Absolute Regression

< Chapter 31: The Madman Is You >

The glass of liquor I was bringing to my lips stopped mid-air.

He wants me to become his man? No way?

“What do you mean?”

“I want you to become my man.”

I hadn’t expected the Blood Heaven Blade Demon to make such an offer. He was publicly known to support my brother. Abandoning my brother to choose me? This was truly the most unexpected moment since I met the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

“Second Young Master.”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to become the Heavenly Demon?”

I answered without hesitation.

“Then drink that liquor. I will become your backing.”

“But, Sir, you support my brother.”

“That was my choice before I knew you were such a madman.”

“First, I was a dragon, now a madman. I must be busy.”

The madman is you.

I had killed his brother, crippled and killed his disciples, and imprisoned his subordinate. Yet this old man was offering to become my backing. This old man would sell anything for his ambitions.

“I killed your brother.”

“Once you leave your parents’ embrace, everyone is just another person. Do you think a man feels the gut-wrenching pain of intestines being torn apart when a blood relative dies? Don’t make me laugh. Humans are more pained by a thorn stuck under their own fingernail.”

This old man, every word he said was sincere.

“In any case, I never officially allied with your brother… Even if I had, one’s heart can always change.”

“Having you would be like having an army. But…”

“What are you hesitating for?”

“I don’t know if I can trust you. Just as you are abandoning my brother now, you could abandon me too.”

“If it comes to that, I must abandon you. Do you think I’m doing this because I trust you? I have never trusted anyone.”

“Then why did you choose me?”

“Because your madness, which pushes forward without fear, made me feel like I could stake my fate on you.”

“So, you chose me because I’m a madman.”

“With that madness, devour everything.”

If I were a young man at this age, I might have believed every word of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, feeling flattered that I had been chosen.

But I knew the dirty tricks old men use to exploit young people.

Do you want to become the Heavenly Demon?

That was the question he asked earlier. It made it seem as if I could become the Heavenly Demon just by taking his hand.

This current question also had the same underlying motive.

“If you become the Heavenly Demon, what kind of Heavenly Demon will you be?”

“At the very least, under my rule, the leader of the Southern Heavens Blade Family would not dare to exert external pressure on the Underworld Pavilion Leader.”

“Haha. As expected, my eyes were not mistaken.”

Even though I felt disgusted, I didn’t show it. His sly demeanor was designed to sway my decision at this crucial moment.

I politely declined for now. In the tug-of-war of human relationships, if you get pulled in just because someone is pulling, you become an unappealing prey.

“I appreciate your high regard for me, but it seems now is the time for me to focus on my duties. What would my father think? If he entrusted me with a significant role only to hear that I’m engaging in politics instead of fulfilling my duties?”

“Hiding behind the Cult Leader. Is that truly a wise choice?”

“What do you mean?”

“The Underworld Pavilion Leader? If you succeed in that task, what do you think will happen? If the Cult Leader keeps you in the position of the Underworld Pavilion Master? Do you plan to rot as the Underworld Pavilion Master for life? That task is merely a process. The path you must choose is always singular. It’s the crossroads of whether you become the successor or not. The moment you get confused about that, you’ll lose your way and wander through the superficial forest called the Underworld Pavilion forever.”

He concluded his persuasion by invoking my father.

“On the contrary, the Cult Leader will take note of you aligning with me. The mere fact that I have chosen you will amplify your stature and make you visible to everyone.”

However, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon overlooked one thing.

The will to reestablish the discipline of the main cult. This includes not only my will but also my father’s intentions.

“Please give me some time to think. I will drink this liquor once I’ve made my decision.”

I put down the glass of liquor I was holding.

Despite my postponement, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon smiled contentedly.

“Right. Of course. You shouldn’t drink just because a fool tells you to.”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon stood up and drew the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber that was fixed behind him.

In the same fluid movement and force with which he pulled the dao from the ground, he swung it towards me.

I didn’t dodge and blocked the incoming attack with the Black Demon Sword.

Kaang!

A metallic explosion erupted. Beyond the crossed sword and saber, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke.

“I’ll expect your answer tomorrow.”

“I’ll give you my answer in five days.”

The tense standoff as we glared at each other lasted only a moment.

“See you in three days.”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon soared into the sky without waiting for a response, disappearing beyond the wall. His movement was fast and remarkable, without a single superfluous motion.

After sheathing the Black Demon Sword, I rotated my wrist.

“Damn old man, it hurts like hell.”

Though it wasn’t his best effort, the energy in the blade was no joke, making my wrist throb.

‘This old man. He secretly enjoys inflicting pain on others.’

He was making it clear that his martial arts were superior. It could be dismissed as the pride or a sadistic tendency of an old man, but I believed there was a clear intention behind the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s actions.

He would poke and prod to cause bruising pain, or like today, inflict pain that would make one’s arm ache for days.

This pain planted an unconscious fear in his opponent. This physical violence played a significant role in manipulating others to his will.

