Absolute Regression

“Please, spare me!”

Samsun helped the young man, who was on his knees pleading, to stand up.

“This makes me feel so uncomfortable.”

“How can I repay the debt if you suddenly demand the money back?”

Samsun sighed.

“It’s an order from the society; I have no choice. You know that, right? People like us have no option but to follow orders.”

“But I can’t sell the house. Without it, where would my parents live?”

The young man’s weakness was his filial piety, and Samsun kept pressing on that weakness.

“You could house them with some relatives.”

Samsun sighed again.

“That’s why I told you not to borrow more money.”

The young man sighed as well.

“I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.”

The young man, who had left his hometown to learn martial arts and then returned, dreamed of establishing a martial arts hall in his hometown. To achieve his dream, he worked hard, trying to make money, and that’s when Samsun approached him with an offer to lend Divine Debt.

Of course, the young man was suspicious at first.

However, the loan agreement showed no signs of foul play. Moreover, Samsun was overly kind, treating him like an older brother.

He even didn’t pressure him to borrow money, advising him that it would be tough to carry heavy debt at a young age, and suggested he consider borrowing at another opportunity.

Then, when Samsun moved to lend Divine Debt to someone else, the young man grew anxious. In the end, he borrowed the money that very day.

He bought an old manor and began the renovations to turn it into a martial arts hall. But then, an accident occurred in which some workers were injured. The construction was delayed, and he had to borrow more money to pay for the workers’ medical bills. Later, there was an incident of stolen materials, forcing him to borrow even more.

Even so, he somehow managed to open the martial arts hall and intended to repay the debt through diligent management. But then, the martial arts hall, which was fully constructed, caught fire. 1

The young man felt as though the sky was falling. To make matters worse, Samsun showed up demanding repayment, insisting that he sell the house his parents were living in.

“I’ll do anything. Please, I cannot sell the house!”

“Do anything? Are you suggesting murder or something? Don’t say such nonsense.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ll see what I can do and try to appeal to the society. Let’s discuss it again.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“See you again.”

As Samsun turned away from the young man, a dark smile appeared on his thin lips.

‘Now, it’s about time.’

Once someone committed a crime just once, that was it. From the moment they took that first step, they could be exploited for life. Especially someone like this young man—kind, naive, and deeply filial—was practically easy prey.

Ambition, dreams, hope, youth, family…

These bright and warm ideals served as bait to lure young people into hell. Push forward with ambition! Chase your dreams while you’re young. Have hope! You’re young! Think of your family! How could hot-blooded youths resist such temptations? 2

With a cold snicker, Samsun climbed into the waiting carriage.

He turned to his subordinate seated at the coachman’s position and asked.

“Who’s next?”

“It’s someone new looking to borrow money.”

“What’s his story?”

“He’s the son of the Sect Leader of the Right Fist Sect.”

It was a martial sect he had heard of before.

One might wonder why the son of a prominent sect would need to borrow money, but in Samsun’s experience, those who genuinely needed to borrow money often didn’t, while those who didn’t need it ended up borrowing. 3

Samsun leaned his head against the carriage. Lately, he had been too busy to even catch his breath.

The Dark Commerce was operated by four sworn brothers who committed all sorts of evil acts. As they embarked on this venture, they abandoned their original names and became Ilsun (First Immortal), Iseon (Second Immortal), Samsun (Third Immortal), and Saseon (Fourth Immortal).

Ilsun, who initially founded the Dark Commerce, was cunning and ruthless, devoid of compassion from birth.

One day, he suddenly came up with a large sum of money and proposed this scheme. He never disclosed where the money came from. Clearly, there was a secret financier backing this vast sum. 4

Regardless, one thing was certain: if the merciless Ilsun was set on making money, they were destined to make a fortune.

To maintain secrecy, they kept the number of their subordinates to a minimum, selecting only the elite, and divided the tasks meticulously.

Saseon led elite martial artists and only intervened when force was necessary. If Saseon was the fist, Iseon was the feet. Iseon’s role was to identify potential victims.

Ilsun decided how to use these prey. He forced them into all kinds of tasks, including assault and murder, or stealing martial arts manuals from relatives or acquaintances. If there was any risk of their secrets being leaked, they would stage a suicide to silence them.

If Ilsun was the brains, then Samsun played the role of the mouth.

Samsun roamed around, comforting and coaxing them, telling them that a better life awaited if they could just endure a little longer. It was often joked among the four of them that when they gathered, Samsun was the biggest bastard.

“We’ve arrived.”

The meeting place was an inn.

A subordinate pointed towards a young man sitting in a corner.

“That’s him.”

Samsun walked over to him while the subordinate waited a short distance away.

Samsun joined the young man at the table and greeted him cheerfully.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Have you been here long?”

“It’s fine,” the young man replied quietly. Usually, young men who came to borrow money were tense and stiff. However, this young man, instead of appearing nervous, exuded a sense of gloom and melancholy.

“What’s your name?”

“Jeong Yang.”

Of course, the person who introduced himself as Jeong Yang was actually Geom Mugeuk.

“I heard you’re the heir to the Right Fist Sect?”

