Absolute Regression

Episode 66: Either gain it all or lose it all.

The expression on the face of the leader of the Pungcheon Church was full of regret.

Given the circumstances, it was clear that the man in shackles had sent a message telling me to give him the shoes I had chosen.

‘At such an important moment, that man intervened in the decision of the leader of the Pungcheon Church?’

Something truly unexpected happened.

“Do you know what you chose?”

“I don’t know, but I’m really attracted to it.”

The one I chose was a small egg-shaped sphere made of iron.

Of course I know exactly what this is. It is neither a weapon nor a gem. What was inside this egg-like thing was important.

The head of the Pungcheon Church lifted the sphere and touched the bottom. Then the egg opened with a click.

At that moment, a strong yet heavy medicinal scent wafted out. What was inside was a red spiritual altar.

Blood God Dan (血神丹).

It was an elixir known to be the best not only in Pungcheongyo, but also in the world.

“It’s called the Blood God Order. Have you ever heard of it?”

“Yes, I know it is a very precious elixir.”

“It’s not enough to say it’s precious.”

“Why didn’t you take something so precious?”

“It’s something I’m saving for the future.”

“I guess that future was me.”

I would never have guessed that I would choose this among so many new items.

The leader of the Pungcheon Church looked at the shackled man again. At that time, I saw the shoulders of the shackled man with his head down slightly trembling. Because my eyesight had improved with the new eye surgery, I was able to see things with my own eyes.

‘I’m sure it’s sending a signal.’

In other words, there was no doubt that the Pungcheon religious leader was following that man’s instructions. Or at least we were discussing it.

‘What kind of person is he?’

I became curious about the man, but I pretended not to notice. First of all, the Blood God Order was important.

To give them time, I pretended not to notice and turned around to look at another new object. Next to the blood god altar, I saw the things I wanted to have. Whether or not he could have it depended on the choices and actions of the Pungcheon religious leader thereafter.

After a while, the leader of Pungcheon Church, who finished the discussion, made a difficult decision with a face that looked ten years older.

“Good. “I will give you a blood altar.”

“thank you.”

The leader of the Pungcheon Church asked me, still holding the Blood God Altar in his hand.

“I can’t give it to you first this time. “Tell me how to remain in the Protestant Church.”

It seemed like he couldn’t give the blood altar willingly.

“This is the way.”

Without any time for the Pungcheon cult leader to stop me, I put the blood altar he was holding into my mouth. The leader of Pungcheon, who had no idea that he would eat it, opened his eyes wide.

“you! “What are you doing?”

Although I was belatedly yelling, I immediately sat cross-legged.

“Please stand guard for a moment while the medicine dissolves.”

Then, with his eyes closed, he began to dissolve the medicinal properties of the Blood God Altar. That’s why I couldn’t see how absurd the Pungcheon religious leader was making.

* * *

The fortune telling of the sword dance had been going on for an hour.

The Pungcheon religious leader and the shackled man were having a conversation using radio waves.

The man in shackles calmed down the Pungcheon religious leader who was jumping up and down, threatening to kill him right away. It was the shackled man who said not to disturb one’s fortune and that conversations should always be held in full voice.

-Ha ha ha ha ha.

-shit! Damn it!

The shackled man continued to laugh loudly. On the other hand, the leader of the Pungcheon Church continued to express his anger.

-Damn it! Should I kill this kid right now?

-Kill him. Kill them and make the war against the Heavenly Demon Church a breeze. I want to see you torn to pieces by the Heavenly Demon.

-shit! Damn it! What on earth is this?

I never imagined that he would actually eat it right in front of me.

-The method he will propose must be an absurd method. So you didn’t take it first?

-Kill me! Kill me! Smash your head to pieces in one fell swoop.

The head of Pungcheon approached Geommugeuk and raised his hand. But I couldn’t bear to hit him on the head.

-Oh shit!

After lowering his hand, the head of the Pungcheon Church came and sat down next to the Eumrejong. The shackled man seemed to enjoy the sight.

-Damn it!

-I don’t think the leader will ever die.

-why? Because you’re a coward? That’s why!

―No, Gongja Lee is much more brilliant than I thought.

-What are you looking at?

