Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 796

“A traitor?”

Lee Sung-hwi’s face contorted as he spoke, a rough growl escaping his lips like a wounded beast.

“Do you think I’m someone who would sell out my country?”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing?”

Lee Sung-hwi radiated as much killing intent as he could muster, but Chai Ke-chang merely mocked him. Chai Ke-chang was not one to be intimidated by Lee Sung-hwi’s murderous aura.

“I just want to kill that bastard. I’d do anything to make it happen.”

“Even sell out your country?”

“This…”

Lee Sung-hwi bit his lip so hard that blood trickled down from the cracks.

“Usually, those who are called traitors don’t think they’re betraying their country. They justify their actions by claiming it’s for a greater good or some practical reason. I was just curious if you were one of those types.”

“It’s not me who’s betraying the country, it’s him.”

Lee Sung-hwi stated firmly.

“Before that bastard appeared, Korea was never exposed to threats from other countries. He messed everything up, and that’s why we’re in this mess.”

“Oh, so you think you’re being patriotic?”

Lee Sung-hwi didn’t answer.

He knew he couldn’t say that. He couldn’t pretend he didn’t know.

Chai Ke-chang nonchalantly poured salt on Lee Sung-hwi’s open wound and laughed gleefully.

“Well, fine. We’ve always welcomed guys like you. Historically speaking. If you follow my plan and take control of Korea, it wouldn’t be bad to give you a position like the old Joseon kings [Joseon was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea].”

“Goryeo king, you mean [Goryeo was a Korean kingdom that existed before Joseon].”

“Is there a difference? Well, I learned something new.”

“You son of a bitch.”

Lee Sung-hwi glared at Chai Ke-chang with murderous eyes.

“You better watch your eyes. In the end, I’m the only one who can get you what you want. Isn’t that right?”

Lee Sung-hwi bit his lip and lowered his head. Seeing him lower his gaze, Chai Ke-chang smiled thinly.

“I like dogs, especially well-behaved ones. Among them, I like the ones that are fierce to others but wag their tails at me the most. If you want to survive, you have to become a dog. Remember this. If you show your teeth to me one more time, I’ll pull them all out. Understand?”

Lee Sung-hwi didn’t answer.

But they both knew that his silence meant agreement.

“Get out. Tell those guys exactly what I said. Instead of just providing support, I’ll review all the plans and operations. I can’t trust those island bastards.”

Lee Sung-hwi chuckled.

“You’re doing the most untrustworthy thing, but you sure talk big.”

“I admit I’m not trustworthy. But you guys don’t have any brains, do you? So it’s better for me to make the plans.”

Lee Sung-hwi turned around without a word. Chai Ke-chang, who was contemplating whether to mock him a bit more, let Lee Sung-hwi go. Today wasn’t the only day.

‘You pathetic bastard.’

They might feel a sense of camaraderie in their hatred for Kang Jin-ho, but the only emotion Chai Ke-chang felt for Lee Sung-hwi was disgust.

Anyone who knew the relationship between Japan and Korea would feel disgusted by Lee Sung-hwi’s actions of trying to offer Korea as prey to Japan for his own purposes.

“That’s why humans are so interesting.”

How strange is hatred?

It’s hatred that completely destroys the values and boundaries one usually has.

If he hadn’t met Kang Jin-ho, Lee Sung-hwi would have been a great asset to the Assembly by now. Perhaps he might have even become the head of the Assembly in a few decades.

But after meeting Kang Jin-ho and being consumed by hatred, he was now trying to offer not only the Assembly but also his own country to Japan.

‘A magnificent fall from grace.’

Personally, he was disgusted. But the more disgusting a guy was, the easier he was to use.

“That Kim Seok-il guy too.”

Chai Ke-chang smiled wryly.

They were worthless trash on their own, but they would become the link between Chai Ke-chang and the Japanese martial world. China’s feelings towards Japan were no different from Korea’s feelings towards Japan. Someone like Chai Ke-chang was also hesitant to directly contact Japan. He had to avoid the eyes of others.

But through those guys, he could control the Japanese martial world. Without violating the non-aggression pact, he could sink his teeth into Kang Jin-ho’s neck. If everything went according to plan.

‘Though the chances aren’t high.’

It was just wishful thinking.

If things went as planned, Chai Ke-chang would be able to get the results he wanted, but things in the world never go as planned. Especially when it came to things related to Kang Jin-ho.

Chai Ke-chang no longer ignored Kang Jin-ho.

Not only his strength but also his abilities could not be ignored. Kang Jin-ho had calmly caught him off guard, and he had succeeded in escaping their grasp in the middle of China.

Looking back now, Kang Jin-ho had gotten everything he wanted in the end. It was the result of a bold decision, a strategy that caught them off guard, and his own strength.

‘There’s no way that guy doesn’t know my plans.’

Kang Jin-ho would know. He would know that Chai Ke-chang would try to target him in various ways. He was probably already done preparing for it.

But just as Chai Ke-chang couldn’t achieve everything according to his plans, Kang Jin-ho couldn’t prepare for all of Chai Ke-chang’s attacks. Even if he couldn’t deliver a decisive blow, if he could hold him back, that would be a success. Either way, they wouldn’t lose anything.

‘He must be having a headache right now. Think harder, think harder.’

The more he worried about how they would attack, the less Kang Jin-ho would be able to do. Like someone who was sinking into a swamp, he would gradually sink to the bottom.

Chai Ke-chang smiled meaningfully.

“Smart guys always fall for their own tricks. Struggle all you want.”

“Oppa, are you stupid?”

“..Huh?”

“Stupid?”

“…Uh.”

