Hwang Seokgyeong was surrounded by martial artists.
“I’m grateful for everything you’ve done.”
“If it weren’t for you, Instructor, we wouldn’t have made it.”
“I’ll be sure to visit you again.”
Today was the day this batch finished their training at Samaeng Hall and departed for the various organizations of the Sado Alliance.
Among the many instructors at Samaeng Hall, Hwang Seokgyeong was by far the most popular.
“Do not forget that you are the pillars of the Sado Alliance. I hope you endure well, even when hardship comes!”
“Yes! Instructor!”
As the martial artists left, his colleague, Instructor Cha, came up to him.
“As expected, you’ve received the most gifts again this time.”
Hwang Seokgyeong’s arms were full of gifts from the departing martial artists. Unable to carry them all, piles were stacked beside him as well.
These connections did not end here. Many martial artists who left this place came to find Hwang Seokgyeong whenever they faced difficulties, and each time, he gave them generous advice.
“If I’d met an instructor like you, I might not still be working as an instructor here.”
“What’s wrong with being an instructor?”
“Aren’t you bored? The same words, the same tasks, every time.”
Then Hwang Seokgyeong asked Instructor Cha, “Do you know how many martial artists have passed through our hands?”
“It must be a staggering number.”
“Yes, so many people know us. Aren’t we perhaps the most recognized individuals within the Sado Alliance? Where else is there such great power?”
“What great power? We’re just instructors at Samaeng Hall. If we had risen to become Branch Lords or Sector Lords, that would be different. Who acknowledges us?”
“Why do you think we can’t rise? Is there any law saying we must remain instructors forever?”
“Fine, you go and make a success of yourself. Become a Branch Lord, become a Sector Lord.”
“Become a successor, too.”
“What? Even as a joke, don’t make jokes like that. Well, I’m off. Enjoy your vacation.”
The instructors were on vacation until the next batch arrived.
As soon as Instructor Cha left, a subordinate’s transmission arrived as if it had been waiting. This was the moment Hwang Seokgyeong became Tu Wang.
—They failed.
At his subordinate’s report, Tu Wang’s expression hardened.
—The Young Lord? How badly is he hurt?
—He wasn’t hurt at all.
—Then how many of the Thirteen Wolves of Sado died?
He had assumed it was the result of sacrificing themselves to save the Young Lord.
—None died.
At the incomprehensible report, Tu Wang’s voice gradually rose.
—What expert intervened?
—None. It is said that only the Thirteen Wolves of Sado were present.
—Nonsense!
The Thirteen Wolves of Sado blocked their combined assault? Luck could be a factor. But an assassination employing three Blood Heaven Tempests was something even the heavens couldn’t block.
Tu Wang recalled the previous incident where they had failed to kill Pyo Gigwang and the assassins were annihilated.
—Someone definitely intervened.
Such a result was impossible otherwise.
—What should we do?
Just as he was pondering, an urgent transmission from his subordinate arrived.
—The Young Lord has come.
Tu Wang’s gaze turned toward a man organizing training equipment across the training ground. The subordinate Sahon, with whom he had been exchanging transmissions until moments ago, was precisely that man.
He lived doing odd jobs at Samaeng Hall, appearing to have learned only third-rate martial arts, yet no one had realized his true self.
Beside the bowed Sahon, Bisain revealed himself.
Behind him, walking with pride, the Thirteen Wolves of Sado followed. Bisain exuded a fierce killing intent as intimidating as his appearance.
The following Thirteen Wolves of Sado were all wearing masks, so their expressions couldn’t be discerned.
As they passed, Sahon subtly raised his head to look at their backs. All thirteen—not a single one among them was injured.
He couldn’t understand it even thinking about it himself. How in the world had they blocked that attack?
Right then, one of the Thirteen Wolves of Sado walking at the very back turned around.
Sahon hurriedly lowered his head to avoid that gaze.
When he raised his head again, the Wolf who had turned around was already facing forward and walking on.
‘What? Did he sense my gaze?’
That was impossible. There was no way the Thirteen Wolves of Sado could have felt that covert gaze.
Sahon pulled his cart and quickly left the area. With the Young Lord having arrived, a handyman loitering about was a suspicious sight no matter who saw it.
Tu Wang set down the gifts he had been holding and politely received Bisain.
“What brings the Young Lord here?”
He wore the appearance of an instructor surprised by the Young Lord’s sudden visit. He truly felt like someone completely unrelated to this matter.
While coming here, Bisain had been curious how Hwang Seokgyeong would react. He had thought Tu Wang would flatly deny everything, but he hadn’t expected him to receive him so naturally.
“Instructor Hwang, it has been a while. When was the last time we met?”
“I briefly greeted you at the New Year’s banquet this year.”
“Ah, that’s right.”
Until that moment, he had never dreamed he would reunite with him like this.
You’re really the mastermind behind this incident? You’re the one who gave those people their orders earlier?
“Please, come inside.”
“It’s quite all right. I was passing by and thought I would see your face for a moment.”
