Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 697

“You’ve got a seriously nasty personality.”

“Indeed.”

Bator and Zhang Dazheng were completely fed up. Seriously, what time is it? It’s dawn, dawn! The time difference between China and Korea isn’t that much, so even if it’s not exact, it’s probably dawn in Korea too.

And yet, they’re calling at this hour to get an interpreter. How can someone be like that?

“The worst boss ever.”

“He’s our boss, though.”

“…Our boss is the worst boss ever.”

If they could, they’d file a complaint with the labor board. They were this dumbfounded just watching; how dumbfounded must Lee Hyun-soo be right now?

He’s probably suppressing a barrage of curses.

However, Lee Hyun-soo’s response was a little different from their expectations.

– An interpreter? Do you mean you’re dealing with someone from another country because you can speak Chinese? Is it Japan, perhaps?

“He’s a pro.”

“He’s a real office worker.”

Without a single complaint about what was going on, Lee Hyun-soo immediately started assessing the situation. They felt like applauding. In fact, Zhang Dazheng was already clapping.

Bator, with an awkward expression, clapped a couple of times with his large hands. He had to do it out of courtesy.

Zhang Dazheng was impressed. Perhaps because he was seeing and hearing such incredible things, he had already forgotten about rolling around in the van.

For a normal person, this would be a shocking event that could kill them, but Zhang Dazheng was a martial artist. He could endure that level of impact with just some aching joints.

“Is he good-natured, or just a workaholic? Either way, he’s amazing.”

“It’s not something to call amazing. Because he accepts it like that, the boss keeps causing trouble. Every time he makes a mess, the people around him clean it up and respond as if it’s normal, so he’s developing bad habits. You have to say no when it’s not right.”

Bator clicked his tongue.

Whatever Kang Jin-ho and Lee Hyun-soo did, if they understood each other, it wasn’t something others should comment on. The problem was that the organization’s culture was passed down.

If they posted just one line on a former workplace review site, ‘Got a call at four in the morning to interpret,’ no further evaluation would be needed. It would be branded as a black company [a company with poor working conditions], and job seekers would never look for it.

Of course, the Assembly wasn’t a company, but still.

However, the people involved didn’t seem to realize that at all.

“They’re Japanese.”

– Are you alright?

That question contained a lot of meaning. It seemed like the Japanese were targeting him, could he handle it, was he in danger, did he need support, or did he need a different response?

It was a question that came out because he couldn’t say all those things at once.

And Kang Jin-ho’s answer was simple.

“It’s nothing.”

Silence came from the other end of the phone.

They were inferring the situation from Kang Jin-ho’s explanation and reaction.

– I will interpret. Please tell them to speak.

“Say it again.”

Kang Jin-ho nonchalantly held out the phone, and Morikawa Atsushi looked at the phone with a slightly disgruntled expression.

‘Is he telling me to take it?’

If he had known this would happen, he would have brought an interpreter.

He hadn’t really thought that this kind of conversation would take place. He had just said something because he couldn’t stand the subtle tension in the short time it took to stop the car and step forward.

‘Should I just attack?’

At that moment, Japanese flowed from the phone.

– I don’t know who you are, but if you have something to say, please do so through me. I will relay it.

“Fluent.”

He could tell from the accent that he was Korean. No matter how fluent they were, there was always a unique habit.

A question briefly arose as to whether they needed to tell someone they didn’t know that they were confronting Kang Jin-ho, but on second thought, it didn’t matter.

If Kang Jin-ho died here, the aftermath would be meaningless.

“I am Morikawa Atsushi of the Yamakawa-kai [a Japanese Yakuza group]. Under the orders of Nakata Yuji, I have come to take Kang Jin-ho’s life. Are you Kang Jin-ho?”

The translation was quickly done, and Kang Jin-ho looked at Morikawa Atsushi with a pathetic look.

“…Why are you asking the obvious?”

It seemed like he didn’t need to hear the translation. His ears were translating on their own. He could understand just by looking at that dumbfounded expression.

‘I don’t want to ask such obvious things either.’

For Kang Jin-ho, who was Korean, it was something he couldn’t understand. Koreans didn’t value the ‘aesthetics’ aspect as much as the Japanese.

Even when dealing with someone, the presentation was important. If he didn’t show a dignified appearance here, not only him but the entire Yamakawa-kai’s reputation would drop. So, he had to do these pointless things.

– Do I really have to answer that?

He didn’t have to.

Morikawa Atsushi’s face twisted.

“It seems like an answer isn’t necessary. Just know who’s taking your head before you die.”

– Do you always talk like that? It’s really embarrassing to translate. I wish you’d think about how it feels to have to say those lines myself.

Who the hell is this guy?

He was curious about the identity of the guy on the other end of the phone who was speaking so brazenly.

“You’d better shut up and translate. Unless you want your boss to die without knowing anything.”

Yes, yes. That’s fine. But before that, I have one question.

“What is it?”

– Have you ever heard of the name Kim Seok-il?

“Kim Seok-il?”

