Absolute Regression

Chapter 686: Don’t Kill Without Permission

The Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress arrived at the Divine Transformation Gang.

Chief Steward Jo came out to greet her upon hearing the news.

“Welcome. It must have been tiring coming from such a long way.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

His gaze shifted to the Evil Smiling Demon and the Faceless Swordsmen standing behind her. The face mask adorned with a single flower drew his attention.

‘Since this is a tournament hosted by the unorthodox faction, she brought many bodyguards.’

But so what? How strong could the martial artists guarding a pleasure house really be? In fact, having so many of them might only end up drawing An Hu-pyeong’s ire.

Chief Steward Jo led her to the grand hall.

Once the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress took her seat, the Evil Smiling Demon stood directly behind her, while the Faceless Swordsmen lined up to her left and right.

Normally, they would have been scattered in the corners of the room, crouching, sitting on window sills, or perched on tree branches outside peeking in. But today, they acted like well-trained martial artists.

The Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress glanced back slightly. She saw the mask of the Evil Smiling Demon right behind her.

Her gratitude toward him wasn’t merely because he protected her. He was not the type to stand in a place like this, so the fact that he did made her all the more thankful.

Her gaze turned forward again. Yes—if he was behind her, who could she possibly fear meeting?

Chief Steward Jo served her tea and spoke carefully.

“I should be escorting you straight to your quarters, but there is someone who wishes to meet you.”

“May I ask who that person is?”

“They will be here shortly. Please enjoy some tea while you wait.”

After bowing politely, Chief Steward Jo left the room.

“This doesn’t feel good.”

Making a guest who came from afar wait without even letting them unpack was certainly a discourtesy.

It meant one of two things: either something urgent had happened, or the other person was simply rude.

In this case, it was both.

Before long, An Hu-pyeong—who could hold his own anywhere when it came to rudeness—walked in.

He was in a hurry. The fact that his father had replaced the judge with the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress had gotten under his skin.

He worried that his father, in his later years, might have fallen for some cunning courtesan from a pleasure house.

An Hu-pyeong knew better than anyone what a pleasure house was like—how skilled courtesans were at handling men.

One might think his father, a man who had made a name for himself in the unorthodox world and whose martial arts were so formidable, wouldn’t fall for something so trivial. But in truth, the stronger the person, the easier they fell.

Those women knew how to slip between the vanity and loneliness of someone who had reached the summit.

The moment he saw the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress, An Hu-pyeong was convinced.

‘My hunch was right.’

She was beautiful, yet elegant. There was a refinement one wouldn’t expect from the owner of a pleasure house. It was easy to imagine his father falling for this woman.

Following behind An Hu-pyeong, the martial artists guarding him entered the room. They took position behind him, their eyes filled with menace.

Without so much as a greeting to the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress, An Hu-pyeong flicked his hand toward the Evil Smiling Demon and the Faceless Swordsmen, issuing an immediate order for them to leave.

From this very first action, it was clear what kind of man he was.

An Hu-pyeong was someone who used his authority without restraint.

He was not a man who had grown up watching others’ moods. In his life, when he told someone to leave, they always did. Until now.

But the opposing martial artists didn’t so much as budge.

Naturally, An Hu-pyeong’s gaze turned to the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress. Before he could speak, she asked first.

“And who might you be?”

He looked down at her for a moment before replying.

“I am An Hu-pyeong, Young Leader of the Divine Transformation Gang.”

The Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress then rose to her feet and offered a polite clasped-fist salute.

“So you are an esteemed person. I am Yeo Jeong, the one who leads the Sky Flower Pavilion. Thank you for inviting me.”

“I wasn’t the one who invited you, so there’s no need to greet me.”

He turned his eyes back to the Evil Smiling Demon and the Faceless Swordsmen behind her.

Now that she knew who he was, surely she would have them leave. That was the look in his eyes. But still, they didn’t move.

Before the atmosphere could turn ugly, the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress quickly spoke.

“I am a rather timid person, so I have ordered them never to leave my side under any circumstances. I hope the Young Leader can understand.”

“If you ever found yourself in a situation worth fearing, do you believe their presence would keep you safe?”

“At the very least, it would give me comfort.”

“So you won’t have them leave, no matter what?”

“Please understand the heart of this timid woman, facing the unorthodox world for the first time.”

An Hu-pyeong let out a short, derisive laugh, then glanced back at his subordinates.

“Send them all out.”

There was a reason he pressed so hard.

