Absolute Regression

Translator: FenrirTL
Editor : TheBattleSage
Editor Notes/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
========================

< Chapter 18: Not Everyone Lives for Revenge >

I woke Yang Gu, who had fallen asleep sitting in the chair.

Still half-asleep, Yang Gu looked around and belatedly realized he had been captured.

“Are the places where you were hit okay?”

“What? Oh, yes.”

When I spoke gently, Yang Gu seemed flustered.

“To be honest, I like smart people like you. I get really frustrated with those who are simply ignorant and stubborn, pushing forward their obstinacy as if it were some sort of conviction. You’re not like that, are you?”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“I think you know that better than I do. Frankly, I don’t want to torture you. As you know, our side’s torture can be pretty harsh, right? Turning a healthy person into a total wreck and tossing them aside?”

“It’s no use threatening me. I don’t know anything.”

“I know. I don’t think you know much. You probably just followed orders. Just honestly tell me that.”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t given any orders.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to talk to another version of you.”

“Another version of me?”

“The you that cares more for yourself than you do.”

At my signal, an old man entered the room.

“He’s spent his whole life doing torture. What’s your confession rate again?”

He was a short nondescript old man, but the aura he exuded was terrifying enough that even me felt slightly unnerved.

“Ninety percent.”

“That makes you quite the interrogation master.”

“Not exactly. Half of that ninety percent died after confessing.”

“And the remaining half?”

“They’re living as beggars, half-wrecked.”

The sheer intensity of the old man’s lethal aura was so overwhelming that Yang Gu couldn’t help but scream.

“Please, spare me!”

I patted Yang Gu’s shoulder lightly and said,

“You can leave now. I’ll bring out another you who’s less brave and wants to avoid unnecessary pain to talk. That you might have less loyalty or conviction, but they’ll definitely care more about you. So, step aside.”

Meanwhile, the old man lit a fire in the brazier and began heating various kinds of iron skewers. His methodical, businesslike demeanor without even a hum to lighten added to the dark atmosphere.

Terrified, Yang Gu pleaded.

“If I talk, I’ll… I’ll die!”

“You’ll die when you don’t talk. Think about it. What will the Demonic Army Commander do when he hears you’ve been captured by me? He’ll do whatever it takes to get rid of you. You know what kind of person he is better than I do, right?”

In Yang Gu’s trembling eyes, his turmoil and fear were clearly visible.

“You know, right? No matter where you hide, he will eventually find and kill you. There’s only one way for you to survive.”

“What is it?”

I brought my face close to Yang Gu’s, whispering like a devil as I stared into his fear-stricken eyes.

“Strike first. Of course, you’ll have to leave the cult. But with your level of martial arts, you should be able to live well anywhere.”

At this moment, I was truly a devil, tempting him while simultaneously lying. I had no intention of letting him go. If he committed a crime, he had to be punished.

“You have no time to think. By now, word has probably spread that you’ve fallen into our hands.”

In truth, the Demonic Army Commander had not yet realized his disappearance. Yang Gu, having just woken up, had no sense of time, but it had only been one hour since he was captured.

“Or you could test your willpower.”

I turned away immediately, not giving him time to think.

Then I heard Yang Gu’s voice from behind.

“…What should I do?”

“When the Underworld Pavilion investigators come in, tell them everything that happened.”

“And then?”

“We’ll capture the Demonic Army Commander. You will leave the cult with a new identity.”

Yang Gu didn’t take long to decide.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

I left the room immediately and let the Underworld Pavilion investigators who were waiting outside enter. I instructed the old man who came to torture him to continue heating the iron skewers.

A little while later, Seo Daeryong came and reported what Yang Gu had confessed.

As Jangho had suspected, it was indeed the Demonic Army Commander who ordered the killing of the Underworld Pavilion investigator and Jangho’s colleague. The person who carried out the order was Godang, who was already dead. There were countless other atrocities as well.

“He’s killed quite a lot, one way or another.”

