Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1139. Proving (4)

Vrooooooom!

Everyone’s head snapped in the direction of the supercar.

It wasn't as if the surroundings had gotten quieter. As a matter of fact, it'd be more correct to say this area was on the noisier side. Even so, that car's rumbly exhaust noises still attracted people's attention without any problem whatsoever!

‘The chairman, eh?’

Ha Gwang-Sik's investigation found that MK's boss was a twenty-something young man named Kang Jin-Ho. However, other than his name and age, pretty much everything about him seemed mysterious. As if covered in a veil, so to speak.

Members of his family weren’t wealthy, and he wasn’t related by blood to someone from the upper class of society. The only notable thing about him was that he attended the famed Jaegyeong University, but that was about it.

‘It’s as if he just appeared out of nowhere one day.’

An event like that was very uncommon. And in the world of high finance, it was even more unlikely.

The reason? It was simple enough. To make money, you need money in the first place.

South Korea was no longer a society where a hero could rise up from nothing. Something like that was eminently possible in the past because back then, the Korean government was still finding its feet through all the chaos enveloping the country.

Times of strife had always been the ages of heroes. Unfortunately, people often missed the true meaning of that old adage.

That seemingly heart-stirring axiom hid the harsh truth that heroes born in peaceful times would not be able to shine and live in obscurity like everybody else.

South Korea had successfully navigated through the times of strife and had finally entered the era of peace. Which meant you’d no longer hear about heroic tales similar to that of a man sinking an oil tanker in the ocean to block the incoming waves.[1]

So, to think that a man no one had heard of suddenly appeared like a comet and opened a company of this scale during the era of peace!

‘Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.’

Ha Gwang-Sik was convinced. That Kang Jin-Ho must’ve had connections to powerful people! Connections that Ha Gwang-Sik and other reporters had not uncovered yet!

Ha Gwang-Sik licked his lips in anticipation.

‘I’m not sure what kind of a man you are, but...! At least, let me get a good look at you!’

Ha Gwang-Sik believed in only one truth in life, and that was... There was no perfect secret in this world!

It didn’t matter who Kang Jin-Ho was or what kind of secret he was hiding. As long as Ha Gwang-Sik didn’t give up and continued to dig deeper, he’d surely get to the bottom of it. Without a doubt!

Rumble, vroom!

The supercar headed to the building’s underground parking lot, but the burly men on standby at the entrance stopped the car. Kang Jin-Ho wound the driver’s side window down and peeked his head outside. “What now?”

“Allow us to park your car, Assembly... No, chairman, sir!”

“Mm,” Kang Jin-Ho nodded, then exited the supercar. He then coolly patted the one approaching the driver’s side on the shoulder before walking away.

‘What the... He’s a Chad? Is that it?’

Ha Gwang-Sik frowned deeply at this sight.

‘I’m convinced now. That kid is definitely a scion of a powerful family.’

The information Ha Gwang-Sik unearthed seemed wrong. After all, his investigation said that Kang Jin-Ho’s family was not wealthy at all.

When information and his instincts were at odds, Ha Gwang-Sik usually trusted his guts a little more. Information could be manipulated by other parties, after all. But no one could do that with his gut feelings.

‘Yup, that kid is definitely not from a poor family.’

What made Ha Gwang-Sik so sure? It was Kang Jin-Ho’s attitude.

That ‘kid’ should have finished his mandatory military service not too long ago, yet the way he dealt with the people under him seemed too natural. A so-called nouveau riche wouldn’t know how to carry themselves like that.

At the very least, one should boast a decade-long experience in dealing with subordinates to be as relaxed as Kang Jin-Ho right now. And for a young pup like Kang Jin-Ho to boast that level of experience, he had to be from a very wealthy family.

Ha Gwang-Sik remembered seeing such a relaxed attitude from those youngsters who call themselves third-generation chaebols.

‘Hold on, I think it’s more than that?’

His relaxed attitude was one thing, but more importantly, Kang Jin-Ho didn’t display the immature arrogance often exhibited by those youngsters from wealthy families.

Only one thin line separated confidence from arrogance.

Youngsters from wealthy families often lacked the understanding of why they enjoyed these wonderful privileges. That meant their behaviors often looked childish and petty. That was because, whether they knew it or not, those people suffered from some form of inferiority complex.

However, Kang Jin-Ho did not display such childishness. It looked as if he was merely enjoying what was his.

The unflappable confidence of a first-generation success story was oozing out of that young man.

‘What the hell?’

Ha Gwang-Sik realized this situation was getting more bizarre and bizarre.

How could someone that young possess such a relaxed attitude? That made no sense. However, that attitude seemed to fit Kang Jin-Ho like a glove for some reason, too!

It was as if...

‘As if an old man has slipped into a young man’s skin.’

Ha Gwang-Sik chuckled helplessly. What kind of nonsense was he even thinking about here?