A woman capable of running a large pleasure house like the Sky Flower Pavilion was bound to have considerable nerve. He intended to break her spirit from the start. When the blades guarding her were gone, he wanted to see that calm face tremble with unease.

The man who stepped forward from behind him was Sa Chu, the head of the martial artists An Hu-pyeong kept by his side.

As the one responsible for the safety of the Divine Transformation Gang’s successor, he was naturally a man of exceptional martial skill.

He began walking toward the Evil Smiling Demon—only to stop in his tracks. He didn’t get closer than ten paces.

Sa Chu’s gaze shifted between the Evil Smiling Demon and the Faceless Swordsmen.

‘What’s with these guys?’

From the moment he stepped inside, they had given off a strange feeling.

He had encountered all sorts of rough and vicious men in the unorthodox world, but never ones who made him feel quite like this.

They weren’t simply rough, nor did they seem weak. They didn’t look like madmen, yet they were far from ordinary.

How could he have known?

He was facing some of the most peculiar demonic practitioners under the command of one of the Eight Demon Supremes.

And especially that one—

The one in the center. Clearly the leader, judging by his position, yet he merely stood there, silently meeting his gaze.

It was unsettling.

Yes, that was exactly the word for it. It didn’t feel like someone he could treat carelessly, yet he also didn’t quite give off the sense of a true master. He looked like someone who, if they fought, might turn out to be nothing special—but still, Sa Chu didn’t want to fight him.

Had the man read his mind? A faint smile formed on the other’s lips.

‘…A smile?’

In this situation, he smiled? Normally, Sa Chu would have already stabbed his heart and taken his head.

But for some reason, he didn’t feel like it.

The one to break the tense standoff was An Hu-pyeong.

“What is this? Is he someone actually making you tense?”

An Hu-pyeong gave the Evil Smiling Demon a look of newfound curiosity.

Of course, even if he were a master capable of making Sa Chu wary, there was no reason for him to be afraid. No one would dare harm him.

After all, he had been born wearing the strongest body armor of all—his position as the Young Leader of the Divine Transformation Gang.

“So you’re telling me I’ve been walking around all this time with a blade weaker than the one this pleasure house owner drags around?”

The corners of Sa Chu’s eyes twitched, but he did not draw his sword.

At that moment, the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress spoke gently, trying to soothe An Hu-pyeong.

“I’ve spent so much time selling wine that I am ignorant of the ways of the martial world. I hope the Young Leader can forgive me.”

An Hu-pyeong’s eyes turned cold as he asked,

“What is your relationship with my father?”

The Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress already knew why he was acting this way.

On her way here, she had gathered a fair amount of intelligence on the Divine Transformation Gang through the Sky Flower Pavilion’s local network—information so deep that even the Heavenly Communication Pavilion or Hidden Moon would struggle to obtain. She alone knew exactly what An Hu-pyeong had said in drunken ramblings when he came to the Sky Flower Pavilion.

“I have never met the Gang Leader.”

An Hu-pyeong scoffed.

And yet his father had invited her to such an important occasion? Even though they had never met?

Naturally, he assumed she was lying.

That was why he had tried to suppress her from the start. After all, these lowly types did nothing but lie when spoken to.

Just then, Chief Steward Jo’s voice came from outside.

“The Gang Leader wishes to see the Young Leader.”

His father was intervening? This only confirmed to An Hu-pyeong that his suspicions had been right.

Turning on his heel toward the door, he muttered,

“You can’t even kill him, so why glare like an idiot? Let’s go.”

Sa Chu turned away from the Evil Smiling Demon. In that short span of time, countless thoughts had run through his head, but his final conclusion was this:

‘It’s a good thing we didn’t fight.’

Those who knew him would never believe it, but he really did think that.

Whether he sensed it or not, An Hu-pyeong spoke to the Evil Smiling Demon at the door.

“You’ve caught my eye. If you’re still smiling the next time we meet, you’ll die by my hand.”

With that cold warning, An Hu-pyeong left the room.

Trying to ease the stiff atmosphere, the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress said with a smile,

“What will you do if you can’t smile anymore? You might have to change your nickname.”

At her joke, not only the Evil Smiling Demon but also the Faceless Swordsmen beside him laughed soundlessly.

The smiles An Hu-pyeong truly should have been wary of were those of the Faceless Swordsmen.

The moment he insulted the Evil Smiling Demon, the protective armor of being the Young Leader of the Divine Transformation Gang was as good as torn into a thousand pieces.

