I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 184

Three hours later.

‘Damn it, this is my fate.’

Contrary to my original plan of sleeping in or relaxing at home watching TV.

I arrived at the Chungju Black Zone.

What greeted me was an old sign and someone’s threatening message erected alongside it.

‘I know the Chungju Black Zone like the back of my hand, having been in and out of it several times during the Black Cross Group cleanup in my past life.’

I bit my lip, looking at the Chungju Black Zone area, which was entirely filled with dark red smoke.

Entry itself wasn’t a problem. Special equipment is usually needed to secure visibility here, but I’m an exception.

However.

“Hoo.”

There was a fiery rage surging from within my chest.

The ominous feeling I had when Lee Ha-sung called was, as expected, not wrong.

I was emotionally angry at the fact that my rest was disturbed, but rationally, I was calm.

That’s because the part Lee Ha-sung requested help with was the war against the Black Cross Group and the Southern Sea Group.

A war against crime.

The ‘operation’ that would have taken place more than 10 years later in my previous life had already begun.

It was a good sign.

In my past life, the KSA became a vegetative organization after the internal strife of the Hongyeon and Cheongyeon Guilds succeeded.

But now, it has a perfect cooperative relationship with the Yanghwa Guild, firmly grasping the order of the domestic Awakened world.

Lee Ha-sung, known for his excellent 추진력 [drive or initiative], seemed to think that now was the right time to eradicate the two criminal organizations.

‘Yes, it’s better to clean things up quickly.’

If a virtuous cycle has begun with the future I changed, it’s good to continue that flow.

In particular, the Black Cross Group and the Southern Sea Group will later attract the attention of not only China’s top three evils but also the Revengers.

They become the main culprits in making domestic security extremely unstable.

Not to mention, Ju Cheon-ho becomes a troublesome villain who persistently harasses the KSA.

‘Well… I’ve been promised independent action rights and the right to acquire spoils, so there’s nothing to lose.’

Moving without pay for the sake of justice is something only the pure-hearted do.

I’m the type who always demands a price and makes sure to 챙기다 [secure profit or take care of].

The word I hate the most is ‘fool.’ This thought hasn’t changed at all in either my past or present life.

‘Let’s do a final check.’

A provisional ‘Justice Army’ formed by the KSA and a coalition of multiple guilds, including the Yanghwa Guild.

The all-out war between the Justice Army and the Black Cross Group and the Southern Sea Group is their responsibility to handle.

I only focused on the parts I had promised and intended to take as a strategic move.

First, Ju Cheon-ho, the leader of the Black Cross Group.

He has a buff called ‘Undying Fighting Spirit.’ The buff is a definite spoil that can be taken by killing him.

Moreover, even if the holder dies.

If there is a Flower of Rebirth, the buff is restored upon revival.

In any case, Undying Fighting Spirit can be activated at will, granting a 무적 [invincible] state for a full 5 seconds.

It’s a terrifying buff because it provides complete immunity to all damage and various harms.

The 재사용 대기 시간 [cooldown] for activating the buff is a week, but that’s what makes it such a tremendous buff.

I need to diligently collect buffs as much as I collect flowers.

‘On top of that, Jeong Man-chun of the Black Cross Group has a Shield Stone. Furthermore, the bounties on Ju Cheon-ho and Jeong Man-chun are considerable.’

There were many tempting factors.

Just eliminating Ju Cheon-ho and Jeong Man-chun would amount to a bounty of 250 billion won.

The artifacts they possess would naturally be mine as I have the rights to the spoils, so eliminating them would make them mine.

‘Should I collect some travel expenses?’

Step. Step.

I entered the Chungju Black Zone.

It was only a few steps, but.

The air quality inside and outside the Black Zone was distinctly different. I could feel the acrid air traveling down my trachea.

“…….”

Everything was silent.

Moreover, unlike the urban Black Zones of Daejeon and Sejong, where all-out war is currently taking place, the Chungju Black Zone.

Was close to a desolate wasteland with no high-rise buildings at all.

