Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1269. Investigating (4)

[As you can see, this new type of drug is smuggled into the country in this sealed state. This drug has proven dangerously addictive, and it’s also cheaper than other drugs in circulation. Worse still, this drug is a different type from the traditionally recognized drugs, making it harder even for trained K9 units to detect.]

The newscaster inside the TV screen raised a small ampoule so that the camera could zoom in on it.

Kang Yu-Hwan frowned at this sight. “Hmm. A new type of drug, is it...?”

Kang Jin-Ho sitting next to him didn’t say a word while grimacing slightly.

Meanwhile, the news bulletin continued on.

[Two years ago, the police uncovered and confiscated over fourteen tons of drugs in the country, but last year, that amount has increased to over thirty tons. The reason for this dramatic increase is attributed to the difficulty of detecting the drugs, and the fact that South Korea is used as a major distribution hub for drugs earmarked for China and other countries in the region.]

The screen displayed confiscated drugs next.

The idea of thirty tons might not readily register with the viewers, but the images of piles of drugs were much more effective in painting a grim picture for everyone watching.

Kang Yu-Hwan muttered, “If that’s how much the police have found so far, doesn’t that mean a lot more drugs than we can imagine are circulating within the country?”

Kang Eun-Yeong nodded. “I guess so?”

“Isn’t this scary? To think so many drugs are in circulation in our country. Korea used to be free from the drug scourge, but it seems we can’t boast about that anymore.”

[However, some experts believe that the increased volume of drugs can’t only be attributed to Korea’s role as a distribution hub. In the past, only a few types of drugs were in circulation in our country, but the variety has increased dramatically in recent years. And the methods of smuggling them in and selling them in the black market have become even more sophisticated, making it harder to catch the culprits. All these signs point to an increased abuse of drugs in our populace.]

Kang Yu-Hwan sighed. “I see. That’s terrible.”

Kang Jin-Ho’s grimace deepened.

The hospital director of a well-known hospital appeared next on the TV screen. He was being interviewed by the reporters.

[In the past, it was impossible to avoid detection if you have taken drugs. However, once the so-called designer drugs, which were created for the pro athletes to evade drug screenings, entered circulation, it’s become much easier to avoid detection altogether. The situation has gotten so bad that we sometimes have difficulty figuring out if someone is taking drugs or not.]

“Goodness me. What is this world coming to...” Kang Yu-Hwan helplessly shook his head, then glanced at his daughter. “Eun-Yeong?”

“Yes, dad?”

“I keep hearing about how the entertainment industry and drug abuse go hand-in-hand, but you haven’t done anything like that, right?”

“What are you even saying, dad!” Kang Eun-Yeong cried out in alarm. “You think I can maintain my looks if I take drugs? How could you even think of someone as pretty as me messing around with crap like that, dad!”

“...Yes, I acknowledge it. My daughter is indeed very pretty.” 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The direction of their conversation rapidly veered off in a strange direction.

“Besides, dad? The story about celebs doing drugs? That’s old news, you know? It’s nearly impossible to do that these days. Think about it, okay? If you wanna do drugs, you gotta buy them first, right? But where would famous celebs go to buy stuff like that?”

“...That makes sense, oddly enough?”

Ordinary people could just find a way to contact drug dealers on their own. But the unique quirk of being a celebrity meant said celeb couldn’t directly make a move. So they were forced into finding a collaborator first, but that was easier said than done.

“But, if what you say is true, why do we keep hearing about celebs getting caught on the news all the time? For smoking marijuana and stuff?”

Kang Eun-Yeong tilted her head. “From what I heard, it’s like those people went overseas and met dealers over there and created a supply channel or something like that. But it’s still marijuana, right? Or stuff like sedatives. I mean, you don’t hear about celebs getting in trouble with hard drugs like the ones we just saw on TV.”

Listening to Kang Eun-Yeong convinced Kang Yu-Hwan, at least to some degree.

The number of ordinary people getting caught for smoking weed must be much, much higher than celebs getting caught for the same offense. However, ordinary people’s indiscretions like that wouldn’t make interesting news stories. Which naturally led to the instances of celebs in trouble receiving a lot more attention in the media.

