Absolute Regression - Chapter 399



Only Noblemtl

Episode 399 It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.

It was a provocative first greeting.

The suggestion to drink ice wine was originally something that should have been said after formally greeting Geommugeuk and Chwima.

But she said that first. She probably figured that Chwima wouldn’t find it rude. It was a greeting related to alcohol. In other words, she knew that the person she was with was Chwima.

It was also a moment that showed how excellent the information power of the Ice Palace was here in the North Sea.

If they knew about themselves, they probably knew about Ian’s movements as well. The Swordmasters knew that it would never work out well for Ian.

The Bukhae Ice Palace was certainly not the enemy of the Heavenly Demon Sect, but it was not a friend either.

Geommu-geuk stared at Han-seol quietly. How different was the real her from the rumors?

“Do you like alcohol?”

Hanseol looked a little surprised at Geommugeuk’s question, then answered calmly.

“I like drinking alone.”

A slight smile appeared on Chwima’s lips at her honest answer. After all, he was the one who liked drinking alone more than anyone else.

“Greetings, I am Master Chwima, the master of our school.”

Hanseol politely bowed to Chwima and gave him a prize.

“Hello, my lord.”

“The rumor that the gold of the Ice Palace was truly beautiful was true.”

“Thank you for your compliments.”

Contrary to rumors that she was cold and heartless, Hanseol didn’t look much different from other women her age. But she knows Geommugeuk.

That coldness or indifference is not revealed in one’s outward appearance, but in one’s decisions and choices.

That’s why you shouldn’t have any preconceived notions about her yet. You don’t know what kind of person she is yet.

Hanseol’s gaze turned to Geommugeuk again.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

The sword dance left the decision to Chwima.

“Would you like a drink?”

For a moment, Hanseol felt puzzled. If there was a small cult leader and a demon cult leader, then it was only natural that the small cult leader would make the decision. It was as if he was the one making all the decisions, not the masters waiting outside.

But instead of making the decision himself, this cult leader was asking Chwima for the decision.

This time, Chwima looked at Hanseol.

The sword dance felt it. The drunkard at this moment was not the ugly older brother drunkard who had been bullied by him.

There is a world he sees, and a life he sees, having reached the pinnacle of martial arts and life through alcohol. What kind of person does she seem to him now?

“I can’t refuse ice cream.”

In response to Chwima’s answer, Hanseol sent a signal to the people standing outside. Then, her right-hand man, Chan, came in holding a pure white bottle of alcohol and handed it to her.

“This is ice cream from the main palace.”

As soon as the cork was opened, a captivating aroma spread throughout the surroundings. The drinkers who had been holding their breath in the tavern looked moved.

There are many types of North Sea ice wine, but the ice wine made at the North Sea Ice Palace is by far the best. That fragrant and captivating smell right now is the incense of the North Sea Ice Palace ice wine.

Thump thump.

Hanseol poured Geommugeuk a drink first.

As she poured the wine, she recalled what her mother, Princess Bukhae Ice Palace, had said.

-The leader of the small group is not an ordinary person.

I’ve heard about Han Seol-do Geommu Geuk many times. I heard he’s changing the landscape of the martial arts world.

-You have to be careful when dealing with him. You don’t want to get eaten by him.

His mother never once said this when ordering him to do something. He felt that she valued the little sect leader more than himself.

‘Is this guy that great?’

The sight of him laughing and saying, “How can the fragrance be this good?” makes him look even frivolous. No matter how you look at it, he doesn’t seem to have the authority to overwhelm the Amazon.

Hanseol poured Chwima some alcohol next.

Finally, it was the drunkard who filled her glass.

“I also usually drink alone.”

So the three of them toasted and drank their iced drinks.

“Oh, it’s really delicious.”

I was truly impressed by the sword dance. I had drunk ice wine before the return, but it didn’t taste this good. The taste of the same drink can change depending on who you drink it with and under what circumstances.

“How can you not suspect that it is poisoned?”

At Hanseol’s question, Geommu-geuk looked at Chwima. Yeah, I’m a non-drinker, so that’s fine. Is it okay for you to drink like that?

Chwima answered Hanseol.

“If you put poison in your food or water, you might not be able to tell. But if you put poison in your alcohol, even if it’s invisible, you can tell. You can tell just by smelling it.”

“I see that his fame was not in vain.”

This time, Geommugeuk filled Hanseol’s cup.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

I don’t know much about this woman. But I do know what kind of life she lived before her regression. No, more precisely, what kind of death she met.

Geommugeuk asked Hanseol.

“I think you have a reason for coming to us.”

“Yes, I have.”

Hanseol revealed the reason why she came.

“I believe you are familiar with the Bukhyeolmun sect, which is very famous. The second son of the Bukhyeolmun sect leader has been kidnapped. Have you heard the news?”

“I heard people talking earlier.”

“I think the person who did that was a Shinto warrior.”

The natural atmosphere became cold and heavy.

“Why do you think so?”

