Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1271. Punishing (1)

Goh Min-Seong’s breathing clogged up instantly.

Even something as simple and natural as breathing in and out stopped functioning as intended. As a matter of fact, his whole body escaped his control and stiffened like a statue.

It even felt like every drop of blood left in his body had frozen cold!

Goh Min-Seong’s eyes shot open so much wider without him even realizing it.

He knew Lee Hyeon-Su would show up here since that was who had captured him. But he never imagined Kang Jin-Ho would personally step into this dark prison, located in the deepest depths of the Martial Assembly.

Why? Because Kang Jin-Ho was the Assembly Master. A man who must stay in the brightest place for everyone to see.

Interrogating and punishing the guilty members was not a job for the Assembly Master.

At least, that was what Goh Min-Seong used to think. Until a few seconds ago, that was!

Clomp, clomp!

However, the person getting closer and closer was undoubtedly Kang Jin-Ho.

Goh Min-Seong’s eyes powerfully quaked. It was already taking his everything to face off against Lee Hyeon-Su. But Kang Jin-Ho was a different breed altogether compared to Lee Hyeon-Su.

‘I mean, look at those eyes!’

Kang Jin-Ho’s stunningly cold, withdrawn eyes stared at Goh Min-Seong, and the pressure bearing down on the latter was something he had never experienced before.

“Come on. Continue,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“...!”

Kang Jin-Ho sat on the chair placed before Goh Min-Seong and mouthed a cigarette.

Click!

Lee Hyeon-Su promptly used his lighter and lit the cigarette for his boss.

“Fuu-woo...”

Kang Jin-Ho leisurely exhaled the smoke, then unhurriedly stared at Goh Min-Seong, who was too frozen-stiff to say anything until then.

“Everything you said just now was meant for me, not Chief Lee, right? Instead of wasting your energy shouting at the wrong person, do it to my face. Isn’t this a great opportunity for you to vent?”

Goh Min-Seong subtly chewed on his lip.

He was scared. Nay, terrified. And freshly reminded of something he had recently forgotten!

He remembered what it felt like to encounter Kang Jin-Ho as an enemy.

Back when Kang Jin-Ho raided the Yeongnam Group, Goh Min-Seong was there, too. But he had been paralyzed with fear and couldn’t do anything. He survived back then not because of his strength, but because he was a weakling.

A weakling like him couldn’t stand in Kang Jin-Ho’s way. And not standing in that rampaging monster’s way had saved his life. Wasn’t that ironic, though?

Of course, surviving the ordeal by not fighting did not mean Goh Min-Seong was spared from the experience of Kang Jin-Ho’s terror back then.

His eyes, no, his entire body, could vividly recall the horrors of those moments even now!

Goh Min-Seong remembered now how this man, who deserved to be respected and could be relied on as a dependable bulwark for his allies, would turn into the cruelest, most merciless monster as an enemy!

Kang Jin-Ho’s deadly fangs would no longer protect Goh Min-Seong. Instead, that sharpness should mercilessly tear into his throat now, tearing it wide open.

When Goh Min-Seong remained frozen, unable to speak, Kang Jin-Ho shrugged, then glanced at Lee Hyeon-Su while leisurely puffing away at his cigarette.

“He’s not saying anything.”

“...Well, he’s discriminating, that’s what, sir. What an unfair world this is.”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled when Lee Hyeon-Su grumbled unhappily. He had to admit, though, that this was not what he expected to see.

While coming down here, Kang Jin-Ho thought Goh Min-Seong’s state would be too wretched to even mention. Since Lee Hyeon-Su said he’d handle the interrogation, Goh Min-Seong would be lucky to keep his life after everything was said and done. That was what Kang Jin-Ho thought, but...

But Goh Min-Seong was not as hurt as Kang Jin-Ho expected him to be. All those bruises on Goh Min-Seong were a result of a beating, but Lee Hyeon-Su couldn’t have been responsible for them. He didn’t have enough strength to leave behind such wounds on a martial artist, after all.

In other words, Lee Hyeon-Su had not touched a hair on Goh Min-Seong until Kang Jin-Ho got here. Even though the... old Lee Hyeon-Su would’ve turned his victim into a barely alive lump of meat before reporting to Kang Jin-Ho!

