Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 828

“No, I’m fine.”

[Are you hurt anywhere? I just saw the back of your head on TV.]

“That was a while ago. I’m at the hospital now.”

[Hospital? Why the hospital? Are you hurt?]

“I’m not hurt. The kids got swept away by the water, so I brought them to get checked out in case they’re not feeling well.”

[Kids? Did you take the kids from the orphanage?]

“Yeah.”

Kang Jin-ho scratched his cheek as he answered the phone.

He had seen the reporters covering the story, but he didn’t think it had anything to do with him. But of all things, his face was caught on camera, and it seems they saw it at home.

Even as Kang Eun-young was talking on the phone, he could hear his mother saying something next to her.

‘I’m going to get an earful.’

He didn’t think he had done anything particularly wrong, but from the sound of his mother’s voice, she seemed very angry. Well, it was only natural that she would react that way, seeing her son at the scene of an accident that was being broadcast on TV.

[So, everything’s okay?]

“I told you, I’m fine.”

[Then are you coming home today? Madam Baek is furious. Can you hear her? My ears are about to fall off.]

“Well, I should go home today…” Kang Jin-ho tilted his head.

“But the kids are a bit shaken up, so I think I need to see how they are doing?”

[Oppa, the kids are important, but shouldn’t you check on yourself first? If you don’t come home today, it feels like you’ll be locked up, right now?]

“…I’ll go.”

Kang Jin-ho surrendered. Since today was the day he had promised to return, he figured he should go home.

[See, that’s what happens when you go out to play without me!]

“I have a lot to do. I’ll call you later.”

[Oppa! You’re coming home today, right? Oppa?]

Kang Jin-ho hung up the phone and sighed.

‘I wasn’t paying attention.’

He hadn’t thought about being caught on camera. If he had known this would happen, he would have avoided the cameras.

“Mr. Kang Jin-ho.”

At the sound of his name, Kang Jin-ho turned his head. Jo Gyu-min, with a slightly sulky face, was approaching.

“The children’s check-ups are mostly done.”

“Really?”

“They’ve just had their initial check-ups. They want to do some simple tests just in case. It’ll take a while to finish.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled slightly as he replied.

Originally, they were going to go to the hospital designated by the paramedics, but Jo Gyu-min, after hearing the situation, had the children transferred to Jae Kyung Hospital nearby. It seemed he had coordinated it with the paramedics.

Thanks to that, the children were able to receive treatment smoothly without being jostled by the crowd. That was a great relief, but…

“So much for ‘there’s no one to trust’.”

Jo Gyu-min, who was grumbling under his breath, was the problem. It seemed he was still resentful about not being saved by Lee Hyun-soo.

‘He’s so persistent.’

Usually, after being through something like that, a person would be subdued for at least a while. But right now, Jo Gyu-min was grumbling more than ever. He felt like applauding his persistence.

“Where’s Lee Hyun-soo?”

“…He’s over there.”

At the mention of Lee Hyun-soo, Jo Gyu-min seemed a little deflated. Seeing his reaction, Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but laugh.

“This is really not okay.”

“What’s not okay?”

“Do you know how much I suffered?”

Jo Gyu-min pointed to his body. It was torn and swollen in various places. Just by looking at his condition, you could tell how much of a mess he had been through.

‘I guess so.’

It was a matter of life and death. Kang Jin-ho knew better than anyone how cruel and ruthless people could become when they felt death approaching. It was common for people who were usually considered kind to flip out and go wild.

There must have been hundreds of such people involved, so it must have been a horrific scene.

‘We were lucky.’

If there had been a little more or a little less time, they wouldn’t have been able to get everyone out safely. In that sense, Lee Hyun-soo really came at the right time.

“But he did save you.”

“If he was going to save me, he should have come sooner. He didn’t even help me in time, but he’s acting like he did me a huge favor. Ugh.”

He did come in time.

He couldn’t have come any faster.

As soon as Lee Hyun-soo received Jo Gyu-min’s call, he rushed to Wiggins. Then, he immediately selected a few people and teleported them as a group. If there had been even a slight hesitation in that process, countless people would have died.

“It’s not good for the Assembly to get involved in the outside world. Especially using force in broad daylight where people are watching. That’s something that should never happen. In principle, we shouldn’t have come here.”

So he asked.

Then why did you come?

The answer was very simple.

“The Assembly can’t get involved, but I can. I’m Lee Hyun-soo as an individual. My brother was dying, so how could I not help? Wiggins is my personal mentor, so I can bring him along, and the others are just friends I called.”

It was a ridiculous excuse.

First of all, Wiggins was his mentor, but he was also a director of the Assembly. You can’t just call someone like that as a friend. And…

‘Where are the friends?’

Objectively speaking, Lee Hyun-soo didn’t have any subordinates who were his friends. Where would you find a regular employee who was friends with the department head? They only do it because they’re told to.

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but laugh at Lee Hyun-soo’s awkward smile.

From the start, Kang Jin-ho had never adhered to the principle that the Assembly should not interfere in the outside world, nor did he think he should. He just thought it was practically impossible.

So, there was no reason to scold Lee Hyun-soo for not following that principle. In the end, it was just Lee Hyun-soo’s self-justification for breaking the rules he had set himself.

