Chapter 632. Arriving (2)
“Pour me another glass,” said Vator.
“...” Zhang Dajing gradually grew pale as he watched this scene unfold from the sideline. ‘Just how much is Sir Vator planning to drink?’
Empty bottles of wine were piling up before Vator. To clarify, those were actual bottles, not empty wine glasses.
Vator nonchalantly ordered bottles of wine as soon as the plane reached the flight altitude as if that was what every airplane passenger was supposed to do. However, they weren't in a real first-class passenger cabin. A modified cargo plane would obviously not offer such services.
Too bad, these people's dedication to customer service even exceeded Zhang Dajing's expectations. Instead of bringing a bottle of wine, the flight attendant actually showed up with a wine list!
As for Vator, he played his part by making a truly manly order of, ‘Bring me your finest. Of course, the higher the alcohol content, the better.’
‘Sir Vator, if you were planning to drink them all, you didn't have to place an order like that, you know?’
Zhang Dajing sighed deeply to himself. An order like that would only mean something when drinking the selected wine from the list. A man who placed the extra order of, ‘Bring me all the remaining wine!’ shouldn't say such things in the first place!
“S-Sir Vator...” Zhang Dajing cautiously called out.
“Mm?” Vator leisurely turned his head and glanced at Zhang Dajing while carefully swirling the wine in his glass.
“Sir, how about, you know, drinking in moderation...?”
“Ah, that. Yes, I understand,” Vator smiled brightly. “I know you don't want me to relax too much when we're about to enter enemy territory. No need to worry, Zhang Dajing. I assure you, I am being watchful of how much I've drunk, you see!”
'...Seriously?'
Even if all those bottles of booze had been as small as a person's finger, drinking so much in one sitting would've still knocked out a grown adult. However, despite consuming so much booze, Vator... didn't look flushed at all. Not even a hair strand was out of place!
Even so, wasn't this a bit too much? Sure, Vator couldn't get drunk with this amount of booze, but that still didn't seem like a good-enough excuse to drink twenty bottles of wine when they hadn't even been in the air for one hour! Should Zhang Dajing stop Vator or let the big man be? What a difficult and confusing quandary this was.
Hoping to find a savior who could potentially rescue him from this predicament, Zhang Dajing turned his head to his right. Of course, he was looking at Kang Jin-Ho.
‘...And he's already made a bed for himself.’
As if to imply that long flights were nothing to him now, Kang Jin-Ho had completely reclined the luxurious seat to turn it into a bed. And he even had a cozy blanket to wrap himself in, too! Anyone unfamiliar with seeing this scene might think Kang Jin-Ho was an experienced traveler with millions of air miles under his belt.
As far as Zhang Dajing knew, Kang Jin-Ho had been on an airplane only once before. In that case, what a shocking adaptability this was. Even if Kang Jin-Ho was dropped into the middle of a desert tomorrow, he'd have no problem surviving by hunting camels for meat!
Zhang Dajing couldn't really understand these two men's mindsets. Of course, he understood how strong Kang Jin-Ho and Vator were. However, wasn't strength relative? No matter how strong they were, it'd be impossible to guarantee their safety during their stay in China.
Obviously, experts strong enough to fight these two men evenly were still a rare commodity, even in a country as vast as China. However, hasn't the tactic of numbers game always triumphing over a lone wolf been proven time and time again?
If someone noticed Kang Jin-Ho's presence in China, the top experts of the Crimson King's faction would undoubtedly rush in like a swarm of hornets. And there was no guarantee of surviving that ordeal. So, these men should be grimly preparing themselves for the deadly sojourn behind the enemy lines.
However, what could possibly explain the reason for their nonchalant attitudes? Vator was acting like an uncle busy cracking open beer cans during a foliage trip, while Kang Jin-Ho resembled an enlisted soldier going on a vacation.
‘Even though we're not going on a vacation here...!’
Zhang Dajing suddenly remembered the old proverb of a man with two eyes being treated like a loser and an idiot in a village of three-eyed people. Maybe he was the weird one here for fretting and fidgeting endlessly while Kang Jin-Ho and Vator remained calm and unflustered. The feeling of being the odd man out gradually mushroomed in Zhang Dajing's heart.
“How about it, my liege? Would you like a glass?” Vator asked in a jovial voice.
“No, I'm fine,” Kang Jin-Ho briefly waved his hand to refuse Vator's offer.
“It seems you're not much of a drinker, then?”
“You're right.”
In the past, Kang Jin-Ho drank quite a lot. Even then, his body's excellent purification ability meant he wouldn't get drunk even after drowning himself in a barrel of hard liquor without needing to circulate qi. Yet, he still enjoyed drinking because it was a good way to set the mood of an occasion.
But these days, he had no one to miss and nothing to lament about while gorging on liquor, so Kang Jin-Ho saw no point in drinking excessively again.
Kang Jin-Ho casually shrugged his shoulders. “I don't get drunk, anyway.”
