu-min quickly answered, his expression darkening.

“That’s Park Hyuk-gi, the CEO of StarWiz.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly stared at Park Hyuk-gi.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Eun-young’s brother.”

Kang Jin-ho exercised his patience. He could easily turn this place upside down, but that might complicate Kang Eun-young’s transfer to another agency. He needed to remain calm.

“Ah, so you’re Eun-young’s brother. I’m Park Hyuk-gi, the CEO of this company. What brings you here?”

“I’m taking my sister.”

“If you take her when her debut is just around the corner, what are we supposed to do?”

“She won’t be debuting.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m terminating the contract.”

“Look here. A contract isn’t something you can just terminate as you please. Do you even know how much the penalty is?”

“How much is it?”

“One billion won.”

Kang Jin-ho turned to Jo Gyu-min.

“Director Lee.”

“Yes.”

“Give it to them.”

“Understood.”

Jo Gyu-min nodded slightly and pulled out his phone.

“Give me your account number.”

“Excuse me?”

“Or should I bring it in cash?”

Park Hyuk-gi was dumbfounded. “No, it’s not like one billion won is pocket change. How can you just say you’ll pay it so easily…”

Jo Gyu-min frowned.

What was the problem when they were offering to pay what he asked for?

“What do you want?”

“Well, it’s not that I want anything… Eun-young is a talent we desperately need. So, rather than terminating the contract, I’d like to resolve this amicably…”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head firmly.

“No.”

“Don’t be like that…”

“Give me the money.”

“Understood.”

Park Hyuk-gi frowned.

One billion won was a significant sum.

But compared to the potential earnings of a successful group, it was nothing.

He had gathered trainees with strong connections and backgrounds, ensuring easy access to TV and media exposure, and securing funding for their activities. It was a profitable venture for the agency, regardless.

The problem was that they needed a certain level of skill to make it work.

If Kang Eun-young left the group, it would be impossible.

He had only gathered trainees with money, and their skills were terrible, even to his eyes.

If they had some talent, he could try to train them and fix it, but he couldn’t keep teaching kids who didn’t improve no matter what.

In the end, he had to make money, but if Kang Eun-young left now, the debut would be delayed again, and the people who had been quietly supporting them might start complaining.

“Anyway, you should reconsider terminating the contract…”

“No, I’m terminating it.”

“I’m speaking nicely, but it’s going to be difficult if you keep acting like this.”

“Do you think you can go anywhere else after leaving here? Do you know how small this industry is? If I set my mind to it, burying someone in this industry is nothing. It’s hard to make someone popular, but do you think it’s hard to make them fall?”

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

This was how it had to be.

It was easier when they showed their true colors.

“Terminate the contract and try to leave. I’ll make sure you can’t set foot in any other agency.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly stared at Park Hyuk-gi before speaking.

“What did you do?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Kids can make mistakes. That’s why they’re kids. So shouldn’t the adults stop them?”

“What are you talking about…”

“What did you do when my sister was having a hard time?”

Park Hyuk-gi frowned and glared at Kang Jin-ho, his eyes filled with hostility and intimidation.

Pathetic.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled and nodded.

“You wouldn’t know.”

“You don’t need to know. That’s why I’m not letting her debut here. I’ll pay the penalty, so terminate the contract. Do as you please.”

At Kang Jin-ho’s words, Park Hyuk-gi yelled.

“No, seriously! Just because I’m letting you have your way! Do you think this place is easy! You think you can just come in and leave as you please?”

“Then?”

“You might end up in a bad situation if you keep acting like this. If I set my mind to it…”

In that instant, Jo Gyu-min spoke up.

“It would be best if you shut your mouth.”

“And who are you?”

The road manager, who had been fidgeting while watching the situation, approached Park Hyuk-gi and whispered something.

Park Hyuk-gi’s expression changed slightly as he looked at Jo Gyu-min.

“It’s best to watch your mouth. If you go any further, it will be unmanageable. A situation that no one can handle will occur.”

“Are you threatening me now?”

“You were the one who threatened us. This is a warning.”

Park Hyuk-gi frowned.

If the person speaking now was from the Jaekyung Group’s secretary office, the situation was too complicated.

Jaekyung Group.

It was a place on a different level from the backgrounds of the nobodies gathered here. If they set their minds to it, StarWiz would be dismantled in an instant. Park Hyuk-gi would also become penniless.

The problem was what kind of relationship this kid had with the Jaekyung Group.

