Absolute Regression

Chapter 484: Not a Single Friend Among the Killers

Geom Mugeuk silently stared at Myungshin.

Myungshin calmly met that gaze.

They both felt it at the same time. That from this meeting onward, not only their fates, but the fates of many others would be decided.

“Surprised?”

In response to Myungshin’s question, Geom Mugeuk answered with an expression that said it was only natural.

“Have you already forgotten? The last I saw of you, you were fleeing after showering me with poison needles.”

Then Myungshin replied with a smile.

“And have you forgotten? You were the one who pulled the handle.”

This time, Geom Mugeuk laughed.

“How about it? Shall we have a drink?”

He asked, not missing the pleasant atmosphere, but Geom Mugeuk did not immediately accept.

“In your investigation, what kind of person was I described as? That if a terrifying killer who once tried to kill me asked me out for drinks, I’d foolishly follow along?”

“It said exactly that. That’s why I came.”

Geom Mugeuk blinked, then let out a long sigh, feigning resignation.

“Annoying, but your investigation on me was spot on.”

Had there ever been anyone who would give this kind of response in a moment like this? Would there ever be again?

Myungshin was sure. This would be the first and last time. The only person who would accept this absurd meeting was the Young Cult Leader.

Geom Mugeuk now lowered his gaze and spoke subtly.

“But what if I kill you here and throw a wrench into the plan?”

Myungshin responded without the slightest hint of surprise.

“The report on you also said you’d say things like this.”

It was a joke. No way would such a thing actually be in the report.

Of course, the Underworld had investigated Geom Mugeuk thoroughly and knew much about the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Myungshin had memorized all of it, though much of it still felt unbelievable. After all, no Young Cult Leader of the cult like him had ever existed.

“Very well, let’s go.”

Geom Mugeuk accepted the offer without hesitation and stepped outside the gate.

Surprisingly, it was Myungshin who asked, startled.

“You’re really going? It could be a trap.”

“Of course it could.”

“Then why accept it?”

“Well, I can’t live the rest of my life locked inside, can I? And it’s not like you people can afford to wait forever for me to come out. Especially since time is money for you, isn’t it?” Ṝ𝘼NŏВΕᶊ

Geom Mugeuk took the first step, and Myungshin walked alongside him.

Hui, who was hiding, would now be following them in secret. Just as he said—he was someone who existed yet didn’t. The moment he revealed himself would be the moment where life and death for all would be decided.

The two walked toward the marketplace, keeping a few paces between them. Though they were apart, it was still close enough to launch a deadly surprise attack at any moment.

Myungshin imagined ambushing Geom Mugeuk.

Since he was a killer, it was only natural that he’d imagine such things when encountering a martial master. Would that person be able to block his ambush? If he launched a surprise attack, they’d respond like this—and then he’d follow up like that. He could more or less picture how it would go.

But strangely, he couldn’t form that kind of image with Geom Mugeuk. And this was despite having read so much information on him.

Then Geom Mugeuk suddenly asked.

“Why you?”

It was an abrupt question, cutting past all preambles, but its meaning was clear enough.

Myungshin recalled his conversation with the King of Killing.

—Why me?

—The Young Cult Leader said you resembled him.

Myungshin didn’t pass that message along.

“I suppose I must’ve been a thorn in the organization’s side.”

Geom Mugeuk corrected his self-mocking joke.

“Or maybe you were simply the most skilled.”

Myungshin didn’t deny it. After the King of Killing, no one in the Underworld could match his skill as a killer.

“I thought others would be behind the Dark Trade business. I didn’t expect it to be your group.”

Myungshin knew the reason. The organization had entrusted money management to the Underworld because the King of Killing had absolutely no interest in wealth.

What had they promised him?

For Myungshin, moving the empty heart of the King of Killing felt like the hardest thing in the world.

“By the way, that day—I noticed your weapon crafting skill was master-level.”

“Just a hobby.”

“Bit of a waste of talent for something used to kill.”

Had it been a thoughtless comment, he might have gotten angry. But the Young Cult Leader had genuinely admired what he’d made.

“If Master Gwak of our sect’s Iron Workshop had seen it, he would’ve begged to have you kidnapped and brought to him.”

“He might’ve just asked to have me killed out of jealousy.”

To Myungshin’s prideful remark, Geom Mugeuk responded with a laugh.

“Not quite that much.”

And hearing that, Myungshin could tell that Geom Mugeuk’s compliment wasn’t made just to flatter him—it was sincere.

“Next time, sell me a few spare daggers if you’ve got them. I just ran out.”

“You planning to kill me with them?”

“You don’t look weak enough to be killed with a dagger I’m not used to handling.”