Vator tutted in disappointment. “My liege. You don't drink to get drunk. No, you are supposed to savor the aroma and the way it tingles your palate. And also to appreciate the occasion, too.”
“...You know, Vator, I sometimes can't help but think that what you say doesn't exactly match how you look.”
Zhang Dajing began nodding even before realizing that he did.
‘Yup, yup. Totally agree.’
On the surface, at least, Vator exuded the image of a totally ignorant barbarian. In reality, though, he was a surprisingly thoughtful person. Not only was he considerate toward other people, but his pool of knowledge was shockingly deep, as well.
“...Master, it's not a good habit to judge a person by how they look.”
Kang Jin-Ho groaned softly. “Say that after getting rid of all the empty wine bottles before you.”
“Think about my body size. If we convert it to your body size, what I drank is only equivalent to a single bottle. This little isn't out of common sense.”
Kang Jin-Ho couldn't help but chuckle at that claim. Common sense, was it...?
‘Since you put it that way, yes, it's common sense, then.’
Vator expectantly looked ahead. “By the way, I wonder if we'll get in-flight meals, too...”
The flight attendant smiled brightly when Vator's gaze landed on her. “Yes, sir. We have everything prepared.”
“Oh? I must warn you, I'm a big eater. Will you be able to handle it?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Hmm~, I see, I see. The preparations have been rather thorough, then! It seems that brat Lee Hyeon-Su is more useful than I thought.”
Actually, it was Jo Gyu-Min, not Lee Hyeon-Su, who had prepared all this. But Kang Jin-Ho didn't bother to correct Vator on this one. That was because the big man wouldn't have cared either way even after being told the truth.
“By the way, master...” Vator suddenly grew serious as he stared at Kang Jin-Ho.
“Mm?” Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow.
“Isn't it about time you tell us?”
“Tell you what?”
“The purpose of this visit to China.”
Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. “There's someone I'm planning to rendezvous with.”
“Someone you plan to meet...?” Vator turned his head away before dissatisfaction could fill his expression. His action implied that he was unhappy about this situation but wouldn't openly express his disapproval in front of his master.
And so, it seemed this exchange had come to an end there, but then...
Shudder, tremble...!
Zhang Dajing narrowed his eyes and stared at Vator. The big man's body, currently turned away from Zhang Dajing, was quaking noticeably for some reason.
'I guess he's having a hard time keeping it down, huh?'
To think that a person could subconsciously express his thoughts through his entire body like that! Simply watching him brought this sense of... cheer? At least, that was what Zhang Dajing felt.
“Keuk!” Vator suddenly spun back in his chair as if he couldn't hold it anymore. “Master! For your sake, I simply have to say something!”
“...What is it now?” Kang Jin-Ho frowned slightly, only to flinch at how serious Vator looked just then.
“Of course, I fully understand your situation. Doing that is extremely important for a growing young man, after all!”
What could Vator possibly mean by 'that' just now? A hint of dread and nervousness quickly crept up on Kang Jin-Ho's face. “W-wait a second. I think you're mistaken about something here. Listen, I'm not...”
Vator wasn't listening. In fact, he was shouting instead! “Of course! I know that humans need to perform reproductive acts!”
“R-reproductive acts?” Kang Jin-Ho nearly tumbled out of his seat with a slack jaw. Surely, there must've been a better choice of words than that? So why!
“And yes, I also know it's tremendously important to select the correct partner for your reproductive acts! Kings and emperors of yore carefully screened suitable partners for that very reason, didn't they! However, you must listen to me, my master! Now isn't the time to chase after women. Considering you even lied to me to rendezvous with a woman, it's just...!”
“N-no, wait a second...! You're jumping to conclusions here, okay?! Stop!” Kang Jin-Ho hurriedly waved his hands. “I'm not trying to hook up with... Bloody hell.”
For the first time in his life, Kang Jin-Ho was left speechless by a misunderstanding of such a weird nature. And this experience even forced him to curse out loud.
“Listen, Vator. I'm not going to China to meet a woman, okay!”
“Really? However, our destination and the words you said earlier seem to indicate otherwise.”
“Sure. Fine! We'll have a brief stop-by at that location. However...!” Kang Jin-Ho reflexively wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He did that in case cold sweat strands were trickling down there. “That is not our ultimate destination.”
“Really? Then, where?”
“I'm merely trying to rendezvous with people who must be waiting anxiously for my arrival.”
“Anxiously waiting for you...?” Vator's expression gradually stiffened as realization dawned on him. “I... see. So, those people have gathered?”
“Yes. Although, that never had been my intention.”
“However, my master...” Vator hesitated while grimacing. “...I do not have any desire to belittle demonic arts. Especially when you defeated me in one-on-one combat. However, all the demonic cultivators beside you are utter trash.”
“In which aspect?”
“In almost every conceivable aspect, master.”