The Faceless Swordsmen were the sort to disregard such things and start hacking away without hesitation.

Knowing them better than anyone, the Evil Smiling Demon gave them only one instruction.

“Don’t laugh.”

Because to them, laughter meant one thing.

And so those words also meant this—Don’t kill without permission.

*         *         *

After leaving the grand hall, An Hu-pyeong gave Sa Chu a cold glare.

“What was that supposed to be?”

“They were no ordinary men.”

“Sure, I’m sure they weren’t. So that means you’re ordinary, then? You’ve been pretending to be exceptional all this time just to fool me?”

Sa Chu said nothing in his defense and lowered his head deeply.

An Hu-pyeong didn’t push the insult further. He knew very well how strong Sa Chu was. It was certain that the Pavilion Mistress had brought an impressive master with her.

Well, if she intended to take a seat inside the Divine Transformation Gang, she’d have to invest at that level.

“Call Master Yong.”

At the name of the all-purpose problem solver, Sa Chu flinched.

“The Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress came here as a guest for this tournament.”

“Who said I was going to have her killed?”

“If Master Yong gets involved, the matter will escalate. And…”

“What? What are you trying to say? That even Master Yong couldn’t win?”

“No.”

Sa Chu closed his mouth.

Part of him thought it might be possible, and another part considered this:

What if Master Yong came, fought the man, and it turned out that, despite the tension, his skill was nothing special?

No matter the outcome, it would be a problem.

That was why calling him wasn’t a good idea.

But An Hu-pyeong strode forward and said,

“If even Master Yong can’t resolve it, that means something’s going on right now without my knowledge. Call him immediately.”

*         *         *

Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn also arrived at the Divine Transformation Gang.

Tournament registration was being held at the Grand Martial Arena, and the place was absolutely packed.

There were many women present, and many men who had come accompanying them.

When Lee Ahn entered, people naturally turned to look at her.

Her beauty drew their eyes irresistibly, even through her veil.

“They’re lining up over there.”

So many people had gathered that registrations were being taken in over a dozen lines.

“Look over here.”

Lee Ahn, about to head over and queue, spotted a poster on the wall related to the tournament.

“Oh, so becoming ‘The Greatest Beauty Under the Heavens’ doesn’t give a prize of fifty thousand nyang, but thirty thousand nyang. And as a bonus, you get the chance to attend a banquet with the Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.”

Geom Mugeuk thought of the Alliance Leader.

Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since he’d last seen him. Who would have thought he’d come to miss those small eyes?

“You’re disappointed it’s not fifty thousand nyang, aren’t you?”

Lee Ahn flinched and feigned ignorance.

“Of course not!”

“Feels like you just lost twenty thousand nyang, right? Be honest.”

“…I suppose it is a little disappointing. It’s a tournament for all of the Central Plains, after all.”

Geom Mugeuk laughed aloud, and Lee Ahn joined in.

Lee Ahn felt happy in this moment she spent with Geom Mugeuk.

Even now, she could feel the gazes from all around her, but she focused only on him.

Who knew when they would next be able to laugh and chat together like this?

“Alright, take a look around, and if you see anyone prettier than me, please kill her.”

At her whisper, Geom Mugeuk glanced around.

“In that case, we’ll become the public enemy of Unorthox Alliance.”

“Your friend is the Leader of the Demon-Slaying Brigade—what’s there to worry about?”

Geom Mugeuk also enjoyed his time with her.

There was a sense of ease that only Lee Ahn could give him, and he knew well that her thoughtfulness came from her keen intelligence.

“Let’s head over there and get in line.”

The two of them joined the shortest of the many lines.

It was then that it happened.

From far away came a wave of “Oh!”s of admiration.

Everyone’s eyes naturally turned in that direction.

The crowd parted, and through the gap, a woman walked toward them.

Wearing a palace gown that accentuated her figure, she drew every gaze.

She was beautiful.

So beautiful that the splendid clothes she wore were overshadowed by her own features, making no one care what the garments actually were.

There were many beauties here, but she outshone them all.

The only one who could rival her beauty was Lee Ahn.

If Lee Ahn’s beauty was pure white, this woman’s was dazzlingly colorful.

If Lee Ahn’s beauty was intellectual and pure, this woman’s was sensual.

With the crowd holding its breath, the woman walked up to where Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn were standing in line.

Standing before them, she smiled enchantingly and said,

“This one’s at least the shortest line.”