His instincts, honed from living in the entertainment industry, were not ordinary. Just from his attitude, it was clear that this young man had a higher position than the Jaekyung Group guy next to him. But it was too much of a loss to let Kang Eun-young go because of that.

‘This is ambiguous…’

It was ambiguous whether to go strong or give up.

“First, let’s calm down and talk. If there’s anything we need to fix, I’ll do my best…”

“Enough.”

“I don’t want anything from you. So, just bring the contract.”

Park Hyuk-gi gritted his teeth at Kang Jin-ho’s firm attitude.

And he didn’t like how the young man was speaking so casually. If it weren’t for the Jaekyung Group person next to him, he would have already punched him in the face.

“You’re a young man who speaks so informally.”

“If you want to be treated with respect, act like you deserve it.”

“Oppa.”

Kang Eun-young tried to stop him, and Kang Jin-ho sighed. Kang Jin-ho, who had been quietly staring at Park Hyuk-gi, turned around.

He felt like he would cause an accident if he stayed here any longer.

It was nothing for him to crush a human like that, but he didn’t want to show that side of himself in front of his sister. He was Kang Jin-ho, not the Heavenly Demon Lord [a powerful and feared figure in martial arts novels].

“Let’s go.”

“…Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho, holding Kang Eun-young’s hand, instructed Jo Gyu-min without turning his head.

“Please take care of the rest.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

Jo Gyu-min bowed his head and saw Kang Jin-ho off.

Kang Jin-ho took Kang Eun-young’s hand and went outside.

At that moment, a venomous remark was heard from behind.

“That bitch, I knew she would do this. This is why you have to be careful about who you accept.”

Kang Jin-ho let go of Kang Eun-young’s hand.

“Oppa?”

Kang Jin-ho turned around and walked slowly. Towards Park Hyuk-gi.

“W, what!”

Kang Jin-ho’s hand grabbed Park Hyuk-gi’s neck.

Thud.

Park Hyuk-gi’s face turned pale in an instant.

“C, cough!”

Park Hyuk-gi’s hands, flailing aimlessly, grabbed Kang Jin-ho’s arm. But Kang Jin-ho’s arm didn’t budge as if it were made of steel.

Park Hyuk-gi’s eyes rolled back from the intense force choking his neck.

Kang Jin-ho pulled Park Hyuk-gi closer, put his face close to his, and opened his mouth.

“Say it.”

“Cough! Keek!”

“Say it again.”

The female trainees who witnessed the scene screamed. Sharp shouts echoed through the practice room.

“I’m not in a good mood right now.”

“Ugh…”

“So say it again. What did you say?”

Park Hyuk-gi stammered with a pale face.

“I can’t hear you. Say it.”

Jo Gyu-min ran over and grabbed Kang Jin-ho’s arm.

“You’ll kill him! Mr. Kang Jin-ho!”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head.

‘Gasp!’

Jo Gyu-min froze on the spot when he saw Kang Jin-ho’s eyes, which were tinged with red. Only then did Jo Gyu-min realize.

He had seen many sides of Kang Jin-ho, but he had never seen Kang Jin-ho angry before.

His heart began to race uncontrollably.

In contrast, his body wouldn’t move at all.

“Y, you’ll kill him.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly stared at Park Hyuk-gi before letting go of his hand.

“Keek! Cough! Cough!”

Park Hyuk-gi, who had collapsed on the floor and was coughing repeatedly, shouted.

“Y, you bastard! I’m going to s…sue you!”

“Go ahead.”

Kang Jin-ho turned around.

Jo Gyu-min, who had barely regained his senses, was looking at him.

“What are you going to do?”

Jo Gyu-min already knew the answer. But confirmation was necessary.

“I’ve changed my mind. There’s no point in leaving an agency like this.”

“I think so too. Then what about the kids…”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

“The kids are innocent.”

“The parents are the ones at fault.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Kang Eun-young, who was trembling like a bird caught in the rain, and put his arm around her shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho took Kang Eun-young and went outside.

As soon as they left the building, Kang Eun-young burst into tears that she had been holding back.

“Don’t cry.”

“…I’m sorry, oppa.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. It’s just that I was late to find out.”

“Sorry.”

“Tell me sooner next time. If you can’t talk about your worries with your family, then you don’t need a family like that.”

“Okay, I will.”

Kang Eun-young nodded repeatedly.

“Let’s go home.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho patted Kang Eun-young’s back. Even then, his eyes were filled with coldness as he looked back.

‘You shouldn’t have touched me.’

Himself.

And his family.

Kang Jin-ho’s anger began to slowly rise.