Descent of the Demon Master
Chapter 1120 Responding (5)

Chapter 1120 Responding (5)

Wellinger’s head faltered weakly.

And from his lowered head resembling that of a dead man, a lifeless voice meekly leaked out.

“I’m the one who kidnapped Lee Hyeon-Su. So, let that man... go. I’m the one you’ve been looking for.”

It felt like his mind blanked out while all the blood drained out of him. At the very least, something was leaving his body right at this moment. That's what it felt like to Wellinger.

Maybe it was his fighting spirit abandoning him. Maybe it was all of his remaining youthful vigor. Or perhaps his will to protect the Round Table.

Whatever it was, one thing had not changed. And that he had lost it.

Maybe... He had lost them all.

However, what did that matter now? Since he wouldn’t need them, anyway.

A dead man didn’t need anything, after all.

“Huff, huff! Wheeze!”

Kramer heavily panted and wheezed away. It must’ve felt like he had one foot across the netherworld’s entrance only to get yanked back.

“I’ll shoulder all the blame, sir. That’s why...” Wellinger sighed deeply. “Please, stop this madness. You... You have won.”

Stares of all the Knights slammed into Wellinger just then. And what a colorful variety of stares those were.

From resentment to rage, sympathy, and even sorrow...

Obviously, they wouldn't be able to stare at him in one emotion when Wellinger's actions had 'gifted' them with such unforgettable experiences.

However, they couldn’t just start hurling insults in Wellinger’s direction, because... They knew why he did it.

And because they also knew it’d soon be over.

With Wellinger’s fall, no one within the Round Table would be left to rebel against Kang Jin-Ho. They would have to sit still and watch as Kang Jin-Ho devoured this organization.

Maybe... Maybe if they had worked together to fight back, the outcome could have been slightly different.

However, it was too late now. They would not be able to do anything from this point onward.

Kang Jin-Ho had branded everyone here with unforgettable fear, after all. From today onward, no one here would dare look Kang Jin-Ho in the eye!

That was what fear did to people.

“P-please! Spare me, sir! It wasn’t me! It’s not! It was him! Him! Wellinger, he’s responsible! It’s not me!”

Kramer, now sobered up, desperately cried out and pleaded with his captor. After all, Kang Jin-Ho’s hand was still gripping his face!

Like a man whose head was stuck in a guillotine, Kramer yammered on in panic.

Even though Wellinger felt responsible for his fellow Knight's state, it also felt like a load had been lifted off his shoulders now. Probably because his obsessive desire to cling to his life no longer held him back.

Humans pondered the most in their lives when impossible choices stopped them in their tracks. However, once the choice had been made, why should they ponder and worry about anything?

Even though Kramer was responsible for egging Wellinger on, at the end of the day, it was Wellinger’s choice to act. That was how the blame was always assigned. If Wellinger was the type to dump the blame on someone else, he wouldn’t have started this thing in the first place!

“You're free to take my life,” said Wellinger while getting up. “And please let that man go. He was only doing my bidding, nothing more. And he won't be able to oppose you anymore. Assembly Master, sir. I ask of you to take my life as the price for ending this situation. With it, you will have succeeded in everything you want.”

Kang Jin-Ho silently stared at Wellinger. The Knight seemed somewhat relaxed now that he had gotten rid of his doubts and delusions.

The corners of Kang Jin-Ho’s lips gradually curled up, before he broke his silence. “I already know.”

Just as when everyone thought it was over, it began anew.

“Kkuhwaaaaaaaaaahk?!”

Kramer began screaming like an animal in pain and spasmed violently.

“W-what are you doing?!” Wellinger cried out in alarm.

Wasn’t it over already? Didn’t he say he’d shoulder all the blame? Didn’t he already confess to kidnapping Lee Hyeon-Su! Since that was the case, shouldn’t Kang Jin-Ho just kill him and end this torture session?

So why! Why was he still... insisting on torturing his victims?!

Was it because he wanted to hurt them? Because he enjoyed killing them?!

“I told you to kill me! Me! Kang Jin-Hooooo?!”

Wellinger’s desperate roar and Kramer’s wretched scream collided into a messy mix and loudly reverberated within the grand hall.

Kang Jin-Ho bared his fangs in a ferocious smirk as his grip on Kramer’s face tightened. “Looks like you’re an idiot.”

