Absolute Regression

Bih Sa-in was furious.

I knew where that anger was coming from.

It was because of what Yukrang had said earlier.

A life spent following around to protect a mere heir.

Of course, he felt bad and probably felt ignored as well.

If it had been just Yukrang’s problem, he might have forgotten about it after killing him.

But the problem was this: the suspicion that other Thirteen Wolves might think the same way, a suspicion that would torment him for a very long time.

Of course, I had no intention of soothing him. Fundamentally, he was my enemy, and I intended to use their division and Bih Sa-in’s confused mind.

At that moment, Il-rang stepped forward.

His voice was slightly raised. He, too, was understandably agitated and excited in the face of a comrade’s betrayal and death.

Bih Sa-in didn’t respond. I could guess what Il-rang’s words sounded like to him right now.

— He was like a brother to me, how could you kill him like that?

Bih Sa-in’s gaze shifted to the remaining Thirteen Wolves standing behind Il-rang. They stood with their usual expressions.

But at this moment, Bih Sa-in must have found them unfamiliar.

That’s when I stepped in.

“Aren’t you all witnesses? Even excluding Bih Gong-ja, there are six witnesses who saw Yukrang’s betrayal, aren’t there?”

What Il-rang worried about was this.

“If they lump us all together, they might not believe us.”

“Are you saying that the testimony of the six Thirteen Wolves representing the Unorthodox Alliance doesn’t carry weight? If that’s the case, is there any meaning in living as a martial artist of the Unorthodox Alliance?”

Il-rang and the remaining Thirteen Wolves said nothing. On reflection, it would indeed feel quite miserable.

Then Bih Sa-in, who had been quietly listening, suddenly shouted.

“Stop with the nonsense!”

It was natural for him to react irritably.

“Who is behind this?”

“I cannot say here.”

I poured oil into the burning fire.

“Can you be sure there are no more traitors?”

The Thirteen Wolves collectively shot cold glances at me.

This reaction should have been shown first by Bih Sa-in. But Bih Sa-in’s reaction was the slowest. He, too, was harboring the same suspicion.

“Until everything is clearly revealed, wouldn’t it be wise to exercise caution? Let’s discuss this matter privately.”

I was driving a wedge between Bih Sa-in and the Thirteen Wolves, pushing him further. This was a situation where I needed to grab Bih Sa-in by the collar and drag him along. I intended not to miss a single move until the moment I executed my plan. ＲἈNŏВËŠ

Before I had a private conversation with Bih Sa-in, I spoke briefly with the Evil Smiling Demon through telepathy.

—I plan to separate Bih Sa-in from the Thirteen Wolves for a while.

—You must have something in mind.

—To manipulate Bih Sa-in as I wish, I need some time alone with him.

In truth, there was another reason, but it was one I couldn’t share with Soma.

The perceptive Evil Smiling Demon suddenly asked.

—Is that truly the only reason?

—No.

When I answered honestly, the Evil Smiling Demon actually laughed with his eyes.

—Indeed, the Young Master is wearing a mask similar to mine.

—That’s right. Even if I claimed not to be a good person, no one would believe me, but it seems you understand, Soma-nim. Let’s meet later at the safe house near the Unorthodox Alliance’s main base.

Given the importance of the matter, Soma accepted my request. He was always meticulous in handling public affairs.

* * *

I stood side by side with Bih Sa-in on a hill to the east of White Night Valley.

“Who is behind this?”

“If I tell you, what will you do for me? Surely, you don’t expect to receive such vital information for free, do you?”

Bih Sa-in’s expression hardened slightly.

“Damn it! Why is it so hard to get just a name? Speak up like a man!”

“That’s not being manly, it’s being a fool who suffers losses for a momentary thrill. I believe transactions should always exchange fair value. Problems in deals arise when one side feels dissatisfied. Let’s balance the scales properly.”

“What do you want?”

I had something I wanted from him. After my regression, there were certain opportunities I intended to seize whenever I had the chance. What I was about to ask from him was one of those opportunities.

“Let me enter the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils.”

Cave of Ten Thousand Evils.

It was a sanctuary of the Unorthodox Alliance that only the leader and his successor could enter.

Three hundred years ago, the supreme leader of the Unorthodox Alliance, the Lord of Ten Thousand Evils, had healed his injuries there after a fierce battle with the Heavenly Demon of that time. The Unorthodox Alliance had since regarded it as a sacred place.