―He is even confident that the cult leader will not be able to kill him. This means that we have already figured out the leader. A person like this will give you the right answer.

―Do you have any guesses?

―I didn’t know at first, but after seeing him eat the Blood God Dan, I think I know what method he will suggest.

-What?

―You can listen to it for yourself later when you finish the fortune-telling breakfast.

-let me know!

―The leader must not have marks on his face.

―I never lost money gambling when I was young!

―There is no gambler who can show off his skills in front of the successor of Pungcheongyo.

-joy!

The leader of Pungcheon was at least relieved.

The man in shackles called the leader of the Pungcheon Church with ease, as if speaking to a friend.

―It’s the leader.

-Oh, here we go again. Am I your friend!

-Just give it all. I can give it all.

-Are you serious?

-Up until now, I had only judged Lee Gongja based on the information I received. However, when I saw it in person today, the information so far was underestimated.

-Do you see that with your eyes?

-see.

-Why can’t I see?

-That’s because I’m greedy.

-shit! Okay, let’s say so. Let’s say I was so greedy that I covered my eyes. so? If you give it all, what about me?

-You can live in Jungwon. That was a dream, right?

―You said you would let me live in Jungwon?

―You have the heart to let me live, so you take it like that.

-What if I don’t keep my promise? We’ll have to go around begging like beggars, holding broken gourds.

-Don’t worry. I will feed you.

-what?

-I’ll drag you in shackles and sell you some medicine.

―….

The leader of Pungcheon sighed.

―What if Duke Lee loses the succession battle and dies?

―Isn’t that what it means to risk your fate and invest in someone? Either get it all or lose it all.

-Are you doing this to destroy me?

-Do you understand that now?

The shackled man smiled strangely. It was difficult to tell whether he was serious or joking.

―It’s the leader.

-Do not speak informally. It’s been a long time since I passed the fifth today.

-I understand you.

―….

―You have to throw it away to gain it. Neither the religious leader nor I are fortunate enough to have everything without throwing anything away. A person like that is like the scientist sitting over there.

-…shit.

Eventually, the sword dance performance ended.

Geommugeuk opened his eyes and his expression was bright. Even so, his clear eyes became deeper and deeper, making it difficult to guess how much power he had.

But soon the deep-set eyes changed to resemble those of an ordinary person. The leader of Pungcheon was startled by the change in his eyes.

‘How deep is the attack power?’

Sword Dance had nothing to hide from himself. It seemed like this.

I am this strong, so please believe and follow me.

Compared to the strength shown, the sword dance was polite. He bowed his head and expressed his gratitude.

“thank you.”

“You really have a lot of liver. “You stole the elixir and had a fortune-telling breakfast in front of it!”

“Stealing an elixir? “I received an elixir in return.”

“In return? What does it mean?”

“Didn’t I tell you before taking Blood Shindan? “The leader said the way to stay here is for me to eat this.”

“What does that mean?”

“Please come to Hwangcheongak tomorrow and report. “The elixir was stolen.”

“!”

“You can stay here until we find the elixir.”

Only then did the leader of Pungcheon realize the intention of the sword dance.

“But if we investigate, it might turn out that there was no robbery.”

“The place where the investigation is conducted is Hwangcheongak, where I am the head. “We will proceed with the investigation as slowly as possible until the cult leader achieves his goal.”

“ah!”

The expression of the Pungcheon Church leader brightened.

Since a thief broke into the inner temple of the Heavenly Demon Church, he had a justification for not having to leave this place.

Additionally, since Geommugeuk will be in charge of investigating the incident, there will be no need for it to be discovered as a self-made drama, and there will be no unnecessary friction in the process of finding the culprit.

“It will be up to me and the leader to decide on the date of your return.”

“ah! “There was that meaning.”

“Then I’ll just go. “Thank you again from the Blood Gods.”

When the sword dance left there, the leader of Pungcheon asked the shackled man.

“Did you know?”

“I knew it the moment Lee Gongja ate the Blood God Altar.”

The shackled man’s attitude became polite again.

The leader of the Pungcheon Church looked down at the empty shell that stored the Blood God Altar and said.

“But did Gongja Lee know in advance that this was a blood god?”

“Of course.”

“You understand?”

