Absolute Regression

Chapter 704: My Mouth was Itching, and I Almost Went Mad

Seventeenth Beauty was now able to tell them apart.

At first glance, the ten Faceless Swordsmen looked no different from one another, but upon closer look, each had their own traits. Their heights were different, their builds were different.

Most of all, there were markings on their masks. On the edges of some masks, small drawings had been etched—one had a small fox, others had clouds, flames, a viper, or even a spider.

If those were their individual emblems, then perhaps each of them owned a mask fully designed with those images. For instance, a full fox mask or a mask that seemed engulfed in flames.

And the mask of the Faceless Swordsman who had saved her bore a small crescent moon.

While she was watching that Faceless Swordsman, Seventeenth Beauty’s eyes met Fifth Beauty’s. She had been captured together with her, and she was a senior whom she respected.

Fifth Beauty slightly shook her head as she looked at her.

Seventeenth Beauty understood what that gesture meant. It was telling her not to reveal unnecessary personal emotions.

It also meant that, during their carriage ride here and even now, she had been looking at him so much that her feelings could be noticed.

Seventeenth Beauty gave a faint nod.

Right, what kind of foolish thoughts were these in a situation where they might die any moment? If it hadn’t been Fifth Beauty, it wouldn’t be brushed aside—anyone else finding out could accuse her of colluding with the enemy, and she would face severe punishment.

She resolved not to look anymore. At that moment—

As though fate itself existed, the crescent-moon Faceless Swordsman who had been gazing out the window tapped the wall twice, drawing everyone’s attention.

It was a signal that someone was approaching.

Indeed, moments later, the door opened and someone entered.

“Is Chief Jo here?”

It was An Hu-pyeong, the Vice Gang Leader of the Divine Transformation Gang. He had heard that the women who advanced to today’s finals had gathered here for the decisive stage and had come to take a look.

For a brief moment, An Hu-pyeong flinched.

The women were seated on chairs. To be the sole focus of the gazes of dozens of beautiful women—what a thrilling sensation!

But the problem lay in the men standing around. Scattered across the guest hall were figures wearing masks.

Some leaned against the walls, some crouched in the corners, and some stood by the women with their arms crossed. Every one of them was staring at him. Just their gazes alone were chilling.

At this point, anyone with sense should have realized something was off.

“Chief Jo must be preparing something entertaining.”

He mistook it for a performance arranged for the final stage.

“Villains and beauties! Not a bad idea, huh? Who is it? Who’s playing the boss?”

An absurd silence hung heavy in the hall.

At that moment, Third Beauty turned her head to look at the Evil Smiling Demon, and the other assassins followed suit. Third Beauty wished that his arrival would create some kind of variable in this situation.

Without the slightest fear, An Hu-pyeong walked straight up to the Evil Smiling Demon.

Looking at him, An Hu-pyeong exclaimed in admiration.

“Whoever made that mask, they crafted it well.”

Inside the mask, the two eyes smiled broadly. Anyone who understood what kind of smile that was would never want to see it again

Watching that smile, An Hu-pyeong even gave a warning.

“These are precious guests, so don’t you dare try any foolish tricks.”

As if realizing he had forgotten something, he turned back to the women and introduced himself.

“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I am An Hu-pyeong, Vice Gang Leader of the Divine Transformation Gang. If you ever face any inconvenience, do not hesitate to come to me.”

The women only looked at him without saying a word. Even if their pressure points hadn’t been sealed, what could they possibly say to such an oblivious man?

The continued silence left An Hu-pyeong a little displeased. But soon enough, he attributed this peculiar atmosphere to himself.

Yes, of course—how could anyone casually speak to a Vice Gang Leader?

After sweeping one last glance over the women, An Hu-pyeong bade them farewell.

“Well then, keep up the good practice.”

He stepped outside. No matter how he looked, beauties like Lee Ahn or Cha Iran were nowhere to be seen.

‘Should I pay her a visit while I’m at it?’

With that thought, he began heading toward Lee Ahn.

Just then, something caught his eye in the distance.

A stranger was walking ahead, with martial artists of the Divine Transformation Gang trailing behind him. They followed with their heads bowed, as if guilty of some crime.

“Never seen that one before.”

But in truth, it was not the first time he had seen him. He was one of the Thirteen Wolves he had once glimpsed when he met Bih Sa-in.

That day, he had only paid attention to Bih Sa-in and the women, so he remembered none of the men’s faces.

At that moment, from the opposite building, a martial artist suddenly leaped out using light-footwork. Seeing An Hu-pyeong, he shouted urgently.

