Absolute Regression

Chapter 477: Even in Cooking, You Should Know the Ingredients

My confidence wasn’t directed at my enemies.

This was something I wanted to say to my father.

That I trusted him this much.

I didn’t know how much strength that would give his heart.

Because he’d probably never heard something like this from his child before.

Would there be another chance in this life to hear it?

"I trust you, Father. So I’ll take care of things comfortably, in my own way."

That was the core of this operation in Shaanxi.

But that was just how I saw it—my father saw it differently.

"Go and take care of the cleanup."

"Understood."

Hui’s face brightened at the command.

“Cleanup” meant erasing every trace left in the Hundred Immortals Gang.

The order was to make it seem like they had vacated and disappeared.

Hui’s mission, in the end, was to ensure Father’s safe return to the Divine Cult. Quietly, without drawing attention—just the way he would want it. That was probably why he had hoped to be the one to make the request himself.

I wanted to make a joke.

‘Come on, why are you being so cautious when you’re someone who wants to fight the entire martial world?’

My lips itched to say it, but I held back. It was better not to bring up anything related to the Unification of the Martial World.

Instead, I spoke to Father about the current matter.

"This result will draw out the one behind it. They’ll move soon. No way they’d give up the funding line that is the Golden Dragon Family."

They might come after me or Father, or do something unpredictable. There was no way to know how they’d act.

"Proceed with caution."

"Yes!"

He’s the one who possesses the strongest power in this martial world.

"By any chance... is all this caution because of me? Because you’re worried about your son?"

And then I saw it.

That smirk forming at the corner of Father’s lips.

Since we’d left the Cult together, things had been good between us. Maybe that’s why I hadn’t seen that smirk in a while. So I had forgotten—how happy it made me to see it. ṛáŊÓ𝔟ĘS̈

"That’s too much! Can’t you at least worry a little about your son?"

Without saying a word, Father walked to the window and looked out at the sky.

I looked at his back, and at the cloudless blue sky spread above him.

It wasn’t anything special to see, but the loneliness of the two looked alike.

‘I know very well you’re doing this for me.’

Father wasn’t the type to do cleanup out of concern for anyone else. If that were the situation, he wouldn’t have even drawn his sword in the first place.

So I’ll be careful. Don’t worry.

*         *         *

Geum Cheonbang silently looked down at the promissory note for one million five hundred thousand nyang. This wasn’t just money. It was a signal that everyone’s fate was beginning to change.

"Did he really receive this money from the Hundred Immortals Gang?"

Startled by her father’s question, Geum Arin calmly asked back.

"Why are you so surprised? You entrusted it to me because you expected I’d succeed, didn’t you?"

She felt sorry for speaking to her father like this. Because she herself had been far more shocked.

"What about the Hundred Immortals Gang?"

To that look of disbelief came an even more shocking answer.

"He said it’s disappeared from this world."

Geum Cheonbang couldn’t believe it. He had handed over the task with a sliver of hope that he might actually pull it off, just as he said. The potential gain from success was far too great to ignore.

But did he really annihilate them and bring back the money?

"That can’t be."

There had to be some trick involved.

"What about him? Why didn’t he come?"

He wanted to see that man and ask him directly.

"He’s under my command. This job was entirely mine. If you have questions, ask me."

Geum Arin had come alone on purpose. Because from this point on, the fight with her father over succession was beginning.

"Did you verify the situation with the Hundred Immortals Gang?"

For a moment, Geum Arin flinched.

"You didn’t, did you?"

"I trust my subordinate."

But that wasn’t the real reason. She hadn’t even thought of verifying it.

Was it because she trusted Geom Mugeuk?

No. This wasn’t about trust.

She had been so shaken by the result, so caught up in the fact that someone named Geom Mugeuk had pulled it off, that she completely forgot to send someone to confirm what happened to the Hundred Immortals Gang.

Because he said they were gone from the world, she had carelessly assumed they had all been killed. But what if that was a lie? What if this whole thing had been orchestrated in collusion with the Hundred Immortals Gang and Geom Yeon?

It was unlikely, but the fact remained: not verifying it had been a clear mistake.

‘I can’t allow this to happen again.’

The reason she reflected so thoroughly was because she realized she had been bewitched by this man named Geom Mugeuk. On her entire way to meet her father, he had been the only one on her mind.

"I have something else to report."

Geum Arin told her father about the task Geom Mugeuk had entrusted to her: that he had recovered money from the trading companies that had been extorted by the Hundred Immortals Gang and had taken half as payment. She had already visited every trading company yesterday and today to return the remaining funds.

Geum Cheonbang wasn’t surprised in the least. His reaction told her he had known about it beforehand. Naturally, some of the trading company heads who asked for help recovering the money must have contacted him separately for confirmation.

"Why didn’t you tell me earlier?"

"I planned to tell you once the results were in. Even if a problem came up later, I was ready to take the fall."

