Absolute Regression

“Yang Manor Lord, didn’t I tell you? How can a person live only by gaining? Sometimes, you have to take a loss. But what did you do? Requesting help from the Martial Alliance just because you lost a few coins? Is the Martial Alliance your personal fixer? Every little thing, you go running to them. The Martial Alliance is busy. They’re too preoccupied with their own gains. So don’t do this again. Got it?”

However, the man called Yang Manor Lord, who was lying in front of him, gave no response. After all, he was already dead. Even knowing that his opponent was deceased, the one scolding him was none other than Jisaeng, the Golden Pig.

He had a nervous appearance. Contrary to his nickname, Golden Pig, he was extremely skinny and intolerant of mistakes, so his subordinates could barely breathe properly in his presence.

“Ransack this guy’s house and gather anything of value. Get rid of anyone who might cause trouble.”

“Yes, sir!”

The subordinate who received the order went outside. As usual, they would make it look like a raid by wanderers and set the place ablaze.

For the time being, he had to squeeze his surroundings dry like this. The reason was that damn Divine Debt.

Jisaeng turned to another subordinate.

“Have you found those bastards?”

The ones who had been in charge of the Divine Debt had run off with all the assets, causing significant financial troubles.

According to the investigation, Ilsun and Iseon, who had handled the Divine Debt, had personally come to the exchange and retrieved the money. The bastards even disposed of all other properties before vanishing. Just thinking about them made Jisaeng’s blood boil. 1

“Idiots!”

If they had continued working under him, they could have made a lot more money.

At least for Ilsun, who was smart and cautious, Jisaeng didn’t expect such a foolish loss for petty gain.

He couldn’t understand exactly what their motives or circumstances were. Maybe they fought among themselves, or there were other issues. Perhaps they had fallen prey to other scoundrels.

The scent of money is like the smell of blood; it always draws packs of jackals. Whatever the reason, once he got his hands on them, he planned to tear them apart alive. Even if they had been taken down by others, he would kill them again.

“Find those bastards no matter what! If you don’t, it’ll be you who dies.”

“Yes, understood!”

Knowing it was no joke, the subordinate turned pale and ran off.

At that moment, another subordinate came in to report.

“Da-ho is waiting at Seo Manor.”

Jisaeng had drawn in individuals who were quite notorious within the unorthodox sects, the Four Tigers of Iron Sword. He intended to entrust the Divine Debt to them.

It would have been ideal to assign the task to his direct subordinates, but due to the nature of the Divine Debt, that wasn’t possible. He needed people who had no connections to the Unorthodox Alliance to cover for any issues that might arise. Especially if the Martial Alliance got involved, it could lead to a troublesome situation. 2

Jisaeng stepped out of the building and walked towards the carriage. On the coachman’s seat sat a man with a round face, gazing up at the sky.

As Jisaeng approached, the coachman greeted him respectfully.

“To Seohogwan.”

The carriage set off, with his subordinates following on horseback.

Jisaeng transmitted a voice message to the coachman.

— Please, sir, evaluate whether the Four Tigers of Iron Sword are suitable.

His tone was exceedingly courteous and respectful.

The person posing as the coachman was the real Golden Pig, Jisaeng. 3

Previously, Iseon had mentioned to Geom Mugeuk that he had seen a tattoo on Jisaeng’s coachman, and this was the very coachman in question.

— It seems you’re getting better at assessing people.

— I haven’t even learned a tenth of your discernment, sir.

— Excessive humility can come off as flattery.

— I apologize, sir.

— Trust your own judgment.

The man had been living as a fake Jisaeng for over ten years now. He thought and lived like Jisaeng. Sometimes, he even felt as if he were the real Jisaeng.

Over those years, there had never been a life-threatening crisis. One might think it would be time to reveal his true self, but the real Jisaeng remained thoroughly hidden.

The man thought Jisaeng was truly remarkable. From what he knew, Jisaeng had accumulated immense wealth, far more than he could ever use in a lifetime. If it were him, he would never be able to dress in shabby clothes and act as a coachman.

— How are the finances this month?

— We are still twenty thousand nyang behind what we need to send to the higher-ups.

Reporting that they couldn’t send the tribute this month due to certain circumstances was not an option.

That was your problem.

That was always the stance of the higher-ups.

— Don’t worry. I will ensure that neither the higher-ups nor you are inconvenienced in any way.

— Please do so.

Whenever situations like this arose, the real Jisaeng never once offered to resolve the matter with his own money. While the man often admired Jisaeng in general, moments like these left him feeling disappointed. Did he really need to be so obsessed with money?

In a way, even this was impressive. Jisaeng had a steadfast philosophy when it came to money. He lived for the thrill of earning and accumulating wealth. For him, money was everything.

