Descent of the Demon Master

t's see…
While having her appear in TV shows, our focus should be on YouTube…” After having done unexpected homework on the idol industry, Jo Gyu-Min was now fully committed to finding the best route for Kang Eun-Yeong's success.

Only by turning her into the People's Goddess before Kang Jin-Ho got his first leave would Jo Gyu-Min be able to stand tall and proud before him.
To achieve this goal, Kang Eun-Yeong should absolutely not do stuff like chasing after brand clout.
Instead, she should put on a more sophisticated air about her.

Jo Gyu-Min pondered what had to be done for the public to see Kang Eun-Yeong as much more than a mere pretty-faced entertainer but as a proper musician.
However, his pondering session was suddenly shattered by his ringing phone, forcing him to raise his head and look.

“Mm?”

Today was the weekend, so who could be calling him like this? Jo Gyu-Min was already infamous for having a very limited pool of acquaintances.
Monitoring the ailing Chairman Hwang meant severing ties with the few friends he had.
Moreover, who would want to hang around a guy who couldn't even make time for his friends for over two years? Considering that, this was an inevitable result.

In addition, the scam callers, sometimes the only solace Jo Gyu-Min could find in his loneliness, wouldn't bother to call on weekends.
As such, he had to stare at the caller's number on his phone's screen with some suspicion.

“033?” The area code starting with 033…? Wasn't that Gangwon Province? Jo Gyu-Min answered the call as this unexplainable anxiety crept into his heart.
“Hello, Jo Gyu-Min here.”

– Hello, Mister Gyu-Min.
It's Kang Jin-Ho.

“Oh, hello! Mister Jin-Ho! It's been a while!”

– I'll cut to the chase.
Have you seen the TV?

“TV? Why?”

– Eun-Yeong was on it earlier.

Jo Gyu-Min's expression brightened instantly.
“Ah, so you saw that! I…”

– I have something to ask you…

Jo Gyu-Min was about to boast how hard he had been working to prepare so many things for Kang Eun-Yeong, including her outfit, but he quickly changed his mind after noticing Kang Jin-Ho's stiff-sounding voice.
“Y-yes?”

– Just who made Eun-Yeong wear such a scandalous outfit and forced her to dance like that?!

“It's obviously the wardrobe coordinator as well as the choreographer.” Jo Gyu-Min smoothly lied his head off.
He navigated through this crisis with consummate ease befitting the man who had miraculously survived the absolute worst situation in his career, and had emerged even stronger than before.

Even so, cold sweat still soaked his back after realizing that one misplaced word from his mouth could have gotten his head chopped off just now.

– Are you sure about this, Mister Gyu-Min?

“A c-coordinator's job is to look after the wardrobe and do the make-up while the choreographer plans the dance routines, yes.
It's common knowledge, Mister Jin-Ho.”

Of course, the investor sometimes did have a say in such things.
The said investor in this case was, of course, Jaegyeong.
The man Jaegyeong had assigned to manage Kang Eun-Yeong's daily life, as well as her idol concept, was none other than Jo Gyu-Min.

He was definitely not lying about the coordinator and the choreographer, though.
Definitely not!

– Fire them immediately, Mister Gyu-Min.

“Y-yes…” This moment was when Jo Gyu-Min confirmed that speaking the truth would have gotten him fired.
He collapsed into his chair after his legs gave up on him.
Since he had observed Kang Jin-Ho for a while, he could tell for sure.
Kang Jin-Ho's voice on the phone might have sounded composed, but he was genuinely furious right now.

– What were they thinking when they made a child do such things!

“Mister Jin-Ho, your sister is practically an adult already.”

– Oh? Are you implying that an adult can prance around in such revealing clothes on stage?

Jo Gyu-Min stuttered helplessly, “N-no, but… Uh, I didn't think it was that suggestive…”

What was an idol supposed to do, then? Do a bunny dance or something?! Kang Eun-Yeong's concept was solidly in the 'innocent idol' category, yet Kang Jin-Ho still had a problem with that? In that case, why did he even let her become an idol in the first place?!

