Chapter 66.
I had regressed for the purpose of saving humanity from the apocalypse.
But I wasn't crazy enough to think I could cover this vast world alone.
So what I came up with was establishing organizations in various countries that could exert great influence in my stead, and installing control towers to manage them.
The country of particular concern was China.
I made it a priority, a place where the ruthless and unique nature known as the warriors of the Rivers and Lakes held sway.
So I conceived a force to control them, to replace the madmen known as the Heavenly Demon and the Demonic Cult—that was precisely the Martial Arts Alliance.
To be honest, what I had kept in mind internally was Wang Wei, the Dark Lord.
If he was someone who would later rise to the ranks of the Ten Lords, I judged he would be fully capable of leading the Martial Arts Alliance well, and for this purpose, I had requested Chairman Gang to ascertain his identity.
But when I saw his son, Wang Lei, alive, I had no choice but to change my mind.
A better card than the Dark Lord had come in.
The Plum Blossom Sword Hand, bearing the potential of the Plum Blossom Sword Lord who stands as a direct counter to the Heavenly Demon, not to mention his ill fate with Yu Xuan, who becomes the Heavenly Demon.
The entire universe was saying he was worthy of being the Lord of the Martial Arts Alliance.
Of course, it wasn't as if Wang Lei could become the Alliance Lord just because I wanted it.
By nature, any force needs pillars to support it.
The fortunate thing was that, as a regressor, my head was full of lists of people suitable to be such pillars.
"Zhang Lei of Shaolin
Gong Jun of Wudang
Li Wei of Diancang
Wang Gang of Kunlun
Li Jie of Qingcheng
Liu Yang of Emei
Zhang Zheng of Zhongnan
Wang Jun of Kongtong
Liu Wei of the Beggar Sect"
They were all born with formidable abilities befitting a master of a sect, a sect leader.
Of course, since there is Shin-in, who possesses precognitive abilities, I didn't think I could recruit all of those talents.
At the very least half, or if luck was bad, perhaps around thirty percent could be brought in.
*
10th Floor Conference Room.
"Man, this is tough."
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Above the oval table, I drummed on it in dismay.
And for good reason—I had run off declaring I would find talent to establish the Martial Arts Alliance, but hadn't gained a single thing.
'How did they take every single one of them without a trace?'
Talents who could rise to the position of sect leader.
I had sought out those whose identities I had confirmed through Chairman Gang first, but they had vanished without a trace.
People who had been living perfectly fine lives had disappeared?
Without a doubt, they had clearly entered the fold of the Demonic Cult.
One thing to consider here was:
'His precognitive ability has grown stronger.'
Until now, that fellow's precognitive ability hadn't been all that threatening.
I had caught up by a hair's breadth.
But seeing that he had recruited all the talents of the Rivers and Lakes this time, I had no choice but to think differently.
'It means his trait is evolving too.'
In the case of the Foresight trait, when it evolves, one can see an increasingly clearer and more detailed future.
Thinking of it in that regard, this matter was difficult to overlook.
Why?
Because it meant that he and his forces were growing stronger at a rapid pace.
Because of that, my plans had gone awry as well.
Good grief. I had blustered out so grandly, yet returned without any harvest at all.
Furthermore, what made my face burn even more was:
"You managed to gather the talents of Mount Hua quite well."
The one who had actually helped wasn't me, who had talked big, but Wang Lei.
Saying he couldn't stay still either, the fellow had gone out to scout for talents and succeeded in recruiting Awakened ones who had bloomed the trait of Mount Hua, as if by fate.
Although not a single name among them was one I knew.
'Perhaps it is destiny.'
A strong pull of fate.
That it had to be Mount Hua, and no other trait, gathering together could only be thought of as destiny.
What I paid particular attention to was:
'24 people.'
The fact that this recruitment of Mount Hua personnel numbered twenty-four.
24.
One might think it an insignificant number, but to me, who knew well the trait called Mount Hua, it was special.