Even while having this kind of conversation with the Young Cult Leader, Myungshin didn’t feel uncomfortable. There was no doubt—he had a talent for making conversations flow easily. Even uncomfortable topics didn’t feel so uncomfortable when he was the one bringing them up.

Like that, the two continued chatting idly about this and that until they arrived at the marketplace.

The trap wasn’t set in that marketplace. It was located at a rest area between this village and the next.

“Where shall we drink?”

Myungshin left the choice of tavern up to Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk looked over several taverns in the area before selecting one.

“Let’s go there.”

The place he chose was the shabbiest of the lot. Myungshin followed him without protest.

The interior of the tavern resembled the one being prepared by the King of Killing.

‘This Young Cult Leader really does like taverns with this kind of atmosphere.’

Myungshin asked Geom Mugeuk,

“I heard the Three-way summit was held in a place like this, too.”

“Has a certain charm, don’t you think?”

Geom Mugeuk glanced toward the tavern owner.

“The food and liquor here should be good too.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I can tell just by looking at the owner’s face. It’s a gift I was born with.”

But moments later, Geom Mugeuk set down his chopsticks with a miserable expression.

The side dish that came out tasted awful. The liquor wasn’t much better.

Geom Mugeuk muttered with a crestfallen face,

“Seems like the owner changed his face. Might even be a former killer who quit and started running a tavern.”

Myungshin gave a faint smile at the joke.

But beneath that smile was a bitter undertone. The phrase “former killer” weighed heavily.

He had followed his own principles in every kill until now.

He didn’t kill children. He didn’t kill those without martial arts. He didn’t kill those who weren’t evil.

But at some point, the King of Killing had started to challenge those principles.

Especially the last one.

—Who gets to decide what’s good and evil? If you live by such a principle as a killer, does that make you a good person?

Myungshin had been unable to answer that question with a “yes.”

—I can accept not killing children. Not killing those who aren’t martial artists, that too. But I can’t accept this part about not killing people just because they aren’t evil.

What he meant was clear: when the organization gave an order, just kill without complaint.

—This is for your own sake too. What if, because of that useless principle, you hesitate someday and make a mistake? Are you going to wash your hands of killing over guilt? Or take your own life? Life’s already hard enough. Why make it harder on yourself?

The pressure in the King of Killing’s persuasion kept increasing.

Myungshin could feel it. The moment was approaching when he’d have to say it to the King of Killing.

That he would abandon his principle.

Or that he would not.

At the end of all that agonizing thought, there was always one lingering doubt waiting for him.

‘What if I’m not actually the second strongest in the Underworld?’

Would he still be alive now? Would he have survived on that icy cliff in the King of Killing’s heart? Had he lived because they were friends? Or had he survived simply because his skill was too valuable to discard?

Now that the time to make a decision about his principles was drawing near, his heart was entangled in many ways.

What Myungshin had said to Geom Mugeuk earlier hadn’t been empty words. That line about being a thorn in the side—it might truly be that someone wanted to remove that thorn using the hands of a formidable opponent like Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk looked at Myungshin, who was silently staring into his liquor cup, then turned his gaze toward the window.

The two of them fell into their own thoughts for a moment.

It was Geom Mugeuk who eventually broke the silence.

“I’m curious about something. May I ask?”

“Ask anything you like.”

“Why didn’t you run? You must know several of your comrades have died by my hand.”

And those comrades weren’t just any masters. They were the absolute elites who would later become the Twelve Zodiac Kings.

As the King of Killing’s right hand, he must have had at least some idea.

And judging from his expression, he did know. That they belonged to something greater.

Myungshin answered calmly.

“We’re the kind of people needed for situations like this. Killing is what we specialize in.”

As Geom Mugeuk nodded silently, Myungshin added casually,

“You people are just as much experts in killing as we are, aren’t you? No—that’s not right. You’re even worse than us. We never move without pay, but you people—don’t you just kill freely, regardless of money?”

That was the current perception of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult in the eyes of the martial world.

“Kill freely? That’s old news. Our cult’s changed a lot in recent times. I’m sure it was all laid out clearly in that report of yours.”

Of course, Myungshin knew. And he also knew that at the forefront of that change was this Young Cult Leader.

“Alright then. Since we’re on the subject, let me ask something too.”

Geom Mugeuk threw an unexpected question.

“Do you enjoy being a killer?”

It seemed like a thoughtless question, but there was intent behind it.

“Who would do it for fun? I just do it because it’s work. Why do you ask?”

Myungshin thought he’d learned everything there was to know about Geom Mugeuk, but in truth, Geom Mugeuk also knew things about Myungshin. Though Myungshin had more detailed information, Geom Mugeuk knew the one thing that mattered most.