Tu Wang’s gaze shifted to the Thirteen Wolves of Sado who had accompanied him.
Geom Mugeuk stood hidden behind the other Wolves, not revealing his own killing intent.
Therefore, Tu Wang failed to notice that a master of Geom Mugeuk’s caliber had joined the Thirteen Wolves of Sado.
‘Truly, not a single injured person?’
He felt an inexplicable sense of crisis, but Tu Wang remained unshaken. Nothing excited him as much as the thrill that danger provided.
‘The Young Lord has come believing I am the mastermind.’
The fact that he had come here after never visiting once in his entire life meant as much.
A probing strike? Or a declaration of war?
‘Was he originally this kind of character?’
The Bisain he had analyzed was not this kind of personality or type.
“What are all these?”
Bisain asked, looking at the gifts on the floor.
“They are from this batch of trainees as they departed.”
Bisain picked up one of them.
“May I open it?”
“Of course.”
Bisain tried to open it, then handed it to Tu Wang.
“It seems dangerous.”
“What do you mean?”
“Wouldn’t a good training instructor have enemies? Might someone not hold a grudge and try to poison you?”
At Bisain’s joke, Tu Wang put on a good-natured smile.
“I don’t think so. Once training ends, there is no one more memorable than the instructor.”
Judging by his current appearance alone, Instructor Hwang was truly a friendly man far removed from conspiracy.
“Are you satisfied with your work as an instructor?”
“I consider it my calling.”
Listening to their conversation, Geom Mugeuk suddenly had this thought:
‘Why did it have to be an instructor?’
There must have been many ways to infiltrate the Sado Alliance and establish a position. With Tu Wang’s skill, he could have risen to a Sector Lord by now. Saying it was merely to remain inconspicuous didn’t fit, as there was no one who didn’t know Instructor Hwang of Samaeng Hall.
While Geom Mugeuk was lost in thought, Bisain and Tu Wang’s conversation continued.
“I was ambushed today.”
“What? An ambush? Are you unharmed?”
Tu Wang was startled.
“Fortunately, I am fine.”
“How dare they!”
“I do not know their identities, but they were ones who used metal hidden weapons.”
“Vile! Shameless scoundrels who know nothing of a martial artist’s honor! They are trash!”
Seeing him call himself trash so calmly, Bisain could confirm that the man before him was no ordinary person.
“Daring to attempt to kill the Young Lord, they must certainly be captured and executed by dismemberment. The Young Lord is the pillar and future of the Sado martial world.”
In truth, Bisain had expected a different kind of encounter. Something suspicious about him, some strange words left behind, some strange aura revealed. A situation where he might shout, “How dare you try to kill me?” He had even worried about what he would say then.
He had thought there would be some special circumstance. Even if there weren’t, he had thought he would find one himself.
But his opponent revealed nothing of his true nature. He was perfectly Instructor Hwang himself. As if to say, “You are mistaken.”
How should one deal with such a person?
Bisain felt it—that he was still lacking. He could only think to say, “It was you, wasn’t it?” but if it were Geom Mugeuk, he would have spoken words to turn the situation to his advantage.
He thought that he shouldn’t have rushed here so emotionally. Because he was not Geom Mugeuk.
If the charge was wrong, he had to at least retreat properly.
Bisain bade Tu Wang farewell with a smile.
“On the day I was showered with assassins’ hidden weapons, our Instructor received a pile of gifts. It makes me think I must live harder.”
* * *
Geom Mugeuk and Bisain stood side by side on a cliff.
Despite Illang’s dissuasion to be careful given the times, Geom Mugeuk had come here alone with him.
Was there power in a place?
Standing here with Geom Mugeuk, Bisain felt he became more honest. Bisain felt that now was the time he needed to be more honest than ever.
“I will never forgive the bastard trying to snatch my rice bowl. Of course him, and everyone involved—not a single one will be left alive. What else would I be if not the Young Lord of the Sado Alliance?”
He meant it. And he wanted to ask Geom Mugeuk.
“I am a more selfish and wicked person than you think. Will you still be my friend? Don’t say later that you didn’t know I was such a wicked bastard.”
Geom Mugeuk knew exactly where Bisain’s distress, pouring out in many words, originated from.
“Do you regret visiting Instructor Hwang?”
After a brief pause, Bisain asked, “If it were you, would you have gone to see him?”
This was what Bisain had wanted to ask.
“Even if I were to go, at least I wouldn’t have gone today.”
“May I ask why?”
“Because decisions made while angry are mostly regretted.”
“I thought as much.”
Anger had boiled over at the fact that they had tried to kill him, driving him to visit Tu Wang, but once he had gone, he regretted it. Nothing had happened; he had simply been swept away by momentum.
“Then why didn’t you stop me?”
“Because you had to experience it firsthand to truly feel it.”
How cold reality was. How even ideals boiling like magma could become mere delusions and drift away in icy water before it.
As Bisain let out a light sigh, Geom Mugeuk smiled and spoke.
“Your first sigh.”