When they had all gathered, one thing naturally came to mind.
'Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Technique.'
The ultimate technique representing Mount Hua.
A martial art realized while evolving one's trait; upon reaching the pinnacle, it emitted tangible sword qi that carried the fragrance of plum blossoms.
Twenty-Four Hands.
And Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
Could it truly be a coincidence that twenty-four Awakened of Mount Hua had gathered?
'There are far too many overlapping elements to simply call it a coincidence.'
If this was a destiny led by some grand fate, I had no choice but to change my plans.
No, well, changing them immediately was one thing, but...
"So. When are our Mount Hua talents coming?"
"Ah, now!"
The moment those words ended—
Squeak—
At the command of Wang Lei, the current temporary sect leader of Mount Hua, twenty-four Awakened of Mount Hua gathered.
There were teenagers, those in their twenties, thirties, and even elders in their sixties.
All sorts of people who seemed to have nothing in common.
But.
'Would you look at this?'
It was none other than me, who had survived through the apocalypse for twenty years.
Proud to have an eye for people like no other, I could tell at a single glance.
'The potential is sufficient.'
Eyes filled with spirit.
Those eyes, bearing each individual's conviction, indicated the potential for growth.
If they steadily trained like this, honed their traits, they might even become Plum Blossom Sword Hands like Wang Lei.
"Decision!"
At that moment, I made my decision.
"The Martial Arts Alliance plan is withdrawn."
From the start, the Martial Arts Alliance had been predicated on specific members of the martial factions called the Nine Sects and One Faction gathering.
But Black Moon, those insolent bastards, had snatched away all the talents, causing the plan to evaporate into foam.
However, those who had not joined them—Mount Hua—had gathered.
In that case, rather than becoming one through the Martial Arts Alliance, they had to gather under the name of Mount Hua.
'An uncertain future, but I have no choice but to invest in their potential.'
Of course, I didn't know if it would properly sprout.
But to me, who had survived the apocalypse for a long time, it was visible.
That if they grew up properly, they would certainly be of great help in stopping the apocalypse.
Though I couldn't tell how well they would sprout with Black Moon's sabotage, they were worth investing in for now.
And since I'm going to invest anyway, I should do it properly, right?
"Now, everyone. This is not an opportunity that comes every day. It's the perfect chance to help you all grow!"
Sublime blood drawn from the Holy Grail.
Shaking the blood brimming in the cup, I put on a good-natured smile.
Of course, the pain they would suffer through full-body reinforcement was none of my concern.
*
I had returned to Korea.
The schedule in China had taken far longer than expected.
It couldn't be helped, as I had completed full-body reinforcement for twenty-four people—precisely twenty-six, including Wang Wei and Wang Lei.
Although there was the Dark Lord and the Plum Blossom Sword Hand, just the two of them was still insufficient.
But I couldn't stay in China with them until they grew.
There was a planned schedule and such, so I had no choice but to return.
Therefore, I had performed full-body reinforcement, the sole means by which they could become stronger in one stroke.
Of course, I had strengthened them safely with sublime blood to ensure there were no deaths from overload.
Because of that, the schedule had taken longer than expected, and only after all of that was over could I finally step on Korean soil.
The soil of my homeland, stepped upon after a long time.
Ring ring ring!
And the call that came the moment I arrived at the airport.
The caller was Chairman Gang.
Was it a greeting welcoming me to Korean soil?
"Yes."
"It's me."
Up to here, it was no different from calls up until now.
"You somehow found out I came to Korea and called me in such a hurry the moment I got off the plane..."
"I have something important to say."
"..."
He usually carried himself with considerable gravitas, but this was different.
Uncrossing my legs and straightening my posture, I held my phone respectfully.
"Yes. Please go ahead."
"I seem to have Awakened."
"...Yes?"
I was startled.
No, was this something to be surprised about?
The Awakening rite had begun, so it wasn't strange for anyone to Awaken.
It was simply because I had never imagined Chairman Gang, who had been a dementia patient, becoming an Awakened.