“Would you have picked it up just because it looked pretty? “Did you really believe that?”

“no.”

However, the leader of Pungcheon believed that for a moment. Because I thought there was no way Lee Gongja would know his secrets inside out.

“How did know?”

“Because he is of this caliber, the religious leader is giving him a gift.”

The leader of the Pungcheon Church nodded. Still, I felt fortunate that there was a man with shackles. On the other hand, I felt resentful because all of this was happening because of the shackled man.

“…Still, the Blood God Order is such a waste.”

It was the leader of Pungcheon who was beginning to feel regretful again. I slept all night tonight.

“I’m telling you for the hundredth time that I didn’t give it to you because he showed me the way.”

“Even if I give everything to you, if things don’t work out, you will die and I will die.”

A man grinned through his messy hair.

“You promised to kill me and make sure I die.”

“shut up!”

The Pungcheon leader had empty courage and the man was shackled and the two people fell into their own agony.

* * *

The next day, shocking news hit the campus.

It was news that thieves had entered the residence of the leader of the Pungcheon Church and had stolen his sacred items.

I told that story to everyone I met. It was surprising that a thief broke into the inner garden, but what everyone was curious about was what kind of sacred item was stolen. However, it was not revealed what the stolen item was.

The school was noisy about the incident, but the atmosphere at Cheonmajeon was actually calm.

This is because Sima Ming, the commander-in-chief, was seeing this situation clearly.

“It looks like the Pungcheon religious leader is making a play of his own. According to our surveillance network, not only has no one broken into the Pungcheon Cult’s residence, but in order to steal a sacred object, one must have at least a mazon-level skill, but as far as I can tell, there is no one with that level of skill who can target the Pungcheon Cult’s sacred object.”

Upon hearing Sima Ming’s report, Heavenly Demon Geom Woojin believed everything he said.

“Why are you making a play?”

“I guess they want to stay at our school longer. “I will insist that I will not go back unless I find the sacred item.”

“Why on earth don’t you want to go? Is it because of that incident?”

“you’re right. “It looks like they want to use this opportunity to negotiate about Pungcheongyo’s advancement into the central region.”

“The second one intervened in this case, right?”

“yes. It seems that the leader of Pungcheon Church asked Lee Gongja for a way to remain. “The investigation into this incident will be conducted at Hwangcheongak, so the leader of the Pungcheon Church will be able to stay at the school for a while.”

“You did quite a bit of thinking.”

A faint smile appeared on Geom Woojin’s lips.

“What is the relationship between the Pungcheon cult leader and the Magons?”

“It’s not that good. After our first meeting with the Mazons after arriving, we have not seen each other even once. “The only thing I could do was meet Mabul, who I’m close with.”

“How should I do this?”

Sima Ming answered calmly.

“It would be better to pretend not to notice for the time being.”

Sword Wujin pondered for a moment and Sima Ming waited for him to make a decision.

Sima Ming guessed the thoughts of the religious leader.

The reason the decision is not made immediately is because it is related to Pungcheongyo. Because the religious leader was not pleased with Pungcheongyo’s advancement into the central region. Nevertheless, the reason for such concern may be because Lee Gongja was involved.

Eventually, Geom Woojin made a decision.

“Let it be so.”

“yes.”

I politely bowed my head and turned around to come out, but Sima Myeong said to Geom Woojin.

“If the Pungcheon cult leader and Lee Gongja join hands, Mabul will not just stay. “It will probably attract the archduke in earnest.”

In Sima Ming’s judgment, the reason the Grand Duke tolerated the recent rise of Li Gongzi may have been because he was aware of the religious leader’s intentions, but it was also because he was still confident that he would be the successor.

However, if Geommugeuk joins forces with Hyeolcheon Doma and Ilhwa Geomjon, as well as Pungcheon Cult Leader, we won’t be able to just watch it any longer.

Geom Woojin nodded silently with an expression of understanding.

Sima Ming slowly walked down the bloody path, leaving behind Sword Woojin, who was alone in his thoughts.

He was curious.

What decision will the leader make? Will the Archduke return and allow him to jump into the fray? Will he somehow stop the brothers’ fight?

Everything depended on the will of the Heavenly Demon.