– It seems like you don’t know him. Hmm. I understand.

After the brief conversation, Korean began to flow out. It seemed like he was translating what he said to Kang Jin-ho. After hearing the translation, Kang Jin-ho looked at Morikawa Atsushi with a subtle expression.

Morikawa Atsushi couldn’t help but sigh, knowing what that expression meant.

‘It’s a really rotten custom.’

In the Japanese martial arts world, the culture of apologizing with seppuku [ritual suicide by disembowelment] if they cause trouble still remained. For minor mistakes, they would just cut off a finger. That is, 断指 [danzhi, cutting off a finger].

It was crazy.

How important was the body to a martial artist, and yet they maintained such a culture, reducing their fighting power? He always thought it was stupid to conform to this aesthetic. But if they didn’t follow this process, their evaluation would drop.

To succeed, they had to endure the shame. Some people still seemed to find this process cool, but at least Morikawa Atsushi didn’t.

“We’re not really in a position to continue this conversation, so let’s end it here. I’d like to hear your last words before you die, but it’s ridiculous to have a conversation with this strange translation. Leave your last words to the person on the other end of the phone.”

He just wanted to wrap things up quickly.

Besides, he wasn’t in a very relaxed situation right now. No matter how many people they brought, this was China, and compared to the numerous martial artists in China, this number was just a handful.

If the fact that they were causing trouble here was known to the Chinese martial arts world, it was obvious that martial artists would swarm like a pack of dogs. They had to deal with it quickly and get out before things got out of hand.

Of course, he wasn’t just wasting time. The people who got out of the car before it came down the mountain were now secretly surrounding the area. It was a delaying tactic to eliminate even the slightest chance.

‘But he’s more relaxed than I thought.’

Calmly requesting an interpreter over the phone, not being fazed at all even though over a hundred headlights were shining on him. He definitely had something extraordinary about him.

It seemed like the report he saw before coming here was true about him being bold. Of course, that boldness wouldn’t affect the overall situation.

“Shall we start?”

They were busy, and the other side didn’t seem to have any intention of running away, so it was better to get things done quickly.

‘At least I should give him an honorable death.’

Looking at Kang Jin-ho, he could see why the higher-ups were so obsessed with aesthetics. Even with so many enemies, Kang Jin-ho’s unwavering demeanor was something he had to acknowledge.

He even felt like he wanted to die as bravely as that when his time came.

So, shouldn’t he give such a person an honorable death?

Srrr.r.r.

Morikawa Atsushi slowly drew the Japanese sword at his waist. Then, the people who got out of the car rushed forward to fill his back.

The enemy was strong.

Just based on Kang Jin-ho’s achievements so far, they had to acknowledge his strength. Even if they ignored all those achievements, they couldn’t forget that he had annihilated the Nanahoshi-gumi [another Yakuza group] who went to Korea to fight him.

He was definitely strong.

So, they would do their best to fight him. If they fought without a single moment of carelessness, victory would naturally be on their side. If they successfully eliminated Kang Jin-ho, his and the Yamakawa-kai’s status would also rise. It went without saying that Nakata Yuji would be the hero.

“At-”

Just as Morikawa Atsushi was about to give the order to attack.

His mouth closed.

The people who were about to rush forward with momentum stopped in awkward poses.

“Boss?”

A questioning voice came from behind. But Morikawa Atsushi couldn’t order the attack.

He could see it.

Far away.

Not Kang Jin-ho, but the lights approaching from behind Kang Jin-ho.

‘Is it support?’

That couldn’t be.

It was clear that the Assembly hadn’t moved. They had countless surveillance networks around the Assembly. At least until they left for here, there was no word that the Assembly had sent support.

Then?

Then what were those lights?

They had taken out a small number of people to occupy the opposite road. Even if there was a brief scuffle with the public security, they would have been able to contact them. Then what were those vehicles?

Kang Jin-ho also slightly turned his head to look behind him.

He could feel it.

Others might not be able to feel it yet, but he could. The pungent scent of demonic energy emanating from those approaching.

So, there was no way he wouldn’t know who they were.

If you looked down from above, it would look like another dragon was approaching the long, stopped, giant dragon. The sight alone was quite magnificent.

But a shout that shattered that magnificence was heard.

“Oh, Great Demon Lord!”

Someone stuck their head out of the window and shouted. Kang Jin-ho, who watched the scene, lowered his head and sighed deeply.

It was a mess.

This wasn’t a marketplace, so why were they all gathering like this?

Bator, who had grasped the situation, sneered at Kang Jin-ho.

“It seems like loyal subjects who would give their lives for their master are gathering? Don’t you want to open your arms for them?”

Once this incident was resolved, he would sew that guy’s mouth shut first.

He definitely would.

The vehicles that had approached Kang Jin-ho’s surroundings stopped abruptly. And from inside, martial artists began to pour out like a pack of dogs.

Looking at the Japanese and Chinese martial artists filling the left and right, Kang Jin-ho raised his head and looked up at the sky.

‘There’s never a peaceful day.’