It was not the first sigh shown to Geom Mugeuk. It was the first sigh in front of others. Bisain conspicuously let out another, larger sigh. He showed with that sigh how close they had become.
Geom Mugeuk laughed and comforted him.
“It’s fine. We know about each other, after all. We should at least greet each other properly before fighting. And we learned something from this visit, too.”
“What is it?”
He said it so casually that Bisain thought it was nothing important.
“I learned what his goal is.”
The surprised Bisain nearly blurted out, “What? You crazy bastard!” How could he have learned the bastard’s goal from today’s meeting? Had he secretly stolen and read a diary?
“Did we meet someone else?”
Because he hadn’t noticed anything at all.
Geom Mugeuk pointed out something he had never considered.
“Looking at those piled-up gifts, a doubt arose. Why is he building such a reputation? If one wants to scheme in secret, it is better not to stand out. Would someone plotting such a grand conspiracy go out of his way to expend such effort treating the martial artists at Samaeng Hall well?”
Hearing this, Bisain also found it strange. Anxious that some astonishing conclusion might come from Geom Mugeuk’s mouth, he inwardly grew nervous.
“Over the years, the martial artists he trained must now be beginning to take key positions in the Sado Alliance. There will be squad leaders, and great lords. Those who rose quickly might have become Branch Lords.”
Bisain asked cautiously, “So what is his goal?”
Geom Mugeuk stared straight at Bisain and answered.
“You.”
Bisain couldn’t say anything for a moment. At first, he didn’t know what those words meant. Then, one thought struck his mind.
“Don’t tell me—he aims for the successor’s position?”
Geom Mugeuk nodded and spoke.
“He is trying to become the Lord of the Sado Alliance.”
“!”
He had never imagined that the mastermind behind this incident, that Hwang Seokgyeong, would be aiming to become the Alliance Lord. The distance between an instructor and the Alliance Lord was too vast, even to speak of distance.
“The reason he tried to kill you mercilessly is probably because it is something he would have had to do eventually anyway.”
If his opponent had been anyone other than Geom Mugeuk, he would have exploded in anger, asking what kind of ridiculous nonsense that was.
“Is such a thing possible?”
Bi Sa-in’s voice trembled.
“That must have been the plan originally. I don’t know how many years later it would have been, but he would kill you, the heir, and even assassinate the Sado Alliance Leader. I don’t know by what means. In any case, once the leader’s seat was empty, he would reveal his overwhelming martial prowess and challenge for the position. By then, there would be almost no masters left who could stop him.”
“One cannot become the alliance leader by martial arts alone. The alliance members would not acknowledge him.”
“Which alliance members do you mean? The powerful figures he is currently in league with? Or the martial artists he has produced?”
“!”
“The opinion and atmosphere within the alliance will support him. Not as some mere instructor, but as an instructor respected by all, he will reveal the strength he has hidden and rise as a hero.”
Bi Sa-in’s heart sank.
“He will not be able to kill the Alliance Leader.”
“You know it is not easy to stop a hidden blade, don’t you? Especially if it is a blade that has been honed and bided its time for a very long while. Of course, that is only my conjecture. I could be wrong.”
Bi Sa-in did not think Geom Mugeuk’s conjecture was absurd. The man had already tried to kill him, the Young Alliance Leader, without a shred of hesitation.
Bi Sa-in sank into thought alone for a long while. Geom Mugeuk offered no advice. This was something he had to decide and resolve himself.
At last, Bi Sa-in reached a conclusion.
“I will not ask the Alliance Leader for help.”
He had made up his mind to handle this matter with his own strength.
“If I happen to die, be sure to tell the Alliance Leader the truth behind this matter.”
“I will.”
Bi Sa-in said to Geom Mugeuk,
“At a time like this, aren’t you supposed to say something like, ‘You won’t die’?”
Geom Mugeuk did not give him the words he wanted.
“With this decision, you may die.”
He meant it sincerely. Their opponent was the Battle King. No matter what process they went through, it was a fixed future that, in the final moment, he would have to cross blades with the Battle King.
“Why aren’t you trying to stop me?”
Because overcoming this yourself will make you stronger.
“Because it isn’t my life?”
Bi Sa-in laughed. It was the loudest he had laughed since they had met.
“That laugh just now was good. When you meet a woman, be sure to laugh like that.”
“While spouting that ridiculous nonsense, will you watch to the end and see just how tenacious my life is?”
“Watching a fight is always entertaining.”
“His efforts to take my bowl from me were admirable, but at least when it comes to luck, it seems he cannot match me.”
Bi Sa-in looked at Geom Mugeuk.
Contrary to his words about merely watching, Geom Mugeuk had been fighting alongside him from beginning to end. Wishing for his growth, he waited for him, endured with him, and pushed him so that he could become the protagonist and resolve it himself.
With such luck having come to him, with such a friend beside him, he could not lose to that bastard.
“Let’s go. I don’t know about later, but for now, there are still people who would jump in outrage at the thought of an instructor becoming the alliance leader.”
Absolute Regression, Chapter 354