Absolute Regression

Episode 29: What we should be afraid of.

Of course, I thought the blood demons and demons would come first.

However, the first backlash against Yang Ho’s arrest came from within.

About thirty Hwangcheongak investigators gathered in the main hall and called me.

The person who led this matter was Gok Myeong, the most senior special investigator.

“I had to go to the office in person, but there were too many people, so I committed this rudeness.”

“I don’t think you have anything to say, but I think you came here to fight?”

“Absolutely not. Don’t misunderstand.”

They did not come with one mind. I could tell just by looking at their eyes. Who came to visit because they were dissatisfied, and who reluctantly moved with them.

The song name represents everyone.

“I heard that this office reinvestigated a case that had already been closed with acquittal.”

“It did.”

“That is an action that undermines the morale and authority of our investigators.”

I asked the investigators standing behind the song title.

“Do you think so too?”

“Yes, it is.”

They answered loudly.

“My thoughts are a little different, right? Rather, I think this Yangho incident has undermined the authority of this cabinet. “And very seriously.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Is it really necessary to explain such common sense things? “This is disappointing.”

Then Gokmyeong stiffened his expression and refuted.

“The Lord has already done something that is unreasonable.”

“Did you hear that when I arrested Yang Ho this time, he confessed everything in front of everyone?”

“I heard.”

“But what? “Why on earth did you come here?”

“What we are talking about is a reinvestigation of a case that has already been closed.”

“Is it a matter of principle?”

“That’s right. “It is also unprecedented.”

“Investigator Gok. An innocent child was beaten to death, and the guilty one was caught and even confessed. Of course we should reinvestigate, right? “How do you think you, who stand up for your principles, will be viewed in this situation?”

“Even if you say it’s outdated, there’s nothing you can do about it. “Because principles are so important in an organization.”

Is he being stubborn or trying to put pressure on me? He didn’t even try to take a step back.

“Okay then, let’s find out what everyone thinks. Anyone who thinks a reinvestigation is right, come here!”

I’m here to take group action, so I wonder if anyone is moving now.

A person walked this way.

He was Seo Dae-ryong, my absolute supporter. Since we all knew that he was a close friend of mine, there was no ripple effect.

“You are my loyalist and one-day investigator.”

“If you say that, doesn’t that mean I moved based on personal acquaintance?”

“Isn’t it?”

“no. “Regardless of my loyalty to the Lord, I think this case should be reinvestigated.”

“The reason is?”

“The investigation was insufficient.”

Several investigators, including Gok Myeong, blatantly expressed their impressions, but Seo Dae-ryong calmly expressed his thoughts.

“We also cannot rule out the possibility that there was external pressure.”

“good. “Who agrees with this opinion?”

This time I raised my hand and looked at the investigators.

In a situation that seemed unlikely, one person stepped forward.

“I think so too.”

He was a military officer who was injured by Godang during the last Magun investigation. Not only did I avenge him, but I also asked Dr. Ma to give him the best treatment.

“This is Ik-ho (翼虎). I couldn’t greet you properly at that time. “Thank you very much.”

“How is your injured body?”

“it’s okay.”

“Thank goodness.”

Other than Ik-ho, the other investigators did not move. It seemed like they were paying attention to the song’s title. Well, you’ve only seen me for a few days, but I’ve probably been with you for as little as a few years or as long as a dozen years.

At that time, one more person moved.

“This is Prince Yang. Ikho and I are in the same group. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for avenging Ikho.”

Thanks to the support of both armies, several people gathered courage and moved to my side. They did not move because of personal relationships. These were people who believed that this investigation was wrong.

However, there were still an overwhelming number of people standing on the song title side.

I called out to one of them. He was the person at the center of today’s events.

“Investigator Zhonghua!”

“yes.”

Jonghwa was the investigator in charge of this case. He is the one who acquitted Baekdo-gwi’s son.

“What do you think?”

“…I investigated the case properly.”

I approached Jonghwa, looked at his face, and asked.

“Did you take a bribe from a demon?”

For a moment, Jonghwa’s expression hardened. The person who got angry on his behalf was Gokmyeong.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

I asked Gokmyeong with a cold prayer.

“Then did you get it?”

“no.”

“But why are you coming forward? “You even make stupid remarks to your superiors?”

“Because it’s my subordinate’s job.”

“It’s also my job. is not it?”

At that moment, Gokmyeong realized that he had made a mistake and lowered his head.

“no. sorry.”

“Don’t go out without permission.”

“yes.”

After controlling his mouth, he spoke to Jonghwa again.

“Did you get money from a white devil?”

“no.”

“Do you swear?”

“I swear on my life.”

He didn’t avoid my gaze, as if he was innocent.

“If you don’t believe me, do your research.”

“I already investigated. “They really didn’t take any money.”

Everyone was surprised by what I said. Already investigated means that the internal investigation has been completed.

I told him not to come forward, but he couldn’t resist the name of the song.

“Our investigators cannot conduct internal investigations unless it is a special investigation.”

“It was conducted as a special investigation. “We even received orders directly from the leader and conducted an external investigation.”

I coldly asked Gokmyeong, who was startled.

“Did you think the leader wouldn’t give me this much support when he appointed me as a head priest?”

“no.”

I looked at everyone and spoke calmly.

“I was curious. “Why was the incident covered up like this when no money was received?”

“I did not cover up the incident. According to my research….”

I cut off Jonghwa.

“He said he was going to kill your sister?”

For a moment, Jonghwa froze. His expression said this. How did you know that?

