Absolute Regression

Chapter 496: You Won’t Believe It, But I Stopped by on The Way

Hui turned the carriage around.

The carriage that had been leaving Chongqing now headed back toward the center of the city.

“I’ll go to the safe house first.”

On the way there, Father didn’t say a single word.

Geom Mugeuk also remained silent. It wasn’t a situation for jokes or light talk. He could clearly feel Father’s anger.

Father was never one to express emotions toward enemies. It had been the same even when facing the assassins this time. He disliked assassins, but he hadn’t shown any particular emotion during the confrontation with the King of Killing.

However, this time was different. If it had only been news of someone impersonating the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Father would have likely suggested returning straight to the main sect.

But the problem was the phrase that had been left behind.

The Demonic Path Shall Rule the World.

Those were words that should never be spoken lightly. On top of that, Father was already deep in thought about the contrast between his own demonic path and his son’s.

The carriage arrived at one of the most special safe houses in Chongqing. A place so secure that one had to pass through hidden paths and formations—it was the exclusive safe house for the Cult Leader.

After arriving, Geom Woojin went straight into his quarters.

Geom Mugeuk helped Hui unload the luggage from the carriage.

“Please go inside. I’ll take care of this.”

“No, I should carry my own things.”

Together with Hui, Geom Mugeuk moved his own belongings and the items he had brought from the treasury into his room.

He folded and stored them carefully, and continued wearing the Black Dragon Soaring Armor and the Twin Wolves he had worn earlier.

Having gone against his father’s instruction to choose something for himself and instead packing several sets to give to others, he felt guilty. So he intended to wear them until they returned to the main sect.

After unpacking, Geom Mugeuk went straight to his father’s room.

In the meantime, a new report from the Heavenly Communication Pavilion had arrived. I read it—Father had already reviewed it.

“The Martial Alliance is considering the Celestial Silk Snare centered on Chongqing.”

Deploying the Celestial Silk Snare was no simple task. It required mobilizing countless martial artists and incurred a massive expense.

Moreover, it would provoke the other two forces. Moving so many troops and masters was no small matter. Yet they were already hurrying to consider deploying it. ŕ𝘈ꞐỗʙĘṥ

“That must mean they see this incident as that important.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Geom Woojin nodded.

“What do you think of this situation?”

At his father’s question, Geom Mugeuk shared the thoughts he had while riding in the carriage.

“As you know, there have always been those who slander and impersonate the main sect. But this time, something feels off.”

“What is it?”

Geom Mugeuk tilted his head slightly and answered like he was speaking to himself.

"Why, of all places, would it be Famed Name Manor?"

Was Father thinking the same thing? Or had I pointed out something he hadn’t considered? A subtle gleam flickered in his eyes.

"I don’t know much about Famed Name Manor, but I do know that the orthodox martial artists of Chongqing respected the Master of Famed Name Manor."

Though Famed Name Manor was only the size of a mid-level faction, its master’s reputation was disproportionately high. That was because he had always prioritized righteous deeds over expanding his own power.

"So, making a move against the Master of Famed Name Manor in Chongqing is essentially an attack on the entire orthodox faction."

That was why the Celestial Silk Snare was already being discussed. The Martial Alliance had no choice but to capture the culprit behind this incident—and they fully intended to.

Even amid the urgency gripping the Martial Alliance, Father remained calm.

He was someone who had led the main sect alongside Strategist Sima for a long time. More than anyone, he knew that acting rashly out of anger would only play into the enemy’s hands.

Father summoned Hui and issued an order.

"Alert all branches and sub-divisions in Chongqing, and command the Heavenly Communication Pavilion to focus its entire intelligence network on this matter."

"Yes, understood."

Father’s fury was icy cold.

And Geom Mugeuk knew. That icy coldness contained a molten core.

Anyone who endured that cold and thought it had melted would end up witnessing his true rage.

That evening, Father, Hui, and I were having dinner at the largest tavern in the marketplace.

Taverns had always been the source of all worldly rumors. Sometimes, they provided more useful information than the intelligence sold at a steep price by informants.

After we settled in, ordered some simple dishes and liquor, as expected, every conversation around us revolved around Famed Name Manor.

Most began by reminiscing about the righteous deeds the Master of Famed Name Manor had performed in his lifetime and ended with curses directed at the damn Demonic Cult.

Amid these casual tavern talks, Geom Mugeuk noticed one thing.

"These rumors are spreading too quickly."

Of course, given the Master of Famed Name Manor’s reputation in Chongqing, it was only natural that the incident became the talk of the town—but this was the real issue.

"The Martial Alliance would have tried to keep the letters left on the wall strictly confidential during the investigation."