Of course, he wasn’t going to kick himself for being an idiot. After all, that was how strong the impression Kang Jin-Ho had left in Ha Gwang-Sik’s mind was.

There was something else that got on his nerves, however. And that was...!

Ha Gwang-Sik grumbled unhappily. “Did he come here to film a TV drama or something? F*ck me.”

“Senior, please! Watch what you say...”

“Doesn’t this piss you off, too?”

“Yes, I get it, so please!” Bak Gyu-Yeon pleaded with the senior reporter, then groaned softly under his breath.

Following around Ha Gwang-Sik would surely shorten his lifespan considerably. To think Ha Gwang-Sik would actually swear at the chairman when the ‘chief’ of that company was right here!

Even if that swearing was not an insult but far closer to an expression of awe or an explosive burst of Ha Gwang-Sik’s jealousy, but still!

‘Gee whiz. That guy is really good-looking, though!’

Ha Gwang-Sik might be here for a nobler reason, but Bak Gyu-Yeon had zero interest in this MK and whatever and merely tagged along as a pack mule. So, he had no problem being honest with his impressions.

That scene before their eyes was certainly a sight for sore eyes, indeed!

The way Kang Jin-Ho leisurely emerged from the sea of hulking men in black business suits was totally reminiscent of a scene from a famous gangster epic. The ‘extras’ all boasted impressive physique, while the protagonist, bolstered by facial features of a supermodel, carried the unmistakable air of a hero.

“Senior, doesn’t it feel like we’ve accidentally stumbled into a film shoot? Maybe the entertainment reporters should have come instead of us.”

Ha Gwang-Sik grunted in irritation. “Rather than me, it’s you who should pipe down.”

Bak Gyu-Yeon clamped his mouth shut at that rebuke and looked away from his senior only to realize Kang Jin-Ho was coming this way.

Ha Gwang-Sik subconsciously swallowed his saliva.

‘Hang on a sec. Am I nervous?’

Ha Gwang-Sik’s brows subtly rose up.

Despite what anyone said about him, Ha Gwang-Sik was undoubtedly a veteran in this field. Thanks to his penchant for pouncing on stories that interested him while completely disregarding whether the story belonged to his department or not in the first place, he got to experience many crazy things this life had to offer.

He had encountered opponents as varied as the head of a chaebol family that possessed enough power to rock the Korean financial world, a bigshot politician with enough sway to influence the future direction of the country, criminals who viewed fellow humans as insignificant little ants, and even tyrants of organized criminal gangs that ruled over Korea's seedy underbelly.

Encountering all those folks helped to strengthen Ha Gwang-Sik's guts to the point of not being fazed by most things. However, here he was, getting nervous at the prospect of talking to that young man!

‘Huh. I guess I shouldn’t underestimate that kid, then?’

Logic said that Kang Jin-Ho was nothing more than a puppet of someone else. However, Ha Gwang-Sik’s guts strongly suggested that this young man could be one of the biggest bigshots in this nation.

...And as stated earlier, when information and instincts were at odds, Ha Gwang-Sik tended to favor his gut feelings more!

Once Ha Gwang-Sik became certain about Kang Jin-Ho being a big fish, this situation took on a different dimension. Maybe, this occasion really was...!

“Sir, you’re here,” said Lee Hyeon-Su while politely bowing toward Kang Jin-Ho.

Kang Jin-Ho briefly nodded to greet back, then glanced at Ha Gwang-Sik. “Who are these two?”

“They are reporters, sir, here to report on our opening ceremony.”

“Reporters, you say?” Kang Jin-Ho muttered while tilting his head. He hadn’t asked anyone to summon reporters, so why were they here?

Lee Hyeon-Su noticed the look on Kang Jin-Ho’s face and cautiously explained the situation. “It seems they have heard about us on their own, sir.”

“Mm...” Kang Jin-Ho nodded, then reached toward Ha Gwang-Sik for a handshake. “Hello. I’m Kang Jin-Ho.”

“Ah, It’s nice to meet you, I’m Ha Gwang-Sik.”

The two men grinned a little while shaking hands. No one knew what they really thought about this situation, but at least on the surface, they looked happy to be in each other's company.

“I’m not sure how to respond to such a warm welcome, Mister Kang,” said Ha Gwang-Sik.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I'm not paying lip service here, actually. Most chairpersons of companies this big treat us reporters like annoying flies, you see? No, not flies, but I guess closer to mosquitoes? Mosquitoes that suck the blood out of them to keep existing. Technically speaking, they aren’t wrong, but...”

Ha Gwang-Sik grinned while pushing his glasses up his nose. He was genuinely curious about how Kang Jin-Ho would respond.

“...But I’m thankful that you’re so welcoming toward us, Mister Kang. Do you mind if we can speak to each other often like this in the future as well?”