Bih Sa-in was taken aback.

“Why do you want to go there?”

“I’ve wanted to go there for a long time.”

“Then you must know. No outsider was ever allowed into the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils.”

“That’s why I’m demanding it now, using your life as collateral.”

“Don’t exaggerate. Even without knowing who was behind this, I’ve managed to stay alive until now. So don’t act like you have done something extraordinary.”

“You’ve survived, but you are truly on the edge. With a traitor right behind you, no less. If you hadn’t met me, that traitor would still be eating and sleeping with you.”

Bih Sa-in, unable to refute that point, fell silent for a moment before asking me.

“Do you know what kind of place the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils is?”

He asked this because there was nothing particularly special about it.

It was simply a place commemorating where the Lord of Ten Thousand Evils had healed his wounds, nothing more than a pavilion built in a scenic spot.

“I’ve heard that the battle between the Heavenly Demon and the Great Evil Sect Master from three hundred years ago is detailed there. As the person who will become the next Heavenly Demon, I want to read about that fight in detail. Unfortunately, our Cult does not have that record.”

Bih Sa-in’s concern was this:

“Letting you into that place isn’t a big problem. But if this fact gets out, it could become a significant issue.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I will never get caught, and I will never reveal that I entered the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils. And even if I did reveal it in a fit of madness, you could simply deny it. Who would believe me over you?”

In the end, he would accept it. Compared to what he stood to gain, the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils was nothing. Although it was designated as a sacred place, it was merely a kind of memorial hall.

The secret of the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils was not revealed until about ten years later. By then, the Bih Sa-in in front of me was already dead.

“If you don’t want to, forget it. I don’t wish to beg to go in. Let’s pretend this never happened.”

“Young Master, don’t be petty.”

“Bih Sa-in, don’t be petty with your own life.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean that of all people, you should not hesitate. There is nothing more important in this world than life. Especially a life that, once this crisis is over, will rise to the position of the Unorthodox Alliance Leader. Think about just one thing, your life!”

In the end, Bih Sa-in took a deep breath and accepted my proposal.

“Alright. I will let you enter the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils.”

He was in a situation where he needed to uncover the mastermind at any cost.

“But there are two conditions.”

“Name them.”

“First, you must reveal the mastermind first.”

I had anticipated this demand.

“I will tell you at the entrance of the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils.”

“Agreed.”

We easily agreed on the first condition.

“Second, you only get one hour.”

“That’s too short. Give me three hours.”

“Two hours. No more.”

“Fine.”

Bih Sa-in drew his sword. I also drew my Black Demon Sword, and the sound of our blades clashing rang out as a sign of our promise.

“Is the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils on the way back to the Unorthodox Alliance main base from here?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Let’s set off immediately, just the two of us.”

Bih Sa-in was startled by the unexpected suggestion.

“Do you mean to leave the Thirteen Wolves behind?”

“Yes, leave both the Thirteen Wolves and the Evil Smiling Demon behind.”

Bih Sa-in started to speak but then stopped. He couldn’t bring himself to ask if it wouldn’t be too dangerous.

Seeing me move alone until now had hurt his pride. But he couldn’t bring himself to voice a concern that would make him seem cowardly.

“Right now, it’s safest if we go alone.”

“Why is that?”

“Both you and the Thirteen Wolves are highly skilled in martial arts, making it difficult for anyone to keep you under surveillance. That’s likely why they recruited Yukrang.”

Bih Sa-in nodded in agreement with my words.

“With Yukrang dead, there is now a gap in their surveillance. But soon they will realize his death and send a new master to keep watch. If we are to leave, the time is now. Let’s leave for the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils immediately, without the Evil Smiling Demon or the Thirteen Wolves. Moving contrary to their expectations is the way to win.”

Even so, Bih Sa-in couldn’t make a decision easily. In the end, he expressed his honest feelings.

“What if we die? It’s all for nothing then.”

His conflicted expression twisted even more. His face showed that he felt his emotions were not being conveyed correctly. Perhaps this was one of the reasons I wanted to save him.

“Whether having the Thirteen Wolves with us increases our chances of survival or death is uncertain. As I said earlier, can you be sure there isn’t another traitor among the remaining Thirteen Wolves?”

Bih Sa-in couldn’t answer confidently. There was no guarantee that they hadn’t planted double or triple agents. He could only trust Il-rang Baek Cheol-gi completely.