Since the matter involved the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, it would’ve been handled with great caution.

"But for rumors to have spread this much already means someone is intentionally spreading them. It’s deliberate and coordinated."

At that moment, Hui cautiously asked a question. He normally never inserted himself into the conversations between us, but as the head escort, he had to verify this part.

"Could they possibly be targeting the Cult Leader?"

I looked at Father, who silently tilted his liquor cup, before answering. Though he sat comfortably, there wasn’t a single opening in his posture.

The fact that I couldn’t find a flaw even with my martial skill meant there simply was none to begin with, didn’t it?

At last, I turned to Hui and responded.

“If they were that reckless, they’d actually be easier to deal with.”

What I meant was—this incident was something far more deliberate and calculated.

“I have a feeling this won’t end with just this one time.”

And that feeling became reality much faster than I had expected.

A man walked into the tavern and raised his voice to everyone.

“This time, the Great Justice Warrior got attacked by those demonic cult bastards!”

The tavern erupted into chaos, the place instantly filled with noisy commotion. The Great Justice Warrior was one of the sects that symbolized the orthodox faction here in Chongqing.

When someone yelled that the Demonic Cult must be wiped out, the crowd of martial artists responded in a furious chorus.

Their intention was obvious. They were trying to stir conflict between the main sect and the orthodox factions.

I cautiously said to Father,

“Shouldn’t we notify the Martial Alliance?”

What I meant was—shouldn’t Father personally inform the Alliance Leader that we weren’t behind this?

At that, Father emptied his cup and stood up from his seat.

“Before that, we need to confirm it first.”

*         *         *

Jin Hagun entered the grounds of the Great Justice Warrior, his expression grim.

Martial artists from the Martial Alliance had thoroughly sealed off the area, but the stench of blood leaking from within could not be stopped. Orthodox martial artists of Chongqing were already gathering, having caught wind of the news.

The rumors were spreading far too fast. That showed just how tense the martial artists of Chongqing already were.

Jin Hagun stepped into the building and came to a halt.

A deep sigh slipped out of him before he realized it.

The scene before him was utter carnage.

The martial artists of the Great Justice Warrior had been savagely butchered—slashed and torn apart until nothing remained of them but ruined corpses.

At Famed Name Manor earlier, no bodies had been discovered. So there had still been a sliver of hope that someone might have survived. But the moment he saw those corpses, even that hope vanished.

Jin Hagun carefully walked between the bodies and stepped into the lord’s office.

The Great Justice Warrior’s lord had died leaning against the wall. His chest had been split wide open—his death was too gruesome to look at directly.

And across the corpse, written in blood, were large characters.

The Demonic Path Shall Rule the World.

The same words left behind at Famed Name Manor.

As Jin Hagun silently glared at the words, the Chongqing Branch Leader, Joo Gweol, stepped inside.

“They didn’t leave a single person alive. Not even the cleaning women or the kitchen hands who cooked the meals.”

Jin Hagun clenched his fist tightly, grinding his teeth.

No matter how much they lived by killing and being killed, there was still a line that shouldn’t be crossed. Even if you bore a grudge against someone, you should only kill your enemy. What had happened here today had gone far beyond that line.

‘I’ll never forgive this.’

This was the very reason they existed—to prevent tragedies like this and to punish those who committed them.

Joo Gweol, standing beside him, seemed like he wanted to say, “Even now, don’t you think this was the work of the demonic ones?”—but he held back.

“Master Seong is on his way now.”

Master Seong was the Martial Alliance’s demonic arts researcher, a man who had studied demonic arts all his life.

He was more versed in demonic arts than anyone. By examining bloodstains at the site, traces of battle, and wounds left on the corpses, he could identify which demonic technique had been used to kill.

Joo Gweol had made up his mind to wait until Master Seong arrived and delivered his findings. Even after seeing those blood-written words on the wall, this Demon-Slaying Brigade Leader refused to believe it was the work of the demonic ones.

‘Even he wouldn’t be able to doubt Master Seong’s findings.’

Had he sensed Joo Gweol’s thoughts?

“If it were a few years ago, I’d have believed this was the work of the demonic ones too, just like you.”

“What changed since then?”

Jin Hagun, still staring at the blood-written words, turned to Joo Gweol and answered.

“I changed.”

Joo Gweol understood what he meant. It wasn’t something he would have normally said, but with two orthodox sects in Chongqing having already been struck in succession, he finally voiced the words he had been holding back.

“I’ve heard of your connection with the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.”

Lately, there was no one more talked about than the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

Even among the high ranks of the Martial Alliance, rumors had begun to spread—concerns about the closeness between Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun.

