Absolute Regression

Chapter 473: I’ve Come to Collect the Money I Lent

Geum Arin experienced it for the first time.

That such a calm intent to kill could exist.

“You’re trying to kill them all, aren’t you?”

Now she understood.

Why Geom Mugeuk had accepted her father’s request and demanded half. Why he told her to inform the other trading companies and sects that he would collect their debts too.

“If it were pocket change, maybe. But there’s no way they’d hand over such a large sum without a fight, and you know that.”

Then Geom Mugeuk spoke.

“This isn’t about collecting the money. The real problem comes after.”

“What do you mean?”

“Didn’t you say it yourself? That they’re the kind who take revenge by killing the entire family. If they lose that much money, what do you think they’ll do?”

“They’ll definitely retaliate.”

Geom Mugeuk nodded calmly.

“I’m not the one killing them. It’s the way they’ve lived that’s killing them.”

She now knew that her intuition was right. Her question now was:

‘How?’

Could it be that this man alone was strong enough to annihilate the Hundred Immortals Gang?

Geom Mugeuk said to her,

“Now, go and collect as much as you can. Convincing them is up to you. Consider this part of your path to becoming the successor.”

Geom Mugeuk handed her a paper listing the names of the trading companies and sects, and ushered her out.

“Head out right now. Start with the places that owe the most.”

“Wait, don’t push me. Let’s talk a bit more.”

“I have a lot to do. I’m a busy man at night.”

Just like that, she was pushed out of the room.

From beyond the closed door, she raised her voice.

“I’m your leader. I give the orders.”

Have you ever been kicked out by a subordinate worth two million nyang?

Then, Geom Mugeuk’s voice came from inside.

“Sitting around giving orders doesn’t make a leader appealing. Now, Leader, off you go.”

For the next few days, Geum Arin diligently visited the trading companies and sects.

Just as Geom Mugeuk instructed, she moved in secret, obtained their consent, and handled it quietly.

“I’m planning to collect the money owed by the Hundred Immortals Gang. I’ll collect your debt along the way, so give us half as a service fee.”

Had she insisted on written contracts, they would have refused. They feared retaliation from the Hundred Immortals Gang. But she never asked for a contract. She only checked the promissory notes to confirm the amount lent. ＲÁΝȏBЕs

Verbal promises were easy. If they later denied it, that was that. They could just insist the Golden Dragon Family had dragged them into this to justify their actions.

Had it been anyone else making the request, they would’ve never agreed—not even verbally.

But what if it was someone from the Golden Dragon Family? The richest family in Shaanxi and one of the top five—no, top three—in the Central Plains? If a blood relative of the Golden Dragon Family came in person to make that promise?

Everyone pinned their hopes on her. Surely she wouldn’t have stepped forward unless there was a real chance of success.

That’s how Geum Arin obtained the approval of those who had been extorted for large sums. Among them were those whose households had been financially broken after being repeatedly drained by those bastards. They placed their hopes in her promise.

When Geum Arin returned, she handed over a sheet listing the amounts the trading companies and sects had lent.

“Now then, what’s your plan?”

Geom Mugeuk rose from his seat and said,

“I’m heading out.”

Geum Arin stepped in front of him.

He was really planning to go alone—into a den full of villains—to face nearly a hundred elite martial artists.

“You’re going no matter what I say, aren’t you?”

She wanted to go with him. But how could she not know that she’d only become a burden if she did?

“Earning money is this hard, huh.”

With those words, Geom Mugeuk turned and left.

She couldn’t say anything in return. Normally, she would have told him to “be careful,” but a different thought kept surfacing in her mind, and it stopped her.

‘I’d rather you just run away.’

Surprisingly, that’s what she wanted to tell him.

Even if it meant she could never become the successor, even if it meant being branded for life as the one who got swindled out of two million nyang.

So then why did she want to say such a thing?

Yes, this man... At the very least, he shouldn’t die at the hands of villains like the ones in the Hundred Immortals Gang. That bright, relaxed smile of his shouldn’t be torn apart by such scum.

Geum Arin let out a sigh and looked out the window.

She had a feeling that the time waiting for his return would feel unbearably long. She regretted not saying at least this much:

‘Forget the money—just come back safely.’

*         *         *

“Someone from the Golden Dragon Family has arrived.”

At that report from a subordinate, the Hundred Immortals Gang’s leader, Yeom Je, lifted his head.

With a long beard and white robe, he truly looked like an immortal.

But not even the dignified white beard and clothes could hide the cold and cunning gleam in his eyes.

If he truly had the heart of an immortal, he wouldn’t have taken the villains gathered in this grand hall as his subordinates.

On top of that, he would’ve died multiple times already at the hands of someone here. This place was hell, and anyone who wasn’t a demon couldn’t survive in it.

“Who came?”

“A young brat—never seen him before.”

Yeom Je tilted his head slightly. They sent someone unfamiliar from the Golden Dragon Family?

“Why did he say he came?”

“He said he would explain it in person.”

