Descent of the Demon Master

sure that her heart was fine, then withdrew his qi.

He narrowed his eyes.
“Hmm…”

Clogged qi would inevitably lead to a build-up of toxins in one's body.
Kang Jin-Ho's next action was to absorb such toxins found near Moon Ji-Eun's heart into his own body.

Flash!

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He finally took his hand off the girl's abdomen and opened his eyes.
He stared at Moon Ji-Eun's flushed face for a while.
Her breathing seemed a little heavy right now, but things should feel much better for her soon enough.

He muttered quietly, “I've repaid my debt to you.”

The rest was up to her now; going back to an ordinary life was Moon Ji-Eun's responsibility.
He remained still for a little while longer to study the sleeping girl's face.
Watching her expression finally change from pain to peace seemed to bring peace to his own heart as well.

He quietly left the room, then headed to the roof to stare at the night sky.
While looking up, he continued to feel this strange emotion bubbling inside of him.
It felt refreshing and kind of ticklish, too…
but it wasn't unpleasant at all.

The past him would have never done something like this.
In fact, he wouldn't even blink if someone was dying right in front of his nose.
But the current Kang Jin-Ho had changed.
He wasn't sure if the catalyst for this transformation came from his return to the modern era or if the memories that belonged to 'Kang Jin-Ho' had influenced his personality. Still, he believed that this was for the better.

To live an ordinary life—Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor had to disappear.
The memories of gangho were far too savage and filled with so much pain and hardships. It was completely ill-suited for having a regular life. If possible, he had to completely erase the 'Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor' slumbering deep within him.
He knew better than anyone how important that was.

He faintly grinned and stared at the heavens up above.
He was no longer staring at gangho's sky. The ordinary life he had been waiting for would finally begin once he left this hospital.

***

“Oppa!”

Just as Kang Jin-Ho was about to step outside the hospital for one last time, Moon Ji-Eun quickly trotted over to him.
Her steps were noticeably more energetic than before.
Even the gloominess affecting her expression also seemed to have lessened. Of course, this could just be Kang Jin-Ho's imagination.

“Mm…” He wasn't sure what to say to her, so he just stood there awkwardly.

Ji-Eun scanned him from top to bottom.
“Oppa, you're going home?”

“Yeah,” Kang Jin-Ho replied while also scanning her body.
The clogging in her had definitely disappeared.
“Weren't you supposed to change hospitals today?”

“Nah.
Early in the morning, we suddenly decided not to.
The doctors said that they need to observe my situation some more. Heheh~”

“I see.” He nodded as if there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Moon Ji-Eun pouted as if she was a bit disappointed by his reaction.
“You don't look surprised.”

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“I had a feeling that things would turn out this way.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Heh-eh~” Moon Ji-Eun grinned, then scanned Kang Jin-Ho's attire once more.
Looking genuinely happy now, she began tugging at the hem of his clothes.
“It's so weird, you know? It'd usually hurt four or five times in the morning, but I didn't feel anything today.
Not even once!”

“That's good to hear.”

“That's why…” Ji-Eun took out a can of cola from her pocket.
“Here.
My present.”

This settled it.
In her mind, Kang Jin-Ho must've been a polar bear addicted to nothing but cola. After all, every interaction between the two began and ended with a can of this fizzy drink! Otherwise, she probably thought that cola was the preferred sustenance of all extraterrestrials.

“Mm…” Kang Jin-Ho fell into a bit of a dilemma, wondering just how he should resolve this misunderstanding.

But Moon Ji-Eun suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand.
She averted her gaze in awkwardness and muttered quietly, “Thanks.”

“What for?”

“Just, you know.
Thanks.”

What was she thanking him for? Because he hung out with her every now and then? Kang Jin-Ho couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion.
Since he was being discharged today, this would be their last meeting.
Which meant that her saying stuff like this wasn't that strange.
Was she disappointed to see him leave?

“Okay,” Kang Jin-Ho replied in a slightly pouty tone.
But that made her grin faintly instead.
Her smiles used to contain some traces of gloominess, but her current smile came across as natural and pure, something that a child should be making.

She smiled mischievously and pinched Kang Jin-Ho's hand.
Her intention was to sting him, but…
But when he just stood there without any reaction whatsoever, she went, “Tch!” in disappointment and stared straight at his face.
“Next time…”

“Mm?”

“You mustn't touch a young lady without permission, okay!”

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Kang Jin-Ho's whole body flinched hard.

Moon Ji-Eun continued.
“I'll call the cops if you do!”

“…”

“If you get caught doing that again, it's straight to jail for you.
Do you know how scary the law can be these days?!”

“…”

“I almost screamed, you know?”

Kang Jin-Ho did his hardest to think of a reply, but he was interrupted by a distant voice calling for Moon Ji-Eun.

“It's my mom,” Ji-Eun muttered.
She then tightly gripped Kang Jin-Ho's hand before trotting away.
Before she got too far away, though, Ji-Eun turned her head and energetically waved her hand at Kang Jin-Ho.
“Stay healthy and don't come back to hospitals, okay! Let's see each other again someday.
For sure!”

Kang Jin-Ho watched the smiling girl's back and quietly muttered to himself, his head tilting to the side.
“Didn't I tap her pressure point? I can't remember.”

Did it even matter? As long as the result was good, it was all fine.

“What's wrong, Jin-Ho?” Kang Jin-Ho's mother walked up to him and asked.

He replied with a shake of his head, “It's nothing, Mother.
Let's go home.”

“Alright.”

Kang Jin-Ho finally stepped outside the hospital.
Before leaving, though, he briefly glanced behind him and saw the smiling Moon Ji-Eun holding her mother's hand in the distance.

Their connection had been brief, but…

“Stay healthy.”

Kang Jin-Ho looked at Moon Ji-Eun's joyous smiling face, then faintly smiled by himself before turning around to leisurely step into the world outside.