No detailed explanation was necessary when a few minutes of pondering would reveal the obvious truth. Demonic cultivation methods had devolved into third-rate junk after losing their essence, their core. Worse still, mastering demonic arts came with uncomfortably high odds of losing one's mind and becoming... No, that was underselling the risk. One had no choice but to embrace the obvious fate if they chose to master demonic arts.
In that case, what kind of people would choose to take the risk and learn demonic cultivation methods? Simply put, people who were at the end of their wits or driven to a dead end. These people would've never tempted fate with demonic arts if the option of the orthodox path had been available.
Vator continued to speak, “If a demonic cultivator has become an unthinking savage because of demonic arts, then they might still be salvageable. However, if they only picked up demonic arts because they were savages, to begin with...? They cannot be tamed, my master. Humans can never truly change, after all.”
Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly nodded. Vator wasn't wrong about this, after all. Transforming a person required considerable effort and time. However, they weren't talking about one or two demonic cultivators here. 'Reforming' so many unruly demonic cultivators would be impossible even for someone like Kang Jin-Ho.
Despite knowing all this, though, Kang Jin-Ho's attitude remained unperturbed. “Yes, you have a point.”
Vator narrowed his eyes. “Even then, you still wish to bring them in?”
“Yes. There is no need to reform or salvage anyone, after all.”
“Mm?” Vator nastily flinched just then. Because, Kang Jin-Ho's voice sounded eerily cold.
“I'm not a savior who will grant them redemption. No, they are meant to serve me and dedicate everything of theirs to me. That's what I am. If they fail to meet my expectations, I will simply discard them. That is all. Besides, their personalities and natures don't interest me. As long as they have functioning arms and legs... That will suffice!”
“...How nasty.” Vator frowned slightly. Moments like this always reminded him of who he was dealing with. 'Even I keep forgetting that for some reason.'
It couldn't be helped, though. Since the gap between the 'Kang Jin-Ho' during normal times and the 'Kang Jin-Ho' during a fight was extremely vast!
‘I must not forget that this man is the demon king.’
That wasn't a figure of speech or a symbolic label. Kang Jin-Ho definitely suited the title 'demon king' better than anyone in this world. After all, not only was he the new source of the demonic arts that should've died out, but Kang Jin-Ho also possessed the key to the revival of the demonic arts!
“Master, do you mind if I ask you something?”
“No, Go ahead.”
“You're a returner, aren't you?”
“According to your definition, it seems that way.”
“In that case, if you compare yourself of now to what you were like back then?”
“Comparing myself, is it...?” Kang Jin-Ho quietly stared at his own hands. He hadn't really thought about this matter at length before. “...At this rate of growth, a decade. Give or take a few years.”
“A decade?”
“Yes. If I keep getting stronger at this rate, I will need around ten years. That is, if I wish to regain my former strength.”
Vator frowned deeply as all color drained out of his complexion.
‘Ten years?!’
A stark realization like this would've been impossible with a sloppy, vague answer like ‘half as strong’ or ‘several times stronger.’ Even now, Kang Jin-Ho's strength was improving at a scarcely-believable rate. But he still needed to keep this up for the next ten years?
“...Master, were you perhaps a real demon king?”
“Hmm,” Kang Jin-Ho smirked while shrugging his shoulders. “Anyone with a deep knowledge of history might have heard about my title.”
“Unfortunately, most of the martial world's history has been lost to the passage of time. As for stories related to the demon cult, all we can go on with is fragmented folklore. For instance, titles like the Heavenly Demon.”
“Is that right?” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded.
“Most people say it was the heavenly beginning, crimson end.”
“Heavenly beginning, crimson end?”
Vator weightily nodded. “Yes. Started with the Heavenly Demon but ended with the Crimson Demon. Hence, heavenly beginning, crimson end. Although the demon cult continued to exist after that, no one worthy of being a cult leader showed up.”
Kang Jin-Ho turned his head and silently stared outside the plane's window.
‘So... That's what happened?’
Even the living descendant of the demon cult didn't tell Kang Jin-Ho this part of history. He knew about the demon cult's decline, but to think it couldn't even find an honorary cult leader after Kang Jin-Ho's death!
On the flip side, it now made more sense why an organization as mighty and peerless under the heavens as the demon cult declined to such a pitiful state. It was not an exaggeration to say Kang Jin-Ho and Azure Demon were around half the combat power of the demon cult. No wonder the cult fell into unbridled chaos after both men died on the same day.
Kang Jin-Ho quietly muttered to no one in particular. “In that case, it'll begin anew, then.”
“Anew?” Vator narrowed his eyes.
“What ended with me... I shall start it anew. And everything will return to how it once was.”
Vator involuntarily shuddered at this indescribable chill running down his spine.
‘It seems I'm serving a truly absurd being as my master.’
Even though a bitter aftertaste swirled in Vator's mouth, he still couldn't help but be delighted by this revelation.
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