Dissatisfaction and complaints rapidly filled Jo Gyu-Min's head, but he was wise enough not to voice them.
It was blindingly obvious what would happen if he voiced them, after all!

– Change her idol concept immediately and slow down her schedule.

“T-That's not going to be feasible, Mister Jin-Ho…”

– Not feasible, you say?

Jo Gyu-Min momentarily thought he heard the sounds of something writhing on the other side of the line.
More cold sweat soaked his clothes as he desperately thought about what else he could say.
Suddenly, he recalled Kang Jin-Ho's ominous figure during his visit to Choi Yeong-Su's home.
One wrong thing muttered now, and Jo Gyu-Min might have to deal with that version of Kang Jin-Ho chewing his head off.
Never mind cold sweat; his body was now covered in deathly goosebumps.
“I'll get on it right away.”

– Yes, immediately!

“Y-yes, sir.” Jo Gyu-Min could only spat out a lengthy groan.
What was he supposed to do about this siscon now? Wasn't Kang Jin-Ho mostly indifferent toward Kang Eun-Yeong's career? But he decided that now would be a good time to interfere in every single aspect of her career as her oppa.
What a sorrowful situation this was turning out to be!

“By the way, Mister Jin-Ho…”

– Yes? What is it?

Jo Gyu-Min cautiously spoke, “I think Miss Eun-Yeong will strongly oppose the change of her idol concept.
She's genuinely ecstatic about all the spotlight cast on her at the moment, you see.”

– I-Is that so?

Kang Jin-Ho's voice hinted at how shaken up he was just then.

“Yes.
So, how about talking to her personally? I heard that your family is planning to visit you tomorrow.”

– Visit me, here in the base?

“Yes.
Originally, I shouldn't have said anything, but with the situation being what it is, let me be honest with you.
Yes, your family will come to see you tomorrow.”

– I see.
In that case, I'll talk to her personally, then.

Click.

The phone went dead as soon as the business at hand ended.

“Uh-whew…” Jo Gyu-Min slumped in his chair, feeling like ten years of his life had flown out the window.
He was exhausted from the tension caused by knowing he could have gotten unemployed with a few careless remarks.
“…This is why I'll die before my time.”

Jo Gyu-Min's hooded eyes drifted over to the muted TV on the wall where the image of the dancing Kang Eun-Yeong could be seen.

“…What is wrong is that?! Nothing, I say! Dang it, had he been living in some Islamic country until now or what?!”

If Kang Jin-Ho was left to his devices, his sister might have to wrap her entire body in thick bandages or something and sing stiffly while standing on one spot only.
However, that situation had to be avoided, no matter the cost.
Jo Gyu-Min silently prayed that the usually daring Kang Eun-Yeong would successfully stop her rampaging older brother.

***

“I think we're here?”

“Yes, dear.
I think we've arrived.”

“Yeah, Mom.
It must be here.”

Kang Jin-Ho's three family members stared at the military base before their eyes and shuddered involuntarily.
What kind of a base was this that the Kang family had to drive two more hours after passing the Civilian Control Line just to get here?! Not even the anti-North operatives would want to set up a base in such a remote location!

“…Let's go in,” said Kang Yu-Hwan as he pressed the accelerator.

He drove up to the guardhouse and stopped the car, prompting the sentries to step in front of the vehicle and block the path.

One of them walked up to the driver's side and saluted.
“Victory! Sir, what business do you have in our base?”

Kang Yu-Hwan politely addressed the stiff-sounding soldier, “I came to visit my son.”

“I see.
Please provide the rank and the name of the soldier you wish to visit.”

“It's Private Kang Jin-Ho.”

“Please wait here,” said the sentry.
He confirmed that there was indeed a reservation for a visit today and allowed the car to drive past the guardhouse.

Kang Yu-Hwan's vehicle cautiously drove into the army base codenamed Charlie.

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