So, he could overlook the logical flaws, couldn’t he?

“You should at least let him get treated.”

“He can get treated.”

“They said no.”

Jo Gyu-min pouted.

“They said he has to wait until the kids are all done. They said he won’t die. Seriously, he’s not even a doctor, how does he know that? What if I get some aftereffects? He won’t take responsibility!”

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but laugh as he watched Jo Gyu-min grumble.

‘His character changes when he gets involved with his superiors.’

The Jo Gyu-min that Kang Jin-ho remembered was a rather humorous person, but basically, he was a serious person. It was quite amusing to see him turn into a complainer when he met someone of a similar age that he could be comfortable with.

It made him realize that people are relative.

“Hey, you little brat. You talk too much.”

At the sound of Lee Hyun-soo’s voice, Jo Gyu-min flinched. Then, he subtly moved behind Kang Jin-ho. It was all too obvious.

Lee Hyun-soo, who had come closer, clicked his tongue.

“You’re like a chatterbox, always grumbling about everything.”

“I’m just saying what’s true, though?”

“Look at him, doing it again. Why can’t you ever shut your mouth?”

“If my mouth is shut, I’ll die. I have to breathe.”

“Are your nostrils just for decoration?”

“I have rhinitis.”

Kang Jin-ho could understand why Lee Hyun-soo had hit Jo Gyu-min. If you had to deal with that constantly, you’d want to hit him. Yes, you’d want to hit him.

Lee Hyun-soo shook his head and turned to Kang Jin-ho.

“Everything’s been taken care of on your end.”

“Any problems?”

“It doesn’t seem like there will be any problems. There were hardly any witnesses. When we broke through the wall, no one around was paying attention.

People at the entrance knew something had happened, but the area we broke through was far from the entrance.”

“And just in case, we only used hammers when breaking through the wall. Normal people wouldn’t be able to see the spiritual energy, so they’ll just think some strong guys broke through the wall with hammers.”

Of course, considering the thickness of the wall, it was absurd.

But who would question it? Even if there were people who were suspicious, it would be difficult to deny what they had seen with their own eyes.

“Looks like we’ll be adding shoddy construction to the list.”

“Probably.”

Lee Hyun-soo shrugged and continued his report.

“But just in case the word gets out, I’ve used some influence. The authorities and the police aren’t the problem when something like this happens. It’s the reporters that are the problem.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

You could build relationships with organizations, but it was impossible to manage every single reporter. The best you could do was to block the desk to prevent the story from being published.

But even that wasn’t easy in this day and age. There were so many media outlets.

“Anyway, it seems like everything’s been taken care of here, so I’ll be heading back.”

“Already?”

“There’s nothing much for me to do here. I’ve done my part.”

Lee Hyun-soo bowed his head to Kang Jin-ho.

“Then.”

“See you at the Assembly.”

“Take care.”

As Lee Hyun-soo was about to turn around, Jo Gyu-min subtly stepped forward.

“Um… Hyung.”

“Huh?”

Jo Gyu-min bowed deeply to Lee Hyun-soo.

“Thank you.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

Lee Hyun-soo’s face turned slightly red.

“What’s with the thanks? Don’t try to get away with just words. Buy me a meal next time. A fancy one.”

“Hyung, your salary is higher than mine, do you want to extort your younger brother?”

At that moment, there was a brief silence.

The warm atmosphere instantly cooled down. Lee Hyun-soo’s slightly tearful voice broke the silence.

“…My salary probably isn’t higher than yours.”

At Lee Hyun-soo’s dejected words, Jo Gyu-min stared intently at Kang Jin-ho.

Kang Jin-ho subtly turned his head away from Jo Gyu-min’s gaze.

“But you have seniority and a higher position.”

“…I didn’t know. I’ll adjust it.”

“You should.”

The two, who had successfully negotiated a salary increase with a perfect collaboration, grinned slyly.

“I’ve paid my debt with this.”

“I’ve definitely received it. Then.”

As Lee Hyun-soo waved his hand and disappeared, Kang Jin-ho sighed.

“I’m so out of it.”

“Mr. Kang Jin-ho.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t think this is the time to relax. It seems like the real chaos is just starting now.”

“Huh?”

At Jo Gyu-min’s words, Kang Jin-ho’s head turned towards the entrance.

As the hospital’s automatic doors opened, people rushed in. As soon as he saw Park Yu-min and the other children running in the lead, and the childcare teachers with flushed faces, Kang Jin-ho let out a deep sigh.

“…It’s starting.”

“The aftermath is always harder than the event itself. Well, good luck.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have to take care of the hospital bills and stuff. I’m busy.”

He reached out his hand, but Jo Gyu-min coldly ignored Kang Jin-ho. Jo Gyu-min’s steps towards the cashier’s office seemed lighter than ever.

‘So much for ‘there’s no one to trust in this world’.’

Kang Jin-ho, realizing that life was about surviving on his own, was instantly surrounded by the people who had rushed in. As he was bombarded with high-pitched questions that seemed like they would tear his ears apart, Kang Jin-ho let out a quiet sigh.

If I ever take anyone to the aquarium again, I’ll change my last name, I swear.