Absolute Regression
Chapter 31: You're the Crazy One
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TL: FoodieMonster007
My cup stopped dead in the air, halfway to my lips.
Become his water? Could it be?
"What do you mean by that?"
"I'm asking you to become my man."
I never expected the Blade Demon to approach me like this. He publicly supported my brother. Was he really abandoning my brother for me? This was the most unexpected thing to happen since I first met the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
"Second Young Lord."
"……"
"Do you want to become the Heavenly Demon?"
"I do."
I answered without hesitation.
"Then drink that liquor. I will be your backer."
"But Elder, don't you support my brother?"
"That was a choice I made before I knew you were this kind of madman."
"First a dragon, now a madman. I'm quite busy."
You're the crazy one.
I killed his younger brother, crippled his disciple, and imprisoned his subordinate, yet this old man offered to be my backer. He was a man who would sell anything for his ambition.
"I killed your brother, Elder."
"Once you leave your parents' arms, you're strangers. Feeling your guts tear just because a blood relative died? Don't make me laugh. It's human nature to feel more pain from a thorn under your own fingernail."
Every word this old man spat was sincere.
"It's not like I formally joined hands with the First Young Lord anyway… and even if I had, a man's heart can always change."
"Gaining you, Elder, would be like gaining a grand army. However…"
"What are you hesitating for?"
"I don't know if I can trust you, Elder. Just as you're abandoning my brother now, you could abandon me too."
"If a situation arises where I must abandon you, then I will. Do you think I'm doing this because I trust you? I'm a man who has never trusted anyone in my life."
"Then why did you choose me?"
"Because I thought I could bet my fate on your madness, the way you push forward so fearlessly."
"So in the end, you chose me because I'm a madman."
"With that madness, you'll devour them all."
If I were a young man of this age, I might have felt puffed up with pride at being chosen. I might have believed the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's words completely.
However, I know all too well the dirty tricks old men use to exploit the young.
Do you want to become the Heavenly Demon?
That was the question he had asked earlier. The statement was designed to create an illusion. It suggested I could become the Heavenly Demon just by taking his hand.
The question he posed now was steeped in the same scheme.
"If you were to become the Heavenly Demon, what kind of Heavenly Demon would you be?"
"At the very least, under my rule, the Demon Supreme won't be able to pressure the Sanzu Hall Director."
"Hahaha. As expected, my eyes were sharp."
His sly, serpentine attitude never showed his displeasure, no matter how foul he felt.
It was all part of the old man's masterful tactic to sway my decision.
For now, I politely refused. In the push and pull of relationships, letting yourself be pulled along makes you unattractive prey.
"I'm grateful that you think so highly of me, but I believe now is the time for me to do the job I was assigned. What would my father think? Wouldn't he say I neglected my duties to play politics after being entrusted with a great responsibility?"
"Hiding behind the Cult Leader. Is that truly a wise choice?"
"What do you mean?"
"The Sanzu Hall Director? What do you think will happen if you do that job well? What if the Cult Leader keeps you in the position of the Sanzu Hall Director? Do you plan to rot away as the Sanzu Hall Director for the rest of your life? That job is merely a part of the process. The path you must choose is always singular. It's one of the crossroads between becoming the successor or not. The moment you get confused, you'll lose your way and end up wandering in the deceptively beautiful forest called the Sanzu River Hall."
He brought my father into it to conclude his persuasion.
"Rather, the Cult Leader will take note of you joining hands with me. The mere fact that I chose you will increase your stature, and you will catch everyone's eye."
However, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon overlooked one thing.
My will to establish discipline in our Cult was not mine alone. Father's will was also intertwined with it.
"Please give me some time to think. I will drink this liquor when I have made my decision."
I placed the cup back down on the table.
Despite my postponement, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon smiled with satisfaction.
"That's right. Of course, you should. You shouldn't just drink it like an idiot because I told you to."
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon rose from his seat. He drew the Heaven Destroying Dao that was stuck in the ground behind him.
He pulled the dao from the earth and swung it at me in one smooth motion.
I didn't dodge. I drew the Black Demon Sword and blocked the attack.
"……"
A metallic explosion erupted. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke from behind our crossed blades.
"I'll have your answer tomorrow."
"I will give it to you in five days."
We glared at each other. The tense battle of wills lasted only a moment.
"Let's see each other in three days."
Without waiting for a reply, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon shot into the sky and vanished over the wall. His movement was swift and incredible, with no wasted motion.
I sheathed the Black Demon Sword and rotated my wrist.
"Damned old man, that hurts like hell."
It wasn't a full-powered attack, but the dao's extraordinary internal energy made my wrist throb.
This old man. He secretly enjoys inflicting pain on others.
It was his way of making sure I understood his martial superiority. One might think of it as an old man's pride or a nasty hobby, but I believe the Blood Heaven Blade Demon has a clear intention behind actions like this.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon would poke at your sides until you were bruised. Or, like today, he would inflict a pain that made your arm ache for days.