“N-no, stop...!”

“What did I say earlier?”

“...?”

Wellinger’s eyes powerfully quaked. What did Kang Jin-Ho say? What was it!

“You... You wanted us to find Lee Hyeon-Su and... and bring him here...!”

“So you remember.”

Craaaack!

Bizarre noises came from Kramer’s skull just then. He continued to spasm violently while making pitiful whimpers, seemingly having lost the ability to scream by now. Eventually, his body went limp.

But then, his flesh split open and ripped apart, causing torrents of blood to splatter everywhere.

Kang Jin-Ho smirked again. “In that case, what are you doing?”

“I, I...!” Wellinger stammered ungainly.

“Nothing will change for you since I never told you to find the culprit. I only want Lee Hyeon-Su back here in one piece. In that case, why should I stop?”

This man, he... He was the devil! The devil!

A devil that toyed with people’s emotions and thoughts!

“How odd. I told you what I wanted and even revealed how you can satisfy me. So, how could someone supposedly intelligent as you come up with such dumb answers? Isn’t that funny?”

Wellinger was left speechless just then.

“You wish to save this man's life? Then I advise you to hurry up. He might still be saved if Lee Hyeon-Su gets here quickly enough.”

Now covered from head to toe in human blood, Kang Jin-Ho grinned as if he was having a whale of time.

***

Wilhelm grimly addressed Lee Hyeon-Su. “Get up. We’re leaving.”

Lee Hyeon-Su glanced at the German. “Hmm?”

“We’re going back to the Round Table. So, get up.”

“Oh, okay. Sure thing...” Lee Hyeon-Su disinterestedly nodded. “I guess things went as I expected.”

Wilhelm raised his voice. “I told you to get up!”

“That’s too bad, though,” Lee Hyeon-Su muttered while lying down comfortably on the bed. “Because I’m not that eager to leave, you see?”

Wilhelm’s eyes grew bloodshot. “Get up, right now!”

His hands reached down to grab Lee Hyeon-Su’s collar, only to stop mid-air.

“...!”

That was because Lee Hyeon-Su was gripping his own throat while grinning detestably.

“Sure, I might be a shameful example as a martial artist, but self-harming isn’t going to be much of a challenge for me. So, I’d appreciate it if you back off a bit more.”

Wilhelm’s eyes powerfully quaked. The order he received was to bring Lee Hyeon-Su back without harming a single hair on him. So, if Lee Hyeon-Su harmed himself, the mission would end in failure!

‘No, before all that...!’

How could Lee Hyeon-Su behave like this? It wasn’t as if he spoke to Sir Wellinger on the phone or read other people’s minds, so how?

“Did you predict that things will end this way?”

“Not sure what you're trying to imply here, mister. I'm just pissed off at you people, that's all. You kidnap me out of the blue. And now, you're actually ordering me to go away? If you were in my shoes, wouldn't you be pissed as well?” Lee Hyeon-Su smiled innocently. “So, I only wish to make your life a living hell, that's all. Although, I'm not sure if it's working or not.”

Grit...!

Wilhelm clenched his teeth hard enough to almost break them.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyeon-Su glibly continued to rile up his captors. “Sure, I could have predicted this turn of events. Because I'm certain that the Assembly Master is utterly crushing the Round Table right about now. That's why before you do something, you should thoroughly investigate your target first. My boss didn't let the Round Table be because he's weak, you know?

“Let me ask you something. Why do you think people raise dogs as guards? You can guess why, right? Then why would you keep a dog alive when it tries to bite you?”

“You...! Wilhelm growled but still managed to keep his rage in check.

He oh-so wanted to kill this bastard. Tear that detestable man’s head clean off his body! However, he knew he must not do that. While grimacing, he bitterly chewed out a question. “What should we do for you, then?”

“Hmm...?” Lee Hyeon-Su casually shrugged. “In this kind of situation, you should be pleading with me to do you a favor rather than threatening me. Having said that, aren’t you standing a little too tall and proud for a guy in a beggar's position?”

“...!”

“Remember what I said? About how I’d crawl on the floor like a dog to survive? I wonder, are you also prepared to do whatever it takes?”

Wilhelm's knees faltered, and then...

Thud!

He knelt on the floor before kowtowing, his hands noticeably trembling. “Please...”

