Descent of the Demon Master

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“Is that right?” The Assembly Master slowly scratched his chin.
He didn ’t like the idea of taking down a killer associated with the Martial Union, but that bastard had caused a serious incident this time.
Just how badly did the Martial Assembly sweat while trying to deal with that situation at the skyscraper?

If left alone, that Jin Bao bastard would no doubt cause an even bigger incident in the future.

The Assembly Master nodded slowly while asking Lee Hyeon-Ju.
“Very well.
Where is he now?”

“In China, Assembly Master.”

“…Mm?” The Assembly Master narrowed his eyes.

Lee Hyeon-Ju shrugged her shoulders.
“Jin Bao is already back in China.”

“He had already completed his contract and returned to China? Damn…” The Assembly Master sighed in lamentation and massaged his face again.
To think that not acting right away due to the lack of casualties in that skyscraper incident would lead to this result…
“How unfortunate that yet another life was snuffed out just like that…”

“…Grandfather, you shouldn ’t just jump to conclusions.
Jin Bao didn ’t go back after completing his contract.
It’s more like he has abandoned it.”

“Abandoned the contract?” The Assembly Master was surprised to hear that.
A contract killer giving up on a job meant they would be liable for a massive breach-of-contract fee.
That was why most contract killers were unwilling to give up or cancel their contracts.
“In that case, what about his target?”

“He ’s unscathed.”

“…Stop beating the bush and tell me the situation straight, will you?”

Lee Hyeon-Ju nodded.
“I think Jin Bao was done in by his target.”

“Really?” The Assembly Master furrowed his brow.
The Martial Union was confident in that Jin Bao ’s abilities to entrust him with a job.
So, for a person like that to lose to his target? That suggested a lot of things.
“Have you investigated the target, then?”

“Yes.
His name is Kang Jin-Ho.
A university student discharged from mandatory military service not too long ago.
Both of his parents are still alive, and he has a younger sister.
His father runs a cafe while his mother helps out.
His sister is a singer.
A really popular one, too.”

“…Is that all?”

“Yes.” Lee Hyeon-Ju nodded affirmatively.

“What about the investigation into which sect or school of martial arts he belongs to? What about his cultivation technique?”

“I couldn ’t find any traces.
Nothing about his sect nor any hints of him mastering any particular cultivation technique.
Actually, we didn ’t even have any records of him prior to that skyscraper incident, Grandfather.”

“Hmm…” The Assembly Master quietly groaned.

’A returner, is it? ’

In that case, the problem was more severe than he thought.

Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

’

The Assembly Master got up.
“It seems I must meet this young man myself.
What is he doing right now?”

“Well, the thing is…” Lee Hyeon-Ju ’s smile was cramped as if it was a bit troublesome to reply.
Still, she did her job and relayed the information she had on her.

***

Jo Gyu-Min was a man who didn ’t know the concept of ’giving up ’.
If he were someone who easily threw in the towel just because the going got a little tough, he wouldn ’t have been able to seize the opportunity Hwang Jeong-Hu had granted him, never mind climbing to his current position in the corporation.

Kang Jin-Ho resolutely refused to participate, but too bad for him—Jo Gyu-Min still had an ace up his sleeve.
To earn the title of ’Kang Jin-Ho Whisperer,’ Jo Gyu-Min had perfectly analyzed and understood Kang Jin-Ho ’s tendencies and personality quirks.

Now that every other avenue had been exhausted, Jo Gyu-Min resorted to the oldest, surest method in the book.
Which was the only one left that he could resort to, anyway.
And it was also a method everyone in the world would have to rely on at least once in their life! That was how effective this ace was!

“Mister Jin-Hoooooo!”

“I ’m not doing it, Mister Gyu-Min.”

“Don ’t be like this, Mister Jin-Hoooo!”

“I ’m not doing it.”

“…You ’ll get me fired at this rate!”