“Even so, be careful, Eun-Yeong,” said Kang Yu-Hwan in a firm voice. “Drugs don’t just ruin your life, okay? It also affects the lives of the people around you, too. Imagine what will happen if someone in our family starts abusing drugs.”

Kang Eun-Yeong wordlessly stared at Kang Jin-Ho.

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow. “What?”

“Oh, well, I couldn’t think of anyone, you see?”

“And that’s why you picked me?”

“No, I’m not saying you’d do that, oppa, but... I figured it’d be chaos if you got hooked on drugs, you see? You’d easily bankrupt this family, and then some.”

“...”

Kang Yu-Hwan nodded weightily. “Even if someone is abusing drugs, they still came from ordinary households. They are still someone’s sons and daughters. If they suddenly experience a personality change because of drugs and withdraw from society itself... Can you imagine the pain their families must go through?”

“Mm... Yeah, that sounds bad,” Kang Eun-Yeong nodded in agreement.

She used to think the drug addiction was the junkie’s problem and no one else’s, but listening to her father made her realize this problem could be worse than she thought.

Right now, the Kang family was enjoying a loving relationship. However, just one person in the family falling to the evil clutches of drugs could break the relationship off. It might never experience these simple loving moments again.

The people abusing drugs weren’t the only ones suffering the consequences.

“Of course, I’m not saying the person abusing drugs isn’t at fault. Yes, they should be held accountable, too. That much is certain. However, they wouldn’t have become addicted in the first place if the drugs weren’t so readily available. So, I think these drugs finding their way into the country is not a good thing.”

Kang Yu-Hwan helplessly shook his head again before reaching out to the TV remote. However, he stopped and stared weirdly at Kang Jin-Ho.

“Son?”

Kang Jin-Ho looked back at his father. “Yes, father?”

“What’s wrong? Did something bad happen?”

“No, not at all. Everything is fine.”

Kang Yu-Hwan tilted his head in confusion.

Even though Kang Jin-Ho’s expression hadn’t changed much, Kang Yu-Hwan was still his father. Even a subtle change in the expression was enough for him to guess the state of Kang Jin-Ho’s mood. And his guess had concluded that Kang Jin-Ho was in a bad mood right now.

Of course, Kang Yu-Hwan didn’t know why.

“Son, you know you can tell us if something is worrying you.”

Kang Jin-Ho shook his head. “It’s really nothing, father.”

“I see.”

That was when Kang Jin-Ho’s phone began ringing. He checked the caller ID, then quickly got up. “Sorry, but I need to answer this call.”

“Okay.”

Kang Eun-Yeong glanced behind her and noticed the direction her brother was heading. She unhappily yelled, “Why are you going outside, not your room?!”

“I won’t be long,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“Then, at least put on some more clothes! It’s cold outside, you know!”

“I’ll be fine.”

Kang Jin-Ho opened the front door and quickly stepped outside.

Kang Eun-Yeong tilted her head. “That’s so weird, though.”

“But it’s not the first time, no?” Baek Hyeon-Jeong muttered while nonchalantly peeling the apples. “Let him be. You know how his work is keeping him busy these days. I’ve already given up by now.”

“Mom, I can sense this icy anger in your words. You know that?”

Baek Hyeon-Jeong sighed deeply. “And I’m supposed to have two children...”

“Huh? Talking about me?” Kang Eun-Yeong pointed at herself, only to stumble back when her mother raised her head to stare back. “M-mom? You are holding a knife, mom. Please calm down.”

“Tsk...”

Baek Hyeon-Jeong resumed peeling the apple with her kitchen knife. Her gaze had already shifted to the front door, the one her son used to exit the house.

***

Kang Jin-Ho stepped outside the house and mouthed a cigarette while answering the phone. Icy winds brushed past him, but the coldness of the night didn’t mean much to him, anyway.

—Sir, this is Lee Hyeon-Su.

“Speak.”

While lighting the cigarette, Kang Jin-Ho waited for Lee Hyeon-Su’s report.

—Sir, we’ve captured everyone involved on our side.

“Everyone?”