That’s why, in the past, he had asked him a question.

“Why don’t you become independent?”

He thought that with the real Jisaeng’s mind, he could amass a great fortune no matter where he went. Currently, more than two-thirds of what he earned was handed over to Yaryuhan.

At that time, the real Jisaeng answered like this:

“No matter how much money you make, in the end, it’ll all be taken away by someone like me.”

He meant that it would eventually be seized by someone with powerful backing.

“If greed is excessive, it becomes ruin.” 4

Hearing such words from the greediest person he knew gave the fake Jisaeng a strange feeling. If excessive greed truly led to ruin, then Jisaeng would be the very embodiment of that ruin. 5

The carriage arrived at Seohogwan.

The fake Jisaeng and his subordinates entered first, while the real Jisaeng stepped out of the carriage. In truth, this moment was his second favorite after making money.

Observing the world while hiding his true identity.

The peculiar thrill of knowing that no one could recognize his true self. The joy akin to that of a god manipulating humans like pieces on a chessboard. 6

The real Jisaeng, with his hands behind his back, began to wander leisurely around the courtyard.

* * *

Waiting for Jisaeng in the guest hall was Da-ho, the eldest of the Four Tigers of Iron Sword.

A curtain set up by the subordinates separated them. From Jisaeng’s side, he could see through it, but the other side could not see Jisaeng, thanks to the special design.

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

This was the moment when the fake Jisaeng had to become the real Jisaeng.

The fake Jisaeng also felt a peculiar thrill. It was the moment when he became the grand figure of Jisaeng, one of the four supporters of Yaryuhan, the second-in-command of the Unorthodox Alliance.

Everyone bowed their heads in front of him, and he hoped the pleasure that came with power would last forever.

“Thank you for coming such a long way.”

“When you call, sir, I’d run a thousand miles in an instant.”

Jisaeng looked at the man sitting before him and felt satisfied.

“Perfect.”

Among the various candidates, he had liked this one the most. To Jisaeng, he looked less like a tiger and more like a wild dog. And that was just right.

A person with a sound mind couldn’t handle something like the Divine Debt. Only those who could destroy many people’s souls without feeling the slightest remorse could do such a thing. Thus, it wasn’t a job for tigers but for wild dogs.

In that regard, the Four Tigers of Iron Sword were suitable candidates in every way. Their past lives testified to it. They were individuals who had committed all sorts of unspeakable atrocities.

“Let me be frank with you. The ones who handled this task before you harbored disloyal intentions, so I dealt with them personally.”

The fact that those men had run off with the money was something that could never be revealed.

“Betrayal equals death.”

“I will pledge my loyalty until death.”

“If, after the job begins, you even mention the alliance, it will mean death.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“If you adhere to just those two rules, you and your men can earn a great deal of money.”

“I will work as diligently as an ox.”

Da-ho smiled, his grin revealing an unmistakable crudeness.

“And I’d like to meet your brothers sometime soon.”

“They’re here with me. Let me know anytime, and we will be at your service.”

“I’ll contact you soon.”

“Understood.”

With a courteous bow, Da-ho took his leave.

After he departed Seohogwan, the fake Jisaeng emerged from the building and climbed into the carriage.

— What do you think?

— From his countenance, he’s filled with greed and pettiness, but at least he doesn’t have the look of someone who would betray easily. He seems suitable for the job.

— Then I shall proceed.

With that, the carriage left the location.

* * *

Da-ho returned to his quarters.

He was in a good mood. Despite always being known as a born villain, even he had grown tired of his own misdeeds. He was planning to pull off one big job and retire when Jisaeng chose him and his group.

“Hey, you lot! It’s settled!”

As Da-ho opened the door and stepped inside, he was startled.

I-ho, Sam-ho, and Sa-ho were seated side by side in chairs, fast asleep.

And among them sat a young man he had never seen before.

At first, Da-ho thought the young man was someone his younger brothers had invited.

‘I told them not to bring outsiders.’

But then a thought struck him. They called someone over and then fell asleep? Or were they trying to prank him? Doing something they had never done before?

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

Da-ho’s hesitation didn’t last long. He turned swiftly, attempting to flee like lightning. 7

But in that moment, Da-ho’s entire body froze.

A man in a white mask was standing behind him. When he had arrived was a mystery. The icy eyes behind the mask met his gaze, and Da-ho’s body was paralyzed. Though he had encountered many villains, he had never seen eyes this terrifying.

The Evil Smiling Demon calmly extended his hand, effortlessly suppressing Da-ho’s internal energy. Though Da-ho had endured much in the martial world, even when the masked man placed his hand on his dantian point, he couldn’t so much as twitch a finger.

Two more men followed behind Evil Smiling Demon. They were the Poison King and Seo Daeryong.

