Absolute Regression

Chapter 696: Who Is in First Place?

Geom Mugeuk could tell that the Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance was being sincere.

He wanted nothing more than to leap onto that stage right this instant and kill Cha Iran.

She was striding proudly across the stage, drawing the gazes of the warriors. The person who should have lived the most secretive life was smiling openly toward the world.

All for the sake of killing this Alliance Leader, all to become the First Beauty Under the Heavens.

A shocking word slipped from Geom Mugeuk’s lips.

“Kill her.”

“!”

When Geom Mugeuk said to kill her, Baek Jagang’s eyes widened slightly. It was an unexpected answer.

“To kill her?”

“Yes! Kill her.”

Baek Jagang too understood. These words were not a lie. There was no chill running across his ears.

Baek Jagang’s gaze turned to Cha Iran on the stage. At the center of the stage, she was smiling brightly toward the examiners’ seats. Soon, she would step down from the stage.

The intense killing intent radiating from beside him stretched taut, as though it might be unleashed toward the stage at any moment.

How many moves could an exposed assassin endure against the Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance?

Treading on her corpse, Baek Jagang would surely say these words.

I am the Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance. I congratulate you all on the hosting of the First Beauty Under the Heavens Tournament.

With the Alliance Leader’s sudden appearance, the unorthodox crowd would all cheer wildly. They would not question the reason for her death, but only cheer. For he was the one who held their absolute trust and support.

Sssut.

The pinpoint of those eyes that had been brimming with killing intent widened, and the intense murderous aura vanished.

Baek Jagang spoke in a calm voice, revealing the reason he had relented.

“If she were truly a woman that had to be killed, then before I even came here, you would have already killed her.”

At that deep trust in him, Geom Mugeuk smiled brightly.

Now it was Geom Mugeuk’s turn to answer that trust.

“Yes, there was a reason I did not kill her.”

Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned toward the stage. Cha Iran was stepping down amidst the cheers.

“Do you think such a tremendous task was entrusted to her alone? There is surely another hand behind her.”

Baek Jagang nodded. It was the intention to drag out another backer and destroy them together. Somewhere among these gathered warriors, there might be another.

“There is an even greater reason. Why would she have targeted the Alliance Leader? Even if the ambush succeeded, Bih Sa-in would inherit the position of Alliance Leader.”

That was in truth also the reason Baek Jagang had not killed her. Even if he killed her, he wanted to uncover that reason.

“To die at the hand of the First Beauty Under the Heavens would not be such a bad end now.”

It was a jest that carried the meaning of choosing to wait instead of killing first.

As Baek Jagang was about to leave that place, he asked one final question.

“What would you have done if I truly had killed that woman?”

Geom Mugeuk thought for a moment, then spoke calmly.

“If you had killed her, then I would have found another way.”

He added as he looked at Baek Jagang.

“With the Alliance Leader here, what is there to worry about?”

Even at these words, no chill rose in his ears. He could tell Geom Mugeuk truly believed in him. For a man who spoke as much as he did, moments that made chills rise in his ears were rare indeed when it came to Geom Mugeuk.

Pressing down the bamboo hat he wore, Baek Jagang disappeared into the crowd.

Until the end of the main stage, no incidents occurred.

When the tournament ended, the eight beauties who would advance to the finals, held three days later, were announced.

Alongside the seven beauties, including Cha Iran.

Lee Ahn had advanced to the finals.

There was no surprise.

*         *         *

With a swollen, puffy face, An Hu-pyeong sat at the front of the stage.

Even in this state, he had come to watch the tournament. He wanted to show off that he had seen Lee Ahn, and he was curious to see what other pretty beauties there might be.

He paid no attention to the gazes around him.

I am the Vice Gang Leader of the Divine Transformation Gang. No matter what I look like, I am still better than you, aren’t I? Do you think you can look down on me? You can’t, can you? He had lived with such thoughts.

Of course, right now his mood was at its worst.

Earlier, he had been too shocked and flustered to think, but as time passed, the pain and resentment had only deepened.