Kang Jin-Ho tutted.
“You are not going to get fired for something like this.
Even if you do, I ’ll complain directly to the Chairman.”

“Even if I ’m not fired, the Chairman ’s trust in me will take a nosedive!”

“That doesn ’t sound like my business, though.”

“Nooo, Mister Jin-Hoooo!”

“Argh, I said, I ’m not gonna do it!”

Jo Gyu-Min chose to go with the ’frontal assault ’ strategy! In other words, he followed Kang Jin-Ho everywhere and begged him incessantly!

’If logic doesn ’t work, appeal to his emotions! ’

Objectively speaking, what Jo Gyu-Min was doing was closer to being an annoyance rather than appealing to Kang Jin-Ho ’s emotions.
However, he had no leeway to sweat over the details at the moment.

Kang Jin-Ho furrowed his brow.
“I just don ’t have a reason to run a business now, do I? So, why should I?”

“But, it ’ll be fun!”

“Fun? How?”

’

“Yes, it ’ll be fun! Mister Jin-Ho, haven ’t you always wanted to try out being a business owner? Most people don ’t try because it ’s difficult.
However, treat it like a fun pastime, and you won ’t find anything else as entertaining as being a business owner!”

“Are you seriously telling me that working my butt off is…
fun?”

“Of course it is! Just take a look at the list of the most popular mobile games! You either serve coffee in a cafe or milk cows on a ranch!”

“…Huh.”

Jo Gyu-Min continued, his expression full of confidence.
“I ’m telling you, it ’s the issue of funds that holds back people from trying! As long as you don ’t have that issue to worry about, being self-employed is basically the same as one of the most enjoyable pastimes in this world!”

“…I see that you ’ve become a splendid con artist, Mister Gyu-Min.”

“Heol! That hurts my feelings, Mister Jin-Ho.”

Kang Jin-Ho smirked and quickly walked away.
Currently, they were on their way to the Kang family ’s cafe.
Well, it wasn’t like he really did mind giving it a try if Jaegyeong was willing to go this far for him, but there were plenty of hurdles to get past first.
For instance, getting his parents ’ permission.

Jo Gyu-Min curiously asked, “By the way, is Miss Eun-Yeong still working in the cafe? Doesn ’t she have that TV show commitment to fulfill?”

Kang Jin-Ho resolutely nodded.
“Yes.
However, her schedule and her punishment are two separate things.
It ’s the right thing for her to serve out the remainder of her punishment for her wrongdoing.”

“Oh? So, it’s not because your father doesn’t want to see the cafe ’s revenues fall any further? That’s not why he ’s not letting her leave?”

“…Hmph.” Kang Jin-Ho ’s expression turned sheepish; he avoided answering that question.

However, Jo Gyu-Min could already make an educated guess from that awkward expression.

’Gee whiz.
She could ’ve made a killing appearing in various events instead of wasting her precious time in a cafe… ’

Then again, Kang Jin-Ho ’s family wasn ’t exactly hurting for cash, anyway.
Kang Eun-Yeong could work for the rest of her life, and she still wouldn ’t earn as much as all the wealth currently sitting pretty in Kang Jin-Ho ’s bank account.

The duo soon arrived in front of Kang Yu-Hwan ’s cafe.
Before entering, though, Kang Jin-Ho headed to a nearby street corner and mouthed a cigarette first.
Since the cafe was a non-smoking area, he wanted to get his nicotine fix first before going inside.

Jo Gyu-Min sidled up to him.
“Please reconsider, Mister Jin-Hoooo!”

“I ’m not doing it, Mister Gyu-Min.”

“Don ’t be like that, please!”

“Tsk…” Kang Jin-Ho tutted and tried to say something else, but a shrill yell from the cafe stopped him.

“I said, leave!”

Kang Eun-Yeong ’s annoyed voice prompted Kang Jin-Ho to throw away his cigarette and urgently rush inside the cafe.