“Make up an excuse and send him back.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yeom Je was irritated. Even if the Family Head himself came, he might not have agreed to meet—yet they sent some greenhorn whose face he didn’t even know? Never mind the purpose of the visit—his mood was already soured.

“Looks like we need to straighten out the Golden Dragon Family’s discipline.”

At that, the First Immortal, seated below the Throne Mat, responded.

“I’ll tell the Family Head to come personally sometime soon.”

Next to the First Immortal, nine others stood in a row. These were the Ten Immortals, who always remained by Yeom Je’s side. They held the first through tenth ranks in the Hundred Immortals Gang hierarchy.

But they weren’t the only ones present today. The expansive Grand Hall was filled with the Immortals of the Hundred Immortals Gang.

“Seventeenth rank’s report has been completed!”

Today was the end-of-month settlement day, where each member reported the money they had earned and offered it to Yeom Je. Once the accounting was complete, a feast would follow with drinks.

Yeom Je deliberately hosted these gatherings to spark competition.

The Hundred Immortals Gang was a strictly hierarchical organization.

Below the Gang Leader were the Ten Immortals, followed by the Eleventh to Ninety-Ninth Immortals, all assigned to a fixed rank.

Yeom Je had firmly established this ranking system. That system was the greatest strength protecting the Hundred Immortals Gang and the very foundation of its increasing profits.

The desire to climb higher.

The higher your rank, the greater your share of the profits, so they all struggled to make achievements and rise. Rankings were updated once a year.

And at that moment—it began. A single phrase rang out, one that would turn the fate of everyone present upside down.

“You sure have a lot of money.”

Everyone turned toward the unfamiliar voice echoing through the Grand Hall.

A young man had said it while looking at the stacks of promissory notes piled up for the accounting.

“With all this money, why haven’t you paid your debts?”

A startled Immortal nearby asked,

“Who are you?”

Not a single person had realized when the stranger entered and stood among them. Yes, it was a busy day of accounting, but considering their martial prowess, this should have been impossible. Out of a hundred martial artists, at least one should have noticed.

The young man walked toward the center under everyone’s gaze.

Then, looking at Yeom Je seated on the Throne Mat, he gave a respectful greeting.

“I greet the Gang Leader. I am Geom Yeon from the Golden Dragon Family.”

At the mention of the Golden Dragon Family, the tension in the room immediately eased. Expressions like “Whew, that scared me!” were heard here and there.

After all, the moment he identified himself, the mysterious expert turned into a mere martial artist dispatched from the Golden Dragon Family.

But the Gang Leader, Yeom Je, did not relax. Even in this noisy atmosphere, the fact that even *he* hadn’t noticed the guy entering bothered him.

‘What if he had been an assassin?’

That meant he could’ve been ambushed at any moment.

He raised a hand to stop the First Immortal from stepping forward and asked Geom Mugeuk himself. If it was someone from the Golden Dragon Family, it was worth dealing with directly.

“Not a face I’ve seen before.”

“I’ve recently formed ties with the Golden Dragon Family.”

Yeom Je found it odd. They sent someone newly affiliated with them? That hadn’t happened before.

“What business brings you here?”

All eyes turned to Geom Mugeuk. And what came out of his mouth—no one could have predicted it.

“I’ve come to collect the money you borrowed.”

A heavy silence followed.

Is he insane? Did we hear that right?

Those two thoughts flooded the room until someone burst into laughter. That laugh spread quickly, erupting here and there.

It had been a long time since anyone had dared to visit them in person and ask for money. How unlucky could someone be? Of all days, to show up on settlement day, when *everyone* was gathered?

“You’ve racked up a debt of three million nyang. With interest, it should be more, but I’ll settle for the principal only.”

Laughter exploded around the hall again.

Yeom Je even found himself thinking:

Did they send him here to be killed?

Maybe the Head of the Golden Dragon Family didn’t want to dirty his own hands. That would explain such a reckless move. Otherwise, why would he do something this foolish? Just what kind of man was this?

“And who exactly are you?”

“I’m Geom Yeon. Not ‘Yeon’ as in fate, but as in smoke. When fate ends, smoke should vanish, but sometimes lingering regrets remain. Like the drunkenness of someone who loves liquor, wanting to stay in that warmth a little longer. But today, I think I’ll disappear without regret.”

What the hell was that nonsense?

Everyone turned to each other with questioning looks. Their gazes carried various emotions, but the most common was:

A madman has arrived!

That’s why their eyes sparkled with interest. How should we toy with him?

It seemed like nothing serious, and yet Yeom Je felt a strange sense of unease.

Because it was unfamiliar. Of all days, why *today*, on settlement day, with everyone gathered?

“Do you even know where you are?”

“Isn’t this the place where a hundred Immortals frolic?”

Geom Mugeuk lowered his voice slightly.

“Between us, though, isn’t it a little much to call yourselves Immortals when you’re not? I’ve heard you’ve done plenty of dirty deeds.”

