I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 159

159

“……I yield.”

Even with eighteen still remaining after the deaths of two, ensuring numerical superiority, no one dared to risk any further losses.

The sight of their comrades and Mok Jin-woo’s corpse, beyond saving, was enough to break their will to fight.

Having witnessed such a swift and fatal demise in a single strike, they couldn’t even contemplate opposing the Myth [a powerful, almost legendary figure].

Fear spread among them like a plague, and they discarded their weapons without hesitation.

Meanwhile.

The Myth retrieved a recovery potion from his subspace [a personal storage dimension], kept for emergencies, and administered it to Kim Jae-rim.

Although Kim Jae-rim was in no condition to speak properly, it was necessary to resolve the situation here.

The Myth’s attention was entirely focused on the fierce battle raging at the Hyehwa Guild’s headquarters.

Judging by Kim Jae-rim’s silence, he seemed to have engaged in combat immediately upon arrival, lacking any information.

“The Master [referring to the Guild Master of Hyehwa Guild] can handle things here. Binding them with this should prevent them from easily escaping or breaking free.”

The Myth tossed a cable designed for binding Awakeners [individuals with supernatural abilities]. It was a control item used in place of handcuffs in emergencies.

“I’m truly sorry… really…”

“If you’re truly sorry, then ensuring a thorough cleanup is how you can help me.”

The Myth’s expression as he looked down at Kim Jae-rim was utterly cold.

Of course, Kim Jae-rim hadn’t committed any atrocities like Mok Jin-woo.

However, as the Guild Master, he had been imprudent and too trusting of others. That was the problem.

The god of fate always makes one pay the price for their choices. Kim Jae-rim would not be exempt from this.

Swish. Swish.

Soon, the Hyehwa Guild members who received the cable proceeded to bind the Hongyeon Guild members one by one.

With everyone disarmed and unmoving to save their lives, the binding process went smoothly.

Before long, all the Hongyeon Guild members were bound.

“Looks like everything’s done. Then I’ll head to another site.”

Whoosh!

Having confirmed the situation was under control with his own eyes, the Myth retrieved Mok Jin-woo’s body and immediately left the scene.

“Kang Shin-hwa! Just a moment…!”

Kim Jae-rim called out to the Myth, whether to express gratitude or something else, but it was a futile cry.

Before he could finish his words, the Myth’s figure had already disappeared into the distance and was no longer visible.

* * *

Some time later.

Shin Jung-ah, who had taken over Hyehwa Tower, the headquarters of the Hyehwa Guild, was looking around with trembling eyes.

The same was true for her confidants and the Hong Maehwa [Red Plum Blossom] members of the Hongyeon Guild who guarded her side.

They had succeeded in seizing Hyehwa Tower, which was practically an undefended territory.

They had plundered numerous artifacts from the underground warehouse and taken over the tower’s defense system itself.

Everything was perfect.

Now, with the promised cooperation from within the KSA [Korean Superhuman Association], all that remained was to raid the KSA headquarters and seize it.

Kim Jae-rim would eliminate Mok Jin-woo.

Lee Ha-seong and Na Mi-na were waiting near the dungeon they had entered to attack.

When they emerged from the exit portal after completing the dungeon, they would launch a simultaneous attack and kill them both.

To this end, they had securely acquired all the necessary weapons and artifacts while seizing Hyehwa Tower.

Just then.

Ring.

The awaited call came.

It was a contact from within the KSA.

“This is Shin Jung-ah. Are you ready?”

-Shin Jung-ah, your plan has failed. We will consider everything as if it never happened. We will restrain ourselves.

“……What did you say?”

The collaborator’s words from beyond the receiver were completely different from what she had expected.

With the KSA’s main forces away, seizing the KSA was a piece of cake if they put their minds to it.

If they destroyed the headquarters and the Seoul branch, the local branches were nothing more than scarecrows anyway.

Since soldiers and police were no match unless they were Awakeners, the non-Awakened public power was nothing to fear.

-It has failed. Lee Ha-seong had seen through your plan from the beginning. You stupid X.

Click.

The call was immediately cut off.

It was the moment when the KSA insiders, who had agreed to cooperate if the operation succeeded, all turned their backs.

That wasn’t all.

Reports from various locations began to pour in to the Hong Maehwa members beside her.

Everyone was receiving calls with expectant expressions, as it was about time for news to arrive.

However.

“What? Why is the KSA showing up there?”

“We were attacked from the rear by the Yanghwa Guild?”

“Retreat? What retreat! That doesn’t make sense! Why are the Yanghwa Guild guys waiting there!”

The news that came was only about being ambushed by the KSA and the Yanghwa Guild and collapsing.

Only the news of securing extremely small hideouts or bases was the only good news.

From the large-scale bases that they had entered with calculated moves, only news of defeat was heard.

“Could it be…….”

Shin Jung-ah, who had entered Kim Jae-rim’s private room on the top floor of Hyehwa Tower, stood in front of the window and looked outside, thinking that something might be wrong.

The next moment.

“Ah…….”

She could see it.

The endless rows of KSA agents, surging like waves and encircling Hyehwa Tower in a circle.

At the center were KSA executives, including Lee Ha-seong and Na Mi-na.

“Damn it, were we had?”

A curse immediately came out of Shin Jung-ah’s mouth, who was known for being foul-mouthed.

The thought that all of this was designed from the beginning sent a chill down her spine.

And she remembered what Mok Jin-woo had said when he was yelling at her to confirm the facts.