“Moreover, if you’re going to sneak me into the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils, we need to move alone, don’t we? Is it alright if they find out? Not just them, but even the Evil Smiling Demon will know that you let me in.”

That was the decisive argument.

“Alright, let’s go alone.”

“You’ve made the right decision.”

Determination filled Bih Sa-in’s face.

In normal circumstances, making such a decision would be reckless. Moving so easily according to the opponent’s intentions was a recipe for disaster. If the opponent was evil, it would already be over.

But Bih Sa-in, just this once, you did well.

I don’t know how your fate will unfold, but joining hands with me might be the only way to alter the tragic course of your destiny. Pull the reins harder to change direction.

“I will help you become the leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.”

“People will laugh. If I become the leader with your help.”

“People will never know. One day, when I become the Heavenly Demon and you become the leader of the Unorthodox Alliance, let’s shake hands and reminisce about this moment.”

Bih Sa-in stared at me intently. Who could truly know the heart of a person, even less the shape it will take in the future ? Whether he would hate this moment so much that he’d try to kill me or be grateful and shake my hand, I couldn’t tell.

“Let’s go.”

I started running first, and he followed behind me.

We quickly left White Night Valley.

* * *

Ten days later, we traveled only through deserted paths and finally arrived at a cliff. Along the way, we confirmed that there had been no surveillance or pursuit, and Bih Sa-in acknowledged that my judgment had been correct.

Shhhhhh.

Looking down at the pouring waterfall, Bih Sa-in asked.

“Care for a swim?”

“I can eat while fighting the Water Ghosts of the Yangtze River.”

“Then follow me.”

Bih Sa-in jumped into the waterfall first, and I followed right behind him.

The entrance to the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils was hidden in a place that couldn’t be found without knowing its location. We swam through a narrow entrance under the waterfall.

It was in a spot with strong currents, making it hard to see, and it was such a tight squeeze that it seemed impossible to get out once inside.

We swam through the entrance and into a narrow passage. We had to go so deep that we were gripped by the fear of drowning before we could finally emerge from the water.

The waterway led to a pond inside a cave.

“The Lord of Ten Thousand Evils drifted into this place after being wounded in the battle with the Heavenly Demon.”

“It’s a miracle that he reached it through that narrow passage and violent currents. The heavens saved him.”

“That’s why we consider this place sacred.”

We stood side by side in front of the cave. Originally, the cave extended further inside, but the entrance had been blocked off to create a door.

“This door can only be opened by injecting internal energy in a specific way. If you try to force it open, the whole place will collapse. Now, tell me, who is behind this?”

I immediately revealed the mastermind to him.

“The Grand Elder of the Unorthodox Alliance, Seok Gwan-chu.”

Bih Sa-in was shocked. It was a name he hadn’t expected.

“That can’t be. Elder Seok retired long ago and joined the Council of Elders. Do you have any proof that it’s him?”

“The Black Kill Master confessed.”

“Where is he now?”

“He’s dead.”

Bih Sa-in’s expression hardened.

“Are you claiming that Elder Seok is the mastermind without any evidence?”

“Why wouldn’t there be evidence? I, the second son of the Heavenly Demon, am standing here as a witness.”

“!”

“If you don’t trust me, you shouldn’t be standing here in the first place. What are you even doing?”

At my rebuke, Bih Sa-in let out a deep sigh and spoke.

“No. I believe you. I’m here because I believe you. It’s just hard to believe that Elder Seok is involved.”

Elder Seok was a figure who commanded great respect among the martial artists of the Unorthodox Alliance.

“Elder Seok is trying to make his grandson the successor.”

Finally, Bih Sa-in understood the situation.

“Ah! That’s why. Elder Seok always spoke so proudly of his grandson. He boasted about him many times in front of me. Back then, I just thought he was excessively doting on his grandson, but now it seems there was more to it.”

A cold murderous intent flickered in Bih Sa-in’s eyes. The words and actions of Elder Seok and his grandson, which he had previously overlooked, were now taking on a whole new meaning and chilling his heart.

“Now, it’s time for you to keep your promise.”

Bih Sa-in kept his promise like a man. He placed his palm on the wall and injected his internal energy, and the door opened.

“Entering this place must remain a secret until death. And remember, you only have two hours. If you don’t come out by then, I will come in.”

Leaving him behind, I slowly walked into the Cave of Ten Thousand Evils.

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