“After investigating you, I found that you are a person of rare integrity. I didn’t believe it. I told him to search further. There is no one in the world who hates money. But surprisingly, you were a truly honest person. So why did a person of such integrity just ignore the incident and move on? You have one major weakness. “My little sister, my only family.”

Jonghwa’s eyes wavered.

Surprised, I asked him the name of the song.

“Were you really threatened by that guy?”

Jonghwa couldn’t answer anything.

“You bastard, tell me! “Did you really get threatened?”

The name of the song was bright, but Jonghwa lowered his head and said nothing. I also know why the name of the song took the lead in this matter. Jonghwa was the junior whose favorite song was named Jonghwa. He came forward to help prevent Jonghwa from being disadvantaged due to this incident.

I told Jonghwa.

“It’s okay if you’re worried about your sister. Because they have already sent executioners and are guarding them in a safe house. “My brother will be safe until this incident is completely resolved.”

At those words, relief finally appeared on Jonghwa’s face. Soon he knelt in front of me as if he was acknowledging everything.

“I committed a mortal sin.”

Gokmyeong sighed as he watched that happen.

“iced coffee.”

Since they worked together for a long time, they probably knew better than anyone else how much Jonghwa cared for his younger sister. But it seems he didn’t know this had happened.

I said to Jonghwa, who lowered his head.

“You know you shouldn’t do this even if you’re threatened, right?”

“I will accept your punishment well.”

The expressions on the faces of the investigators watching were different, but they were all angry. This matter was no one else’s business. You never know when you might experience something.

“Get up.”

“yes.”

Jonghwa stood up.

“If it had happened after I became a footnote, I wouldn’t have forgiven you. “But since this happened before I came, I especially forgive you.”

“Are you really forgiving me?”

“It’s not that I forgive you, but that you have forgiven me for your past life of integrity. Now your past life of integrity is gone because of this incident. Let’s build again from the beginning.”

Jonghwa was deeply touched because he did not know whether he would forgive himself.

“thank you. thank you.”

But what really moved him was his next words.

“Since I came to Gakju, your family is like my family. I will kill all the bastards that mess with my family. why? Don’t you believe it? I also cut down the demon lord. Do you think he would be scared of a demon?”

I felt the eyes on me getting hotter.

“From now on, this office will not allow any external pressure. From this moment on, if you receive even a single penny, you will be subject to a serious crime. You will have to be prepared to be locked up in the same prison as the prisoners you put in. “If you feel like you can’t protect it, get out of this corner.”

There were various reactions. The joy, excitement, antipathy, and disbelief rising from their faces…

“Instead, I won’t let anyone who messes with you like this happen. If you tell me when you are threatened, I will definitely protect your family. Even if you have already been kidnapped, we will definitely rescue you. You can trust me. If you don’t trust me, trust the leader. Even if it means begging my father to save me, I will definitely save you. So, if any external pressure comes, be sure to report it to me.”

I was speaking the truth. The Nether Pavilion will function properly when you are confident that you and your family are safe.

“I am a person who believes that whoever commits evil deeds should be punished. Even if I make a mistake in the Battle of Cheonma, I will not let it go. “If the cult leader commits a crime, he will be arrested too!”

Everyone stopped breathing for a moment. The words about arresting the Cheonma meant that there was nothing strange about dying to the Cheonma right now.

“It’s not the leader or Palmazon that I’m afraid of. What I’m afraid of is that we become assholes. You can’t stop someone who can’t protect the person he should be protecting and should be punished from escaping with a grin. When I caught that guy yesterday, everyone in the guesthouse was so happy that they clapped their hands. “I am someone who likes to be in the spotlight, so I will continue to receive applause from now on.”

As my sincerity was conveyed, the investigators’ expressions changed. In particular, Jonghwa, who had been threatened, had red eyes and did not know what to do.

At that time, the investigator standing behind the song name walked towards me and said. She was Seo Dae-ryong’s favorite Jo Hyang.

“I also want to receive applause along with you.”

That was the beginning. One by one, the investigators walked towards me. Some were sincere, while others came reluctantly due to the atmosphere. Does not matter. What is important now is that they all moved in one direction.

Now the last people left were the song names.

“Don’t you like the new principles I’ve established?”

“no.”

“But why are you standing there?”

“….”

“Is it because your pride is hurt?”

“no. “I don’t know if what you said was sincere.”

you’re welcome. He was proud now. I came with good intentions for my juniors, but the cause and momentum I came with disappeared, and I even ended up being embarrassed when I went ahead. That’s why these few steps are so difficult for him.

I need to soothe that wounded pride. Because that is the role of the leader. It was a time when unity was needed rather than division, and although he was stubborn, he was not a bad person. In fact, when I searched for Jonghwa, he also searched everything.

“Everything I said earlier was sincere. “I really need your experience and help to make my sincerity a reality.”

I reached out to the name of the song first.

“Help me.”

“Thank you, footnote.”

The name of the song held my hand. His hands were shaking. This work has value beyond appeasing the name of the song. This is because of the investigators who are watching this.

I immediately gave an order to Seo Dae-ryong.

“Investigator Seo.”

“yes.”

“Go right now with the executioners and arrest Yang Ho’s father, Baekdogwi Yang Tae. “The crime is special intimidation.”

At that time, the name of the song was carefully said.

“I will not submit to arrest easily.”

I said it loudly for everyone to hear.

“If you say that, I will blow up the entire demon.”

You may be wondering what on earth you can believe in, but one thing is certain.

The Hwangcheon Pavilion investigators standing in front of me have probably never once heard of blowing up an entire demon demon since they took office. They were excited. Your heart may have already started beating faster. I can feel that heat.

I can be sure of this heat. Today is the day with the highest morale since the creation of Hwangcheon Pavilion.