A child who looked about five years old raised her hand and waved it in front of Kang Jin-ho’s face. Kang Jin-ho stared blankly at the sight.

“Stupid.”

“Uh.”

“Stupid, stupid.”

The child raised her hand and pressed it against Kang Jin-ho’s face. Kang Jin-ho was just wiggling his toes, slumped over like a retriever being harassed by a child.

“Ji-eun, Ji-eun.”

Jo Mi-hye approached and picked up the child.

“You shouldn’t bother someone who’s pitiful.”

“Is oppa pitiful?”

“Yeah. He’s pitiful today. Look, isn’t he pitiful?”

“Yeah.”

“So, let’s go play over there. Okay?”

“Okay!”

Kang Jin-ho stared blankly at the scene.

“Oppa.”

“……Uh?”

Jo Mi-hye, who was holding Ji-eun, clicked her tongue at Kang Jin-ho.

“Stop spacing out and do something. Why have you been like that since earlier?”

“I’m watching TV?”

“……You’re hopeless, really.”

Jo Mi-hye shook her head and took Ji-eun to her room. Kang Jin-ho, who was staring blankly at the scene, turned his head and fixed his gaze on the TV.

Crunch.

The snack in his mouth crumbled. Kang Jin-ho, who had eaten the snack cleanly without a single crumb, reached out and tore open a new bag of snacks.

Jo Mi-hye, who had taken Ji-eun to her room, saw the scene and turned her head to look at Han Jin-sung.

‘That crazy bastard.’

Han Jin-sung, as if he had found an opportunity, was lying next to him and reaching for the snacks that Kang Jin-ho had opened. Kang Jin-ho slightly pulled the snacks away to avoid being robbed, but Han Jin-sung persistently dug his hand into the snack bag.

Jo Mi-hye sighed deeply.

‘This is hopeless.’

The actual operator of the orphanage and the current number one in the orphanage hierarchy were lying on the floor, watching TV and stuffing their faces with snacks. How did this happen?

The beginning of everything was when Kang Jin-ho suddenly came to the orphanage with two bundles of snacks.

The children cheered at the sight of the snack bags in both hands, but Kang Jin-ho handed one of the bundles to the children and firmly held the other one to his chest.

Of course, Jo Mi-hye was not someone who could stand by and watch that.

“Oppa, why are you carrying that heavy thing? Give it to me. I’ll carry it.”

The person who had spent his precious money to buy gifts should receive proper treatment. But Kang Jin-ho’s answer was beyond Jo Mi-hye’s expectations.

“This is for me to eat?”

And that’s how it ended up like this.

Kang Jin-ho, who usually visited the orphanage and looked around every room and warehouse with a hawk’s eye to see if anything was missing or broken, was now walking to the floor with a dead fish eye, as if he had been through something, and took a spot in front of the TV and lay down.

And he had been like that ever since.

‘Did he get dumped or something?’

Kang Jin-ho looked like a person who had lost his soul. He didn’t show any of the usual sharpness. Something must have happened….

Jo Mi-hye stretched out her leg and poked Han Jin-sung’s side. Han Jin-sung turned his head and looked at Jo Mi-hye.

If a person doesn’t have ability, they should at least have some sense. But in Jo Mi-hye’s eyes, Han Jin-sung was a useless human being who had neither ability nor sense.

Jo Mi-hye pointed her chin at Kang Jin-ho.

Then Han Jin-sung nodded meaningfully.

“Hyung.”

“……Uh’?”

“Mi-hye is calling you?”

“Uh?”

Kang Jin-ho turned his head and looked at Jo Mi-hye.

Should I kill him?

Jo Mi-hye felt the urge to stomp on Han Jin-sung’s side and crush it.

‘Let’s be patient, I’ll be patient.’

They say that if you endure three times, you can avoid murder. Jo Mi-hye sighed deeply. It was foolish of her to think she could do something through Han Jin-sung in the first place.

“Oppa.”

“Uh?”

“Is something wrong?”

Kang Jin-ho asked back, looking puzzled.

“No, you just look like you’ve lost your soul.”

“Ah.”

Kang Jin-ho answered nonchalantly.

“I came here to rest.”

“To rest?”

“Yeah.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled slightly.

“Someone told me that I’ve been working too hard lately and that I need a break.”

“Yeah.”

“So they told me to go somewhere comfortable and rest for a few days… and when I thought about it, it seemed like this was the most comfortable place for me.”

“So you came here to rest.”

Jo Mi-hye’s eyes wavered.

Then Han Jin-sung added an interjection.

“Wow… Hyung, did you come here for a vacation?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. I’ve never seen anyone come to an orphanage for a vacation in my life.”

Kang Jin-ho and Han Jin-sung started giggling.

Jo Mi-hye, who had been quietly watching the scene, shook her head.

‘He’s hopeless.’

She had thought he was unusual before, but Kang Jin-ho was becoming more and more strange as the days went by. Kang Jin-ho was probably the only person in Korea who would come to an orphanage for a vacation.

“Hyung, let’s play soccer tomorrow!”

“Sure.”

“Let’s play basketball too, basketball!”

“Okay, let’s play basketball. But….”

“Why? Why? Is there anything else you want to do?”

Kang Jin-ho said in a monotone voice, looking at Han Jin-sung, who was mindlessly happy.

“Aren’t you a senior in high school? Aren’t you studying?”

Han Jin-sung quietly got up from his spot.

Jo Mi-hye smiled triumphantly as she watched Han Jin-sung walk to the study room.

‘Maybe it won’t be so bad after all?’

It was the moment when Kang Jin-ho’s bizarre vacation began.