Regressed by the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Returned to the Heavenly Demon.
Geumhwa-bu (5)
Between the low-hanging rafters of the ceiling, a yellowed oil lamp flickered and danced.
The musty odor of the underground chamber mingled with the acrid stench of sweat born of tension.
The thick smoke of cheap incense filled the basement until breathing felt impossible.
All around was madness.
The crash of rolling dice and the snap of cards overturned punctuated sighs and cheers.
This was the underground gambling den that Geon Aseong had operated under Geumhwa-bu for quite some time.
In truth, Geumhwa-bu had originally had no gambling operation.
But Geon Aseong, obsessed with gambling to the point of mania, had mobilized Hwaho-dang—the only armed faction within Geumhwa-bu, led by Ssanggwi—to his purposes.
Thus he had ruined the neighboring gambling establishments and founded five prosperous ones of his own.
Despite the many flaws in Geon Aseong’s initial venture, the gambling dens had thrived unexpectedly and had become the second-highest revenue stream within Geumhwa-bu after the textile business.
And so.
Unhwa-dang, which handled textiles;
Cheongwan-dang, which handled luxury goods;
And Hwaho-dang, which primarily operated the gambling dens but also provided armed support to each organization as needed.
These three formed the present Geumhwa-bu.
But now, living in Geon Aseong’s stead.
Hwaho-dang, once the most trusted by the Daehaengsu himself, had fallen into neglect.
With so much on my plate, there was no reason I should have summoned them—it was inevitable.
Perhaps for that reason, barely moments after I entered the gambling den, the head of Hwaho-dang lowered his head in a bow before me.
A man with a square jaw and a solid frame.
“I am Jung Ag, who has taken over Hwaho-dang in place of the late Ssanggwi. I should have paid my respects sooner, but I greet you now, Young Master.”
“Right, that’s enough. I didn’t call for you.”
“Shall I escort you to the private chamber within? And shall I send word to your companions?”
“Companions?”
He was speaking of Geon Aseong’s friends.
I could vaguely recall a couple of them.
Of course, I shook my head.
“Never mind.”
“Then I shall prepare the Taboa-hap that you usually enjoy.”
“Why not? But today this game looks more amusing. Let me enjoy myself here a bit longer before we go in.”
I joined a gambling table and spent time pleasantly enough with dice games and other wagers.
Some time passed.
“Shall we head in?”
Having gambled enough, I followed Jung Ag, who was gauging my mood, into the private chamber.
Beyond the iron door guarded by Hwaho-dang’s fighters, the acrid, foul-smelling gambling den gave way to a corridor of fine fragrance leading to the private chambers.
Past the corridor, a circular courtyard appeared.
Among the display of fine lamps and ornaments, ten individual rooms lined the curved wall.
I entered one of them and sat.
As Jung Ag took the seat beside me, Do Won, the dealer, withdrew three jade-hued dice from a gilt box.
“I have had your preferred spirits brought.”
Jung Ag was trying hard to make a good impression.
I took a sip from the cup the gambling den’s servant had brought.
“When did you become so thick with the Daehaengsu?”
“Pardon?”
“Did Hwaho-dang’s wages suddenly increase?”
“…….”
“You’ve only just become head, and already you’re wearing bracelets and necklaces—quite gaudy ones too. Anyone would think you were the second son of Hwanggeum-jang. Has your wealth somehow surpassed Ssanggwi’s already?”
I gestured to Do Won, who was watching carefully, to begin.
Do Won placed three dice inside a black-lacquered bamboo tube above the ebony table.
Rattle-rattle—rattle-rattle—
The dice scraped against the inner walls of the tube as his dazzling hand technique shook it.
It only hardened Jung Ag’s already tense expression further.
“There’s a wagon that comes regularly, I hear?”
“…….”
“Don’t bother denying it. I already know.”
Jung Ag’s eyes darted about.
He had no intention of speaking until he determined what I already knew.
“Listen—I’m the master of Geumhwa-bu, not the Daehaengsu. Do you need me to kill you right here and now to loosen your tongue? I humiliated him until his own brother died. You think I can’t kill one man like you?”
But it was unexpected.
Even with my threats, Jung Ag couldn’t bring himself to speak.
He merely rolled his eyes and kept his mouth shut.
I’d assumed he’d crack at this point, but his stubborn silence suggested there was someone else pulling strings behind the Daehaengsu—someone with real power over them.
And if someone had the reach to falsify the ledgers…
…they’d need to deceive me. But Daebuyin had no reason to fear me. Would she really do this?
Unlikely.
That left only two men capable of commanding the Daehaengsu like that: the First Son or the Third.
But the First Son had been bleeding capital dry just weeks ago—desperate enough to sweat through his silks.
The answer was obvious.
“The Third—Geon Hyu?”
Jung Ag’s face went white at my words.
Well. Of all Daebuyin’s sons, he was the sharpest.
In my life before the Regression, after Daebuyin’s death, the Third would emerge victorious from the fraternal wars and seize control of Hwanggeum-jang.
Afterward, the establishment would fall under the dominion of a merchant faction quietly cultivated by the Sacheon-dang-ga from the shadows.
When the Third died returning from negotiating contracts with new trading partners, it was that ‘one’ from the Sacheon-dang-ga who orchestrated it all.
But none of that truly concerned me.
I didn’t want Hwanggeum-jang’s crown. I wanted the foundation to rise on.
“You’re dead either way. So which side are you choosing?”
The moment I spoke, the sound of dice rolling in the cup stopped.