Kang Jin-Ho sneakily glanced at Lee Hyeon-Su before shifting his attention back to Goh Min-Seong. It was unnecessary to voice his observation, of course. Lee Hyeon-Su’s own emotions and actions must be confusing him right now, anyway.

“So, did you say murderers like us have no right to judge a drug dealer like you?”

“...!”

Kang Jin-Ho relaxedly inhaled the cigarette smoke, causing its tip to sizzle brightly.

This sight was obviously not that significant. Nothing noteworthy happened outwardly, yet from Goh Min-Seong’s perspective, it meant so much.

Every glow of the cigarette tip made him feel like he was burning away inside, too. The inside of his mouth rapidly dried up, while his heart shrank further and further.

‘Am... Am I a coward?’

There should be no shame in being one, though.

Being the Martial Assembly’s member meant one had witnessed things Kang Jin-Ho had done. And anyone remembering those things would naturally become terrified of Kang Jin-Ho.

If Goh Min-Seong was not the captured but one of the guards observing this situation, he’d have praised himself for not wetting his pants the moment Kang Jin-Ho stepped into this room.

That was what it all meant. Kang Jin-Ho was someone every Korean martial artist had to respect. At the same time, he was also the most terrifying existence on this planet.

“Sounds like you’re mistaken about something...” Kang Jin-Ho leisurely muttered.

“...?”

“Chief Lee and I, we aren’t here to judge you.”

Goh Min-Seong raised his head to stare at Kang Jin-Ho.

“We’re not cops and certainly not court officials. We don’t have the qualifications to judge anyone. Do you think you’re in this state because you’re guilty of dealing in drugs?”

“It’s... it’s not?”

“You didn’t get it, then?” Kang Jin-Ho asked while getting up from the chair. The corners of his lips curled up weirdly at the same time. He took a step forward to approach Goh Min-Seong. “Even though you were so talkative about it earlier?”

“Heuh...?”

A suppressed gasp leaked out of Goh Min-Seong.

“Why do you think it’s my duty to uphold the society’s laws?”

“...!”

“Do I look like a nice-enough guy to do that?”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled softly.

What a strange thing this was. Obviously, he was no longer the same person as his past self. Compared to that version of him, the Kang Jin-Ho of now had become much warmer and more peace-loving. But did that mean he had become a good person?

Of course not.

When analyzed objectively, one could argue that Kang Jin-Ho had become even more ruthless than in the past.

During his second life, Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor used his physical might to solve all his problems. Suppressing everyone and everything with power was the best and only solution to every problem—that was his belief. And he didn’t care about problems that could be solved without violence.

But the current Kang Jin-Ho was different. Because he now relied not only on brute strength but on other methods at his disposal, too.

He didn’t hesitate to throw money around, rely on political influence, and even brainwash people to get what he wanted. Indeed, the current Kang Jin-Ho had no qualms about resorting to whatever means necessary to produce desired outcomes.

That was why it was so ironic that people viewed him as a good person these days. Wasn’t that so amusing?

“Don’t get it twisted, okay?”

Kang Jin-Ho reached out and grabbed Goh Min-Seong’s throat before pulling the latter up. The sagging figure of Goh Min-Seong staggered up to his feet.

After pulling Goh Min-Seong close, Kang Jin-Ho smirked. His lips parted to reveal his fangs.

Like a predator growling away, Kang Jin-Ho whispered menacingly into Goh Min-Seong’s ear. “Do you know what your actual crime is?”

Goh Min-Seong shuddered pitifully while trying to say something. He knew he’d become a corpse with a broken neck if Kang Jin-Ho decided to grip a little harder. His tongue would stick out of the side of his mouth, a flood of drool pouring down his jaw, as he rapidly succumbed to his injuries.

“It’s, it’s... selling drugs.”

“Wrong.”

Kang Jin-Ho’s voice was quiet. Subdued. And that was why he sounded even more terrifying.

“You’re way off base. Your crime isn’t about selling drugs. No, it’s... you disobeying my order to not deal in drugs.”

“...!”

“You asked what qualifications did the murderers have to judge drug dealers, right?”

Goh Min-Seong’s hearing registered a subdued cackle. Kang Jin-Ho was laughing at him. As if he was so amused by this situation that he didn’t know what to do about it!

“I’m not here to judge you. That’s not my intention. No, I’m only here to punish the bastard who dared to disobey me.”