Seo Daeryong was concerned.

“The Demonic Army Commander won’t be captured easily. He knows he’ll be executed if caught.”

“We’re not going to capture him.”

“What?”

“We’ll kill him.”

Seo Daeryong was so shocked he let out a gasp, his mouth agape.

“If the Demonic Army Commander is captured, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon will definitely make a move. He won’t just stand by and watch his brother be executed. That would make the situation very complicated.”

Ideally, we would expose his crimes in front of everyone and deal with him through a formal trial, but that was just a fantasy. Fabricated evidence showing he had no involvement would emerge, scapegoats to take the blame for his crimes, slander against me, and all sorts of conspiracy theories would spread.

“However, if the Demonic Army Commander were to die during the arrest, the situation would change. All that would remain would be the evidence proving his crimes.”

“The Blood Heaven Blade Demon will seek revenge.”

“Not everyone lives a life of revenge just because their family was killed. Especially Blood Heaven Blade Demon, he wouldn’t waste his life on something as trivial as revenge.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Because I know what kind of life he’s lived.

“I can’t be certain. However, even if he seeks revenge, he won’t act immediately. If I get hurt or die, it will be obvious that it was his doing. In fact, to avoid misunderstandings, he would have to protect me.”

“And later?”

“By then, I’ll be stronger, so there’s no need to worry.”

I left Seo Daeryong standing there with a dumbfounded expression, unsure if what I said made sense or not. As I walked down the hallway, Seo Daeryong belatedly opened the door and ran out.

“Where are you going? Surely… no, right?”

“And if it is? Want to come with me?”

Seo Daeryong flinched.

“I’m going to buy some liquor. Don’t worry and wait.”

* * *

That ‘surely’ was right. I did go to buy liquor.

The Demonic Army Commander greeted me with a light-hearted expression.

“Is the investigation over?”

“Yes, thanks to you, it concluded smoothly.”

“I’m sad at the thought of parting with you, Second Young Master.”

I responded to his insincere remark with my own insincere answer.

“When I become the successor, I will definitely repay the favor you have shown me this time.”

“That’s my line. I will never forget the favor you showed by letting this slide.”

Yes, he would never forget this incident. That greedy man had suffered a huge loss. He lost his subordinate Godang and was forced to hand over evidence with his own hands. Any other investigator in my place would have died many times over by now.

“In that sense, let’s have a drink, shall we?”

I poured the liquor I had bought into the glasses prepared on the corner table.

“Cheers.”

After clinking glasses with him, we drank. It was a celebratory drink for him, but a farewell drink for me.

“Why did you do it?”

“What?”

“I mean, you probably have more money than you could spend in a lifetime. Why did you have so much greed that you used the Demonic Army as a contractor?”

For a moment, the Demonic Army Commander’s expression hardened.

“You should have asked the deceased Godang.”

“What would a puppet know?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m curious about your motives, my lord.”

“Motives? Did you just say motives?”

“Indeed. What could be in that dark heart of yours? Only a desire for more, I suppose.”

“You insolent…!”

Just as the agitated Demonic Army Commander raised his voice, I seized the opportunity and drew my sword.

Shiiing!

Thunk!

A single flash of the sword pierced through the Demonic Army Commander’s chest. With my sword striking from such a close distance, synchronizing with his breath, and moving with incredible speed, the Demonic Army Commander couldn’t avoid it.

Soaring Sword Art, Fifth Form: Azure Sky.

It was a swift sword move from among the eight forms of the Soaring Sword Art.

Even with his heart pierced, he didn’t die immediately.

The Demonic Army Commander, with the sword embedded in his chest, slowly sank to the ground. His expression was blank as if he couldn’t grasp what had just happened. Then he looked at me with lifeless eyes. When I pulled out the sword lodged in his heart, he would die.

In a calm tone, I spoke softly.

“Demonic Army Commander Gu Cheonyang, I arrest you for the private misuse of the Demonic Army and for your involvement in over twenty murders and instigations of murder.”