‘Kang Shin-hwa said he knows everything! Did you blab somewhere and leak the secrets?’

As a result, it ended as a happening [meaning it was dismissed as nothing].

Because it was determined that there was no movement around them that detected the plan at all.

But it wasn’t.

Kang Shin-hwa’s words were true. There was even such a huge design in place now.

“Master, what do we do? The KSA guys are all over the place! It seems like there are already troops in the underground route!”

Park Seong-kwon, the leader of Hong Maehwa, ran over and delivered the news with a pale face.

The expressions of the Hong Maehwa members, who had been intoxicated with the joy of victory until just now, were now full of seriousness.

“We’ve been had. They used Hyehwa Tower as bait to lure us here. Perfectly.”

“The number of guild members guarding Hyehwa Tower was smaller than expected……”

“They must have contacted them in advance and evacuated them. The KSA insiders smelled it too. They all betrayed us.”

“What……?”

None of the plans succeeded from start to finish.

It was the result of the KSA and the Yanghwa Guild, who perfectly concealed and disguised the facts.

Of course, Shin-hwa was at the center of this plan, which was based on deception.

Everything flowed as Shin-hwa intended.

“Let’s take a closer look at the situation from the rooftop first. We have oppa [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend or lover]! If we kill Kim Jae-rim and join him, something good might happen.”

“Well, there’s no contact from the Master yet. It’s about time we heard from him.”

Park Seong-kwon nodded at Shin Jung-ah’s words. There was still something to believe in.

If Mok Jin-woo manages the outside situation and joins them here, there is a possibility of reversing the current situation.

Holding onto a glimmer of hope, Shin Jung-ah headed to the rooftop.

First, she was going to see with her own eyes how many enemies there were.

* * *

Some time later.

“There are really a lot of them. It must not have been easy to lead so many people and keep it a secret.”

“I often hear that the KSA is soft, but that’s more of an exaggeration than the truth.”

“How is the situation?”

“We have suppressed most of the Hongyeon and Cheongyeon Guild members who raided other branches of the Hyehwa Guild.”

“What about inside the KSA?”

“It’s very quiet. They probably saw how things were going and immediately backed down.”

“What are you going to do with them later?”

“Right now, we lack evidence to prove it, except for circumstantial evidence. We are considering how to deal with it internally rather than making it public.”

“I believe the Director will take care of that part……. Anyway, everything went according to our plan, right?”

“Rather than ‘our’ plan, it was Shin-hwa’s foresight and planning that shined. It’s entirely Shin-hwa’s achievement.”

Lee Ha-seong gave all the credit for the operation to Shin-hwa. He was sincere.

If Shin-hwa hadn’t foreseen this, the KSA would have been helpless against them.

If that had happened, it would have been himself and Na Mi-na who were surrounded and facing death at this moment.

“I am truly grateful. The KSA is indebted to Kang Shin-hwa so many times. I’m so sorry that I don’t know what to do.”

“What are you talking about? I just did what I had to do according to my beliefs. If you’re really grateful, then be sure to show your appreciation later.”

“I will. In addition to thanking you for this incident, we will also make an official announcement.”

“The situation isn’t over yet, so let’s think about it after we’ve finished it properly.”

Shin-hwa diverted the slightly excited atmosphere and stared at Hyehwa Tower.

“First of all, thanks to the arrangements made in advance as discussed with Shin-hwa, there are almost no Hyehwa Guild members captured as prisoners.”

“Almost means…….”

“Some guild members who didn’t cooperate, saying that the KSA was meddling too much, were captured.”

“They deserve to be captured.”

Shin-hwa nodded.

“Anyway, except for the damage to some Hyehwa Guild members, the situation is very positive. Thanks to the perfect surprise attack, there have been no deaths so far.”

“As expected, the most effective way to break a surprise attack with certainty is another surprise attack.”

“If we can finish this well, it will be an exemplary case of successfully suppressing a civil war internationally.”

“Shin-hwa alone is really changing the fate of so many people. It’s just amazing.”

“Indeed… he’s amazing.”

The KSA executives lined up behind Na Mi-na looked at Shin-hwa with respectful eyes.

With this incident, the KSA was really indebted to Shin-hwa.

If things had gone according to Mok Jin-woo’s plan, the future of the KSA would have been very bleak, unlike now.

“We have to squeeze out the pus. To do that, we inevitably have to see blood.”

“That’s right.”

“Let’s end it before it’s too late. We shouldn’t give them time to think deeply or refine their plans.”

Based on his amazing eyesight that surpassed 7.0 [referring to exceptional visual acuity], Shin-hwa pointed to one person looking down at them from the rooftop.

He could see it clearly.

Shin Jung-ah, the master of the Cheongyeon Guild.

Mok Jin-woo’s longtime lover and soulmate – the soulmate called the Soul of the Devil.

“Shin-hwa, by any chance, how is Mok Jin-woo now? Is he fighting with Master Kim Jae-rim?”

At that time, Lee Ha-seong asked.

As always, it was a question based on ‘common sense’.

Only Shin-hwa had arrived here.

It was a very natural picture that Kim Jae-rim was stopping Mok Jin-woo now.

Otherwise, Mok Jin-woo would have been attacking the rear or quickly cleaning up the aftermath.

“Rather than an answer, I’ll let you see it with your own eyes. Do you have a megaphone by any chance?”

Unfortunately, Shin-hwa didn’t have the talent to amplify his voice, so he requested a megaphone.

Then, one of the executives behind him brought a portable megaphone that he had prepared in advance.