“Go to your Father immediately!”

In the same instant, one of the Thirteen Wolves burst out from the building even faster and subdued him in a flash.

Soon after, lines of Divine Transformation Gang martial artists emerged from the building, all with heads bowed, and finally another of the Thirteen Wolves walked out at the rear.

A shocked An Hu-pyeong rushed toward the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

The Thirteen Wolves martial artist who had subdued the shouting man only cast a brief glance at An Hu-pyeong but did not pursue him.

When An Hu-pyeong finally reached the Alliance Leader’s Hall, Bih Sa-in was already standing at the entrance. Behind him stood the Alliance Leader’s guards.

“Young Leader! Please help!”

He ran toward Bih Sa-in.

“Suspicious men have infiltrated our gang!”

Before An Hu-pyeong could even reach Bih Sa-in, his pressure points and meridian were struck and he was dragged away by those suspicious figures.

Just then, the doors opened, and Baek Jagang stepped out of the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

His hands were folded behind his back, and he walked out as casually as if returning from a stroll. Yet, with him came the thick stench of blood.

What Bih Sa-in saw inside chilled him.

On the throne mat sat the Gang Leader of the Divine Transformation Gang, dead. Upon the drinking table rested the severed head of Iron Cold Blade. Behind that table, the corpse of Serpent Sword was sprawled across the floor.

With the corpses behind him, Baek Jagang asked,

“Where is the assassin woman who orchestrated this incident?”

From that, Bih Sa-in guessed that the Alliance Leader had overheard something important about her.

“She is meeting with the Young Cult Leader right now.”

*         *         *

When Geom Mugeuk went to find Cha Iran, she was in the middle of buying new clothes.

It was the very same shop where Lee Ahn had once bought clothes with her.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Already forgotten? When you were drunk and crawling on the ground, I was there too.”

Now, instead of the extravagant gown she had worn before, she was dressed in a plain black martial robe. Perhaps because it was the first time he had seen her in such garb, she looked even fresher, even more alluring.

“Alright, since you’re here, pick one for me.”

Cha Iran showed him two dresses she had chosen at the shop.

“Which do you think suits me better?”

Both were luxurious dresses.

“The martial robe you’re wearing now looks fine as well.”

“This robe is my uniform. Hurry and choose.”

When Geom Mugeuk pointed at the one on the left, she picked the other instead.

“Because you must be wishing this lady wins the tournament.”

Geom Mugeuk quietly watched as she paid the shopkeeper.

‘You will never step onto the stage wearing that dress.’

After paying, she said to him,

“Wait here a moment. I’ll change and come out.”

Just as she was about to go inside, she took something out and placed it on the table.

“Keep this for me.”

And then she went in to change.

Geom Mugeuk silently stared at the small box she had left behind.

Woooong.

The Secret Box stirred again. To his surprise, she had left the box containing the bead.

What was she thinking by doing this? Did she truly wish for him to take it?

Just like last night, and now again. She was blatantly tempting him with the bead.

With a small wave of his hand, Geom Mugeuk used Void Telekinesis to lift the lid of the box.

Inside lay a red bead—the Red Essence.

Woooong.

The Secret Box reacted even more strongly.

As he stared at the bead, an overwhelming urge struck him—the desire to absorb its energy immediately. The dormant powers within his body stirred, eager to awaken.

But Geom Mugeuk waved his hand once more, and the lid shut.

There was one thing she didn’t know.

How much hardship he had endured to obtain the previous beads. Such beads could never be gained this easily.

‘So endure, Secret Box.’

When Geom Mugeuk calmed his mind, the awakening powers settled back into slumber, and the Secret Box too grew still.

A short while later, she emerged, dressed in her new outfit. In her beautiful attire, she looked like an entirely different person than before. Rather than showing off her changed look, however, she asked about the box.

“Did you open it?”

“I did.”

“How was it?”

“I wanted it.”

“To want it… such a sweet thing to say.”

Cha Iran took the box and sat cross-legged on a chair in the corner. Her exposed thigh was unbearably alluring.

“Why didn’t you take it?”

“I already did. That’s an empty box.”

Without checking inside, Cha Iran simply tucked it away.

“You trust my conscience?”

“No, because if opened, it would explode.”

Their gazes intertwined in the air. The depth of their eyes was so profound that it was impossible to discern each other’s hearts from just a look.

“I didn’t expect you to come looking for me so soon.”

After all, they had drunk through the night and parted ways with her thoroughly drunk. She thought she wouldn’t see him again until at least tomorrow.

