Absolute Regression

Chapter 624: If You're Going to Give a Gift, Give Three

“Understood. I will gratefully accept the secret manual.”

The Evil Smiling Demon respectfully received the secret manual.

Even though it was a manual he had desperately longed for, if it hadn’t been Geom Mugeuk who gave it to him, he would have never accepted it. Yes, if it hadn't been the Young Cult Leader, never.

He was the kind of man who, from a place overflowing with books, would bring this exact manual. Because the Young Cult Leader was someone tied to him by such a deep bond.

So, the Evil Smiling Demon gladly received the Smiling Fragrance Dagger Art, and he didn’t bother to hide that joy.

Today, with his mask removed, he smiled more brightly than ever.

The Evil Smiling Demon poured a drink for Geom Mugeuk.

“What will you do if the Cult Leader finds out later?”

“What do you mean what? By then, it’ll be too late. At that point, Soma-nim would’ve already mastered the technique. If my father tells me to return it, I’ll give it back.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s shameless strategy, Soma could only laugh.

Though he said that, Geom Mugeuk was certain.

His father wouldn’t ask for it back. Instead, he’d probably assign him some other task as punishment.

This time, Geom Mugeuk filled Soma’s cup.

“Congratulations, Soma-nim.”

It wasn’t a congratulation Geom Mugeuk gave Soma personally, but one martial artist gave to another. Obtaining the martial arts that would complete oneself was a moment every martial artist dreamed of—even in their sleep.

The two emptied their cups once again.

But that wasn’t the only gift from Geom Mugeuk.

“It is now time for this to reveal its true value.”

Geom Mugeuk pulled out a dagger from within his robe.

It was a dagger forged by melting down Gowol’s shackles—made of Millennial Cold Iron.

“I would like to give this to you, Soma-nim.”

Soma knew exactly what kind of dagger this was.

“Isn’t this a dagger that holds meaning for the Young Cult Leader?”

“That’s right.”

When he disposed of the shackles, those who were present at that time got these daggers made from the remains and divided them among themselves.

“And yet you're giving this to me?”

“Because it holds meaning. I couldn’t give you something meaningless, Soma-nim.”

It wasn’t that he couldn’t give it because it held meaning, but rather, he gave it because it did.

Those who had shared the daggers with him would surely understand.

“I’m fine.”

Though the Evil Smiling Demon firmly declined, Geom Mugeuk had already made up his mind.

“I use a sword, and when I don’t, I use fist techniques. Truthfully, the only time I’d use this dagger is to peel fruit. Isn’t that too pitiful for a dagger born of Millennial Cold Iron?”

Geom Mugeuk extended the dagger.

“Please, save this dagger.”

Even so, the Evil Smiling Demon still did not accept it. After all, just receiving the Smiling Fragrance Dagger Art today was already too great a gift.

Then Geom Mugeuk flipped the blade and revealed the dagger’s hilt.

“It’s already too late, Soma-nim.”

There were letters engraved on the hilt.

Smile.

Haah, a sigh escaped from the Evil Smiling Demon. Young Cult Leader, how could you show me such deep affection?

In the end, he could no longer refuse.

“Thank you, Cult Leader.”

He respectfully accepted the dagger that Geom Mugeuk had offered him.

And thus, the Millennial Cold Iron dagger found its rightful owner.

Geom Mugeuk was looking forward to that day. The day when the Smiling Fragrance Dagger Art would be brought to life through that dagger in Evil Smiling Demon’s hand. The moment when his three martial arts would blend in perfect harmony, allowing him to be reborn as a complete martial artist.

“By the way, did you know this? The cult regulations say that if you’re going to give a gift, you have to give three.”

“There’s a rule like that?”

“Once I became the acting Cult Leader and checked, I found it. So I had no choice but to prepare one more.”

Geom Mugeuk opened a large box he had prepared under the table in advance.

Inside the box, which was divided into several compartments, were spiritual medicines.

They were the very elixirs he had taken from the underground treasury when he had gone down with the Sword King.

Back then, the Sword King had said:

―It’s all pointless if it’s just going into someone else’s mouth. Just eat it all yourself while you still can.

But the mouth he was offering it to now wasn’t his own—but it also wasn’t just anyone else’s either.

He could have distributed one root each to the Demon Supremes, but Geom Mugeuk did not.

If it was fate that he had discovered the Smiling Fragrance Dagger Art, then perhaps giving these elixirs to the Evil Smiling Demon was also fate.

The Evil Smiling Demon silently gazed at Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk didn’t say anything else. Just one sentence. A single line powerful enough to persuade the Evil Smiling Demon.

“Become stronger.”

In that instant, a wave of emotion passed across the Evil Smiling Demon’s face.