The more I encountered him, the more I realized he wasn’t just an old man to be taken lightly. At the same time, it became clear why my father put me forward to dance this deadly dance.

There were not just one but eight beings like the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. If they were united under the name of the Eight Demon Supremes, even my father would find it challenging to deal with them. Despite their backbiting, gossiping, and infighting, they were of one mind when it came to opposing the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.

Moreover, they were the main force of the cult. If they were eliminated out of displeasure, the Martial Alliance or the Unorthodox Alliance would immediately invade.

‘He said he likes that I’m a madman? That’s only because he doesn’t know how far my madness can go.’

Before heading to my quarters, I stopped by Lee Ahn’s personal training ground.

Lee Ahn was so focused on her training that she didn’t notice my arrival, diligently working on her basic physical conditioning as I had instructed.

Even while gasping for breath, Lee Ahn persevered in her training.

‘Why you, you ask?’

Because you turn into an unwavering fool when following my orders. Though you weren’t originally a fool, you willingly become one for my sake.

After watching her train for a while, I returned to my room.

I fetched some liquor and sat by the window to relax.

Thinking of Hwa Moogi leaves me no time to rest, but that doesn’t mean I’ll rush forward without looking around. If I lose the leisure to observe my surroundings, I’ll surely miss something important.

Thus, I enjoyed a few drinks under the brilliantly bright moon for the first time in a while.

I thought about my father, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and the other Demon Supremes. I also pondered my life after killing Hwa Moogi.

* * *

The next day, Yang Tae still hadn’t lost his spirit.

“Hmph! Underworld Pavilion Master, you’ve messed with the wrong person. Don’t you know that messing with me is the same as messing with the entire Southern Heavens Blade Family?”

He tried to threaten me using the Blood Heaven Blade Demon as leverage.

“If you let me go, I’ll make sure this never happened. I’ll personally speak to the Demon Supreme so that you face no repercussions.”

He tried to placate me like this as well.

He had never experienced such a desperate situation in his life. Records showed that he had smoothly risen from a Blade Ghost to a Hundred Demonic Blade without ever facing hardship or anyone challenging his life.

So he didn’t know how to handle this situation. Instead of sincerely apologizing and seeking forgiveness, he tried to use threats and persuasion, the methods he had always used to navigate the world.

I addressed Yang Tae calmly, unlike yesterday.

“Dear sir, please sit. Today, the Southern Heavens Blade Family officially announced their regret regarding this incident.”

Yang Tae jumped for joy.

“I told you. The Demon Supreme would never abandon me. Now, let me go.”

Believing that he would soon be released, Yang Tae’s expression softened.

“Let’s forget the past.”

His attitude, as if he were graciously forgiving me, made me ask calmly.

“Do you know why I’m treating you respectfully now?”

“Isn’t it because you want to settle this peacefully?”

“No. It’s because this is the last day I’ll see you.”

“That’s the same thing, isn’t it? Once I leave, we won’t see each other again.”

Yang Tae’s face was filled with joy. Now, it was time to reveal the true expression he needed to wear.

“It seems you’re mistaken.”

“Mistaken?”

“The Southern Heavens Blade Family didn’t express regret to us, but to you. They regretted that you tarnished their honor.”

“…What?”

“And they officially apologized for the disgraceful incident caused by one of their martial artists. They also apologized to the victims and promised compensation, ensuring that such an incident would never happen again.”

“What kind of… nonsense is this? The Southern Heavens Blade Family has never officially apologized for such matters. No matter what happened.”

Yang Tae’s voice was trembling.

“It must be an honor for you, to have changed the Southern Heavens Blade Family stance alone.”

“Don’t lie!”

“Well then, enjoy your time in prison.”

I stood up. Yang Tae belatedly started shouting and causing a commotion. I told them to just leave him be. That behavior would end today.

Instead, he would have to take responsibility for his actions, which never once included sincere remorse.

I gave instructions to Seo Daeryong, who was waiting outside the door.

“Contact the prison and send him to the harshest place.”

“Yes.”

Even the comfortable sections of our dungeons are hellish. The saying that it’s better to face execution than to go to prison isn’t said lightly. With his personality, he won’t last in there. His son will be no different.

I didn’t pity them.

If I hadn’t intervened, they would have lived their lives in luxury while Gwak Soo’s family, the victims, would have lived in misery. There must have been other Gwak Soos before him, and there would have been more after.

Investigator Jonghwa, who had been threatened, would have seen his life completely ruined as well.

So I had no pity or regret.

“What on earth happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did the Southern Heavens Blade Family issue an apology? This is unprecedented.”

“Go ask them why they did.”

“If I could, I would. But in the current atmosphere, going to the Southern Heavens Blade Family would be a death sentence.”

“No. Right now, you could dance on their training grounds and walk away unharmed.”

Leaving Seo Daeryong, who still seemed bewildered, I walked briskly down the corridor and added,

“For the next two days, at least.”

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