Judging from that impudent mouth, it really did seem like they sent him to die.

Yeom Je made a subtle gesture to one of his men.

He was the Ninety-Ninth Immortal, the lowest in rank. In situations like this, Yeom Je always gave orders strictly according to hierarchy.

“What’s with all the chatter from a man?”

The Ninety-Ninth Immortal strode forward boldly. This was a perfect chance to curry favor with the Gang Leader—a chance to shed the title of being the lowest.

Of course, things didn’t go his way. Geom Mugeuk asked for his name.

“What is your name, Immortal?”

“Why are you asking?”

“I need to confirm something.”

Geom Mugeuk pulled a promissory note from his inner coat. It was for a hundred thousand nyang.

“If you answer, I’ll give you this.”

A hundred thousand nyang, just for saying his name? No one would naively believe that.

“You trying to mock me with a fake note?”

The Ninety-Ninth Immortal’s hand naturally rose to the hilt of his sword.

“It’s a real note. What have you got to lose? If it’s real, you give your name and get a hundred thousand nyang. If it’s fake, you’ll have the perfect reason to punish me.”

He alternated his gaze between Geom Mugeuk and the note, then turned to look at Yeom Je. Yeom Je nodded—give it a try.

“I’m Jo Goong.”

Then Geom Mugeuk took out a paper and checked.

“Jo Goong, Jo Goong... Ah, here it is. Borrowed money from a friend in his hometown and didn’t pay it back. Instead, killed the friend and ran, lived as a wanderer, then trained under a martial vagabond. Later, joined the Black-Eyed Trio, murdered two brothers and fled again. Seems our Immortal here has a talent for stabbing close companions in the back.”

Jo Goong’s eyes turned icy. His opponent had come knowing exactly who he was.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

His gaze now brimmed with killing intent.

“Just checking if what’s written here is true. I trust the information, but I felt I should confirm at least one case in person, for my peace of mind.”

Then one of the Ten Immortals standing behind spoke.

“It’s wrong. He didn’t just kill the brothers—he wiped out their family to eliminate any loose ends.”

Jo Goong didn’t show a shred of shame. Everyone here was the same. In fact, the more wicked and despicable you were, the easier it was to survive.

Jo Goong drew his sword and advanced toward Geom Mugeuk.

“You ran your mouth. So that tongue—and that hundred thousand nyang—are mine.”

He launched an assassin’s strike. The sword thrust straight at Geom Mugeuk’s mouth, clearly aiming to slice off his tongue.

But Geom Mugeuk’s tongue wasn’t something Jo Goong’s sword could ever reach.

Dodging the incoming sword, Geom Mugeuk countered lightly.

With a single slash, Jo Goong’s heart was pierced, and he collapsed, dead on the spot.

The scent of blood burst through the air, and silence blanketed the hall.

The technique Geom Mugeuk had just shown was extremely ordinary. He didn’t use any special form to kill—he simply dodged the incoming attack and thrust his sword.

Because of that, the reactions were divided, depending on each person’s level of skill.

He died from *that* kind of attack?

He *killed* Jo Goong with *that* kind of ordinary move?

Of course, no one here was actually afraid. After all, the only one who died was the lowest-ranked, the Ninety-Ninth Immortal, and there were still ninety-nine others present.

Geom Mugeuk cupped his fist and spoke to Yeom Je.

“My apologies. As you saw, I had no other choice.”

Yeom Je replied in a calm voice.

“It’s fine. When men with swords gather, it’s only natural to see a bit of blood.”

“You are truly generous. If you’ll simply return the money you borrowed, I’ll leave right away.”

But Yeom Je wasn’t the type to hand over three million nyang just because one subordinate had died.

“I *intended* to repay it. But the main branch has fallen on hard times, so I’ve had to delay it. Go back and tell the Family Head—I’ll repay the money soon.”

Of course, he had no intention of doing so. He was going to kill this guy no matter what, and the Golden Dragon Family would have to settle this matter with money. They’d have to prepare to offer a much bigger sum than anything they’d given so far.

It would’ve been nice if Geom Mugeuk had just said, “As you wish,” and walked out.

Instead, Geom Mugeuk turned his head toward the piles of promissory notes.

“There’s plenty of money over there, isn’t there? Let’s see… If you’ve been collecting that kind of money every month, the treasury must be overflowing.”

At the mention of the treasury, a twitch passed over Yeom Je’s face.

“Why not just pay up?”

The words *rip him to pieces* surged up to Yeom Je’s throat, but he swallowed them down. His instincts warned him not to. Not yet. Even if he killed him, do it later. Doesn’t that guy seem strange no matter how you look at it?

Yeom Je smiled as he looked around at his subordinates.

“As you can see, I’ve got a lot of mouths to feed.”

The Immortals stared at Geom Mugeuk, wearing mocking and sly grins.

Geom Mugeuk, looking at them, offered a solution.

“That’s an easy fix.”

As he slowly drew his sword, he spoke.

“Let’s reduce the number of mouths.”