The Right Fist Sect was a real martial sect located not far from here. Its youngest member was also named Jeong Yang.

Of course, this sect was associated with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult under the management of the Heavenly Communication Pavilion. If anyone were to investigate, they would find that there indeed was a son resembling Geom Mugeuk.

Like the Sodong Sect that was used in the Soaring Dragon Tournament, the Right Fist Sect was also a fabricated sect created for situations like this.

“Why would someone like you need money?”

Samsun probed cautiously.

Instead of answering, Geom Mugeuk asked, “I heard you lend money without interest.”

“That’s right. Divine Debt doesn’t charge interest.”

Geom Mugeuk lifted his head and looked at Samsun. Unlike his usual demeanor, Geom Mugeuk was presenting a somber atmosphere.

He could have behaved arrogantly or carried himself with the air of a distinguished noble. However, Gowol had instructed him to engage in this manner.

“How much can you lend me?”

“How much do you need?”

“A hundred thousand nyang.”

Samsun was taken aback. This was the first time anyone had asked to borrow a hundred thousand nyang in one go.

“What do you plan to do with such a large sum?”

Geom Mugeuk lowered his head and remained silent.

“Look, where you spend the borrowed money is your choice, but a hundred thousand nyang is a substantial amount. I need to know what it’s for, don’t you think?”

Samsun thought to himself.

‘This doesn’t feel right.’

He had decided not to lend the money when, suddenly, Geom Mugeuk, as if unable to contain his anger, lashed his fist at the floor from where he was sitting.

Even though there was no direct contact, the inn’s floor caved in. 5

Samsun was startled. What surprised him even more was that the sound was so faint it went unnoticed by those nearby. Geom Mugeuk’s martial power was exceptionally deep for someone his age.

“Forget it. Let’s pretend this never happened.”

As if regretting coming, Geom Mugeuk stood to leave, but Samsun hurriedly stopped him.

“Wait! Why are you in such a rush?”

Geom Mugeuk seemed to be debating with himself even at that moment about whether he should borrow the money or not.

“Come on, take a seat first.”

Samsun had grabbed onto Geom Mugeuk because of his skills.

‘He’s someone Ilsun is looking for!’

Ilsun was searching for highly skilled individuals to use in a major operation. He had given strict orders to seize any expert they encountered.

“Alright, I’ll lend you the money. How you use it is your personal business, so I won’t ask further.”

A slight hint of satisfaction crossed Geom Mugeuk’s face.

“Are you really not going to thank me for lending you such a large sum?”

Geom Mugeuk murmured, just barely audible.

“Nothing in this world is free, is it? You’ll probably use this debt to get something out of me later.”

Geom Mugeuk glared at Samsun with a look that said he wasn’t fooled.

Among all the people Samsun had met, this was the first time he had encountered someone who made him feel this way. Somehow unsettling, yet oddly compelling. A person who seemed likely to cause big trouble, which also meant he could potentially make them a lot of money. 6

“Alright! Let’s get the loan agreement signed.”

Geom Mugeuk scrutinized the loan document closely.

“It really doesn’t have a repayment date, just as I heard.”

“If we were in it for profit, we’d invest in a trading company. We’re investing in your youth.”

At the mention of youth, Geom Mugeuk scoffed and continued to examine the agreement.

“Is this going to change if I soak it in water or something?”

“If you’re that suspicious, go ahead and check.”

Geom Mugeuk actually tested it, splashing water on the document and even bringing a lamp close to apply heat. But the loan agreement remained unchanged.

Now it was Samsun who inwardly scoffed.

‘So much suspicion.’

Wouldn’t it be difficult to manipulate someone so distrustful? Not at all. A suspicious person can be just as easy to exploit. Once you get past their doubts, they often exhibit unwavering trust. If you’re set on deceiving them, their personality poses no issue.

After a long inspection of the loan agreement, Geom Mugeuk nodded.

“Give me the money, and I’ll seal it.”

On Samsun’s order, the subordinate who was driving the carriage fetched the voucher. After receiving the money, Geom Mugeuk left his seal on the agreement.

“See you again.”

Geom Mugeuk, having secured the money, left without looking back, and Samsun gave his subordinate an order.

“Deploy surveillance and find out what he uses the money for.”

“Understood.”

After the two left the inn, they got into the carriage and departed from the place.

Geom Mugeuk and Gowol were watching them leave from the alley of the building across the street.

“Well done.”

Following Gowol’s instructions, Geom Mugeuk maintained a dark and somber demeanor.

“You did well to scrutinize the loan agreement,” Gowol said.

Testing with water and heat had been Geom Mugeuk’s spontaneous decision. He figured that anyone approaching with malicious intent wouldn’t go to such lengths to inspect the loan document.

“Gowol, wouldn’t it be better to just capture and torture that guy to get him to reveal where the others are?” Geom Mugeuk suggested.

Gowol shook his head.

“The person who planned this is clever. If we make a wrong move, they’ll cut all ties and disappear.”

“So, what do we do now?”

“With the hundred thousand nyang you borrowed, purchase a particular item.”

“What kind of item?”