"Congratulations. So, which trait have you bloomed?"
"That's what I wanted to say. I rather wish you could see it for yourself."
See it for myself.
He wasn't a three-year-old seeking praise; there was surely a reason.
"I've sent a car, so I'd appreciate it if you could come here quickly."
"...Yes. I'll be there shortly."
Click.
That was how the call ended.
'What is this...'
My intuition spoke.
That something huge had happened.
*
Chairman Gang's office at Taewang Group.
"...Yes?"
I had certainly heard it.
But I couldn't help but ask again.
Because I had heard it, yet still couldn't believe it.
"You seem to have heard it well?"
Chairman Gang sat across from me.
A slight worry lingered on his ever-stoic face.
"Ah, yes. I heard it well. But it's rather hard to believe."
Having survived the hell of the apocalypse, there were few things that could shatter my composure.
But this time was different.
The string of information he had spat out.
Because of that, my composure, which had been firmer than anything else, was shattered.
"...Then I'll say it again."
Chairman Gang cleared his throat and continued. Though he feigned calmness, he seemed a bit nervous as well.
"I have bloomed a trait."
Yes.
Up to here, it was what I had heard over the phone, so I wasn't greatly shaken.
But.
"It's a dual trait."
Here, I was somewhat surprised.
Dual trait.
Originally, humans bloomed but a single trait along with the Awakening rite.
But dual traits were different.
Those who bloomed this trait exceptionally possessed two traits.
"One is Trait Absorption."
My body leaned forward on its own.
I listened even more intently to Chairman Gang's words.
Trait Absorption.
The trait that Shin-in, the leader of Black Moon, was expected to possess.
"And the other... is Trait Bestowal."
Here was where I had asked again.
Honestly, even now, "Yes?" was caught in my throat, threatening to pop out as it had before.
But this time, I could hold it in.
"So, you mean you obtained a dual trait and bloomed both Trait Absorption and Bestowal simultaneously? Like... that someone."
"It is exactly as you heard."
"...Ha!"
A deflating sound escaped me without my knowledge.
Trait Absorption and Bestowal—those were traits expected to be possessed by Shin-in.
But to think he had Awakened the same traits that no one else had obtained until now...?
'Crazy, could this be...?'
In that instant, several assumptions rose in my mind involuntarily.
What if Chairman Gang was him?
What if he had deceived me all this time?
Or, like me...
Doubts surged forth.
But I didn't voice them.
Because they were extremely dangerous statements that could cause us to lose each other's trust if mishandled.
But Chairman Gang was a figure more cold-headed and insightful than I had thought.
"...I'm thinking the same thing as you."
Staring at my face, Chairman Gang spoke with a look that said he had anticipated this.
"What do you mean?"
"The assumption that rose in your head. I made the same assumption."
"Why would I..."
"You're speaking evasively, unlike yourself."
"......"
"It's fine. That's also why I called you here."
"..."
"That fellow called Shin-in. The suspicion that perhaps I am him. And the various other assumptions and hypotheses."
This is why sharp-witted old men are the worst.
"Is this not a world where all manner of transcendent phenomena run rampant? Just as you regressed, I too might have come from the future to the past. Even if it were a different method than regression."
"..."
I could not continue speaking at Chairman Gang's precise deduction.
Certainly, his words were right.
Through the Stone of Regression, I had come to the present world.
The future changed because of me, the harbingers of the apocalypse quickened.
In the distant future, Chairman Gang, having survived in such a manner, might have returned to the past through some special opportunity.
Or perhaps a different Chairman Gang from a parallel world had transferred to this one.
The possibilities were endless.
There was not a single one that could be left unconsidered.
"That is my dilemma."
Chairman Gang—this gentleman—gently stroked his chin.
"If I were to take my own life as things stand, wouldn't that fellow called Shin-in—the one suspected to be me—die as well?"
That was one hypothesis I had been trying to erase from my thoughts, one I had been unable to voice.