“I won’t interfere. I’ll just watch.”

The Poison King walked past Da-ho, taking a seat on the desk, while Seo Daeryong closed the door.

Geom Mugeuk called out to Da-ho.

“Come closer.”

Da-ho slowly walked towards Geom Mugeuk.

‘Stay sharp if you want to survive!’

That was the only thought in his mind.

As he approached Geom Mugeuk, he finally got a closer look at I-ho, Sam-ho, and Sa-ho. Their bodies were already rigid and lifeless.

‘They’re all dead!’

Da-ho felt his heart sink. Despite having no visible wounds, it seemed they had been struck down without even drawing their swords. Who were these people?

“Do you even know who you’re dealing with?” 8

“You’re the Four Tigers of Iron Sword. And you’re Da-ho, the eldest.”

Upon hearing this, Da-ho quickly responded.

“We’re handling a very important task. You’ve made a huge mistake.”

“You mean the Divine Debt job assigned by the Unorthodox Alliance? What’s so grand about that?”

Da-ho was startled by Geom Mugeuk’s words.

“You’re doing this knowing who’s backing us?”

At that moment, Soma stepped forward, staring intently at Da-ho.

“Rather than wasting time, just give me half a moment. I’ll turn him into an obedient dog.”

Da-ho felt a shiver run through his entire body as the hair on his arms stood up.

Then, the Poison King politely addressed the Evil Smiling Demon.

“Mind if I step in?”

The Evil Smiling Demon glanced at the Poison King. The Poison King avoided direct eye contact with him.

Soma nodded readily and stepped back.

“Go ahead.”

It was the first time since they had left the cult that the two had exchanged a moment of mutual understanding.

The Poison King rummaged through his bag, pulling out a vial of medicine as he spoke to Geom Mugeuk.

“How could you trust someone like him to handle the job? Instead, you can certainly rely on this gu poison.”

Inside the vial, a grotesque insect was wriggling convulsively.

“Once this thing takes root in his brain, he’d even cut off his own arm with his teeth if you asked.”

Da-ho’s face turned deathly pale. Just the thought of that hideous creature entering his head made him feel nauseated and terrified.

Geom Mugeuk chuckled and asked the Poison King.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t get involved?”

“Seeing this guy made me want to test it out. It’s been a while since I’ve tried it on a person.”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have time to test the gu poison.”

“Then just make him take this.”

The Poison King pulled out another vial from his bag.

“If you don’t take the antidote daily, your internal organs will dissolve, and you’ll die. If you feel like betraying us, go ahead and try.”

“Make sure no trace of the poison remains later.”

“Who do you think made this poison? Why worry about that?”

“Then this is perfect!”

In the next moment, Da-ho urgently shouted.

“Please, just spare me! What do I need to do?”

All four men turned their gaze towards Da-ho. He was trembling all over. It was a bizarre combination; they didn’t seem like mere villains, nor did they appear as righteous warriors.

Though Da-ho had encountered all kinds of scoundrels, this was the first time he had met people who provoked such primal fear. They were the sort of opponents who seemed immune to any tricks.

Geom Mugeuk approached him, speaking in a soft tone.

“Da-ho, I look forward to working with you.”

At that moment, Da-ho realized what they intended. They were planning to take on the roles of his brothers. The fact that they had already killed his three younger siblings was a part of this plan.

Geom Mugeuk handed him the Poison King’s vial.

“Da-ho, let’s start by drinking this, and then we can discuss what needs to be done.”

“No need to drink it! If you spare my life, I’ll do whatever you ask! I swear on my name, on my parents, no—on Heaven and Earth! If I don’t keep my word, I’ll die under divine retribution!” 9

But Geom Mugeuk pried open Da-ho’s mouth and poured the poison in.

“I don’t believe you. Now, drink it all!”

1 : Hehehe, it’s ‘harmless’ manipulation since they all deserve death ^ ^ Still, what beautiful planning, they have no idea what calamity will fall upon them XDXDXD

2 : It’s amazing how everyone is so dismissive of the Divine Cult. That’s what makes Mugeuk actions so effective, he attack from beyond their perception range ^ ^

3 : It would have been nice to put a ‘dramatic reveal’ SFX here, but we already knew it.

4 : You should have stayed faithful to your wisdom. The Divine Debt was too much, whether it be the debtors or you, the masterminds.

5 : Naaah, greediest person in the world.

6 : Dude believes he’s an hidden munchkin XDXDXD

7 : Good instincts.

8 : Lol, a nameless extra trying to use his background against two Demon Supremes, one direct disciple of another, and the successor of the Heavenly Demon XDXDXD

9 : Naaah, your type of scum can promise anything to stay alive, and still betray everyone as soon as they can. Now bottoms up !!!

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