Descent of the Demon Master
Chapter 1148. Recommending (3)

Chapter 1148. Recommending (3)

‘I really don’t get this. Like, none at all!’

Ha Gwang-Sik's expression crumpled unsightly as he sat behind his desk.

His hand gripped the documents containing information on Kang Jin-Ho, as investigated by Ha Gwang-Sik himself. Despite acknowledging that he fudged up his previous investigation and starting from scratch, he... He couldn’t find anything incriminating. No matter how thorough he was!

‘No, hang on. That’s not exactly true, now is it? The problem is that I’ve found too much!’

One might think finding a lot of stuff would be good for an investigation. And that’d be correct, normally speaking!

However, considering Kang Jin-Ho’s position, plus his surroundings, this could not be seen as a good outcome. Not even close.

If those powerful people were indeed using Kang Jin-Ho as a puppet for their nefarious scheme, they would have never let so many easily discoverable clues about their man lying around everywhere!

Before his thoughts could deepen, though, Ha Gwang-Sik noticed Bak Gyu-Yeon hurriedly approaching him while panting like an angry bull.

“What’s the meaning of this, senior!”

Ha Gwang-Sik glanced at the junior reporter. “What is it now?”

“What did you say to Editor Bae! Why is he ordering me to work for you for the time being?!”

Ha Gwang-Sik casually shrugged. “How should I know?”

“Senior?! Are you seriously gonna drag me into this nonsense?! I’m telling you, I don’t want any part of it. I want to keep breathing for as long as possible, you know!”

“Then go complain to Editor Bae.”

Bak Gyu-Yeon hyperventilated in anger for a long time, before groaning loudly. “Senior...”

“What now?”

“Let’s not waste any more time on this. Your so-called scoop died the moment Chairman Hwang Jeong-Hu entered the picture.”

“...”

“Don’t you know what kind of a man he is? He ain’t gonna dirty his hands for a few bucks more at this stage in his life. I mean, don’t forget that he even kicked his own kids out just because he didn’t like how they handled the family business!”

Ha Gwang-Sik testily replied, “Yes, I know all that.”

“Then, why are you still so obsessed with this story? Didn’t you tell me this once? If a reporter keeps searching everywhere for a story, they’d eventually end up breaking into a doghouse and think leftover bones are newsworthy items! You told me to only pursue a story if there’s enough stink around it and when circumstances seem to fit!”

Ha Gwang-Sik clamped his mouth shut and didn’t respond.

“But where are those things in this story, senior? You’re working off your intuition, and that’s about it. Besides, you also have no clue what you might uncover by digging into this, right?”

Ha Gwang-Sik couldn’t refute any of what Bak Gyu-Yeon said.

“Senior, I won’t get involved in this. I don’t care what Editor Bae says, I’m not doing it. Who’s gonna take responsibility if nothing comes out of this story?”

“I will,” Ha Gwang-Sik resolutely spoke up.

However, Bak Gyu-Min frowned even more at that. “How? How will you do that?”

“Stop worrying about it, okay? I will take responsibility if something goes wrong. I’ve already spoken to Editor Bae.”

“What? But...” Bak Gyu-Yeon was about to say something, only to clamp his mouth shut after realizing what happened. “Senior, you... Is this story worth going so far?”

“How should I know? I’m just working off my hunch, that’s all. It’s happened to you before too, right? You’re drawn to a story everyone thinks is a nothing burger but can’t explain why.”

“...Well, sure.”

“That’s what happened to me. And I don’t want my hunch to go to waste.”

“Even at the cost of your job as a reporter?”

Ha Gwang-Sik crumpled his expression again. “Being a reporter isn’t the be-all and end-all, okay? Come on, man. It’s not like I won’t find another job if I get fired from here.”

“No, senior. No one will hire you. Because I don’t think such kind people exist on this Earth. If I was the boss, I’d have fired you in a heartbeat.”

Ha Gwang-Sik yelled in unhappiness. “What the hell! Fine! Leave! Get out of here! I ain’t gonna work with you no more! I’ll talk to the editor, so stop harassing me!”

Bak Gyu-Yeon tutted, “Leave? To where? When I’ve already been ordered to assist you?”

“I’m canceling your assignment, okay!”

“Oho, so it was you who forced me to help you in the first place.”

“...!” Ha Gwang-Sik hurriedly clamped his mouth shut.

Bak Gyu-Yeon theatrically tutted away, then shook his head. “It’s not like I’d have refused if you got on your knees and begged, you know? So how could you go directly to the higher-ups instead? I thought you were a man, senior. You could’ve said you need my intelligence, diligent work eth—”

“Forget it, you as*hole! I don’t need you!”

“You now owe me soju, senior. Without that, there's no deal. Oh, and you better treat me to an expensive supper in a classy place, too.”

“Hah? Where will I find a classy place serving soju?”