“Forgive me, master. I made a pact with the Third. Are you beginning to feel it?”
As Jung Ag rose heavily from his seat, his gaze fixed on the wine cup I’d been drinking from.
“Mountain Skill Poison. Your Inner Power is sealed….”
A sharp whistle cut through the air—then a sharp crack.
Jung Ag drew a flying dagger from his sleeve and hurled it at Do Won, who was still rolling the dice.
But my chair, thrown an instant before, was faster.
Did he think he could kill me?
Bang!
The dagger deflected off the chair and embedded itself in the floorboards. Do Won shrieked and trembled.
“What are you waiting for? Get out!”
Do Won bolted for the door in a panic, and I leisurely stepped in front of him, blocking his escape.
“How… but surely….”
“Mountain Skill Poison? You should’ve invested in something better quality.”
My Magnetic Thunder Body was infused with powerful Thunder Qi. The Magnetic Thunder running through my entire body surrounded and contained the poison, while the Heavenly Thunder Qi burned it away.
The Heavenly Bone was truly remarkable.
What others spent lifetimes cultivating through every known method, I’d simply achieved.
“You got swindled. This is why you need to buy from reputable sources. Should’ve gone to the Sacheon-dang-ga.”
……
“Your face says it all—you did buy from the Sacheon-dang-ga. Looks like they need to sharpen up too.”
As I laughed coldly, Jung Ag let out a roar.
“Come in!!!”
More than thirty brutish Hwaho-dang warriors stormed through the entrance.
They were already heavily armed when they entered, which meant Jung Ag had prepared them from the moment I’d arrived.
Jung Ag pushed through their ranks and drew his saber.
“Whoever brings me this man’s head will have wealth that transforms their life.”
Dozens of blades whistled through the cramped room, all aimed at me.
There was no need to dodge.
The moment my eyes ignited with heat.
Magnetic Thunder erupted from both my hands.
—Heavenly Dragon Thunder Striking Hand
—Thousand-Armed Guanyin
As a thousand phantom limbs filled the room, every weapon that clashed against them shattered like paper.
Crack-crack-crack-crack!!!
The fractured blade shards caught in the shockwave of force I’d released and ricocheted backward.
“Aaaahhhhh!!!”
As the screams multiplied, the Hwaho-dang warriors crumpled to the floor, mangled and broken.
Ugh….
Jung Ag, using his subordinates as shields and barely clinging to life, pushed the corpses of his men aside and prostrated himself before me.
“Master! Please… spare my life!!! I only joined hands with the Daehaengsu who backed the Third! I know nothing else!!”
“If you know nothing, you’re useless to me.”
“I… I have it!!!”
“Seems you just remembered.”
“Yes!!!”
“Then let’s hear it.”
I took several steps forward and stood before Jung Ag, who lay sprawled on the ground.
A blade flashed toward my instep.
Clang!
The Heavenly Thunder Qi that wrapped my foot deflected Jung Ag’s Short Blade in an instant.
The rebound sent the blade flying into the wall where it lodged, and Jung Ag’s palm tore open.
“Arrgh!!”
I pressed my foot firmly against Jung Ag’s chest.
“Gasp… gasp…”
As a weight of over a thousand pounds bore down on him, Jung Ag’s face drained to a ghastly white, and he could barely stammer words as he clawed weakly toward me.
“The… information I have… is… valuable… you could…”
Faced with his pleas for mercy in exchange for valuable information, I let out a quiet laugh.
“When I came looking for you so openly, it was never without reason. I’ve already achieved my purpose.”
“What… do you… cough… hack…”
As his breathing grew ragged, I remained calmer than ever.
“I wanted to know how deeply the Hwaho-dang and the Daehaengsu were entangled together. Money trails alone would only grind up the Daehaengsu themselves, wouldn’t they?”
I leaned closer, looking down at him.
“Thank you.”
“!?”
“Now I have a justification you’ve given me. An excellent one—that the Hwaho-dang acted at someone’s instigation and laid hands on me. What better opportunity could there be to purge the Geumhwa-bu cleanly and eliminate my rivals?”
Crunch!
At last, unable to withstand my Qi, Jung Ag’s sternum caved in completely, and his eyes clouded over to ash.
*
*
*
When I emerged, Seol Ha, who had been waiting for me on my orders, stood ready.
Despite the commotion in the Private Room, the gambling house operated much as it did on any other day.
With everyone’s eyes fixed on the game tables, indifference was inevitable.
“While you were inside, the Hwaho-dang moved sacks of silver coin from the warehouse onto the cargo wagon.”
“They moved right on schedule, it seems.”
“Yes, they operated with clockwork precision—not a wasted motion. I followed them directly to where the transport wagon arrived and confirmed the location. After returning, I waited here for you to come out.”
“Well done.”
Seol Ha nodded, her eyes gleaming as she noticed the blood on my Long Robe.
“So the Hwaho-dang finally tried to bite the hand that feeds them.”
“As intended. But where was the wagon headed?”
“Not far from here. However…”
“However?”
“The security was heavier than expected. They seemed to have hired wanderers and outside retainers as well. It didn’t look like it was just for guarding slush funds.”
“It’s not about guarding money.”
“Then what?”
“Geon Hyu—the third son—is quietly assembling his own faction and preparing to seize control of Hwanggeum-jang. It’s the very hand he needs to keep hidden.”
I was certain of it.
Yet later, contrary to my certainty, the small fortification Geon Hyu had concealed held something I had not accounted for.
Regression does not grant knowledge of every answer, after all.
Remarkably, “that” was there.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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