Memoir of a Regressor - Chapter 52

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Alyo

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Memoir of a Regressor ◈

Chapter 52: Massacre for Massacre

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Yi Do headed to the scene at Bibong Mountain with Un Do-hyeon.

He had already examined the corpses recovered by the Hong Clan before coming here, but that was not enough.

He wanted to see the scene itself.

That was why he had come.

Only a day had passed since the incident, so it was still possible to quickly infer what had happened.

Blood and chunks of flesh were scattered everywhere. There were broken pieces of wagons, along with corpses whose limbs had been shattered so badly that no one could bear to recover them.

Yi Do looked around without the slightest change in expression.

“...I examined the wounds, but there are no traces at all. It is impossible to identify them.”

Yi Do silently nodded at Un Do-hyeon’s words.

Un Do-hyeon was referring to traces of martial arts.

Exactly twenty of the martial artists accompanying the merchant caravan had been Five Dragons Honoring the Sage.

They had been the strongest among the group, yet they had died without being able to do anything. Even so, there were no traces of stances or techniques. That meant overwhelmingly powerful martial artists had simply poured inner energy into their respective weapons and slaughtered them.

Yi Do inspected the wounds and spoke.

“One martial artist at the Five Qis Return to Origin level.”

After saying that, he walked toward a tree at the edge of the area.

A corpse lay there with its neck cleaved in two. Its condition was entirely different from those around it.

The direction of the blood spray, the degree to which the flesh had been compressed, the way the bones had been cut.

Yi Do’s eyes took in every detail.

“Interesting.”

It truly was.

“A sectioned fan... An unusual weapon.”

There was nothing more to see.

“A man at the Five Qis Return to Origin level who uses a saber, though it is not his primary weapon. A woman at the same level who uses a sectioned fan. And five men at the Three Flowers Gather at the Crown level who use swords. Does that bring anyone to mind?”

“...A man at the Five Qis Return to Origin level who uses a saber, though it is not his primary weapon... I cannot be certain, but there is a high chance it is Pung Bi-chang, the Branch Leader of the Heaven-Breaking Fist Sect’s Jangam Branch. But the sectioned fan... It is an extremely unusual weapon, so I do not know.”

“No one in Jangam County uses one?”

“...Not that I know of.”

“Then they must be outsiders.”

Yi Do did not even entertain the absurd possibility that bandits had been responsible.

He could say it with certainty.

There were no bandits here.

What mad bandit would enter a region where the Asura Sword Sect and the Heaven-Breaking Fist Sect were fighting for influence?

It had happened several times in the past, and every one of them had been torn apart and killed.

That was the kind of place this was.

Yi Do, who had been silent, turned around.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

After returning to Three Phoenix County, the two did not go to the branch.

Instead, they headed for a small building tucked away in a corner of the county.

Un Do-hyeon stopped in front of its entrance and trailed off.

“Branch Leader, this place is...”

Yi Do smiled.

Of course Yi Do knew where this was.

The Three Phoenix County Branch of the Heavenly Intelligence Gate.

If one lacked information, the right answer was to seek those who had it. That was why he had come to the Heavenly Intelligence Gate.

“Wait here.”

“...Yes.”

Yi Do entered the Heavenly Intelligence Gate alone.

* * *

A man working inside looked up and swallowed hard.

“...Greetings.”

His voice naturally became respectful. It could not have been otherwise. In Three Phoenix County, there was no one who did not know this man. And for an organization that dealt in information not to know him? They might as well take down their sign and go die.

“Is the branch head here?”

“...The branch head is inside at the moment, but... what brings you here?”

“What business would I have with an information organization? I came to buy information.”

“...I will go report this immediately.”

Yi Do nodded. The man rose from his seat and hurried upstairs.

Before long, Crash! sounded from above. It was clearly the sound of a chair toppling over.

Soon afterward, a man hurried down to the first floor. He had a generally thin-looking face, which was now filled with panic.

“Oh my, what brings such an honored guest to this shabby place...”