This pain instills unconscious fear in an opponent. The physical violence plays a significant role in manipulating them to his will.
The more I experience it, the more I realize he is no simple old man. I also understand why my father is using me to dance with a sword.
There were eight beings like the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. If the Eight Demon Supremes united, even my father would struggle to deal with them. They might slander and fight amongst themselves, but they became one mind when facing the Heavenly Demon Hall.
Moreover, they were the main force of our Cult. If my father eliminated them simply because he disliked them, the Murim Alliance or the Evil Alliance would invade immediately.
You like that I'm a madman? That's something you say only when you don't know how mad I can truly be.
Before heading to my quarters, I stopped by Lee Ahn's personal training ground.
Lee Ahn was so focused on her training that she didn't notice my arrival. She was doing the basic physical conditioning I had told her to do.
She panted as if she were about to pass out, but Lee Ahn endured it and devoted herself to her training.
Why you?
Because when I give an order, you become a simple, stubborn fool. You're not normally like that, but you willingly become one for my sake.
After watching her train for a moment, I returned to my room.
I brought out some liquor and sat by the window, allowing myself a moment of leisure.
When I think of Hwa Mugi, I can't rest for even a single moment, but that doesn't mean I will only charge straight ahead. If I lose the composure to look at my surroundings, I will surely miss something.
So, I had a few drinks for the first time in a while, using the brightly shining moon as a side dish.
I thought of my father, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and the other Demon Supremes. I also thought about my life after killing Hwa Mugi.
Even on the next day, Yang Tae's spirit was not broken.
"Hmph! Director of the Sanzu Hall, you've picked a fight with the wrong person. Don't you know that messing with me is the same as messing with the entire Southern Blade Sect?"
He threatened me, using the Blood Heaven Blade Demon as his shield.
"If you just let me go, I'll pretend this never happened. I'll even speak to the Demon Supreme myself to ensure that no harm comes to Director Seo."
Then he tried to coax me.
He had never experienced such a desperate situation in his life. Looking at his records, he had lived a life of constant success, starting as a Blade Ghost, then moving through the Ten Blade Ghosts to become one of the Hundred Blade Ghosts. He had never suffered hardship, and no one had ever challenged him in his life.
He didn't know how to act in this situation. Instead of a sincere apology, he resorted to coercion and appeasement. These were the only methods he had ever used to live his life.
Unlike yesterday, I treated Yang Tae calmly.
"Martial artist Yang. Have a seat. Today, the Southern Blade Sect officially announced their regret regarding this incident."
At that, Yang Tae was overjoyed.
"I told you, didn't I? The Demon Supreme would never abandon me. Now, release me."
Yang Tae's expression softened, thinking he would soon be free.
"Let's just forget about our past grievances."
As if he were the one forgiving me, I calmly asked him a question.
"Do you know why I'm treating you so politely right now?"
"Isn't it because you want to end things on good terms?"
"No. It's because this is the last day I will ever see you."
"Isn't that the same thing? Once I leave, we'll have no reason to see each other again."
Yang Tae's face filled with joy. It was time to help that face find its true expression.
"I think you're misunderstanding something."
"Misunderstanding?"
"The Southern Blade Sect didn't express regret to us. They expressed it to you. They regret that you tarnished the honor of the Southern Blade Sect."
"…What?"
"And they officially apologized that a martial artist of the Southern Blade Sect caused such a disgraceful incident. They also apologized to the victim and promised compensation. They even said they would ensure nothing like this ever happens again."
"What… kind of bullshit is this? The Southern Blade Sect has never officially apologized for something like this before. No matter what incident occurred."
Yang Tae's voice trembled.
"It must be an honor. To have changed such a sect."
"Don't lie to me!"
"Well then, I hope you have a pleasant life in prison."
I stood up from my seat. Belatedly, Yang Tae started shouting and causing a ruckus. I told the guards to just leave him be. This tantrum would be his last.
He would have to take responsibility for his actions, for never once showing a hint of sincere remorse.
I gave an order to Seo Daeryong, who waited outside the door.
"Contact the prison and send him to the harshest section."
"……"
Even the comfortable sections of our Cult's prison are hell. The saying that it's better to be beheaded than imprisoned didn't come from nowhere. With his personality, he wouldn't last in prison. The same went for his son.
I did not pity them.
If I hadn't intervened, they would have lived lavishly. Gwa Ju's family would have lived a miserable existence. There must have been other Gwa Jus I never knew about, and more would have appeared in the future.
The threatened investigator, Jonghwa, would have had his future ruined as well.
That is why I feel no pity or regret.
"What on earth happened?"
"What about?"
"Why did the Southern Blade Sect issue a statement of apology? This is completely unprecedented."
"Go and ask them why they did it."
"I would if I could. With the current atmosphere, if I went to the Southern Blade Sect, I probably wouldn't walk out of there."
"No. Right now, you could dance in the Southern Blade Sect's training grounds and still walk out safely."
I left the bewildered Seo Daeryong behind, striding down the hallway as I added one last thing.
"For the next two days, at least."
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