Though she said it with a serious tone, the truth was she hadn’t said anything because she was afraid he’d stop her. If she succeeded, she would be the one to gain the most from this situation. She had wanted to show her achievements after they were complete.

So after returning the money to each of the trading companies, she came to her father last.

When she entered this place, she had walked in like a victorious general.

She hadn’t expected to be questioned like this—even if not a "Well done, my daughter," at the very least, some recognition.

"Because of this, many trading companies and sects that suffered under the Hundred Immortals Gang will hold deep goodwill toward the main family. If you take advantage of that, you’ll see immense profit. It wasn’t a waste of money, was it?"

Yet her father’s reaction remained cold.

"Did I make a mistake?"

She thought he was angry because she hadn’t told him beforehand, but that wasn’t it.

"Do you want to be the successor?"

Geum Cheonbang had already seen right through why she hadn’t told him in advance.

She answered honestly.

"Yes, I do."

Then, like a bolt from the blue, her father said something unimaginable.

"Give up on being the successor."

"!"

She had never imagined he would say such a thing directly.

"Why?"

Geum Cheonbang gave no explanation.

"Leave now."

"Father!"

Geum Cheonbang looked at his daughter coldly. Normally, when he got angry like this, it was frightening—so she’d usually retreat quietly. But not today.

"Are you angry because I didn’t tell you in advance? Or because I desire the position of successor?"

Geum Cheonbang said nothing.

"Did you never consider me the successor to begin with?"

Her voice rose, but Geum Cheonbang stayed silent.

To her, that silence sounded like confirmation. And with that came a wave of resentment.

‘Because I’m a daughter? Because I’m not capable enough? Because you like my brother more?’

That resentment clouded her reason.

"I will become the successor. No matter what."

Like a declaration of war, she said it and left the room.

The gaze in Geum Cheonbang’s eyes, still standing with his back turned, grew deeper. If she had seen it, she would’ve thought, ‘So there really is a reason for all this.’

Coming out of her father’s quarters, Geum Arin stood in the middle of the courtyard, trying hard to pull herself together. The hurt and anger were overwhelming.

At that moment, one person came to mind. She didn’t know why she thought of him at a time like this, but her feet naturally began heading toward his quarters.

When Geum Arin arrived, Geom Mugeuk was in his room.

"Do you have a moment?"

"Of course. If the leader calls, I’ll make time even when I don’t have any."

Geom Mugeuk’s martial clothes were soaked with sweat.

"Please wait a moment. I’ll wash and change."

Geum Arin was inwardly puzzled.

‘What could he have been doing in there to be sweating that much?’

Then she suddenly flinched.

‘No way…?’

Standing in the yard, she couldn’t suppress her curiosity and stepped inside the building.

Without making a sound, she walked down the corridor and arrived at Geom Mugeuk’s room. She peeked inside through the gap in the window. The room was empty. The neatly arranged bedding on the unused bed gave her an odd sense of relief.

Just as she was about to turn away, she flinched in shock.

Someone was standing behind her—without her realizing when he’d gotten there.

It was Geom Woojin.

She was so startled by the sight of him staring directly at her that she almost screamed.

"Ah, I wasn’t spying or anything. I came to see Geom Yeon. He, uh, went to wash up just now. No, that’s not what I mean…"

Flustered, she began to ramble incoherently.

"Go inside and wait."

"No, I can wait outside. Then I’ll see you next time."

She bowed her head and hurried away as if fleeing.

Out in the courtyard, she let out a long sigh. She didn’t know why it was so hard to face Geom Woojin. And she’d been caught peeking into the room too.

A short while later, Geom Mugeuk returned.

The clean martial clothes he now wore overlapped in her mind with the bloodstained outfit he’d worn the day he came back.

‘Which one is your real face?’

She didn’t really know who he was, and that confusion, that agitation, that frustration made her come looking for him.

"You were sweating a lot."

"I was doing martial arts training."

"In your room?"

"Training in confined spaces is actually harder and drains more inner strength. You should try it sometime, Lady."

Of course, that wasn’t the full truth. He had just finished using the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique, and then even the Heavenly Time Secret Art, for his training.

He didn’t waste even spare moments. Because for Geom Mugeuk, there was no such thing as spare time.

"You look gloomy. Did something happen?"

She was grateful that Geom Mugeuk could read her mood so precisely. Thanks to him, she didn’t have to wrestle with how to start—she could just speak the reason she had come.

"It was all for nothing. My father doesn’t intend to make me the successor."

To that, Geom Mugeuk showed no particular reaction.

"Why aren’t you surprised? Don’t tell me—you also thought I wouldn’t become the successor?"

She snapped, then quickly regretted it. She realized she was lashing out from her own sense of inadequacy. In contrast, Geom Mugeuk remained calm.

"If it were going to be easy, would you have paid such an enormous sum to hire me?"

Hearing that, Geum Arin’s heart settled. He was right. It was never going to be easy. She had been thinking as if she were already the successor.