His end. Why he had been loyal to the King of Killing, and why he ultimately died at his hands.

“You don’t seem like you fit the role of a killer.”

“I don’t trust that gut feeling of yours.”

Myungshin’s eyes shifted to the tavern owner sitting at the counter as he added,

“Hasn’t it already been proven how poor your judgment of people is?”

Geom Mugeuk laughed heartily. It was a genuine, unpretentious laugh, and Myungshin laughed along. At that moment, a thought crossed his mind. Between the two of them—who was more off guard right now?

Geom Mugeuk asked Myungshin,

“The liquor’s no good anyway. Let’s change places. Know any other taverns?”

Myungshin slowly shook his head.

“No.”

He wanted to say, “Actually, I know a regular place a bit farther from here.”

But he didn’t. He figured Geom Mugeuk had asked that question just to test him.

That place—he needed to guide him there naturally. In a moment when his guard was down. A moment so casual it would make one say, “Surely not this guy?”

Instead, Myungshin was the one who stood up first.

“That’s enough for today. Let’s drink again next time.”

“Already? Let’s go a bit longer!”

“I’m busy. Got people lined up waiting to be killed.”

Just before leaving, Myungshin asked,

“Why did you take the risk to come drink with me?”

What came out of Geom Mugeuk’s mouth was completely unexpected.

“It’s probably in your reports, but I enjoy making friends. It’s just—I’ve never had a single killer friend.”

“!”

Myungshin showed an expression of surprise and disbelief.

Geom Mugeuk told him,

“That’s how it starts—with that look on their face.”

When Myungshin returned to the King of Killing’s tavern, the area had already been completely prepared.

The killers had taken up roles as owners and clerks of various establishments. As top-tier killers, some had become textile shop owners, others were running tea houses, and some posed as customers. Even to another killer’s eye, nothing felt out of place.

There were even regular travelers among them. In fact, their presence was the most important. They were the best possible shield to conceal the killers.

“If he comes here, the Young Cult Leader will surely die.”

Myungshin arrived at the King of Killing’s tavern. As before, travelers passing through the area were eating and drinking there.

The King of Killing, who had been sharing a table and chatting with them, welcomed Myungshin.

“Welcome!”

Myungshin took a seat in the corner and ordered a light meal and some liquor.

After delivering the order, the King of Killing went back to chatting with the guests. He looked exactly like one of those overly talkative innkeepers you might run into while traveling across the Central Plains. Who would ever think that man was the master of the Underworld?

Once the travelers had left, the King of Killing finally came over to Myungshin.

“Did you meet the Young Cult Leader?”

“Yes, I did.”

“What did you think?”

“You said he resembled me?”

Of course, it hadn’t been meant in a good way. A demonic cultist, a killer—and yet trying to walk a different path. That was the similarity.

“Then you’ve overestimated me.”

He meant that Geom Mugeuk was no ordinary person.

“In what way?”

“It’s… strange. Hard to explain in words.”

The King of Killing poured himself a drink from the bottle on Myungshin’s table and took a sip.

It was just as he’d expected. He already knew—Geom Mugeuk wasn’t just some ordinary bastard.

“You said you wouldn’t kill anyone who wasn’t evil, right? Then tell me—is he evil? Or good?”

Myungshin couldn’t answer.

By conventional thinking, the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would obviously fall into the category of evil. But the man he had spoken with today—was he truly evil?

Through Geom Mugeuk, the King of Killing was trying to persuade Myungshin.

“This is why. Because it’s a question without an answer. Let go of that principle of yours—chalk it up to youthful pride.”

Myungshin said nothing. The discomfort on his face made it clear—he still couldn’t accept that.

“Will you be able to carry this out?”

“I will.”

He had even been told that, had they not been friends, he’d have died several times already. The kill was already in motion. There was no stopping now.

“This act of killing will make its mark on the history of the martial world.”

To that, Myungshin gave no reply.

“If you can’t just bring him in, use the Golden Dragon Family. Either way, once this is over, they’ll have to be dealt with and disappear. Even if we don’t kill them, they’ll be wiped out. The moment the Young Cult Leader dies, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult will sweep up every last person connected to it—leave not a single blade of grass behind.”

Myungshin rose from his seat and gave a polite bow.

“I’ll take my leave.”

As he left, the King of Killing spoke again. What he said was the patience of a killer that Hui had once spoken of—and the resolve of a man who stood at the peak of that patience.

“If you don’t bring back the Young Cult Leader, I’ll spend the rest of my life living as the owner of this tavern.”