He was someone who had crossed the threshold of life and death alongside Geom Mugeuk many times.

He knew better than anyone what kind of enemies they were up against, and that unreasonably powerful beings truly existed. And he also understood how hard Geom Mugeuk was working because of that.

Yes, the Young Cult Leader was saying this to him now.

Become stronger—and fight beside me.

The Evil Smiling Demon also did not speak much. Nor did he refuse the gift.

He slowly put the snow-white mask on his face once more. And he spoke just one line.

“I will become stronger.”

*         *         *

Meanwhile, Geom Muyang had yet to leave Wuhan.

His second dwelling was not far from the first. In fact, it was even closer to the Martial Alliance’s main division.

It was a move that completely defied expectations that he would flee far away.

Geom Muyang stood by the window, gazing out at the darkening world.

Gwak Yeong quietly looked at his back.

The back of the most stoic man in the world.

Could the back of someone she had known for only a few days carry this much meaning?

She wanted to say something to him—but had no idea what to say.

She was someone who had always been cheerful and confident.

Yet now, no words came easily, all because of the guilt. She had never imagined, not even in her dreams, that her younger brother’s letter might have been laced with Tracking Scent. Because of her, these people had nearly faced grave danger.

Are you angry?

No. Asking someone if they're angry is one of the surest ways to make them angrier.

What are you going to do now?

What good would it do to know that! Right, that wasn’t a question she should be asking.

In the end, the only words she could find were these.

“Use me to catch those bastards.”

Was it too obvious a thing to say? That stoic back of his continued staring out the window without so much as a flinch.

Geom Muyang didn’t blame her.

He had already assumed there must have been a reason for keeping her alive in the first place. The fault lay with him for not identifying that reason sooner.

Just then, Branch Leader Ho Myeong came in and reported.

“The White Dragon Branch has begun searching every corner of Wuhan.”

This place was not a properly concealed safehouse of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, so eventually, it would be discovered by their search.

“How long until this place is exposed?”

“If they’re fast, a day. Two at most.”

It was nowhere near enough time to resolve the situation.

Ho Myeong glanced at Gwak Yeong.

“If that woman returns to the Alliance, the search will stop.”

Their search was centered around finding Gwak Yeong.

Hearing that, Gwak Yeong quickly stepped back in alarm.

“Don’t tell me to leave! I’m not going! You can call me selfish all you want—I don’t care!”

Her instincts were screaming at her. If she left, she would die.

“If you want me to hide in a storage room, I will. If you tell me to dig into the ground and breathe through a straw, I’ll do that too. But don’t tell me to go back.”

When Geom Muyang and Ho Myeong said nothing, she finally let out a long sigh.

Clinging on like this was, as she’d said, a selfish choice. Because it wasn’t she who could save her younger brother—it was that man.

“I’ll go. Just promise me. Keep your word.”

Then Geom Muyang quietly said,

“If you go, it will bring death.”

“I’m not afraid of dying.”

She meant it—if it meant saving her brother, she would willingly give her life.

“It won’t be you. Your brother will die.”

“!”

“You have value while you’re with us.”

At those words, Gwak Yeong realized it.

Even right now, she had value. She was the reason they were being hunted by the White Dragon Branch.

They could use her brother’s life as leverage for something else. Since her future role was uncertain, they would keep her brother alive.

Gwak Yeong looked at Geom Muyang with renewed eyes.

“You’re a demonic practitioner… but way too smart!”

Startled by what she had blurted out, she quickly covered her mouth in shock. When a flicker of disbelief passed through Geom Muyang’s eyes, she blushed and lowered her head.

“I’m sorry. The words just slipped out—they were something I was thinking to myself.”

Fortunately, at that moment, a subordinate entered the room and delivered a report from the Heavenly Communication Pavilion.

“We’ve identified the location where the forged weapons were made.”

Using Gwak Yeong’s statement, the Heavenly Communication Pavilion had successfully analyzed and pinpointed the place.

“They say it was a warehouse about twenty kilometers away in a remote location.”

There was probably no point in going there now. It would already be empty.

“Who owns the warehouse?”

“It’s someone named So Gong.”

At the name, Gwak Yeong flinched in surprise.

“I know him! He’s a merchant who supplies materials to the Martial Alliance Iron Workshop.”

He was someone she had personally dealt with before. A longtime business partner of the Martial Alliance Iron Workshop. And now she was hearing he was in league with those bastards? She couldn’t believe it.

Ho Myeong turned to Geom Muyang and spoke.

“I’ll go and bring him in.”

“Let’s go together.”

Considering who the target was, they had to move with caution.

As Geom Muyang prepared to leave, Gwak Yeong suddenly called out loudly—cheerfully, as if to shake off her earlier mistake and greet him boldly.