‘There’s a 100% chance that a separate unit is in the K University building. Ju Cheon-ho is at the front lines, so Jeong Man-chun must be here.’

After discussing with Lee Ha-sung, I came here with the intention of striking the Black Cross Group’s rear.

It’s liberating to act alone, but I also have to keep in mind that the enemy’s attacks may be concentrated on me.

But just then.

Thump, thump! Thump, thump!

A group of Awakened people was seen advancing north along the main road to the north.

Judging by the shoulder patches they were wearing, they were definitely members of the Black Cross Group.

‘They’re still sending separate units.’

They were all 고급 [high-end] forces who were luxuriously heavily armed.

I could ambush them right now, but that would reveal my identity early.

I wasn’t interested in small fries.

My only target was the executives.

Swish.

I immediately used the Invisibility Ring to perfectly conceal my appearance.

I headed to the K University building, where the remaining separate unit of the Black Cross Group would be.

That was the rear battlefield I had to stir up and destroy.

* * *

Thud! Crack!

“Keuk.”

Puh-wook!

“Cough.”

Two members who were guarding key points were instantly killed.

One lost his life in an instant due to the overwhelming force that twisted his head downwards and his chin upwards.

The other had his chest pierced the moment he identified the identity of the intruder – Myth – who had suddenly appeared.

Both were wearing fairly expensive 강화 [enhanced] suits, but unfortunately, they were all useless in front of Myth.

‘I don’t want to waste energy from the start.’

Myth put one of the two dead members into his subspace and stripped the other one of his clothes.

Wasting energy like this from the entrance would only give them time to prepare for him.

‘It fits perfectly.’

It seemed to fit his body type and height, so he took it and wore it, and it fit perfectly as if it were tailored.

When he put on the disguise glasses and lowered his bangs, his eyes were also quite covered.

Unless someone carefully looked at his hair and examined him closely, it would be difficult to figure out his identity.

‘Let’s go quickly.’

Even the access pass he had appropriately 챙기다 [secured].

The preparation was perfect.

He had done this kind of disguised infiltration countless times in his past life when fighting the Lecherous 교단 [Cult].

Conversely, he knew how many disguised spies they had planted within the expeditionary force organized on Earth.

Those fierce mind games were something that only those who had experienced it firsthand would know.

So, he also had a plan to 능청스럽게 [deceive] these guys in the Black Zone, where there were relatively no outside intrusions.

‘I’m only catching Jeong Man-chun.’

The goal was clear.

Jeong Man-chun was, at least, an S-rank 근딜러 [melee dealer] who could be his opponent.

The remaining executives and subordinates would be A or B-rank at best, so he could easily deal with them.

Now, any alphabet below S could no longer be an object of fear or terror for Myth.

Of course, it was Myth’s identity to ignore even alphabets above that and 달려드는 [charge].

After a while.

‘It’s too 느슨해 [lax or loose].’

He passed by several members in the middle, but none of them looked closely at his face.

More than anything, there was a new member who was coughing severely.

If you’re not used to the environment of the Chungju Black Zone, you can’t withstand the acrid smoke, so you keep coughing.

‘Those Black Cross Group guys, they’re good at infiltrating, but why don’t they know they can be 역으로 [backfired or used in reverse]?’

As he moved, it was a structure that was easier to pass through than he thought, as long as he had an access pass.

Could it be that they only know how to screw others over but never think they’ll be screwed over themselves?

Myth was able to easily reach the second basement level, which was filled with even more 음산하고 음침한 [gloomy and eerie] energy.

The basement of the former K University building’s main building.

As Myth naturally looked around, he saw a man nodding his head and appearing from across the hallway.

‘Jeong Man-chun!’

The official fourth-in-command of the Black Cross Group.

In fact, he was the S-rank 근딜러 [melee dealer] Jeong Man-chun, who had risen to the third position since Jang Seong-yeong’s death.

“…….”

He could have launched an attack right away, but Myth walked step by step while holding his breath.

Becoming one of the top three in a criminal organization is never an easy task.

If you underestimate your opponent’s skills and become careless, you will pay the price.

