Descent of the Demon Master

top of that, too! So, it ’s not that strange for me to get angry and irritated about it, yes? ”

“My apologies,” Kang Jin-Ho sheepishly replied.

Why did it feel like his head was getting bitten off? And when was the last time he felt this way, too? It should have been the first time since Jo Gyu-Min scolded Kang Jin-Ho to the point of inducing bitter tears.

How strange…
Kang Jin-Ho was not a spring chicken anymore.
He figured he had become a lot more attuned to the world around him, so why was he still getting scolded like this?

Jo Gyu-Min wasn ’t finished, though.
”Allow me to be even franker since we ’re on the subject already.
If you ’re thinking of leaving me out, please do so ’completely.’ I do not wish to become a puppet.
If you ’re willing to let me tag along, I ’m prepared to risk my life.
However, if you still insist on making me haphazardly manage only half of your life…
Well, I can ’t do it. ”

“…”

“Please give me a proper answer, Mister Jin-Ho.”

Kang Jin-Ho could tell Jo Gyu-Min wasn ’t even half-joking right now from the fiercely-burning light in the latter ’s eyes.
Then again…
Even Kang Jin-Ho wouldn ’t be happy if he were in Jo Gyu-Min ’s shoes.

“I must warn you that…” Kang Jin-Ho quietly said, “Things will get dangerous.”

“I ’m well aware.”

”What I want to do could harm Jaegyeong, as well. ”

”I ’ll quit, then.
But you need to pay me my salary.
You ’re loaded, after all. ”

“And this matter isn ’t a continuous thing.
Our lives might suddenly revert back to those days when nothing much was happening.”

“I see.
Which means I ’ll get paid without doing anything, then? I ’ll be grateful.”

Kang Jin-Ho frowned and glared at Jo Gyu-Min.
“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, I am,” Jo Gyu-Min replied without a shred of hesitation, then he started to elaborate and explain for himself, “Chairman Hwang lit a fire in me.
He told me that ordinary people like us should cover our eyes and block our ears even though we know the truth.
That would be beneficial in the long run, he said.
But no, I don ’t want to do that.
Even if I ’m going to die tomorrow, I ’d like to live in the truth first.”

”Even though the result of being a part of that truth won ’t be good for you? ”

”What are you saying, Mister Jin-Ho? ” Jo Gyu-Min smirked.
”The world I want to be a part of isn ’t the ’dangerous ’ one, but the world you breathe in, Mister Jin-Ho.
I merely want to breathe the same air as you.
Even if that air is a poison and will wreck my lungs in the process. ”

“…”

“I ’m a Jaegyeong man, Mister Jin-Ho.
And the command I received from Jaegyeong was to support and assist you.
How many years have I been doing that now? It ’s no longer about fulfilling that command, but I still commute to Jaegyeong because that ’s what you wish.”

Kang Jin-Ho contemplatively nodded in silence, so Jo Gyu-Min went for the final strike.
“You should take responsibility for transforming a person ’s life in this manner, Mister Jin-Ho.
And please don ’t tell me to cut my ties with you at this stage and go back to living an ordinary life.
I don ’t think anyone can survive the boredom of that life, you know.”

Jo Gyu-Min chuckled at the end of everything he wanted to say, prompting Kang Jin-Ho to laugh as well.
“Mister Gyu-Min, you might regret this later on.”

”I know that, and yet, I still want it, Mister Jin-Ho.
And that ’s what makes me a human. ”

“That oddly sounds about right…” Kang Jin-Ho muttered before staring deeply at Jo Gyu-Min.

This man might have said many reasons and spoken of his vision for the future, but Kang Jin-Ho didn ’t need to hear those things.
He already knew what Jo Gyu-Min truly wanted to say on this occasion anyway.

Jo Gyu-Min just ’liked ’ Kang Jin-Ho.
He didn ’t want to part ways, so he wanted to jump onto the other side.
The time they had spent together led to the formation of a deep friendship, and it had already grown more than a relationship bound with official business.

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded again.
“Okay, understood.”

“You promise, Mister Jin-Ho?”

“I just don ’t need to hide anything from you from now on, yes?”

“Yes, well.
For now, that ’ll do.” Jo Gyu-Min grinned triumphantly and started the car again.

’Am I doing the right thing, though? ’

Jo Gyu-Min was fully aware of the risks.
Perhaps this conversation could go on to greatly alter his life in the future.

Even at his current trajectory, Jo Gyu-Min was on a path to success in life.
Despite his young age, he was already a chief secretary in a major corporation called Jaegyeong.
Not only was he earning around three times higher wages than his peers of similar age working for the same company, but his career path was also built on a firm foundation.

It was to the extent that some people even started gossiping that Hwang Jeong-Hu had earmarked Jo Gyu-Min as his possible successor! Of course, Jo Gyu-Min rolled on the floor laughing his butt off after hearing that rumor.
However, to outsiders with no insider knowledge of what had been going on, that was how shockingly impressive Jo Gyu-Min ’s career looked.

To put it simply, his life, his success, was already guaranteed even if he stayed on the course.
But…

’But, so what? ’

What was so amazing about being successful in life? Turning a blind eye to the truth and chasing only after success wasn ’t Jo Gyu-Min ’s style.
Even if a knife were thrust into his throat tomorrow, he wanted to live a full, exciting life.

To Jo Gyu-Min, Kang Jin-Ho was vitality itself.
This young man had injected vivid colors into Jo Gyu-Min ’s monochrome.
As long as he could stick to Kang Jin-Ho, at the very least, he might get to live a life a hundred times more exciting than if he had turned a blind eye.

And that alone…
was enough.
What more could Jo Gyu-Min want when he could live an exciting life with the person he wanted to be with? Without being conscious of it, Jo Gyu-Min started humming while depressing the accelerator.

“Oh, by the way, Mister Jin-Ho? If I get fired by Jaegyeong later, you better hire me.”

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow.
“But I have no need for a secretary.”

“Then, at least hire me to sweep the front of your father ’s cafe or something.”

“Mm. I ’ll think about that.” Kang Jin-Ho chuckled, then turned his gaze away from Jo Gyu-Min busy making silly jokes to stare at the stretching neon lights outside the car ’s window.

’What a strange feeling… ’

Lately, Kang Jin-Ho had been getting a feeling that some things were not going according to plan.
His urges were progressively getting more out of control, while doubts about holding himself back too much or not seeing the point of living a life this way continued to plague him.

But at this moment, at least, those doubts had vanished from his mind.

’Right, I wasn ’t wrong about them. ’

Kang Jin-Ho had acquired people who liked him and would gladly walk the bumpy roads with him.
So, compared to his life back in Zhongyuan when everyone had turned their backs on him during his final moments?

’Even if I die tomorrow, this life is undoubtedly a far more successful one. ’

Kang Jin-Ho couldn ’t stop the corners of his lips from curling up.
Just how long had it been? When was the last time a genuine smile from deep down his heart appeared on his face instead of a sneer or mocking smirk?

Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Jo Gyu-Min.
“Well, do look after me well, Mister Gyu-Min.”

“No need to even ask.” Jo Gyu-Min grinned back.

Kang Jin-Ho leaned against his seat and closed his eyes.
Even then, the corners of his lips were still curled up despite his best efforts to suppress them.