He had thought that seeing the beauties might ease his mood, but hearing the heated cheers and roars only sank it further.

Yes, when one felt bad, it was not happiness one should look at, but something more miserable than oneself.

At that moment, someone offered him something. Turning his head, he saw Sa Chu handing him a cloth-wrapped piece of ice.

“Press it against your face.”

“Forget it!”

He snapped irritably, but Sa Chu kept holding out the pouch.

“I said forget it! Are you making fun of me?”

An Hu-pyeong flung the pouch to the ground.

The shout made his face hurt.

“Damn it, that hurts.”

Sa Chu silently looked at An Hu-pyeong.

Part of him thought he deserved it, but seeing him in such a state still left him feeling uneasy.

“How much money do I have left at the exchange?”

“About twelve hundred nyang.”

“Only that much?”

Considering how recklessly he usually spent, it was a miracle he even had that much left.

“What kind of gift could I buy with it?”

“What kind of gift do you mean?”

“What else? For the Young Leader, of course. I have to make it up to him, don’t I?”

He had to do something. After cursing at and trying to strike the Young Leader, he was surely branded in his eyes.

“With that money, it will be difficult to buy something the Young Leader would truly like.”

“Damn it!”

At that moment, a roar of cheers erupted.

Lifting his head toward the stage, he saw Cha Iran walking onto it.

“Who is that woman?”

She was the woman who had been speaking with Lee Ahn’s guard. For some reason, she had been someone nearly impossible to approach with a single word.

But upon seeing her overwhelming beauty, one thought instantly flashed through An Hu-pyeong’s mind.

“Yes, that’s it! I have to find that bastard!”

An Hu-pyeong suddenly leapt to his feet and rushed into the crowd of warriors.

With a sigh, Sa Chu followed behind, wondering what kind of trouble he was going to cause this time.

*         *         *

After wandering and searching endlessly, the person An Hu-pyeong finally found was Geom Mugeuk.

“What on earth happened to your face?”

Of course, Geom Mugeuk could already guess the reason. He only wished the beating had been enough to knock some sense into him.

“None of your business! Earlier, there was someone who spoke to you, right?”

“You mean that scary-looking man?”

“Did he really ask if there were a lot of beauties here?”

“Yes. He said he had to run hard not to be late.”

An Hu-pyeong’s eyes gleamed.

“You said you would drink tonight with that beautiful lady, didn’t you? Where are you planning to go with her?”

“I haven’t decided yet. If we go, I thought about renting a room at a tavern nearby.”

“Come to Bright Blossom Pavilion! I’ll rent out the whole place.”

Bright Blossom Pavilion was the largest and most expensive tavern in the marketplace.

An Hu-pyeong had decided to make up for his blunder this time by introducing Cha Iran to Bih Sa-in.

Yes, if that man truly loved women, then this would surely work.

When Geom Mugeuk looked troubled, An Hu-pyeong scowled.

“An important guest will be coming with us too.”

“Who do you mean?”

As a guard, if he didn’t know who, there was no way Geom Mugeuk would bring Lee Ahn and Cha Iran along.

An Hu-pyeong raised two fingers.

“One of the three successors, the second-ranked.”

“Who is that?”

“Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.”

It was also his chance to show Lee Ahn just how great the company he kept was. To make a good impression on the Young Leader, and also to impress Lee Ahn.

He did worry that Bih Sa-in might take a liking to Lee Ahn… but if that happened, so be it. He would just switch to Cha Iran instead. What mattered most right now was pleasing the Young Leader.

“All you have to do is bring them. I’ll let you eat and drink the kind of expensive food and wine you’ve never even dreamed of in your life.”

An Hu-pyeong threatened in a low voice.

“If you don’t come, I really will rip your mouth apart!”

At those words, Sa Chu, standing behind him, flinched.

His eyes met Geom Mugeuk’s.

Sa Chu covered his own mouth with his palm, signaling clearly that he had said nothing at all.

