Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1284. Punishing (4)

Ahn Dae-Hyeon? Kim Won-Hyeok had to doubt his hearing for a second there. Wasn’t that the name of a former Assembly director?

He remembered hearing that name. No, that wasn’t right. He heard that name quite often during Lee Jung-Geol’s reign. However, as far as Kim Won-Hyeok knew, Ahn Dae-Hyeon had already retired by the time Kang Jin-Ho showed up.

That was how he survived the bloody purge of Lee Jung-Geol’s faction. Those who knew how he enjoyed a charmed life under Lee Jung-Geol and washed his hands clean off that nonsense before it was too late even praised him for being so insightful. After all, he got to live precisely because of that insight, didn’t he?

Some even jokingly muttered things like one should live their life like Ahn Dae-Hyeon. So, why was that man here, of all places?

Kim Won-Hyeok opened his eyes wider to get a better look. That person’s back looked pretty much the identical to Ahn Dae-Hyeon he knew. Although the former director sported a set of snow-white hair now, his straight back was the same as the one from his memories.

Ahn Dae-Hyeon must’ve gone through a severe questioning session judging from his frail appearance, but the way he still stood tall remained impressive as ever.

“Ahn Dae-Hyeon,” Lee Hyeon-Su muttered, his voice icy. “You are accused of masterminding the smuggling and distribution of drugs.”

That revelation roused up stunned gasps and shocked chatter from the crowd. That was how unexpected and shocking the concept of dealing in drugs was.

To these martial artists, learning about a former director being involved in drug smuggling was shocking enough. But to think he was actually the mastermind behind it!

“Anything you want to say?”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon glared at Lee Hyeon-Su before breaking his silence. “I have nothing to say to you, you devil of Yeongnam Group!”

“We only want to hear your response.”

“You are not worthy of my responses. All my guilt, whatever they are, pales in comparison to what you’ve done, after all! With what qualifications do you dare judge me?”

Hostile light burned fiercely in Ahn Dae-Hyeon’s eyes.

“Get out of my sight, Lee Hyeon-Su. I shall speak directly to the Assembly Master!”

Lee Hyeon-Su glared coldly at Ahn Dae-Hyeon, but he eventually nodded and looked back at Kang Jin-Ho. “Sir?”

“It’s fine. Let him talk,” said Kang Jin-Ho, implying that Lee Hyeon-Su didn’t have to intervene this time.

Lee Hyeon-Su took a step back, allowing Ahn Dae-Hyeon to get a direct line of sight to Kang Jin-Ho. After a bout of silence, the former Assembly director quietly spoke up.

“Assembly Master, sir.”

“...”

“As I’m no longer a part of the Assembly, I’m not sure how to address you. The only Assembly Master I knew all my life was Lee Jung-Geol, you see? Addressing someone else as the Assembly Master feels so strange, I have to say.”

“It’s fine. Address me as you see fit,” Kang Jin-Ho casually replied.

“Thank you. You are as open-minded as I’ve heard. Still, I can’t think of something better to address you other than the Assembly Master. If I dare do otherwise, the folks behind me might not let me walk out of here alive.”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon spoke in a leisurely manner, but his complexion wasn’t so great. His previous confidence when talking to Lee Hyeon-Su was already gone. Even to a grizzled veteran like him, facing off against Kang Jin-Ho still proved to be a daunting task.

Kang Jin-Ho cocked his head. “So? If you have something to say, now is the time.”

“Assembly Master, sir.”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon sucked in a deep breath.

“Yes, I have sinned.”

“...”

“However, is my sin such a grievous one?”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon’s voice grew louder as he spoke.

“I’ve dedicated my entire life to the Assembly, sir. However, in the end, I had nothing left to my name. All the money I’ve saved up while working for this organization got confiscated under the pretext of securing all of Lee Jung-Geol’s hidden assets. The result of nearly breaking my back for over fifty years was not a penny to my name, sir!”

Kang Jin-Ho listened in silence, his eyes withdrawn.

“That doesn’t mean I must kill myself, no? Since I’m still alive, I need to put food on the table somehow. Don’t I have that right?”

“So?”

“So I started this smuggling business, sir. Yes, I know I’m in the wrong, but!”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon stood even taller, his eyes bloodshot.

“What other choice did I have?”

“...”

“Work as a security guard? Or should I have gotten a job at a construction site? This might sound funny to you, but I’ve already tried those. Unfortunately, none of them wanted to hire me because of my age. Worse still, I don’t have a way to prove that I can do those jobs. All the martial arts I’ve learned in here are completely useless out in society, after all! Because, as soon as I try to use even a little bit of my strength, the Assembly will chase me down, now won’t it?!”