"You really sound like someone who’s been through a brutal succession war—though you haven’t."

Geom Mugeuk laughed. If she knew what the fight with his brother had been like, she would realize that her struggle didn’t even come close to qualifying as an official duel.

"Could you at least tell me why I can’t be the successor?"

Geum Arin shook her head.

He had entrusted her with a secret organization—that clearly showed he had some trust in her. And yet, she couldn’t be the successor?

Geom Mugeuk wondered if the reason might have something to do with the ones behind all this.

He had realized it after meeting Geum Arin. She didn’t know where the money she had earned was being siphoned off to. The second son, Geum Ajong, also seemed entirely consumed by the succession struggle.

That meant the ones behind it were likely around the head of the Golden Dragon Family or the first son, Geum Ahyuk.

‘Where are you hiding?’

Just then, a new visitor arrived.

It was the second son, Geum Ajong.

"What brings you here, brother?"

When he came looking for Geom Mugeuk, Geum Arin immediately grew wary.

"There are some things men agree on without telling their little sisters."

Geum Ajong looked at Geom Mugeuk as he spoke.

"You haven’t forgotten our agreement to share a drink, have you?"

All he could think about was introducing this swindler to his older brother by any means necessary. If he could ruin both his younger sister and older brother using this man, he would carry him on his back and parade him around Shaanxi.

But before pushing ahead with that plan, there was one lingering doubt he had to resolve. He had come today determined to get an answer.

"How about tonight? Let’s have that drink."

"Sounds good. Let’s go."

Geom Mugeuk accepted the invitation without hesitation.

"I’m going too."

She didn’t want to leave Geom Mugeuk alone with her brother. She had no idea what kind of scheme Geum Ajong might try to pull.

But Geum Ajong shut her out.

"This was a prearranged meeting."

She looked to Geom Mugeuk for help with her eyes, but he pretended not to notice. It would be easier to deal with Geum Ajong one-on-one anyway.

*         *         *

And so began a drinking session between just the two of them.

Since both men had clear objectives, the atmosphere at the table was unusually smooth.

Geom Mugeuk was well aware that Geum Ajong thought of him as a swindler.

Back when Geum Ajong’s subordinate, Lee Chui, came to inspect the carriage and got caught by him, Geom Mugeuk turned the situation around. He used it to make Geum Ajong believe he was indeed a conman.

At that time, Lee Chui had reported to Geum Ajong: that he overheard a conversation about hitting the family big and making a fortune.

That’s why Geum Ajong now fully believed him to be a fraud.

Conversely, Lee Chui had secretly conveyed Geum Ajong’s intentions to Geom Mugeuk.

―He plans to introduce you to the Great Young Master and ruin him.

Geum Ajong raised his cup high and said,

"If you hold any old grudges against me, let them go."

At Geum Ajong’s remark, Geom Mugeuk replied as if it didn’t bother him in the slightest.

"If there are old grudges, let’s build new sentiments on top and bury them."

"What fine words!"

"Now, let’s drink!"

And so, the two of them drank with great cheer.

Geom Mugeuk flaunted his drinking ability, downing cup after cup. He knew the other man was trying to get him drunk to dig something out of him, so he played along.

After drinking for a while, when Geom Mugeuk began slurring his speech as if intoxicated, Geum Ajong casually asked,

"What did you do with the Money Bugs back then?"

This was the question he had to resolve.

There had to be a reason why those vicious types suddenly turned docile and cleaned up so obediently.

He couldn’t get answers from the Money Bugs directly. Their pride had taken a massive blow, and if he even brought up the topic, they might pull a blade. Unless his father asked, there was no chance they’d speak honestly to him.

Were these swindlers really that capable, or had they used some other trick?

Geum Ajong was determined to find out. Even if you’re cooking, you should at least know what ingredients you’re using.

"Are you curious about that?"

"Of course I am. It’s all in the past now—surely you can tell me?"

With his face flushed from drink, Geom Mugeuk raised a fist.

"This is it. What other reason could there be?"

If that was true, then there was one concern.

What if he didn’t leave after hitting it big with his brother? What if he tried to devour the whole family? If these swindlers were truly that skilled?

And just then, Lee Chui’s sound transmission reached him. He had gone to search Geom Mugeuk’s quarters while the man was away.

—I found empty medicine bottles in his quarters. I checked the residue, and it’s something I recognize.

—What kind of medicine?

—Have you ever heard of Black Rain?

Geum Ajong had heard of it. The Unorthodox Alliance had concocted a terrifying Energy Dispersing Poison with that very name—Black Rain.

That was it. Their internal energy had been wiped out, which was why the Money Bugs hadn’t been able to resist.

Now the secret was revealed!

Everything was falling into place. As if fate itself was backing his bid to be successor, Geom Mugeuk casually tossed him a question.

"What kind of person is the Great Young Master?"

Feeling free and ready to move forward with the next phase of his plan, Geum Ajong grinned from ear to ear.

‘You adorable little swindler!’