Absolute Regression

< Chapter 16: The Answer Had Already Been Heard >

In the afternoon, Seo Daeryong brought over a dozen investigators from the Underworld Pavilion.

As it looked more and more like a full-scale investigation was about to begin, the Demonic Army started to become quite agitated. Rumors spread that Jangho, the one leading the investigation, would thoroughly search all of the Demonic Army.

Then, that very evening, an incident broke out.

As I was resting in my room, an investigator from the Underworld Pavilion came running in.

“There’s a problem. You need to come see, quickly.”

When I got to the place in question, I saw the hallway in front of the investigation room was a complete mess. Apparently a fight had broken out between the Demonic Army and the investigators.

“Stop right there!”

I put myself between the Demonic Army and the investigators to break up the fight before it could really kick off.

One of the investigators laid on the ground, bleeding from what looked like not just a simple beating. His face was torn up, with blood streaming down in rivulets and his ribs looked totally broken.

Seo Daeryong, who was enraged beyond belief, stepped forward at some point but couldn’t handle the ferocity of the Demonic Army and ended up getting beaten up himself.

“How’s your injuries?”

“I’m fine, but my colleague over there is seriously injured.”

“Then take him to the medical room, quickly.”

The other investigators carried the downed man away.

The instigator of this incident, first division leader Godang, was there shamelessly.

“Did you do this?”

“Yes.”

The Demonic Army standing around them were all from the first division. Bolstered by that, Godang didn’t seem intimidated at all. Actually, it looked like he was enjoying the situation, with his subordinates also looking like they might burst into laughter at any moment.

“Somehow, it feels like a prophecy is about to come true today.”

Knowing what prophecy I was referring to, Seo Daeryong swallowed hard.

“What prophecy are you suddenly spew-talking about?”

Godang asked, and Seo Daeryong stared straight at his head and answered on my behalf.

“Leader Godang, it’s a prophecy you would never want to know, as a person.”

“Then I will also make a prophecy for you. This young master right here in front of us Demonic Army will be expelled from the cult after losing the heir battle and will end up living off of the righteous sects of the martial alliance.”

Godang’s subordinates laughed heartily at that statement.

Instead of getting angry, I was instead delighted.

“Oh, what a splendid prophecy!”

“Splendid, you say?”

“Yes, even though I lost the heir battle, I survived, didn’t I? And on top of things I get to live off others for the rest of my life without working! Isn’t living a life of idleness without worry a dream for all of us? Thank you for the prophecy! I’ll live my second life there.”

Godang’s face stiffened as he realized he was being mocked.

“Why did you injure the Underworld Pavilion martial artist?”

“He dared to bump shoulders with me in the hallway without apologizing and walked away. I taught him a lesson for you. Be glad! I taught him manners.”

“Your shoulder must have been the one to hit him. Even if he had apologized, you wouldn’t have let it slide.”

Godang laughed heartily without denying my statement. His subordinates surrounding us laughed along with him.

“Poison.”

Godang asked, puzzled by my words.

“Poison? What do you mean?”

“Your subordinates are a poison to you.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

As long as his subordinates watched, he wouldn’t back down out of sheer pride, but if it led to his downfall, would it not count as arrogance instead?

“Godang, didn’t you kill a martial artist from our cult last year with the same excuse? And the year before that, you started a fight in a tavern and killed three people.”

All the victims were low-ranking martial artists, and the Demonic Army covered up the incidents before they could become serious matters.

“There are fools everywhere who lack respect for their seniors.”

His eyes sent me a look that simply screamed, ‘One of those fools is right before me.’

“Do you know? I received something when I came down here other than the authority of an Investigating Officer.”

“And what is that exactly?”

“The Summary Execution Authority.”

At the mention of the Summary Execution Authority, inexplicably the surroundings quieted down instantly.

However, Godang instead sneered at me even more.

“What good is having the authority when you don’t have the ability to go through with it?”

His subordinates burst into laughter again, rejuvenated.

When I mentioned poison before, this was exactly it. When a fool is conscious of the gaze around him, this is what happens.

Normally, he should have been extremely tense, but he was showing off in front of his subordinates. He alone was unaware of the grand stage he was standing on. That I was setting up, just for him.

As I took a step closer to Godang, the idiots around Godang rushed forward.

“Touching us means touching the Demonic Army. I wonder if the Second Young Master has the courage for that.”

“At least I don’t hide behind my subordinates.”

Godang raised his bandaged right hand.

“I’m injured because of a certain coward.”

I raised my right hand and said,

“My right hand and my sword. I won’t use them either”

“!”