“I don’t know. That’s your job. Work hard, senior,” said Bak Gyu-Yeon while heading to the men’s room. He even began whistling nonchalantly away.

Ha Gwang-Sik couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘That dumbass. Seriously now...’

Bak Gyu-Yeon's expression noticeably changed when he learned Ha Gwang-Sik had bet his career on this story. Even if he was whining like a brat, it was obvious from his reaction that he didn't want his senior reporter to get the boot.

‘I get that, but what should I do with this...?'

Unfortunately, the odds of Ha Gwang-Sik losing his job seemed much higher than the odds of keeping it at this point!

He sighed, then got up as determination filled his expression.

The information he had didn't fit. As for 'circumstances', all he had was his suspicion and zero evidence.

It didn't matter how much snooping he did from his desk. He'd obviously get nowhere fast at this rate. Since that was the case, what should he do next?

‘It’s already been decided, anyway!’

Reporters were this kind of breed, after all!

If the truth could be uncovered by digging a bit around the perimeters, why would reporters exist in the first place? Who would write articles about stuff that even regular people could discover on their own?

This was why reporters should get off their asses and physically chase after juicy stories!

“Alright, then, where should I start digging next?”

Ha Gwang-Sik slowly licked his lips.

Some people thought of reporters as rabid wild dogs. As in, once they sank their fangs into you, they would never let go like obsessed fanatics!

Ha Gwang-Sik disagreed with that evaluation, though. In his view, reporters were more like hyenas.

Only by tearing deeper into the rotting carcass no one else was interested in would the full story finally get revealed to the world.

‘Even now, Kang Jin-Ho must be voraciously expanding his empire!’

Since his company had officially launched, that brat must be busy fulfilling the base desires he had been keeping in check until now!

“We’ll see if I’m right or wrong about this!”

Ha Gwang-Sik's eyes dangerously gleamed. His plan? To dig around Kang Jin-Ho's surroundings while the latter was occupied with work!

The veteran reporter's sharp gaze locked in the general direction of MK's headquarters.

***

Kang Jin-Ho was now under the barrage of a less-than-impressed gaze from a formidable foe. He subconsciously swallowed his saliva in nervousness as this gaze dug deep into his skin.

Those eyes! The look on the formidable foe's face seemed disinterested, yet also forlorn for some reason. Those unreadable eyes burrowed so painfully into Kang Jin-Ho's face!

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say no one on this God’s green Earth could make Kang Jin-Ho cower with nothing but a glare. But someone managed to do precisely that. Someone who wasn’t even a powerhouse capable of making the world quake in their wake, not a tyrant holding incomparable power, nor an elite financier enjoying incalculable wealth!

No, that someone was merely an ordinary girl attending high school!

“Hnnnnng?” Jo Mi-Hye snorted strangely.

But that was still enough to start a flood of sweat to cover Kang Jin-Ho’s spine. “...What’s wrong?”

“No, well,” Jo Mi-Hye suddenly grinned brightly. However, her eyes weren’t smiling at all. “I was wondering why such a noble person as yourself, who must be so busy with both official and private matters, would deign to stop by at a shabby little place like ours.”

“...”

Kang Jin-Ho couldn’t pay much attention to the orphanage recently due to all the urgent matters happening one after the other.

Even if humans were incapable of holding on to their resolutions, Kang Jin-Ho was still conscious of how much he had neglected the orphanage. That was why he deliberately took time out of his schedule to come here.

...Although what Lee Hyeon-Su said played a major role in pushing Kang Jin-Ho to do this, there was no need to bring that up here now, was there!

Even though he came to the orphanage with good intentions and a cheery heart, this formidable foe thwarted him before he could enter the front entrance!

Jo Mi-Hye, with her arms crossed, scanned Kang Jin-Ho from top to bottom.

Kang Jin-Ho frowned slightly. “...What’s wrong?”

“No, well, it’s been so long, you see? I wanted to make sure one of your limbs hadn’t fallen off in the meantime.”

“...”

“Okay, so? Why are you here?”

“I don’t have a particular reason...?”

“Wow~, no reason? Yet you still deigned to grace us with your presence? This girl is deeply honored, sir.”

“I, I’m sorry, okay?”

It felt like he was getting scolded for some reason. And what an unfamiliar and weird feeling that was. However, since he knew he was guilty, the right thing was to keep his mouth shut and endure.

“Hnnng~?” Jo Mi-Hye snorted again, then approached Kang Jin-Ho awkwardly standing by the orphanage’s main building entrance. She then reached out to gently grasp his hand. “Oppa?”

“Yeah?”

Jo Mi-Hye stared at Kang Jin-Ho, her eyes unwavering and uncluttered. “Oppa, I know you’re busy. And I also know I’m whining like a little baby.”

“...”

“But you know what it’s like with the kids here, don’t you? They don’t know what to do if someone who comes here frequently suddenly stops showing up one day. They begin to wonder if it was their fault. And if another person in their lives has disappeared for good.”