The man guided Yi Do to a small room in the corner. Yi Do silently followed him, and they naturally ended up alone together.

The man sat down and smiled awkwardly.

“My introduction is late. I am Jang Sang-bo, the branch head of the Heavenly Intelligence Gate’s Three Phoenix County Branch.”

“I am Yi Do. I serve as the Branch Leader of the Asura Sword Sect’s Three Phoenix Branch.”

“Ah, of course I know who you are. Your reputation is far too great for anyone not to know it. Ha ha.”

Yi Do went straight to the point.

“Do you know about what happened at Bibong Mountain yesterday?”

“If you mean the Hong Clan tragedy... yes, I know.”

“I came to obtain information about it.”

Jang Sang-bo wiped his face. His attitude became cautious in an instant.

“...As you know, information from the Heavenly Intelligence Gate is divided by rank: Yellow, Mysterious, Earth, and Heaven. In cases such as this, where little time has passed and there are clear signs that the perpetrators intended to conceal their identities, the matter is treated as at least Heaven-grade, regardless of the opponents’ martial realm. With time, it may fall to Earth-grade or Mysterious-grade, but what matters is that it is Heaven-grade right now.”

“So?”

“It means the price rises considerably.”

The ranks had not been divided without reason. For a Heaven-grade request, they did not accept silver taels.

The price began at a minimum of thirty gold taels. They would not even handle anything below that, no matter how formidable the target was. That was the Heavenly Intelligence Gate’s rule.

“How much have you set the price at?”

“...At least one hundred gold taels.”

Yi Do’s brow furrowed slightly.

“One hundred taels?”

“Yes. That is the minimum. As we gather and organize the information, unforeseen circumstances may arise, which could result in additional charges exceeding twice that amount.”

It was expensive, but they possessed skill equal to the price. Yi Do did not doubt that.

“I need information on a man at the Five Qis Return to Origin level who uses a saber, though it is not his primary weapon, a woman at the same level who uses a sectioned fan, and five men at the Three Flowers Gather at the Crown level who use swords. I also need information on their backers. What is your total estimate?”

Jang Sang-bo seemed to think for a moment before answering cautiously.

“...At least two hundred gold taels.”

A smile appeared at the corner of Yi Do’s mouth.

“Good. No matter how much it comes to, I will pay it. But payment will come afterward.”

“...Pardon?”

“I said I will pay afterward.”

Jang Sang-bo’s expression turned strange. Was this a joke?

“...Branch Leader, forgive me, but the Heavenly Intelligence Gate normally requires payment in advance.”

“Normally. So there must be occasions when you accept payment afterward.”

“There are, but... that is only when more than sixty percent of the estimated cost is paid in advance. A completely deferred payment like this is... difficult.”

Yi Do was not an idiot. There was no way he did not know that.

“Listen carefully. I am about to make the Heavenly Intelligence Gate an offer.”

“...An offer?”

“Hear it first, then decide.”

Jang Sang-bo’s expression became serious. It meant he was willing to listen.

Yi Do spoke.

“Once their backers are revealed, I will take everything they possess.”

“...”

“Whether they are masters at the Five Qis Return to Origin level or the Three Flowers Gather at the Crown level, I will take their heads. If they have backers, I will crush those backers as well. In this case, it will be a sect. How much money do you think I will obtain from there?”

“...Money?”

“I will give one-tenth of it to the Heavenly Intelligence Gate.”

Jang Sang-bo’s eyes widened.

“You need only provide the information. The names of those who massacred the Hong Clan’s merchant caravan at Bibong Mountain, their backers, where the valuables they stole were sent, and whose hands they are currently in. If there are backers, tell me where their merchant caravans are headed as well.”

“...”

“If you provide only that, one-tenth of the proceeds will go to you. No matter how much the information fee would have been, you will gain more than your usual profit.”

“...”

“I have explained it at length. Can you not do the calculations?”

Jang Sang-bo was no fool.