As An Hu-pyeong turned to leave, Geom Mugeuk asked,

“Then who is first among the three successors?”

As if asking how he could not know that, An Hu-pyeong strode away and answered.

“You, a demonic practitioner, should know that better than anyone.”

*         *         *

A seat was prepared at the center of Bright Blossom Pavilion.

All kinds of delicacies were laid out, and fine liquor was made ready.

“If anyone makes a mistake today, you’ll all die!”

At An Hu-pyeong’s shout, the cooks and servers working at Bright Blossom Pavilion tensed up.

Just then, Sa Chu, who had been standing absentmindedly, came into An Hu-pyeong’s sight.

An Hu-pyeong grabbed him by the shoulder from behind and shook him.

“What now? What’s wrong with you?”

“N-nothing.”

“Scared because the Young Leader is coming? Just stand there quietly.”

In truth, Sa Chu’s heart was not trembling because of the Young Leader but because he would get to see the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Alliance up close. Lately, it seemed like too many startling things were happening.

At that moment, Bih Sa-in entered. An Hu-pyeong rushed forward to greet him.

“You’ve arrived?”

Following behind Bih Sa-in came the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Alliance. They spread out to stand at separate positions, so that if anything happened to Bih Sa-in, they could respond immediately.

Sa Chu gave Bih Sa-in a polite greeting, then also clasped his fists in salute to the Thirteen Wolves. Once toward each direction. Normally, one wouldn’t go so far, so Il-rang in particular fixed his gaze on him.

“Have the others not yet arrived?”

Seated, Bih Sa-in asked, and An Hu-pyeong quickly replied.

“They should be on their way now.”

An Hu-pyeong tried to signal with his eyes for Sa Chu to hurry along.

But Sa Chu was too busy staring at the Thirteen Wolves to notice him.

‘Ah, that fool, never paying attention when he should.’

Sa Chu was overwhelmed with both joy and sorrow.

They were the ones he had admired and looked up to since childhood.

The characters of “Thirteen Wolves” would always remain characters carved into his heart.

An unfulfilled dream.

If only he had tried harder back then, could he have been standing among them too?

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk stepped inside.

The delighted An Hu-pyeong flinched. Only Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn had arrived.

An Hu-pyeong ran up to Geom Mugeuk to ask,

“Where is Lady Cha?”

“She said she would meet us here.”

“You did tell her she must come, didn’t you?”

“She will come.”

He could have exchanged greetings first, but his eagerness to introduce Cha Iran to Bih Sa-in was stronger.

And even stronger than that eagerness was this introduction.

“This person here is the Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.”

An Hu-pyeong puffed out his chest. See, young lady, I am a man who keeps company with the Young Leader.

“And this is Lady Lee Ahn, who has advanced to the finals.”

This time he straightened his neck while looking at Bih Sa-in. See, I am a man who mingles with such beauties!

“Please, have a seat.”

As everyone sat down, Geom Mugeuk quickly took a seat as well.

“Do you even know what kind of seat this is! How dare a mere guard try to intrude?”

Geom Mugeuk protested as if wronged.

“Didn’t you say you’d feed me food and drink I’ve never had in my life? And that the first of the three successors would be here?”

“This bastard has gone mad!”

Bih Sa-in asked in a quiet voice.

“Who holds first place?”

An Hu-pyeong flailed his hands in alarm.

“He’s just spouting nonsense!”

Watching the commotion, Sa Chu frowned. More than any other blunder, those words stuck in his ears.

The Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Alliance were standing right there, and yet he had spoken so carelessly, calling someone a mere guard.

Sa Chu dipped his head slightly toward Il-rang, who stood a little apart from him, as though to apologize on An Hu-pyeong’s behalf.

Just then, Il-rang’s voice transmission reached Sa Chu.

―How are your younger siblings?

Sa Chu’s eyes widened in shock as he turned to stare at Il-rang. What did that mean?

At that moment, Sa Chu’s eyes went round with astonishment. With a trembling voice, he sent back a transmission.

―You remember me.

The memories of that day long ago rose vividly.