“The kidnapper is so elusive that the Bukhyeolmun warriors have been unable to find him at all. They have even gone to the main palace, but are having a hard time finding him. He must be either extremely smart or someone who has undergone specialized training.”

Are you worried about the child being left on the water’s edge? The child is building a dam on the water’s edge and fishing. Ian, you’re doing great.

“But can we say that it was something that happened at our school?”

“There is decisive evidence.”

Hanseol stared at the sword dance and added.

“You, Young Master, you are the proof.”

Despite these provocative words, Geommugeuk remained calm.

“Why am I the evidence?”

“It’s a coincidence that it appeared in the North Sea at such a time.”

“This is compelling evidence.”

“That’s right. If the leader denies it, then it’s unconfirmable evidence.”

The sword dance drama could understand why Hanseol was considered cold and heartless. When she spoke, she only conveyed facts, without showing any emotion.

He didn’t give me a single look or expression of suspicion when he said he was suspicious.

It wasn’t a matter of speaking too much or too little. Rather, because she spoke as much as she wanted to but didn’t show any emotion, she felt colder.

“That’s right, I also think it was my subordinate who did it.”

The sword dance was admitted without question.

“Then it will be easier for me to explain. This is clearly the territory of the main palace. Please have your subordinate release the children of the Northern Blood Clan and hand them over to us. If the kidnapped children of the Northern Blood Clan return safely, we will mediate and return your subordinate as well.”

The expression on Geommugeuk’s face was gentle, but his refusal was firm.

“That can’t be.”

“What does that mean?”

“If my subordinates kidnapped the children of the Northern Blood Clan, there must be a reason.”

“That’s right. There must be a reason. But in the world of martial arts, the organization’s justification is more important than an individual’s reasons.”

“Can you be the one who has to sacrifice yourself for the sake of the organization?”

Hanseol looked at the sword dance and spoke calmly.

“Of course. I’d gladly give myself up.”

I felt that what she said was sincere.

But the emotion that came from her words was not a spirit of sacrifice or loyalty to the organization. It was emptiness. It was a dark hole that felt even bigger because she was young and beautiful.

This woman has no attachment to life.

* * *

Yang Joong couldn’t understand this situation.

“When were you caught?”

A surprising answer came out of Huang Qiu’s mouth.

“Two days ago.”

“Then does that mean they were captured before us?”

“I think so.”

The spines of Yang Joong and Ju Gyu, who were listening at that moment, felt chills. If that was the case, then it meant that they had planned the plot by first capturing Hwang Chu, who was a master of chasing techniques. This was something they had never thought of.

“This incident was planned meticulously in advance.”

“Who on earth did this? Who on earth is going against the Great Bukhyeolmun!”

That was when.

Someone spoke in the darkness.

“Isn’t the important thing not ‘who’ but ‘why’?”

It was a woman’s voice. It was the first time I had heard such a pleasant voice.

Yang Joong shouted.

“Who are you?”

We were in the same space, but I didn’t even feel his presence.

Before Yang Joong could swear, Joo Gyu quickly spoke.

“If you let us go now, we’ll pretend this never happened. Let’s go our separate ways.”

A woman’s laughter was heard. The laughter grew louder and louder, and a woman walking through the darkness appeared. She was Ian, wearing a bamboo hat and cotton turban.

“Who are you, Lady Yeo?”

When Joo-gyu asked politely, Ian answered.

“I am a man who came to rescue a woman’s husband at her request. I have come all the way here. I never thought I would end up in Bukhae.”

“Who on earth are you here to rescue?”

“Why? If I tell you my name, you will know?”

Joo-gyu couldn’t answer. Where would one or two people have been arrested because of them?

“You brought people here from all over the Central Plains by deceiving them into making a lot of money.”

Ian did a lot of research on the process. This wasn’t just a case of tricking people into kidnapping. They only brought in special people.

“All of those people had peculiar constitutions. What on earth were they collecting them for? Were they to be used as materials for the Great Law? Or were they to be used for witchcraft?”

Yang Joong and Ju Gyu did not answer.

“I sent a message to the Bukhyeolmun Gate. If you release all the people you brought, I will release you too.”

Yang Joong’s expression hardened. This was a top secret affair. Father could not have released people in order to keep the secret. After all, he valued family more than blood relations.

Yang Joong spoke as if he was going crazy from the anxiety that he wouldn’t be able to get out.

“Shall I tell you what will happen if you kill us? Eventually, the text will find you and kill you. Not only you, but your entire family will die. Your relatives, your eighth cousins, all of them will die because of you. And that’s not all. We will kill all of your neighbors. We will find and kill everyone who has ever spoken a word to you. That way, it will never happen again. So hurry and kill them!”

Ian stared at Yang Joong quietly. When she didn’t say anything, he thought his threat had worked, but he was wrong.

Ian took off his hat and took off his cotton swab.

“Don’t take it off!”

Joo-gyu screamed and shut his eyes tightly.

It was because he was afraid that if he saw the face, he would be killed. Hwangchu also closed his eyes.