Gowol smiled, indicating he had everything planned out.

“Something that will give them a real shock.”

* * *

Three days later, the subordinate returned and reported to Samsun.

“Jeong Yang took the hundred thousand nyang and bought poison from a shadow merchant in this area.”

Shadow merchants, also known as Dark Commercers, were those who sold hidden weapons, poisons, and other items banned by the Murim Alliance.

“He bought poison? What kind of poison?”

“He bought the Formless Poison.”

Samsun was stunned. Formless Poison was extremely expensive and not easily obtainable.

“Can you buy that with a hundred thousand nyang?”

“It seems he bought just enough for a single use.”

“Who does he intend to kill?”

The subordinate didn’t know, and Samsun was troubled by the answer. Although money he lent out had been used for all sorts of things, no one had ever bought Formless Poison before. The uneasy feeling he had sensed on that day must have been because of this.

“This doesn’t feel right.”

Though it was likely not intended for him, there was still a chance that Geom Mugeuk could use the Formless Poison against Samsun himself.

“How did he even make a deal with a shadow merchant?”

“There’s a competent information broker in this area. It seems he used them to make the connection.”

“Damn it! Arrange another meeting with that guy.”

“Yes, sir.”

Samsun sighed. He genuinely enjoyed this line of work. The pleasure of subtly manipulating others into ruin surpassed even the thrill of a night with a woman. Moreover, even as they were dying, his victims would still rely solely on him. 7

Samsun believed there was no greater destructive and visceral enjoyment than this—except for the occasional madmen like these.

The next day, Samsun met with Geom Mugeuk again.

“Why did you want to see me?”

Knowing about the poison purchase, Geom Mugeuk appeared even darker and more somber.

“I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“Where did you spend the hundred thousand nyang I lent you?”

Geom Mugeuk frowned.

“We agreed you wouldn’t ask that.”

“True. But there’s a strange rumor going around. Someone said that a person bought Formless Poison with a hundred thousand nyang.”

For a moment, Geom Mugeuk flinched. His reaction was so obvious that Samsun didn’t even need to press further.

“It wasn’t me.”

“Then show me the money. Or tell me where you spent it.”

Geom Mugeuk remained silent while dodging his gaze.

Samsun, in a calm and coaxing tone, continued.

“The moment you bought that poison, we were all in the same boat. If you use that poison to cause trouble, we’ll be implicated too. So, tell me. If there’s something I can do to help, I will.”

“You can’t help.”

“Who exactly are you planning to kill? If you use Formless Poison, the Murim Alliance will launch an investigation. Things will escalate quickly. If you’re planning to kill someone, it would be better to hire an assassin, or….”

That’s when a completely unexpected name came up.

“Is there an assassin who can kill the Fist Demon King?” 8

“!”

Samsun was utterly shocked. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been this stunned.

“You’re not talking about the Fist Demon King of the Demonic Cult, are you?”

“Who else would it be? That bastard deserves to be torn apart.”

For a moment, Samsun was speechless. He realized he had really gotten himself involved with the wrong person.

‘Ah! This guy is insane. Absolutely, completely insane.’

If they got tangled up with the Demonic Cult, it could mean the death of all of them. 9

“Why do you want to kill the Fist Demon King?”

“He touched my woman.”

“Why would the Fist Demon King mess with your woman?”

Geom Mugeuk hesitated before revealing a secret about his family, as if he had already committed too much to back out now.

“Our Right Fist Sect is affiliated with the Demonic Cult. The Fist Demon King oversees us.”

Samsun almost screamed. They were already entangled with the Demonic Cult. Was this madman really revealing such a significant secret just like that? But there was a reason behind his fury.

“The Fist Demon King, who occasionally visited our house, saw my fiancée and assaulted her. Damn it! Even when my father found out, he told me to endure it.”

Geom Mugeuk’s eyes burned with rage, making it clear that he was prepared to go to any lengths.

“I will kill the Fist Demon King.”

Samsun was coming to the same decision. He quickly sent a covert message to his subordinate who was standing at a distance.

—Contact the other Immortals. We need to take care of this lunatic first and get out fast. 10

1 : They are quite thorough in their scheme.

2 : Let’s extinguish all of them. Predatory debtors are the worst, they deliberately target those who can’t repay to grab them by the throat. In comparison, legal ones are unpleasant but they’re just doing their job when addicted gamblers can’t stop borrowing.

3 : Those who genuinely need the money can’t borrow, because they know they can lose everything if it fails. Those who borrow always believe they can repay it… until it’s too late.

4 : Dark Heavens existence, +1 clue.

5 : Our Demonic Path doesn’t break inn’s floor !!!

6 : His natural charisma is leaking through, whether as an attendant or as a gloomy heir of a small sect XDXDXD

7 : What a sicko. Then again, I can understand the feeling when you manipulate unrecyclable trash to their doom, but innocent people ? Definitely a sicko.

8 : What a bad disciple XDXDXD

9 : *Currently talking with the Second Young Master of the Divine Cult* Yeaah, you’re fucked ^^

10 : Even under cover, he’s still a madman XDXDXD

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