“Since you revealed your identity, it feels as though a burden was lifted from my heart.”

Of course, that wasn’t the reason he had come.

The operation had already begun. At this very moment, the Evil Smiling Demon and the Unorthodox Alliance were carrying out their respective roles.

His own task was first to determine whether Ak Gunhak also held feelings for her.

Geom Mugeuk began with her well-being.

“Have you cured your hangover?”

“Yes.”

“Good. You have to take care of your stomach from a young age.”

At that, Cha Iran gave a strange smile and asked,

“Do you think either of us will live long enough to grow old?”

“I will. Until I grow old.”

“You’re greedy.”

“That’s right—greedy for martial arts, for people, for money, for health, for long life. I’m a man known as the embodiment of greed.”

Cha Iran laughed softly.

“The rumors said you were greedy for words.”

At that, Geom Mugeuk loosened his jaw, moving it side to side.

“My mouth’s been itching all this time—I nearly went mad holding it in.”

As she conversed with Geom Mugeuk, Cha Iran thought perhaps she now understood why Ak Gunhak had not killed him.

Beyond their mission, there was one thread connecting her and Geom Mugeuk—Ak Gunhak.

The moment that thread was cut, there would be nothing left for them to talk about. Only matters of life or death, kill or be killed, succeed or fail in the mission would remain.

“Why couldn’t he leave?”

Geom Mugeuk asked the question he hadn’t asked the previous night.

“What other reason could there be? The organization wouldn’t let him go.”

“Is there any need to be loyal to such an organization?”

At that, Cha Iran raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Loyalty? I’m loyal to no one. I just take payment and do the work.”

Her words were surely sincere. Even in her life before regression, she had lived—and died—as an assassin. That her true life was only revealed after her death must have been because of thoughts like these.

The organization had never liked her.

“So what you’re saying is, if I pay the price, I could hire you.”

“If you’re capable enough, yes.”

“I’ll hire you right now. Name your terms.”

Of course, he knew she wouldn’t accept.

Sure enough, she refused instantly.

“If I were the type to abandon my task and quit halfway, then I wouldn’t be worth hiring in the first place.”

That was why she would insist on completing her mission. She would seek to kill the Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance—and perhaps even him as well.

“Do you know where he was planning to go?”

Instead of answering, Cha Iran asked back,

“Wouldn’t you be the one to know that?”

From her eyes and expression, it was clear she truly didn’t know. In fact, she was curious about it herself.

“So he never knew you liked him.”

If it had been mutual affection, they would have spoken about it. No—perhaps he wouldn’t have even thought of leaving, not unless they planned to leave together.

“You’re right. He didn’t know.”

Cha Iran didn’t try to hide it. She didn’t try to use that truth as a shield to protect her life.

“Why didn’t you tell him?”

She never thought she would end up saying such things to Geom Mugeuk.

“We were both busy. And besides, the organization didn’t like it.”

But perhaps because he was an enemy she had to kill, it was easier to speak freely.

“Why didn’t the organization like it?”

“Because then there would have been two people wanting to leave.”

Geom Mugeuk liked her honesty. True charm didn’t come from her smooth thighs.

Curious, Cha Iran asked,

“Why do you care so much about him? He already left you.”

From Geom Mugeuk came an answer she never expected.

“He was a great man.”

“That, I admit.”

“I like admirable people. When I see someone like that, I want to resemble them, I want to learn from them.”

Geom Mugeuk sat on the display stand directly across from her.

“In that sense, you were admirable too.”

At her questioning gaze, Geom Mugeuk answered honestly.

“I don’t have the courage to get that drunk in front of an enemy.”

It was meant as a joke, but she didn’t laugh.

“Why can’t you be honest?”

“What do you mean?”

“The real reason you paid attention to him wasn’t because he was admirable. It was because you wanted a strong master at your side, wasn’t it? And since he was your enemy, the value would be doubled, tripled. Isn’t that right?”

Geom Mugeuk stared at her for a moment, then suddenly asked,

“Could you have kept him by your side?”

Cha Iran couldn’t say yes. Part of why she liked Ak Gunhak was because of that wind-like freedom in his demeanor.

“From the very first time I saw him, he had no shoes on. How could you possibly keep at your side someone who walks barefoot?”

If that were true, then what? If not to possess him, then what reason could there be?

“Then why?”

After a pause, Geom Mugeuk spoke.

“Because I wanted to let him leave.”

As if to prove he meant it, he added a shocking proposal.

“Let’s help him leave.”