Tap. Tap.

Step. Step.

Jeong Man-chun’s footsteps and my footsteps resonated throughout the 지하 [underground] hallway, creating a strange offbeat rhythm.

Unlike the first and second floors, which seemed to have quite a few people, the second basement was definitely quiet.

He walked silently.

200m… 100m… 50m…

When he got close enough for the guy to see him clearly.

“Hey, you there.”

Jeong Man-chun called out to me.

“…….”

“Hey, are you a new recruit? The second basement isn’t a dedicated patrol area, so go up.”

“Man-chun, what’s going on?”

Right then.

Another man appeared from the end of the hallway.

It was Lee Chang-woo.

The second-in-command of the Black Cross Group.

An Awakened person who has no physical attack ability at all but is specialized in 정신계 [mental] attacks.

It was the moment when he met the second and third in command of the Black Cross Group at the same time.

‘Now that it’s come to this, let’s finish them both at once.’

The die has been cast.

* * *

“Who is it?”

“It’s an intruder!”

“Hmm.”

What blocked me from 달려들던 [charging] towards Jeong Man-chun with Transcendence Acceleration was a member who suddenly opened the door and came out.

Judging by the fact that he was wearing 평상복 [casual clothes], he seemed to be resting or 수행하는 [attending] Jeong Man-chun or Lee Chang-woo.

Judging by the fact that he was 응축시키는 [condensing] something similar to 전류 [electric current] in both hands, he seemed to be an Awakened person who 구현하는 [manifests] electric current spheres.

But unfortunately, their skills were far from enough to stop me.

Bang! Pow!

“……!”

Before they could even scream in agony, the two guys crossed the River Jordan right away.

He had just swung his fist as if swatting annoying flies, and both of their necks were twisted by the blow.

The necks, twisted like pretzels, drooped pitifully, announcing their futile death.

“It’s an intruder!”

Lee Chang-woo, who was in a wheelchair in the distance, focusing his mind, was visible.

Zhiing! Zhiing!

‘As expected.’

A 정신 [mental] attack followed.

If it were an Awakened person without 대응 [response] ability, he would have immediately seen 환각 [hallucinations] or lost consciousness at this moment.

But since I knew how to concentrate 마력 [mana] in my brain to 대응 [respond] in the first place, I was in a perfect ‘immunity’ state.

“Is he a KSA agent?”

Jeong Man-chun, who hadn’t yet figured out my identity, 휘저으며 [brandished] the gauntlets he had already put on and 달려들었다 [charged] at me.

As expected of a 호전적인 [belligerent] guy, he had no hesitation at all, and he was in a mood to fight regardless of who I was.

‘If I catch Jeong Man-chun, I can finish them off together. Lee Chang-woo’s 신체 구속 [body bind] only needs to avoid using the parts that are bound.’

The calculations were all done.

Then, at the moment of 가속 [accelerating] and 도약 [leaping] towards Jeong Man-chun.

Crack.

‘It’s the left arm.’

Lee Chang-woo’s ‘Body Bind’ was placed on his left arm.

This was an 구속 [unrestrained] that could not be resisted, unlike 정신 금제 [mental restraint], and it was the outstanding talent that made Lee Chang-woo the second-in-command of the Black Cross Group.

Most people have a designated body part that they mainly use, so their combat power is drastically reduced when the corresponding 구속 [restraint] is applied.

But for me, who can 운용 [operate] all parts of my body as I please, it was a 금제 [restraint] that was less burdensome than I thought.

As always.

He decided to show them that there’s always someone who’s better than the one who’s running, someone who’s flying, and someone who’s watching everything.

“Ah…?”

Suddenly, as I 머뭇거리자 [hesitated] with a 당황한 [flustered] expression as if my left arm wouldn’t move.

“Kuhahaha! I don’t know who you are, but I’ll make today your 제삿날 [memorial day or death anniversary]!”

Jeong Man-chun started 달려들기 [charging] with all his might.

It was the moment when the fishing using 연기 [acting] from the beginning showed signs of becoming 만선 [full boat or a great catch].