When he was still green and young, he had camped out at the entrance of the Unorthodox Alliance, waiting only for a chance to catch a glimpse of the Thirteen Wolves.

And on the day he finally saw them, Sa Chu had mustered the greatest courage of his entire life.

He had stood in their way. And he had asked what no one else around him had dared to.

“How does one become a member of the Thirteen Wolves?”

That day, the one who stepped forward to listen to his words was none other than this Il-rang.

“I’ve heard that the Thirteen Wolves are the strongest martial artists of the Unorthodox Alliance. I want to become the strongest so that I can feed my younger siblings well.”

Though they had said nothing and simply gone on their way, unbelievably, Il-rang had remembered him from that day.

―How do you remember me?

―Because you’re the only one who dared block our path and still lived.

Sa Chu felt overwhelmed with gratitude and emotion at being remembered.

But for that very reason, he could not raise his head to meet Il-rang’s eyes.

He was the one who had once dreamed such grand dreams.

Now, here he was, reduced to tagging along behind that wastrel An Hu-pyeong, cleaning up after his messes.

Then, Il-rang slowly stepped closer, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings, and as he passed the bowed Sa Chu, he gave his shoulder a firm pat.

It was an act that gave him more strength than any words in the world.

Sa Chu made a resolve.

This garment that Il-rang had patted—he would never wash it and keep it safe for the rest of his life.

And just then.

Grab.

From behind, An Hu-pyeong gripped his shoulder and said,

“Go to the kitchen yourself and keep watch. Make sure there are no mistakes.”

Of all places, he grabbed the very spot Il-rang had just touched.

“Why must you grab me instead of saying it!”

Sa Chu burst out in a shout. An Hu-pyeong stared at him, startled. Everyone’s eyes were now fixed on him.

“Why are you treating me like this!”

It was the first time Sa Chu had ever shouted at An Hu-pyeong. And it was a cry directed at himself as much as at him.

But only for a moment—An Hu-pyeong’s voice turned cold.

“Why are you acting like this?”

At that moment, beyond An Hu-pyeong’s shoulder, Sa Chu caught sight of Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk raised his palm and made the same motion he had shown him once before—covering his mouth with his hand.

Sa Chu understood instantly. It meant: say nothing.

Until now, everyone had told him to be quiet.

Hush! Hush, or I’ll tear your mouth apart—that was how it had always been.

But this gesture, covering his mouth, was different. This time, it was done for his sake.

It meant: just let this pass quietly. Not now. Not like this. Sa Chu could feel it.

“I apologize. I must have lost my mind for a moment.”

With his head bowed, Sa Chu ran off toward the kitchen.

Since it was not the time to scold him, An Hu-pyeong turned back and said to the others,

“Handling subordinates these days is no easy task. You all understand, don’t you?”

And then he laughed aloud.

But no one laughed with him. In fact, no one was even looking at him.

The Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Alliance all kept their gazes fixed straight ahead. Lee Ahn and Bih Sa-in were speaking quietly together.

And Geom Mugeuk was watching Sa Chu as he walked to the kitchen.

‘Where is everyone looking?’

In that brief moment, he felt completely abandoned. Even when beaten by his father, he had not felt this way.

And just then, a voice spoke behind him.

“Please step aside.”

An Hu-pyeong turned and saw Cha Iran standing there. At last, the woman who would save him had appeared.

“Oh! At last, our Lady Cha has arrived.”

He greeted her warmly, but Cha Iran tilted her head.

“And who might you be?”

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

Instead of introducing herself, Cha Iran gave a faint smile.

“It seems your noble face is quite swollen.”

She walked past him.

Though Bih Sa-in and Lee Ahn were seated together, her gaze went only to Geom Mugeuk.

“So many guests? I asked you to see me privately, just the two of us.”

Just as she reached the table where everyone was seated—

Vmm.

The Secret Box inside Geom Mugeuk’s bosom stirred faintly.

Cha Iran smiled enchantingly.

“Who knows? Something good might happen if it’s just the two of us.”