Only then did the Demonic Army Commander’s gaze shift to the sword embedded in his chest.

“…This isn’t an arrest…”

“It would be a public execution anyway. For the sake of those left behind, please go out in this manner. I apologize for the abruptness in this ambush.”

I pulled out the sword while twisting it, and the Demonic Army Commander died instantly.

I could have made it appear as if he died after a fierce battle, but I didn’t. It was better to make it seem like a stroke of luck had allowed me to kill him in one move.

I summoned all the Demonic Army and the Underworld Pavilion investigators to the scene, except for the Demonic Army’s first division, who were still under house arrest.

“The Demonic Army Commander, who committed heinous crimes, resisted arrest and died in the process.”

My loud declaration echoed throughout the hall.

Everyone looked back and forth between me and the Demonic Army Commander’s corpse with shocked expressions. They never imagined the Demonic Army Commander would meet his end at my hands.

Among the astonished faces was Jangho of the third division. A fleeting look of joy crossed his eyes as he stared at the Demonic Army Commander’s corpse. It was the moment his friend’s death was avenged.

Seo Daeryong was no different. His efforts to memorize all the details of the Demonic Army for the sake of avenging his senior finally came to fruition.

I immediately gave Seo Daeryong an order.

“Arrest all members of the Demonic Army first division and confine them! Conduct a formal investigation into this incident.”

“Yes!”

Next, I commanded Jangho.

“Third division leader Jangho, under your command, all Demonic Army except the first division will assist the Underworld Pavilion investigators in arresting the first division. This order carries the same weight as a directive from the Cult Leader due to the Summary Execution Authority I received. Execute it immediately.”

“Yes, understood.”

Jangho led the Demonic Army and followed Seo Daeryong out.

The problem wasn’t the same as when the Demonic Army Commander was alive, ordering to catch this guy and kill that guy. He had already grown cold. Loyalty maintained through fear collapses like a sandcastle with the leader’s death.

Jangho, who was about to leave, turned to look at me.

We shared the emotions of the moment with a faint smile.

“Thank you.”

“No, thanks to you.”

After the arrest of the entire Demonic Army group, Seo Daeryong returned to the place where we had been staying.

“After arresting all the members of the first division, we suppressed their internal energy and imprisoned them. In the process, six martial artists were injured, but no one died.”

“Well done.”

Even though everything was over, Seo Daeryong still seemed worried.

“You really killed the Demonic Army Commander.”

“If I let him live, many people would have been slaughtered to bury his responsibility. Jangho, who sent the anonymous letter, would be killed. Many of the third division martial artists trying to protect him would be sacrificed too. Even you wouldn’t be an exception either.”

“Oh, you thought that far.”

Seo Daeryong couldn’t hide his rising emotions.

“You are truly a righteous person, sir.”

“Righteousness? No way! I was just angry that he was messing with what I was supposed to inherit. I am that selfish. So, don’t misunderstand.”

Seo Daeryong, who was silently gazing at me, bowed his head politely.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“You too.”

Seo Daeryong, who was about to leave, suddenly spoke.

“Still, I hope… you will become the successor, Young Master.”

I thought that perhaps those words were the highest praise a person like Seo Daeryong could offer.

As soon as he finished speaking, Seo Daeryong immediately ran outside.

As I was about to follow him, something caught my eye, and I sat on the bed for a moment. The bedding, where the crow carcass had been, had been replaced with a clean new one. It seemed that even amidst all the busyness, Seo Daeryong had changed it.

When I looked out the window, I saw Seo Daeryong walking across the training field, having exited the building.

I leaned out the window and shouted.

“Can’t you say things like that properly while looking into my eyes?”

Seo Daeryong quickened his pace toward the entrance.

Beyond his retreating figure, I saw the place I needed to go. Had I gotten a few steps closer because of this incident? The Heavenly Demon Pavilion looked even more grandiose than usual.