Absolute Regression
Chapter 28: We're Starting, So Hold on Tight
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TL: FoodieMonster007
Yang Ho shouted irritably at the voice from the second floor.
"Which bastard is it?"
The same voice replied.
"You haven't even checked who it is, and you're already cursing?"
Then, a woman's voice joined in.
"This isn't courage, it's recklessness."
The woman's voice was so pleasant it explained the expression 'like rolling jade beads'. It felt like even her curses would be a pleasure to hear.
"What on earth is inside that head of his to make him act like that?"
"His upbringing must have been poor."
"Some kids grow up just fine even if their parents neglect them. So you can't just blame the parents for everything."
"You're right."
Normally, Yang Ho would have flown into a rage, but his mind was filled with lust instead.
Judging by her voice alone, she must be a peerless beauty. If I play my cards right today, I might be able to spend a hot night with her!
He planned to crush the man with her and take the woman for himself.
Such a fearless fantasy was possible for a reason. In the Demon Village, one's status and skill determined which inns, taverns, and brothels they frequented.
The Alluring Inn, run by Jo Cheonbae, was a place for low-class martial artists. Neither his father nor his subordinates, the Blade Ghosts, ever came here.
Martial artists from the orthodox or unorthodox sects didn't just drop by the Demon Village. So, Yang Ho naturally concluded his opponents must be low-class martial artists from our Cult.
Meanwhile, the conversation on the second floor continued.
"To think the son of a mere Hundred Blade Ghosts is committing such tyranny in broad daylight. The prestige of the Blade Ghosts must be truly great."
"It's probably only possible because he's riding on the coattails of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's authority."
Yang Ho was puzzled. No one had ever dared to look down on his father before, and now his opponent was even mentioning the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
"I can imagine how he was raised from a young age."
"He grew up not knowing how scary the world is."
Yang Ho listened and then spoke politely, a stark change from his earlier tone.
"Esteemed senior, you've graced us with your presence. Please reveal yourself and point out the mistakes of this foolish junior."
The moment he finished, he added another comment.
"You idiot, did you think I'd fall for that? I don't know what kind of bastards you are, pretending to be mysterious, but you'd better show your faces right now or you'll die."
A man then peeked his head out from the second floor.
Yang Ho relaxed when he saw the man's youthful appearance.
"Is it you?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"What about the bitch who was chattering with you?"
Then, the woman peeked her head out. Yang Ho screamed at the sight of her.
"Aargh! What the hell?"
"Why are you so surprised, Master."
"Is it really you? Is it you!"
The owner of the voice was a fat woman, not a peerless beauty. His happy fantasy shattered, and Yang Ho roared.
"You bastards, get down here right now if you don't want to die!"
"Let's go down now."
I finished my drink at Lee Ahn's words.
I was the one drinking on the second floor. I had come to meet the victim's father, Gwa Ju, and ended up catching an unexpectedly big fish.
I leaped from the second floor to the floor below. Lee Ahn followed, jumping down as well. She used her movement arts to land lightly despite her large frame.
Yang Ho was startled by our movements. He had assumed we were third-rate martial artists, but we were far too nimble.
I helped the fallen Gwa Ju to his feet and sat him in a chair.
"I'm sorry for not intervening sooner. I had a feeling that bastard would run his mouth, so I waited. Thanks to that, I got a confession."
"Second Young Lord?"
"Oh, you recognize me."
"Actually, I recognized your bodyguard. She's quite famous within the academy."
I looked at Lee Ahn and pouted.
"Does this make any sense? You're more famous than me!"
"How could I be famous? They just recognized me right away because I'm so big. Tsk!"
Yang Ho's face turned pale as he listened to our conversation.
"You're… the Second Young Lord?"
"Relax. I'm here today as the Sanzu Hall Director. No, wait, you should probably be more nervous then."
Yang Ho, who had been shouting as if he owned the world, lowered his voice and spoke politely.
"I failed to recognize a noble person of our Cult. Please forgive my rudeness. I'm still young."
"From the way you act, you don't seem young at all."
"No, I'm not. I'm just a kid who doesn't know anything."
Yang Ho bowed his head low. The young brat was cunning, knowing instinctively when to submit.
"May I be excused now?"
"Wait. I have business with you."
"What business is that?"
"I'm here to investigate the assault case you committed."
"But the Sanzu River Hall already ruled me innocent."
"This case is being completely reinvestigated."
A startled Yang Ho stood in shock while Gwa Ju's face brightened. Jo Cheonbae, who was next to him, flinched and stopped himself from cheering.
I listed Yang Ho's charges one by one.
"You extorted money daily, so that's habitual extortion. You forced him to steal, so that's instigating theft. You beat a friend to the brink of death, so that's attempted murder, and as if that wasn't enough, you came and assaulted the victim's father. Your crimes are too heinous. You'll spend at least twenty years in prison."
"Twenty years?"
Yang Ho turned deathly pale. He couldn't handle two days in prison, let alone twenty years.
"No, it just happened while we were having a duel!"
"Too late. You confessed yourself right in front of the Sanzu Hall Director."
Cornered, Yang Ho brought up the person who had shielded him from all his evil deeds.
"Do you know who my father is?"
"I do. He's the Hundred Blade Ghosts."
"If you frame me, my father won't just stand by."
"Don't talk nonsense about being framed. You want me to show you what a real frame-up looks like?"
The brat flinched and shrank back from my intensity.
"And your father will be too busy to look after you. I'm planning to arrest him too, on charges of pressuring a Sanzu River Hall investigator."