“Mm, I’m not sure,” Kang Jin-Ho replied, obviously unfazed. “Reporters only get rewarded after reporting on something newsworthy. But I’m not sure if we can provide you with such stories. Our company isn’t the type to create newsworthy events, you see.”

“Eii~, anything can become newsworthy stories, Mister Kang. For instance...” Ha Gwang-Sik smirked like a slimy used car salesman while staring straight into Kang Jin-Ho’s eyes. “The names of the real owners of the company. Oooor, all the benefits the company received under the table. Things like that.”

After saying those things, Ha Gwang-Sik hurriedly and carefully scanned Kang Jin-Ho. However, he couldn't spot any changes in Kang Jin-Ho's expression or demeanor.

Kang Jin-Ho merely shrugged while smirking subtly. “I see. That’ll be interesting.”

Would you listen to this kid? Ha Gwang-Sik stared at Kang Jin-Ho in slight shock.

The basic rule of reporting was that a reporter should approach the person of interest as warmly and gently as possible. That was because those people were also human beings at the end of the day.

They were bound to feel more at ease around people who were friendly toward them. Which meant they could open themselves up a little more.

However, if a friendly approach was deemed unproductive, reporters would often switch their tactic by being a little more provocative, like what Ha Gwang-Sik had done just now.

Getting flustered often revealed people’s true natures, after all! 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

However, Kang Jin-Ho remained unflappable despite facing that provocation head-on.

‘Huh. I guess this kid is more interesting than I thought?’

Ha Gwang-Sik’s interest level rose even higher from this exchange. Maybe this situation was far more impressive in scale than he had bargained for.

“Mister Kang, should I take that as you giving us permission to observe this ceremony for a bit longer?”

Kang Jin-Ho continued to smirk. “Would you have stopped if I said no?”

“Eii, of course not. We need to put food on our tables too, you see? However, with your permission, it’ll get mighty easier for us to report on what we find today.”

“But having things too easily isn’t interesting, though. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Hahaha. Yes, you have a point,” said Ha Gwang-Sik, then subtly licked his lips.

Kang Jin-Ho stared at the reporter before coolly nodding. “Although I don’t mind chatting with you for longer, I still have other commitments to attend to. Unfortunately, I’ll have to say goodbye here, Mister Ha. Since you’ve come all this way, I hope you can be generous with us in your article.”

“I can’t promise anything, but you don’t have to worry, Mister Kang. We’ll find the best angles for our shots and take the most telling photographs.”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled, then turned around to leave. Lee Hyeon-Su bowed slightly in the direction of the two reporters, then followed Kang Jin-Ho.

When the two seemingly important men reached some distance away, Bak Gyu-Yeon quietly called out to Ha Gwang-Sik. “Senior, you...”

“What now?”

“I now understand that you’re looking for creative ways to kill yourself. However, can’t you like, kill yourself alone instead of dragging your innocent junior reporter along into your grave?”

“What was that, you brat?”

“I mean, come on...” Bak Gyu-Yeon groaned loudly. “Anyone with eyes can tell that these fellas are gangsters. Not just any gangsters, but those who have killed quite a few people, to boot! So, what possessed you to be so cheeky in front of them?”

“Gangsters?”

“Yes. Even a blind idiot can see that!”

“Kid, it looks like you have no future as a reporter.”

“Huh?”

Ha Gwang-Sik didn’t explain himself. Instead, he loudly tutted away.

‘Gangsters, my ass!’

This event was not as simple as that. The... ‘minor league’ energy often wafting from gangsters did not come from Kang Jin-Ho or Lee Hyeon-Su.

In fact, if those two had really been gangsters, they would've already picked South Korea clean by now!

‘Just who are they, really?’

The gears in Ha Gwang-Sik's head began spinning even faster. All the assumptions he had while coming here got blown away, and his thoughts were in complete disarray now. In that case, maybe he should stay for a bit longer, and...

Bak Gyu-Yeon suddenly cried out, “Huh?! Senior, look!”

Ha Gwang-Sik also freaked out. “What? What?”

“Look over there! Look at that motorcade!”

“Huh?” Ha Gwang-Sik hurriedly looked in the direction the junior reporter was pointing at.

‘A motorcade?’

Why would a motorcade, presumably escorting someone important, show up here?

Bak Gyu-Yeon was right. A motorcade consisting of several jet-black vehicles was rushing toward the front entrance of MK's building. Ha Gwang-Sik's jaw fell lower and lower at that sight.

Bak Gyu-Yeon gulped his saliva. “H-hang on... Isn’t that the Prime Minister’s motorcade?”

“...!”

Convulsions broke out just under Ha Gwang-Sik’s wide-open eyes.

‘He’s here? And so publicly, too?’

Just what the hell is going on here?

1. This is a true story. Hyundai’s founder, Chung Ju-Yung, sank a 200,000-ton decommissioned oil tanker in the ocean to use as a cofferdam during a land reclamation project in the late 70s near the city of Seosan, South Korea. ☜