“Come on, now... That was too easy, you know. You're no fun,” Lee Hyeon-Su grunted, then got up from the bed. “Although, it's pointless to bully a pawn, now isn't it? Okay, let's get out of here, then.”

***

“...Huh. This is unexpected,” Lee Hyeon-Su muttered while shuddering at the sight of the grand hall.

Of course he had anticipated a scene like this. He only had to take one look at the harried expressions on the captors’ faces to figure out that Kang Jin-Ho had done something scary.

Even so, the spectacle waiting for Lee Hyeon-Su still didn’t quite match his expectations.

First of all, fewer people than he thought were dead. And he expected to see an ocean of blood coating the floor, but... There was only an adequate amount of blood?

Although...

‘I don’t think we can say that the damage has been kept minimal.’

Indeed, not as many people as Lee Hyeon-Su expected had died. He could only see four corpses lying cold on the floor. Considering Kang Jin-Ho’s propensity for blood-letting, one could safely say people here got off pretty lightly.

The real problem wasn’t the number of the dead, but those who were still alive.

They were the Knights of the Round Table, the core of this organization, and renowned as the best martial artists in their respective nations. But their conditions were extremely bizarre, to say the least.

In a way, one could say their vitality had been sucked completely out.

Just what did Kang Jin-Ho do for these people to end up like this in less than a day? Even the Master seemed to have aged a decade, maybe more.

Lee Hyeon-Su shook his head ruefully, then walked up to Kang Jin-Ho before bowing deeply. “My apologies for making you worry, sir.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“Yeah, do that,” Kang Jin-Ho nodded.

Lee Hyeon-Su smartly stood behind the sitting Kang Jin-Ho and cautiously asked, “Sir, what will you do to the remaining Knights?”

Kang Jin-Ho glanced at the half-dazed Knights, then cocked an eyebrow. “Do I have to?”

“No, not exactly...”

Lee Hyeon-Su smiled wryly.

These people were elected into the office of a Knight of the Round Table. Even if they were all executed right now, new people would replace them pretty soon.

Yes, the ‘qualities’ of the replacement might be poorer since they must be selected as quickly as possible, but the candidates should still be capable enough to handle the Knights' normal duties.

Since that was the case, sparing them might be a simpler method. After all, these people would never dare go against Kang Jin-Ho from this moment on.

‘Although the events didn’t happen as envisioned, the outcome still exceeded my expectations.’

None of the scenarios Lee Hyeon-Su had dreamed up produced such an extraordinary outcome. Calling it a blessing in disguise might be appropriate, but...

Before Lee Hyeon-Su could finish organizing his thoughts, Kang Jin-Ho leisurely got up first, then slowly headed toward Wellinger’s position.

‘Huh. I... didn’t recognize him.’

A Knight was kneeling on the floor in silence. Since everyone was sitting on their assigned seats, the lone man on his knees was as noticeable as a sore thumb sticking out, yet Lee Hyeon-Su did not realize that was Wellinger until now.

That was because Wellinger's appearance had changed so much since the last time. His hair had become completely gray, and his face was lined with many more creases and wrinkles now. Most of all, his shoulders were drooping so pitifully.

With his fighting spirit and vitality completely drained away, Wellinger looked like a completely different person from before. Just what did he experience to change this much in literally a day! Lee Hyeon-Su couldn’t even imagine it.

Clomp, clomp...

Kang Jin-Ho leisurely approached Wellinger before stopping right in front of the kneeling man.

Wellinger slowly looked up. His near-lifeless eyes, blurry and unfocused, stared back at Kang Jin-Ho.

A subtle smirk floated up on Kang Jin-Ho’s lips. “That was amusing in a way.”

He then patted Wellinger on the shoulder before turning around to leave. He glanced at Lee Hyeon-Su.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lee Hyeon-Su didn’t say anything else and followed Kang Jin-Ho out of the grand hall. However, just as he stepped across the exit, he glanced behind him.

He could see the Round Table with its luster completely faded. Knights were weakly sagging on their chairs, while the Master had aged so, so much, too. And Wellinger no longer resembled a living person, just a shell of his former self.

‘They are finished.’

Even if the Round Table continued its legacy, it'd never return to its lofty heights ever again.

A slimy smirk etched on Lee Hyeon-Su’s face as he looked away.