The emotions in Ahn Dae-Hyeon’s voice grew even more heightened.

“The ones responsible for cornering me like this are undoubtedly the Martial Assembly and the martial world! With the situation as is, how could you even think of criticizing me? You are the one who confiscated every dime to my name and even cut off any avenues to make a living! After what you’ve done, how can you sit there and criticize me? Who gave you the right?!”

Kim Won-Hyeok subtly bit his lip. He knew he must not agree with Ahn Dae-Hyeon. That man was nothing more than a lowly criminal who did not deserve an ounce of sympathy.

However, Kim Won-Hyeok’s heart was already sympathizing with Ahn Dae-Hyeon’s plight. How could he not understand what the former director was saying? When he, too, was on the brink of quitting the Assembly not too long ago?

Who could understand the desolate loneliness of facing an uncertain future?

Kim Won-Hyeok had spent his entire life mastering martial arts and not much else. So, quitting the Assembly meant throwing away everything that made him, him.

Without martial arts, Kim Won-Hyeok was nothing more than an uneducated and unskilled adult male. What kind of value would someone like that have?

If he was to quit the Assembly today, could he confidently say he would never walk the same path as Ahn Dae-Hyeon? No, he could not.

Kim Won-Hyeok’s friend, Seong Ju-Chan, opened a cafe so that he could live an ordinary life far removed from the martial world. Unfortunately, not everyone would be lucky enough to do that. Had Kim Won-Hyeok left the Assembly along with his friend, he would probably be sitting on his hands right about now, unable to find anything to do.

...And he’d be gradually rotting away inside, too.

Knowing all this, Kim Won-Hyeok couldn’t bring himself to criticize Ahn Dae-Hyeon. No one in their right mind would be able to criticize their potential future, after all.

Regretting the past and insulting one’s past self happened all the time, but not the future. Those without a future only had death to look forward to, after all!

“Answer me, Assembly Master! Aren’t you guilty just like me?!” Ahn Dae-Hyeon cried out before turning around to face his subordinates. “And these fellas? What are their crimes, again? Everyone here knows that this organization makes an incredible amount of money. But the majority of that wealth doesn’t end up in the pockets of the members, but yours! Or am I wrong?”

Kang Jin-Ho continued to listen without a word.

“While monopolizing all the wealth, you brainwash the people under you by telling them all the wealth and honor and glory will be theirs once they become strong enough! And you exploit them to create even more wealth for yourself! Isn’t that the way of the Martial Assembly? Was I wrong for trying to escape that exploitative cycle?!”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon coughed and swallowed his saliva as if he had exerted himself just then.

“Yes, I accept my guilt. I’ve done something that I shouldn’t have. However, at the very least! Consider reducing the severity of their sentences! Punish me in their stead! I shall shoulder everything!”

“No, director!”

“Don’t say that, sir! Let us...!”

Weighty silence ensued. As if he had spoken his piece, Ahn Dae-Hyeon lowered his head, and everyone watching him also clamped their mouths shut.

Soon afterward, everyone’s attention focused on Kang Jin-Ho, still relaxedly reclining in his chair. He was covering his face with his hand, but his shoulders were faintly trembling away.

...Eh? Assembly Master? Kim Won-Hyeok stared at Kang Jin-Ho as he grew confused. Why was the Assembly Master trembling like that?

Before everyone’s confusion could deepen, though, Kang Jin-Ho’s hand slowly fell. And that was when Kim Won-Hyeok saw it. He saw this strange look on the Assembly Master’s face. And that was this creepy smile that seemed to have escaped Kang Jin-Ho’s attempt to suppress it!

“Kek...!”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly shook his head in mock embarrassment after letting that cackle escape his lips.

“My apologies. I know I shouldn’t be smiling. But this is too funny to me.”

“...?”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon dazedly stared at Kang Jin-Ho. He actually smiled? In this situation?

“Thanks for that funny little story. It was quite impressive, really.”

Kang Jin-Ho uncrossed his legs and got up slowly. Very slowly. With not a hint of urgency in his movements.

“You know, I was wondering about something...”

“...”

Click.

Kang Jin-Ho leisurely lit up a cigarette, then stared at Ahn Dae-Hyeon for a while.

“Who created that rule you mentioned?”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon was confused by Kang Jin-Ho’s question and could only stare back in silence.