The teenage Yang Ho couldn't withstand the pressure.
"Father won't let you get away with this. He'll get out of prison and get revenge on you. No, he can kill you even from inside prison! So you'd better think carefully…"
"……"
I didn't let him finish. My fist slammed mercilessly into the brat's stomach.
Yang Ho clutched his stomach and collapsed. Then, another thunderbolt struck him.
"If we add the crime of threatening the Sanzu Hall Director, that's thirty years."
Yang Ho looked up, his face filled with terror.
"…No, please save me!"
"I'm feeling generous. I'll drop that one."
"Please, forgive me."
"Alright, give me one reason why I should forgive you, and stop going on about your father."
"That is…"
"Have you ever saved someone? Ever helped anyone? No? Then tell me something even remotely good you've done. Try to make something up, even if you have to force it."
"……"
"You can't even make something up, can you? It's hard to invent something on the spot when you've never done it. Why should I forgive someone like you?"
"I'll… I'll live a good life from now on!"
"Sure. Live like that after you get out of prison and pay for your crimes."
WHOOSH, SMACK!
I mercilessly slapped the brat across the face. His jaw twisted as he lost consciousness and collapsed.
"Transport him to the Hall."
I could have beaten him half to death right there, but I didn't. For him, the real hell would be twenty years in prison. It wasn't an empty threat. I fully intended to give him a twenty-year sentence and throw him in.
The prisons of our Cult were hellish places where human rights were ignored. I could guarantee this brat wouldn't last a month before taking his own life.
Turning over a new leaf? If he were that kind of person, he wouldn't have committed such vicious acts in the first place.
The two goons at the entrance backed away, trying to flee.
However, martial artists blocked the entrance. They were Seo Daeryong and the enforcement martial artists of the Sanzu River Hall. They were known to be more fearsome than any other martial artists in our Cult, the kind even the Demonic Army wouldn't dare challenge.
The two lackeys wet themselves and collapsed.
"We only did what we were told!"
"Please spare us!"
Punishment was one thing, but first, these guys had a role to play.
"If you don't confess everything exactly as it happened, you'll take all the blame."
"We'll tell you everything!"
"I'll tell you!"
I spoke as if I might forgive them for testifying, but that was a lie. Once I had their testimony, these guys were headed to prison too. Their sentences would be shorter than Yang Ho's, but I planned to give them at least five years.
If I made an example of these guys, would anyone dare bully their peers in the martial arts academy or the academy again?
"Take them to the interrogation room and get their statements!"
"Yes, sir!"
The enforcement martial artists subdued the three's acupoints and transported them to the Hall.
One of the watching customers couldn't hold back and started clapping.
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP!
Then, the rest of them cheered. Jo Cheonbae finally let out the cheer he had held back.
This reaction probably wouldn't have happened if it weren't me, but I am the son of the Heavenly Demon, so it was okay for them to cheer.
I addressed them in a loud voice.
"From now on, if you suffer any injustice, report it to the Sanzu River Hall. As long as I am the Sanzu Hall Director, no external pressure will work."
The applause grew louder. If I wasn't afraid of a Demon Supreme, what other external pressure could possibly work?
I finished with a joke. "If someone tries to scare you by saying they'll call their father, like that brat just did, I'll call my father too!"
Laughter erupted from the crowd.
Just then, one of my subordinates reported something to me. I immediately relayed the good news to Gwa Ju.
"Before coming here, the Demonic Physician treated your son."
"Is that true? That noble person treated my son?"
"To me, your son is more precious. I've just been told he has woken up, so please, hurry and go see him."
"Uwaaah!"
Overwhelmed, Gwa Ju cried out.
"Ah! Dong-ah, Dong-ah! You're alive! My son is alive!"
The tavern owner, Jo Cheonbae, embraced him.
"This is great, just great."
People who knew the two of them gathered around to congratulate them.
Gwa Ju shed tears of overwhelming emotion.
"I will never forget this kindness."
I stopped him as he was about to give a deep bow.
"Haven't you dedicated your entire life to our Cult? It's only natural that our Cult should protect you."
Our Cult was maintained because of people like him, who silently dedicated their lives to it. The current our Cult has lost this natural sense of gratitude.
"Our Cult is grateful to you."
I bowed my head to him. Gwa Ju sensed the sincerity in my heart and shed tears.
"Thank you, thank you so much."
"You should hurry and go see your son."
"Yes, I'll be on my way now."
He hurried off to see his son. The tavern owner, Jo Cheonbae, then spoke to me.
"Whenever you come by, drinks and food will be on the house."
"Thank you. I'll come by next time for a drink."
"It would be my honor if you did."
Jo Cheonbae bowed deeply. The other customers also bowed. For them, this was likely the most satisfying thing they had ever witnessed.
After they bowed and stepped back, Lee Ahn and Seo Daeryong walked over from behind me.
Seo Daeryong asked cautiously, his expression worried.
"But… will you really be alright?"
Since I planned to arrest not only Yang Ho but also his father, the Hundred Blade Ghosts, I would be seriously provoking the Blood Heaven Blade Demon again.
"Will I be alright? Of course not. All hell will break loose again."
"I'm worried."
"Isn't this the case you brought to me? Trying to bury me with the Blade Demon's big sword."
"That's true, but…"
Seo Daeryong sighed. Regret was written on his face, as if he thought he shouldn't have brought this case forward.
I spoke powerfully to Seo Daeryong, who desperately dreamed of change, and to Lee Ahn, who still feared it.
"We haven't even really started yet. So don't let your hearts waver, and hold on tight!"
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