“We must not trust the demonic ones.”

After a pause, Jin Hagun responded.

“I don’t trust them either.”

Two thoughts rose in Jin Hagun’s mind at the same time.

‘But as long as he is the Young Cult Leader, I cannot believe the Demonic Cult would commit something like this.’

Then came the second thought.

‘But what if this really was the Demonic Cult’s doing? What if everything he’s done was just a facade to cover for atrocities like this?’

Considering his relationship with Geom Mugeuk until now, that second thought was one he should never have allowed. And he knew it. He knew full well how much he’d regret it later and how sorry I’d feel toward Geom Mugeuk.

But faced with the lord of the Great Justice Warrior’s mutilated corpse and the blood-drawn phrase The Demonic Path Shall Rule the World, that doubt crept in before he could stop it.

And then—

“That’s disappointing. I trust you, though.”

At the voice from behind us, both Jin Hagun and Joo Gweol turned around in shock.

Standing at the entrance, who knows when he had entered, was Geom Mugeuk.

Jin Hagun was so shocked that he couldn’t say a single word. He froze on the spot. He had never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams, that he would see Geom Mugeuk here today. And the fact that he had just been thinking about him made it all the more startling.

Joo Gweol drew his sword and shouted,

“An intruder!”

There were dozens of subordinates stationed outside, and yet someone had slipped all the way in here unnoticed. And not just branch martial artists—there were also martial artists from the Demon-Slaying Brigade led by Jin Hagun.

‘How did he get in here?’

At Joo Gweol’s shout, the martial artists rushed in. They, too, were shocked and flustered to see that Geom Mugeuk had entered without being detected.

At that moment, Jin Hagun addressed everyone.

“He’s someone I know. Put your swords away. All of you, stand down.”

Jin Hagun dismissed all the martial artists.

Joo Gweol, as he sheathed his sword, recalled a certain person.

‘It can’t be…?’

Just as he suspected.

“Long time no see, my friend.”

These days, there was only one person who could call Jin Hagun “friend.”

‘He’s the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult!’

Joo Gweol’s heart trembled. This was his first time seeing the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

But Jin Hagun wasn’t in the mood for casual greetings.

“What brings you here?”

To his question, I let out a soft sigh and answered,

“You won’t believe it, but I stopped by on the way.”

I really had just been passing through Chongqing when this happened.

Joo Gweol’s expression twisted. Damn it! Stopped by on the way?

Now that the Young Cult Leader had appeared at the scene, he became even more convinced that this incident was the work of the Demonic Cult.

On the other hand, Jin Hagun finally felt the reality of meeting Geom Mugeuk. This was exactly like him—saying something completely offbeat. And yet, every one of his strange words was always genuine and sincere.

Honestly, he was glad to see him. But he couldn’t let that show in a situation like this. His heart was filled with fury toward the ones who had caused this and grief for those who had died.

Considering the circumstances, I didn’t make another joke. I explained honestly that I had just been passing through.

“You’ll know if you check. I received help from your Shaanxi Branch. I was on my way back to the main sect after wrapping up business there.”

Fortunately, I had received help from the Shaanxi Branch while dealing with the King of Killing. If they investigated the route and timeline of my movements, it would give a reasonable explanation for why I was here.

I slowly walked toward the two men.

Joo Gweol kept his guard up, quietly drawing on his inner energy so he could strike at any moment.

‘I really can’t feel even a trace of demonic energy.’

He was astonished that someone of the demonic path could suppress their demonic energy so thoroughly. Not just the demonic energy—even his presence felt like that of someone with no martial skill at all.

It truly felt like the complete manifestation of Complete Reversal of Energy and Spirit.

I stood before Jin Hagun. Our gazes met in the air, tangled in silence.

“If I’m this angry... I can’t even begin to imagine how furious you must be.”

At my attempt to offer some comfort, Jin Hagun revealed his resolve.

“I will never forgive the one responsible for this.”

Even if, by any chance, that person turns out to be you.

“That’s how it should be. I intend to do the same.”

My gaze turned to the phrase written on the wall.

“Whoever left those words... knows absolutely nothing about my father’s demonic path—or mine.”

Jin Hagun had been half-convinced that the Demonic Cult wasn’t behind this precisely because of those written words.

The Heavenly Demon he saw during the Three-way Summit, and the Geom Mugeuk he knew—neither of us were the kind of people to leave such words after killing others.

‘Yes, this man didn’t do it. He’s not someone who would.’

Right then, from near the entrance, a subordinate’s voice rang out.

“Master Seong has arrived!”

I turned to see an elderly man with snow-white hair stepping into the room.