“I’m talking about the system of the Assembly’s higher-ups monopolizing all the money the organization makes. Who created it?”

“Well, that is...”

Before he could finish his answer, Ahn Dae-Hyeon suddenly clamped his mouth shut.

The one responsible for that system was, of course, Lee Jung-Geol. And Ahn Dae-Hyeon was one of the culprits who had helped the late Assembly Master enrich himself.

“Not just all the legitimate earnings, but even all the money skimmed off the top... Who took all that and created a secret stash?”

“...”

“Finally, who took his share of that wealth for himself?”

Kang Jin-Ho began smirking deeply.

“You just love to talk and talk, don’t you? Aren’t you the one who put the noose around your own neck? If you thought such a system was unjust, why didn’t you oppose Lee Jung-Geol and try to stop it? Didn’t you enjoy what that life had to offer before retiring? So why are you whining about unfairness now? And why are you accusing the higher-ups of wrongdoing?”

“...”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon was left momentarily speechless and could only dazedly bob his lips up and down like a fish. However, it wasn’t because he lost out in the battle of wits or logic.

No, it was actually because he had sensed this indescribable creepiness in Kang Jin-Ho’s smiling eyes. He swore he had never felt anything like that before in his entire life!

“Now then. Shall I tell you why you hadn’t done that?”

Kang Jin-Ho walked toward Ahn Dae-Hyeon. His steps were leisurely, but each and every step he took still drew everyone’s undivided attention.

“You had no reason to speak up back then. Why? Because it benefited you. Keep your mouth shut, and everything will work out. That was the situation back then, no? And you’re only whining like this because you suffered a loss. Isn’t that right?”

“N-no, that’s not...”

“Oh, it’s not? Then, how about...”

The corners of Kang Jin-Ho’s lips curled up.

“You were too scared of Lee Jung-Geol to say this stuff? But you can say that to me because I look like a pushover. Is that it?”

Ahn Dae-Hyeon’s body shuddered grandly. He instinctively could tell that his gamble had failed.

When observed from some distance away, Kang Jin-Ho seemed to be a rather peculiar man. First of all, no other leader in the Korean martial society’s history was as caring and mild-mannered as Kang Jin-Ho was.

Lee Jung-Geol and Kim Seok-Il couldn’t give a toss about the welfare of the rank-and-file, yet Kang Jin-Ho seemed obsessed with it. And he worked tirelessly to change and improve the lives of everyone affiliated with the Assembly.

This was why Ahn Dae-Hyeon thought it was worth a gamble. As long as he could convince Kang Jin-Ho, he had a hunch that his sentence would get reduced. Unfortunately, his gamble did not pay off. In fact, it only produced the worst-possible outcome.

“You just couldn’t help yourself, now could you?”

Kang Jin-Ho snarkily muttered as he reached a spot right in front of Ahn Dae-Hyeon. And then, he suddenly grabbed the former director by his throat.

The nonsensical amount of power he felt tightening around his throat destroyed any desire to resist in Ahn Dae-Hyeon’s mind.

He should have known. He should have known how two-faced Kang Jin-Ho the person could be.

Most importantly, though, he should have known what Kang Jin-Ho’s true nature, hidden behind the facade of the mild-mannered Assembly Master, was!

But it was too late now. Kang Jin-Ho was already here to forcibly teach Ahn Dae-Yeong, after all!

Crack, crunch!

Ahn Dae-Hyeon’s neck bones screamed. His vision darkened while his entire body began spasming.

“I do not like bastards like you. If you really thought that system was unjust, you should have left Lee Jung-Geol’s side and worked together with Director Bang Jin-Hun. But you turned your back and kept enjoying the fruits of everyone’s labor. And now, you’re telling me you got into the drug business because you couldn’t see a way to make a living?”

A hollow chuckle leaked out of Kang Jin-Ho next.

“You sure like to run your mouth off, don’t you?”

CRUNCH!

The whites in Ahn Dae-Hyeon’s eyes began showing. When the former director began spasming even more precariously while his neck was half-cocked at the wrong angle, Lee Hyeon-Su urgently called out to Kang Jin-Ho.

“Assembly Master! Sir!”

Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Lee Hyeon-Su before frowning deeply.

Thud!

Kang Jin-Ho threw Ahn Dae-Hyeon away, then lightly dusted his hands. He agreed with the notion that killing the former director like this was meaningless.

“All of you, listen well.”

When Kang Jin-Ho spoke in an icy voice, the entirety of the Martial Assembly was frozen stiff in their spots.