—Yes, sir. Although it’s possible that we’ve overlooked someone during the investigation, interrogating the ones we’ve captured will get us any names we missed, anyway.

“I see.”

Kang Jin-Ho closed his eyes briefly.

How vague this was. He couldn’t quite define the emotion washing over him right now. Despite having lived such a long time, this emotion still felt so strange and unfamiliar.

“How many were there?”

—It’s... quite a few, sir.

“Is that right?”

Whether it was Kang Jin-Ho asking the questions or Lee Hyeon-Su replying on the phone, both men spoke in subdued voices. This was one report they didn’t want to make or hear, after all.

“Got it. I’m on my way now.”

—Assembly Master, sir.

“Yeah?”

—Once we conclude our investigation, I’ll submit a comprehensive report, sir. Until then, we still need more time. You don’t have to get involved so soon.

Kang Jin-Ho sighed deeply. What Lee Hyeon-Su said was basically him revealing his intentions to exceed his authority. After all, Kang Jin-Ho had the right to interfere in all the Assembly’s matters. And it was his decision to do so, too.

Even then, Kang Jin-Ho was reluctant to rebuke Lee Hyeon-Su. Because he knew this recommendation came from a place of care, not rebellion.

Lee Hyeon-Su was implying that he’d handle these kinds of unsavory work rather than let Kang Jin-Ho dirty his hands.

...Exactly like back when he was still a member of the Yeongnam Group.

“No, you don’t have to do that.”

Kang Jin-Ho’s somewhat unexpected reply must’ve left Lee Hyeon-Su speechless as no sounds came from the phone. But this silence didn’t extend for long.

—Sir, it’s not solely because of you. This is something I must do.

“And why do you feel that way?”

—Well, that’s...

Lee Hyeon-Su couldn’t readily reply.

As such, Kang Jin-Ho replied for him.

“I decide who does what in the Assembly. Although lacking, I’m still the Assembly Master, aren’t I?”

—Yes, sir.

“I never told you to handle the dirty work of the Assembly. And I also don’t remember telling you to act as its boogeyman, either. You’ve done that enough already.”

—But, sir...

“Turning a blind eye now will only make things easier for a short while. Things won’t get sorted out that way. In the end, it falls on me to deal with this burden.”

In the past, Kang Jin-Ho let Azure Demon handle most matters of the demon cult. It meant he had granted Azure Demon a lot of authority, but it also hid the fact that Kang Jin-Ho had dumped his duties on his poor subordinate’s shoulders.

What was the outcome of his irresponsible behavior? Even in his final moments, Kang Jin-Ho had not known the true demon cult. Not only did he fail to understand it, he also couldn’t completely dominate it, either. If Kang Jin-Ho had been thorough, Azure Demon would’ve never dared to rebel like that.

Kang Jin-Ho had no desire to repeat the mistake of the past. Of course, that wasn’t his only reason.

Lee Hyeon-Su had already done enough of these unsavory things. He shouldn’t keep doing it into the future just because that was what he used to do in the past.

—I... understand, sir.

“Right. I’m on my way.”

—We’ll be waiting at the Assembly HQ, sir.

Kang Jin-Ho ended the call, then took a deep puff of his cigarette. The icy night air rushed deeply into his lungs alongside the unhealthy smoke.

He wasn’t looking forward to what was about to happen.

It was easy to figure out why Lee Hyeon-Su tried to dissuade Kang Jin-Ho. After all, Lee Hyeon-Su must be feeling something similar to Kang Jin-Ho right about now.

However, some things in this world simply had to be done.

Those things wouldn’t disappear into the ether just because Kang Jin-Ho buried his head in the sand. If he did that, someone else would have to take up the slack. In that case, he’d rather do it himself.

Kang Jin-Ho’s expression grew colder. The cigarette smoke leaking out of his mouth scattered helplessly into the night air. He watched the smoke drift away before closing his eyes again.

He stood there, unmoving, for a while. By the time he opened his eyes again, several minutes had passed by.

By then, his cigarette had burned itself out. Kang Jin-Ho stared at the cigarette, then headed back inside the house.

His quiet footsteps softly echoed in the silent night air.