Descent of the Demon Master

hould be the correct one.
However, he was no ’normal ’ martial artist.
In all likelihood, he was a returner.
Despite his young countenance, the real Kang Jin-Ho underneath should be an old and sly fox or… a monster.

’

Bang Jin-Hun ’s car eventually arrived at the cafe.
“We ’ve arrived.”

Kang Jin-Ho exited the car only to furrow his brow a little.
The cafe ’s doors were firmly shut, and all of its lights were turned off to imply that it had closed for the day quite some time ago.

However, Kang Jin-Ho ’s suspicion didn ’t last long.
Someone inside seemed to have heard the incoming SUV ’s engine sound because the light came back on inside the cafe.
The door opened, and a man emerged from inside to welcome Bang Jin-Hun.
”Welcome, sir. ”

“Mm, good to see you.
Thanks for humoring my request.”

“Don ’t say that, sir.
Please come in, Director.” The man warmly greeted Bang Jin-Hun before glancing at Kang Jin-Ho.
“Sir, this gentleman is…?”

“Mm? What gentleman?” Bang Jin-Hun tilted his head innocently.

“…I beg your pardon?”

“I ’m here alone, though? Who else is here?”

The man finally understood Bang Jin-Hun ’s intention and nodded in acceptance.
”It seems I ’m seeing things lately.
Please, come inside. ”

“Thanks.
This way, please.” Bang Jin-Hun took the lead, and Kang Jin-Ho naturally followed behind.

The man confirmed the duo entering the cafe, locked the door and turned the lights off in the customer area.
Then, he guided the two men into a small conference room built deeper inside the cafe.

“Director, would you like something to drink?” asked the man.

”Hmm…
I guess I ’m getting on my age a bit.
I ’m beginning to prefer bitter stuff lately. ”

“I see, sir.
Should I prepare Espresso for you?”

“Nah.
Get me a strawberry milkshake.”

”Of course, sir. ” The man nodded, then glanced at Kang Jin-Ho while making a complicated expression.
He had to ask what Kang Jin-Ho would like to drink, but he couldn ’t go against Bang Jin-Hun ’s order to treat this young man as if he weren’t even here, so…

Thankfully, though, Bang Jin-Hun came to his rescue.
“Would you like to drink something?”

Kang Jin-Ho shrugged and replied, “I ’ll have orange juice.”

“Understood.
Bring us a cup of orange juice as well.”

The man nodded.
“I ’ll bring them right away.”

’

While exiting the conference room, the man slowly shook his head.
The atmosphere inside that room was fraught with taut tension, yet the two men ordered a strawberry milkshake and a cup of orange juice…

’That ’s their preference, I guess.
Don ’t worry; I still respect your choices. ’

***

Kang Jin-Ho and Bang Jin-Hun didn ’t say anything while waiting for their drinks to arrive.
They simply wasted time looking around the room.
When the drinks arrived, the awkward atmosphere—actually, the strawberry milkshake and orange juice only bolstered the awkwardness in the room.

’Bloody hell, should ’ve ordered coffee instead…! ’

Bang Jin-Hun belatedly regretted his decision, but that ship had already sailed.
He tried to get rid of this awkwardness with several well-placed dry coughs, then raised his voice.
”I heard you wanted to see me. ”

“Yes, I did,” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded.

“May I ask why?”

“I didn ’t have a particular reason.”

“…?” Bang Jin-Hun suddenly had a feeling that tonight ’s conversation wouldn ’t be plain sailing.

’This guy…
doesn ’t have a gift of gab, then? ’

In that case, it was up to Bang Jin-Hun to lead the chat.
”I heard you rescued Lee Jung-Geol, the Assembly Master, last night. ”

Kang Jin-Ho briefly nodded, “Yes, I did.”

“May I ask why?”

Kang Jin-Ho didn ’t reply and just stared at Bang Jin-Hun.

”Sir, you are an outsider.
It ’s plausible that you ’d impulsively help after seeing a stranger in distress.
However, killing over twenty people to do that can no longer be chalked down to ’impulse.’ But then, you even expressed your intention to speak to me personally? I can ’t help but wonder what you ’re after. ” Bang Jin-Hun ’s expression hardened.
His next response would depend on how Kang Jin-Ho would reply.

“First of all…” Kang Jin-Ho languidly replied.

“…Yes, please go ahead.”

“I ’ve already said this before, but I don ’t have a particular reason.
Someone asked me for my help, so I helped.”

“Even at the cost of bad blood with the Yeongnam Group?”

’

Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.

“Bad blood…” The corners of Kang Jin-Ho ’s lips curled up.
“We already have that.”

Bang Jin-Hun ’s expression stiffened and became withdrawn.

’How…
chilling. ’

Kang Jin-Ho simply smirked a little, but that was enough to shake Bang Jin-Hun ’s composure built over dozens of years of training in martial arts.

’He has a score to settle with the Yeongnam Group! ’

A man with a grudge against the Yeongnam Group just so happened to receive a plea for help from someone targeted by the same group.
Obviously, he wouldn ’t even need to think twice about it.
He would have to fight the Yeongnam Group sooner or later, so making things very difficult for them would only benefit him in the long run.

”I see…
Basically, I was the unlucky bystander caught in the battle of two titans, ” Bang Jin-Hun quietly mused.
However, the blow to his plans was too significant for him to graciously swallow his losses and move on.
The opportunity he had created through several years of diligent planning had gone out the window, after all.

The Assembly Master, Lee Jung-Geol, rarely acted by himself.
Perhaps a handful of times a year.
Bang Jin-Hun somehow managed to seize one of those rare chances and brought in the Yeongnam Group, but all his hard work was utterly crushed to oblivion by an unexpected variable.

His ultimate goal of taking over the Assembly hadn ’t been wrecked yet, but it probably had to be delayed by a good dozen years or so, thanks to Kang Jin-Ho ’s interference.
No one would be able to prove that Bang Jin-Hun was behind the attempted assassination, but that wouldn ’t stop more people wanting to unite the Martial Assembly from showing up and throwing their weight behind the Assembly Master.

In that sense, Kang Jin-Ho was definitely an enemy.
It wouldn’t be enough for Bang Jin-Hun to rip this bastard apart right here and right now, so how could he not get flustered when that enemy wanted to have a chat with him first?

The honest reason why Bang Jin-Hun decided to come here alone was curiosity.
A large part of him wanted to see what kind of a person would create such a huge mess.
And after checking out the person responsible, he realized that Kang Jin-Ho was…

’The absolute worst… ’

Bang Jin-Hun rubbed his eyes.
It even felt like he was getting light-headed, too.

This Kang Jin-Ho was a maverick of sorts.
A type to not bother with plans even if he was about to do something grand.
He simply moved based on his moods or impulses at that moment, and when people like that gained enormous power…
They would become natural disasters—calamities.

In other words, Bang Jin-Hun was an unlucky victim who could do nothing but watch his lovely house get blown away by a sudden tornado.
He coughed to clear his throat and asked something else, ”Haven ’t you already helped the Assembly Master? Why did you want to see me, then? ”

”Stop. ” However, Kang Jin-Ho cut Bang Jin-Hun off instead of responding to the latter’s question.
”Before we continue, tell me why you want to take over the Assembly. ”

Kang Jin-Ho ’s manner of speech had changed, and so did the air around him.

At the same time, goosebumps broke out all over Bang Jin-Hun.