“Mm...”

“I don't want to put pressure on you, you know? But you're too special to us. I know you didn't come here because you hated being with us. It's just that you have a lot on your plate but not enough time.”

Kang Jin-Ho grimaced and shut his mouth tightly.

Had he been really that busy, as Jo Mi-Hye had guessed? Of course. However, was he so busy that he couldn't even stop by and say hello at least once?

No, he wasn't. And that was why what Jo Mi-Hye said pained him even more.

“Kids are worried and anxious, you know? That's why... I'm really sorry about asking you this, oppa, but can you stop by more often? I know I'm asking for too much, but...”

“No, don’t apologize, okay?” Kang Jin-Ho shook his head. “I should be the one apologizing, anyway. I’m sorry, I should’ve paid more attention.”

“Don’t say that, oppa,” Jo Mi-Hye firmly shook her head. “It’s not like you owe us anything, you know? You don’t have to go out of your way to care about us. That’s common sense. It’s just me being unreasonable and stuff.”

“...”

“That’s why visit us more often, oppa. Please.”

“I will.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded weightily.

Jo Mi-Hye made him reflect on his actions. If she got angry instead, maybe Kang Jin-Ho wouldn’t have felt this way. He could even have gotten annoyed by her, too.

After all, he came here out of generosity, not some misguided sense of duty.

“Are the kids disappointed by me?”

Jo Mi-Hye shook her head. “They were worried, but it wasn’t as bad as you think. Because Yeon-Ha unnie visited us often, you see?”

Kang Jin-Ho blinked his eyes. “Who?”

“What do you mean, who? It’s your girlfriend, of course. She practically lives here now.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Why are you asking me that? Isn’t she your girlfriend?”

Kang Jin-Ho grew stupefied by this revelation. Choi Yeon-Ha did mention that she’d sometimes stop by at the orphanage, but to think the truth was more serious than that! Serious enough for Jo Mi-Hye to say Choi Yeon-Ha lived here!

Kang Jin-Ho cautiously asked, “Is everyone okay with that? Isn’t it difficult with her around?”

“...”

“...?”

Jo Mi-Hye stared at Kang Jin-Ho, her eyes loaded with various emotions. To his credit, Kang Jin-Ho realized he had another slip of his tongue and promptly stopped talking there.

“Hoh-oh? That’s a really loaded question, isn’t it, oppa? Yeon-Ha unnie will be pleased to hear that, I think?”

“Mi-Hye, let's not do this, okay? Please?"

“Hng~. Very well. In consideration of our history, I will zip my mouth shut. Even if Yeon-Ha unnie is the new boss in town, we share a deep camaraderie from the past, don't we?"

“...Thanks,” Kang Jin-Ho chuckled while stepping inside the orphanage along with Jo Mi-Hye.

She loudly called out, “Come out, everyone! Jin-Ho oppa’s here!”

...And then, various doors flung open. Starting from tiny little kids to older teens, the residents of the Seongsim Orphanage rushed out to welcome Kang Jin-Ho.

“Hyung!”

“Big bro! What’s taken you so long!”

“Oppa! Oppa!”

While embracing the kids rushing toward him, Kang Jin-Ho briefly closed his eyes.

‘Ah... So, this is why.’

Truth be told, Kang Jin-Ho didn’t really pity these kids. Even if their lives had not been ordinary, to say the least, their situation couldn’t be compared to what Kang Jin-Ho had gone through. Even then, he always came here whenever his schedule allowed it.

Coming here after a while reminded him why he could not forsake this place.

He reached out to the crowd of kids around him and began patting them. As for the slightly older kids, they hesitantly stayed back a little away and stared at Kang Jin-Ho.

“Hey, everyone. How have you been?”

“We’ve been good, hyung!”

“Yes, we were fine, oppa!”

Kang Jin-Ho gently smiled back at the kids. These children welcomed him without reservation. They expected nothing from him while wholeheartedly embracing him. All because they simply enjoyed his company.

This genuine warmth without a shred of pretense was what attracted Kang Jin-Ho to this place.

So pure, and so...

“By the way, hyung? You’re empty-handed today?”

Kang Jin-Ho faltered slightly just then. “...Huh?”

“It’s not like you went for milk and never came back, though? How come you didn’t bring anything after that extended radio silence? Nothing at all? Not even snacks?”

Jo Mi-Hye immediately yelled at the boy who said that. “What are you even saying! Who do you think oppa is, anyway!”

Kang Jin-Ho hurriedly nodded. Yes, Mi-Hye! What a relief it is to have you here to...

“I’m sure it’s in his car!”

“...”

“Of course he wouldn’t have come empty-handed. He’s not that clueless, you know!”

Kang Jin-Ho faltered again.

But, uh... Hmm...

Maybe the kids weren’t so pure, after all?

Hah. Hahaha...