The backers? To be honest, there was something he suspected. He believed he knew what Yi Do was thinking as well.

A merchant caravan had been robbed. Once the culprits were identified, Yi Do would rob their merchant caravans in the same manner, and the profit gained from that would be substantial. This did not mean he would rob them once or twice and stop.

More importantly, there was Yi Do’s value.

An organization dealing in information could not fail to know it.

No, they had to grasp it somehow, even if they did not know.

Yi Do was a martial artist whose future was more promising than his present.

His value was beyond imagination.

And such a man was planning something and offering them one-tenth of the proceeds.

“Are... all the things you just said true?”

“I have no habit of saying two things with one mouth. Nor do I have a habit of lying. What will you do?”

A broad smile spread across Jang Sang-bo’s face.

“I’ll cooperate. I’ll gather as much information as I can get my hands on.”

“Good. How much time do you need?”

“...Six hours will be enough.”

“Six hours. Understood.”

Yi Do returned to the branch.

Six hours passed.

Un Do-hyeon, whom Yi Do had left waiting outside the Heavenly Intelligence Gate, approached him with a thick stack of papers.

“Branch Leader. I have the information.”

Yi Do took it and quickly read through the report.

He had experienced it many times in his previous life.

Information organizations were never to be underestimated.

He had once thoroughly destroyed ten branches of the Heavenly Intelligence Gate, and the following ten years had been exhausting.

Only after taking the heads of the Heavenly Intelligence Gate’s leader and deputy leader at its main headquarters, and killing eight elders, had he been able to reach a dramatic reconciliation.

The Beggar’s Gate, which had intervened in the middle, had also been thoroughly destroyed. That was why it took ten years.

For ten whole years, he could barely sleep properly while killing disciples of the Heavenly Intelligence Gate and the Beggar’s Gate.

He had learned several lessons from that experience.

Even those who refused to listen would speak once a blade was held to their necks. And however much they called themselves an information organization, they were still people. Offer more money than what they already had, and they would sell out people from other branches.

This case was somewhat different, but the principle was the same.

Yi Do silently continued reading before stopping at one section.

The backers were, just as everyone had expected, clans from Jangam County.

No fewer than four clans were involved. The Heaven-Breaking Fist Sect’s Jangam Branch was also connected to the matter. The Five Qis Return to Origin master who had used a saber was that branch’s Branch Leader.

He had apparently used a saber in an attempt to conceal his identity.

It was meaningless.

One of the four clans was the Jong Clan.

Their merchant caravan would pass north of Bibong Mountain today.

Yi Do slowly closed his eyes.

Un Do-hyeon looked puzzled at the sight, but did not ask.

He must have something to think about.

Un Do-hyeon quietly turned around, stood with his back to Yi Do, and spread his senses around him.

Protecting Yi Do at every opportunity had become a habit by now.

Yi Do opened his eyes.

“Un Do-hyeon.”

“Yes, Branch Leader.”

“We’re going to the Hong Clan. Get ready.”

Un Do-hyeon smiled.

“I’m always prepared.”

Yi Do and Un Do-hyeon headed to the Hong Clan.

The moment Hong Chik-seo, who had been restlessly pacing around, spotted Yi Do, his worries vanished and a broad smile appeared on his face.

It was a slightly strange way to put it.

But it was a sign of trust.

No matter how much the sects that dominated Three Phoenix County united to keep the sects of Jangam County in check, this was still a place where people lived. At their core, they remained competitors.

The Hong Clan had lost much.

Everyone had turned away from them.

Only Yi Do of the Asura Sword Sect had not.

He spoke.

“I will need to use some people.”

Hong Chik-seo immediately replied.

“Use as many as you need.”

“I need fifty quick-footed porters. It does not matter if they are martial artists.”

Without a moment of hesitation, Hong Chik-seo immediately gathered martial artists from the Hong Clan.

Their eyes were burning.

They wanted revenge for those killed in the merchant caravan, who had been their friends, younger siblings, and comrades.

The group assembled.