“Come back safe!”

Geom Muyang gave her a sidelong glance before silently exiting.

Once the two had left, she muttered to herself in a low voice.

“You know, you could respond when someone talks.”

*         *         *

So Gong awoke from sleep.

A masked man was looking down at him. It was Ho Myeong.

So Gong flinched and tried to scream, but no sound came out. His pressure points had already been sealed.

“If you make a sound, not only you—but everyone in this house dies.”

There was no threat more terrifying than that. So Gong quickly nodded.

Only then did Ho Myeong release his pressure point.

So Gong sat up. Another masked man was in the room. Geom Muyang was sitting in a chair in the corner, silently watching him.

“What do you want?”

He was a man who had spent a lifetime as a merchant. The fact that they hadn’t killed him yet meant they wanted something from him.

The one who asked the question was Ho Myeong. He skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.

“The warehouse. Who did you rent it to?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He flatly denied it, but his eyes were already trembling.

Ho Myeong calmly pressed down on his shoulder. It was a pressure point used in torture.

Just as So Gong was about to scream from the overwhelming pain—

A chilling voice from Ho Myeong stopped the scream in its tracks.

“If anyone wakes up from your scream and runs in, they all die.”

So Gong clenched his teeth. The unbearable pain surging through him made him scream silently.

After a while, when Ho Myeong lifted his hand from So Gong’s shoulder, the man was drenched in sweat.

“…I can’t tell you.”

His answer had shifted from “I don’t know” to “I can’t say.”

This time, Ho Myeong pressed the pressure point even harder.

As a mere merchant, So Gong had managed to endure it once—but he couldn’t hold out a second time.

“Branch Leader Do!”

What escaped his lips was not a name, but a title.

“Branch Leader Do? Which Branch Leader Do?”

At Ho Myeong’s question, So Gong replied in a trembling voice.

“The White Dragon Branch’s Branch Leader Do.”

Both Geom Muyang and Ho Myeong were shocked.

Do In-su, the Branch Leader of the White Dragon Branch.

They never expected his name to come up.

Geom Muyang, who had been sitting, rose and approached So Gong. Overwhelmed by the pressure, So Gong hastily added more. There was a reason he hadn’t spoken easily.

“Branch Leader Do said it was official Alliance business. That it was a secret operation, and I absolutely must not speak of it.”

Standing close, Geom Muyang stared directly into So Gong’s eyes.

“I’m not lying. Please, I beg you—let me live.”

Geom Muyang could tell he wasn’t lying. White Dragon Branch Leader wasn’t a name someone would casually fabricate.

Geom Muyang spoke coldly.

“If word gets out that we were here, things will get complicated. You’re a merchant—you can calculate that much, can’t you? Just tell yourself you had a bad dream.”

Thud.

With his pressure point sealed, So Gong passed out.

Geom Muyang and Ho Myeong exited So Gong’s house as quietly as they had entered.

Only after reaching a secluded forest far from the house did they remove their masks.

Ho Myeong spoke in a low voice.

“I never imagined the White Dragon Branch Leader would be involved in this.”

It was possible the man had been evil from the start.

Or, as with Gwak Yeong, perhaps the enemy had something on him and was using it to blackmail him.

Either way, he wasn’t someone they could afford to touch carelessly. If things spiraled out of control, a major conflict could erupt between the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Martial Alliance

Ho Myeong was inwardly tense, wondering what decision Geom Muyang would make. If he so much as uttered the words, “Let’s hang the White Dragon Branch Leader upside down,” this fight would enter a whole new phase.

And just as Ho Myeong predicted, Geom Muyang chose direct confrontation.

“If the lead points to the White Dragon Branch Leader, then we must meet him.”

At Geom Muyang’s words, Ho Myeong replied respectfully.

“Yes! I’ll request all information on him from the Heavenly Communication Pavilion!”

The two of them immediately darted away, heading back toward their dwelling.

A short while after they vanished, a man swiftly descended upon the area, landing without a sound.

His body movement alone was enough to hint at his extraordinary martial prowess.

As his white robe fluttered in the wind, he stood revealed—exceptionally tall, with a large face, big eyes, and long limbs. At his waist hung a brilliantly gleaming azure sword.

He was none other than Byeoksan Sword, the unrivaled expert who had come to Wuhan alongside Han Wolgaek.

The blue banner displayed in the operations room of the Heavenly Communication Pavilion had represented him.

“Wretches! Today will be your last day alive.”

Just as Byeoksan Sword was about to silently pursue the two once again—

He suddenly paused and turned his head to one side. Someone was there.

“Come out.”

As expected, a voice responded from behind a tree a short distance away.

“The Buddha always taught to show mercy.”

A soft golden light began to emanate from behind the tree.