Godang flinched, not expecting that response.

However, he was under the illusion that on this stage we both were sharing, the protagonist wasn’t me.

“If you get hurt, will you go and cry to the Heavenly Demon?”

His subordinates burst into laughter again. The more they laughed, the hotter the stage became.

“Not only will I not hold anyone accountable if I get hurt, but even if I die, the blame won’t fall on anyone.”

“Do you so swear?”

I knocked on my sword twice as an oath.

Only then did he accept my challenge.

“Fine! Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Godang drew his sword and held it in his left hand. He confidently stepped forward because he could handle the sword with his left hand as well as his right. Standing opposite him was the right-handed me.

I walked forward slowly with my right hand behind my back as if clasped behind me.

“What if you use that hand in desperation?”

Godang seemed afraid that I might use my right hand.

“Then order your subordinates to attack and kill me together.”

“Hmph! So confident. I heard you recently had a playful match with the immature disciples of the Southern Heavens Blade Family. Seems like you gained some confidence from that.”

“Actually, your antics are more amusing.”

“Shut up!”

Godang charged at me, thrusting his sword.

I considered this duel as a part of my training. What’s crucial in training is practical experience, and a real fight with a Demonic Army division leader would be an invaluable experience.

Godang didn’t hold back. He used all his might to injure me somehow.

Every time his sword missed, sighs of disappointment echoed around us.

To them, it might seem like I was narrowly avoiding being stabbed, but my mind was as calm as a lake.

Fighting him, I realized something clearly. At my current level, I could easily handle Godang even with just my left hand alone.

The main interest in the outcome of this fight would be, “In how many moves?”

I decided on forty moves. When this fight ended, the rumor would spread like this:

“This young master defeated the Demonic Army leader in just forty moves.”

Since I defeated Yang Po, the disciple of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, in about twenty moves, winning against Godang in forty moves would seem reasonably balanced.

When we reached the fortieth move, I changed my footwork and closed in on him.

The moment I grabbed his sword-wielding wrist, Godang tried to pull away roughly. But if that were possible, he wouldn’t have let me grab his wrist in the first place.

As my body spun around, holding his arm,

Crunch!

Godang’s arm twisted like a rag being dried out in the laundry, and a bone popped out from his wrist.

“Aaaargh!”

As he screamed in pain, my fist flew towards his face again.

With a heavy thud, Godang fell to the ground.

I climbed on his fallen body and struck down with my left fist. If I had used my Qi at all, it would have been a fatal blow, but I inflicted only a punch without using my Qi.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

One of the onlooking Demonic Army rushed at me.

While sitting on Godang’s stomach, I drew out and swung my sword idly.

The charging man’s lower abdomen split open, and he fell forward.

No one expected me to cut him down in one stroke, so the Demonic Army, Seo Daeryong, and the Underworld Pavilion investigators all looked greatly shocked.

“Crazy!”

“Kill him!”

Two particularly idiotic followers of Godang drew their swords and charged.

In the urgent situation, their desperate attack became their final move in life.

I sprang up and thrust my sword twice. Their swords grazed my body, but mine hit its targets precisely.

Squelch! Squish!

Both fell, spewing fountains of blood from their pierced necks.

In an instant, the place turned into a sea of blood. As their three comrades turned into corpses, the Demonic Army soldiers hesitated whether to charge or not.

I shouted forcefully.

“The crime of those who just died is treason.”

At “treason,” they froze.

After immobilizing them, I walked over to the fallen Godang.

“Your leader is no different. He attacked and severely injured a person sent by the Cult leader, which is clearly an act of treason.”

Looking down at him coldly, I said.

“Do you know what happened to the families of the people you killed in a tavern brawl last year? You don’t, do you? You didn’t care. They lost fathers, children, husbands. Do you think they are living well? Who are you to beat people? Who are you to kill our cult members?”

“Spare me… I beg of you.”

His face was a bloody mess, but it was full of a desire to live.

“… Why?”

“…I will repent.”

Blood gushed from his mouth like a fountain even as he spoke.

“Lies. You’ll do it again, won’t you?”

“No, never again.”

“You already said you would. You’ll do it again.”

“…When did I?”

“Your past life says it all for you.”

I lifted my foot and stomped down on Godang’s head with all my might.

Swoosh!

Crack.

His head burst like a watermelon, and he died instantly. (EN : It would be more scary if he didn’t die immediately)

For a moment, silence fell over the place. No one could have imagined that I would smash the head of Godang, who was held in particularly high favor by the Demonic Army Commander.