The grip on Goh Min-Seong’s throat gradually tightened. As he suffocated, Goh Min-Seong noticed how crimson Kang Jin-Ho’s eyes were.

That crimson hue didn’t look like it belonged to reality. And that thought sent a shiver down his spine.

Those eyes of a devil were glaring right into Goh Min-Seong while emitting vivid killing intent!

Goh Min-Seong’s logical mind rapidly crumbled away. He couldn’t think straight. Even his senses grew duller. What remained was terror he couldn’t cope with.

Kang Jin-Ho smirked deeply.

Like a devil looking at a poor human who lost his soul after their deal went sideways... Kang Jin-Ho smirked coldly while staring deeply into Goh Min-Seong’s eyes.

“You already know, don’t you?”

Goh Min-Seong silently nodded like a man in a trance.

“You will die.”

“...”

“Death is fair. But it can also be very unfair. The outcome of death might be the same, but the process of getting there will differ from people to people, after all.”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly put Goh Min-Seong down on the chair.

“I’ll give you a chance.”

Goh Min-Seong looked up at Kang Jin-Ho, his complexion completely pale now. Not a hint of desire to live remained on his expression now. Even so, he still couldn’t give up some things yet.

“Tell us what you know. Everything. And I do mean everything. If there is anything useful in your confession, you’ll get the opportunity to die as painlessly as possible. However, if not...”

Kang Jin-Ho reached out and pressed his fingertip on Goh Min-Seong’s forehead.

“You will learn. You will find out what pain really is. And learn how painful death can be. That won’t be such a bad deal for you, though. Since you’ll get to learn about something valuable before dying. Something that other people will never know.”

Kang Jin-Ho pulled his hand away from Goh Min-Seong’s forehead and smirked softly.

“What’s your answer?”

Of course, Goh Min-Seong’s reply had already been decided by then.

***

Clunk!

Lee Hyeon-Su opened the steel door and emerged from the building. The guards next to the doorway bowed at him.

He briefly nodded back and asked, “Where is the Assembly Master?”

“He’s over there, sir.”

Lee Hyeon-Su stared in the direction pointed out by the guards and spotted Kang Jin-Ho smoking away while looking up at the night sky.

While sighing under his breath, Lee Hyeon-Su walked over to Kang Jin-Ho.

“Sir, it’s done.”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “I see. And?”

“We haven’t organized all the information yet, sir. Although, he would’ve even told us the story of how he wet his bed during elementary school days if we let him talk more. In any case, we now have an idea of the string puller’s identity.”

“Who is it?”

“That’s...” Lee Hyeon-Su scratched his head. “It’s not anyone special, actually. It’s one of the former directors of the Assembly who served in various posts before getting the boot, sir. He apparently knew people from that part of the world since the Lee Jung-Geol days. And he enticed a few Assembly members to dance for him.”

Should this be considered good news?

No, not really. This revelation actually proved that, even if one was a weak martial artist, one could still create something of this scale by smartly utilizing the power they already possessed.

Kang Jin-Ho understood the significance of this situation.

“How long do you need?”

“We’ll find him and throw him inside the prison before sunrise.”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded in acceptance.

“Then, please excuse me,” said Lee Hyeon-Su with a brief nod.

However, as he walked away, Kang Jin-Ho’s subdued voice registered in his hearing.

“Lee Hyeon-Su?”

“...Yes, sir?”

Lee Hyeon-Su turned around to find Kang Jin-Ho staring at the night sky again. He didn’t urge his boss to speak and patiently waited.

A little while later, Kang Jin-Ho asked, his voice slightly quieter than usual.

“Does a murderer have the right to judge a drug dealer?”

“...”

Lee Hyeon-Su clamped his mouth shut. That problem... was difficult to answer. He faltered for a long time before forcing himself to reply. “I... don’t know, sir.”

“I see.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “That’s fine. See you later.”

“Sir.”

Lee Hyeon-Su bowed again, this time much more deeply, then headed to the Assembly’s main building. He hurriedly walked for a while, only to come to a stuttering halt and glancing behind him.

Kang Jin-Ho was still standing there, his back turned toward Lee Hyeon-Su, while staring at the night sky.

Even though that back always looked so strong and dependable, for some reason... It looked a little smaller and lonely tonight.

Only by a little, of course.