But Yang Joong opened his eyes wide and glared at Ian.

He opened his mouth to swear, but couldn’t say anything. This damn bitch who had kidnapped him was so beautiful.

Words that the three people couldn’t understand flowed out of her mouth.

“I am so grateful to you and the people around you. They are the ones who don’t care even when they are threatened like this.”

Several scenes came to her mind.

-You’re the closest person to Ian? Who are you?

-This is the sect leader of Cheonmasin Church.

-you!

-Are you the Hwangcheonjoo?

-What about you? I heard you even had a drinking party?

-He is the Demon Lord.

-you!

-I am the granddaughter of the leader of the martial arts world.

-You’re a new father, right?

―… … .

She laughed alone at her pointless imagination.

“And thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to say this.”

The smile disappeared from Ian’s face. She looked at Yang Joong coldly and said.

“Tell them to go kill me. Make sure to leave a note asking them to take revenge.”

* * *

“I am a person who values ​​the reasons of my subordinates more than the organization.”

Hanseol didn’t believe it. No matter how plausible the words may be, the organization will ultimately come first. It was not someone else, but the leader of the cult, who said such things. Did I seem stupid enough to believe that?

“My subordinate is not the kind of person who would do something like this because he was humiliated. He must have asked for help or witnessed an injustice.”

Hanseol couldn’t understand. The swordsman who defended his subordinates, and the subordinates who did such things to help others. Why did they all live so hypocritically?

“So you’re saying that you can’t accept it because you believe that Suha is right?”

“exactly.”

The sword dance was still calm.

“My disciple has suffered and been tired all his life serving the leader of the Cheonmasingyo sect. At least at times like this, I should feel some sense of accomplishment in serving the leader.”

Hanseol said calmly.

“The North Blood Gate has asked for help from the main palace. We have our own position as well.”

“Help me.”

“Then your beloved subordinate might die. Are you okay with that?”

Geommugeuk stared intently at Hanseol.

“If my subordinate is right and the Bukhyeolmun disciple is wrong, will you kill my subordinate?”

Hanseol stared blankly at Geommugeuk and then asked in return.

“Then what if the subordinate of the Young Cultist is wrong and the disciple of the North Blood Gate is right? Then is it okay to kill the subordinate?”

Geommugeuk said with a faint smile.

“Then we’ll have to rescue our luggage and escape from here.”

Hanseol made a slightly bewildered expression.

“I think I’ve said everything I wanted to say. Now, let’s talk.”

Hanseol stood up from her seat. This meeting was meaningful just because she found out that this incident was done by Mine.

Then Geommugeuk said.

“Actually, there’s another reason we came to the North Sea. There’s someone I really want to see.”

“Who are you?”

“You are the lord of Baekjuseolwon. You have said many times that the Master of Chwima is a great person, so I have always wanted to meet you.”

I wanted to tell you in advance why I came here.

Then Hanseol’s expression hardened.

“Why are you like that?”

Hanseol looked at Geommugeuk and Chwima with a strange expression and then told them some shocking news.

“The lord of Baekjusseolwon has passed away.”

For a moment, Chuma was startled. Immediately, sadness spread across his hardened face. I came to see her after such a long time, and she died? When was the last time I saw her?

“When and how did you return?”

Hanseol didn’t answer Geommugeuk’s question, but stared at the two of them. A hint of suspicion flowed in her cold eyes.

“Why did you two come to see the Lord now?”

If he said the wrong thing, it would definitely cause a misunderstanding. Since Chwima didn’t say anything, Geommugeuk answered instead.

“Every year, the Lord of Wonju would send wine to you. It didn’t arrive this year. That’s why I came to see what was going on.”

After a moment, Hanseol spoke softly.

“The Lord committed suicide a while ago.”

Clang.

The glass that Chwima was holding broke and the alcohol spilled onto the table.

Hanseol said to Geommugeuk.

“Please tell my subordinates to send back the children of the Bukhyeolmun.”

After saying those words, Hanseol left the place.

Silence flowed in the place where only the two were left. The alcohol that had been flowing on the table spilled onto the floor. Finally, Chwima, who had been watching the scene silently, broke the silence.

“There is no way he would have committed suicide.”

There was reason to be so confident.

“She was more proud of her work than anyone else, and she was satisfied with it. She knew how many people were happy because of the wine she made. It couldn’t be.”

He must be the one who knows Wonju better than anyone else. If that’s true, then he didn’t commit suicide, but was killed by someone.

Geommugeuk nodded and emptied his remaining glass.

“I can’t believe I can’t taste such good liquor anymore.”

The swordsman put his hands together and mourned over his empty glass.

After emptying the wine from the blood cup he was carrying on his waist, Chwima filled the remaining ice wine into it. He filled it carefully so as not to spill even a single drop.

Beyond the flowing transparent ice, the face of the drunkard was visible, rippling. The sadness and anger flowing in his eyes were also contained in the blood along with the alcohol.