After killing Godang, I shouted to the surrounding Demonic Army soldiers.

“Treason is punishable by summary execution. Want to die? Are you still holding your swords in your hands?”

At this, the Demonic Army soldiers collectively sheathed their swords. Their leader was already dead, and stepping forward would just cost them their heads. They were overwhelmed by my martial prowess, which had slain their compatriots in a single stroke.

“The entire Demonic Army first division is to withdraw and reflect until further orders! From this moment , anyone who comes out of their room will be punished for the crime of treason!”

As I gestured for them to leave, they didn’t dare refuse and all went out.

The investigators from the Underworld Pavilion, who had been watching, stared at me with astonishment clear on their faces. The emotions mixed in with that astonishment were clearly that of joy and admiration.

Seo Daeryong spoke to me.

“You’re much stronger than I thought.”

“How strong did you think I was?”

“Well… I didn’t expect you to defeat the first division leader of the Demonic Army.”

“I had a prophecy backing us.”

Though I said it to make him laugh, Seo Daeryong didn’t smile. He looked around at the scattered corpses with a tense face.

“No matter how prestigious a background you are from… Is this really okay?”

I spoke firmly to the frightened man.

“Don’t make a fuss over just a few deaths. I came prepared to cut down half of the Demonic Army.”

“!”

It was a moment that revealed how narrow Seo Daeryong’s eyes usually were.

That evening, the Demonic Army Commander sought me out.

He was waiting at a pleasure house in Maga Village, not in his office.

There were about ten pleasure houses in Maga Village, and though it wasn’t officially designated, the place one went to naturally depended on their rank. The pleasure house where the Demonic Army Commander waited was the very best available.

“I called you here to have a drink with you after a while.”

He treated me like nothing had happened. In fact, he was more subtle and gentle than usual.

“Have you been here before?”

“This is my first time.”

“You’ll like it here.”

Indeed, the food and drinks prepared were of the highest quality, and the courtesans were stunning beauties. The musicians’ skills were also exceptional.

“It looks expensive.”

“This is the most expensive place in Maga Village. I had it prepared especially for you today.”

He was a person who took pride in such luxury and pleasure.

“In a life where we never know when we’ll die, we must enjoy ourselves to the fullest. Don’t you agree?”

“You are absolutely right.”

“Come, drink.”

I drank with him. The Demonic Army Commander acted as if he were in his own house, singing songs and suddenly getting up to dance with a courtesan. Despite calling me over because of Godang’s death, he did not mention it at all.

I had always been one to refrain from indulging in such debauched pleasures, so I only matched his enthusiasm moderately.

After a lively bout of fun and a generous amount of drinking, the Demonic Army Commander finally dismissed the courtesans.

“There was a small incident with our boys, wasn’t there?”

The term “small incident” reflected how he intended to handle the situation quite well.

“Yes, there was an unexpected conflict.”

The death of the Demonic Army’s first division leader was an incident that could have overturned the main cult, but the Demonic Army Commander wanted to turn this into an opportunity.

“Let’s settle this amicably. The first leader was a dubious fellow in many ways.”

He meant to pin everything on the deceased first squad leader and be done with it.

‘Wow, you’re quite the piece of work.’

Despite everything, that squad leader had been his trusted subordinate. Instead of seeking revenge, he wanted to make him the scapegoat. Truly, the dead are the ones who suffer greatest.

“Even if it’s for the investigation, wouldn’t it be a big issue if they find out you killed the Demonic Army’s first division leader?”

“I offer my most sincere apologies.”

“What do you think? Should we end this here? Isn’t it enough to lose one division leader and three subordinates?”

“Thank you for your consideration. I’d also like to settle this peacefully, but there’s a problem.”

“What problem?”

“There’s no evidence. An official investigation has been launched, and I need evidence to report to the higher-ups.”

“You can fabricate some.”

“That would be difficult. The report that came in mentioned the first squad leader’s private dealings with external contractors. It’s not something that can be brushed under the carpet just like that.”

Though it was a story I heard from Jangho, I said it was in the report.

The Demonic Army Commander tried to hide his surprise, realizing I knew about that too.

“To conclude this matter, we need evidence. Foolproof, airtight evidence.”

I didn’t ask him to provide the evidence. But he would understand it as he would.

—You need to provide the evidence to end this.

After the brief private conversation, the Demonic Army Commander called the courtesans back in and continued drinking and playing.

Though he seemed to enjoy himself more than before, I sensed his worry throughout the evening. His dance moves were not as agile as earlier.

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