Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

Though the gaze seemed like that of an old man, “Barely surviving death has made you even more insolent. Do you even know how old you are?”

The authority emanating from his eyes was beyond scientific explanation. A sort of royal presence, perhaps?

The look in the eyes of an old man who had spent his life ruling bore a resemblance to that of an awakened being.

However, the woman facing this gaze showed no sign of being unsettled.

In fact, “You’ve changed a lot while I was away. Talking in such an amusing manner.”

She responded calmly, with a smile on her face. Staring silently at her, chairman Lee Suncheol let out a sigh.

“Raising a daughter poorly sure brings trouble in one’s old age.”

He turned his gaze away.

“You did quite well. You revived a failing family business that couldn’t keep up with changes, and you’ve maintained your position at the top in Korea.”

Those words made Chairman Lee Suncheol’s eyes twitch.

“It’s not just insolence. You’ve lost your fear as well.”

“Maybe it’s because I survived death. But you won’t find another daughter like me in the world.”

“You!”

Whipping his head around, he glared at his daughter.

Lee Yeonhee chuckled.

“As I’ve said before, Father, even if you haven’t awakened, if you keep glaring like that, you’ll look like a high-rank awakened being.”

She shuddered slightly as if to emphasize her point, but it was clear that her shudder was more from exhaustion than fear.

“……”

Her feigned innocence only made Chairman Lee Suncheol’s face more stern. He then pressed his fingers between his brows, trying to calm his emotions.

“You should have stayed quietly resting. Why did you come back here?”

He asked while struggling to contain his anger.

“Honestly, I’d love to, but… too many things have changed since I’ve been gone. I can’t rest when things are in such disarray that I have to intervene directly.”

For the first time, a serious expression crossed Lee Yeonhee’s face. Or rather, her eyes took on a hard expression.

“Father, what are you planning?”

“What do you mean?”

“You getting involved in guilds and awakened business—that was something I was prepared for since I got sick. You’re not one to leave a money-making machine untouched. But!”

Lee Yeonhee’s voice grew increasingly louder.

“You were the one who taught me that Continental can’t be trusted, weren’t you?”

“…….”

“Of course, I can understand acting differently from what you say. After all, you’ll do anything for money. But this requires an explanation.”

Lee Yeonhee threw the documents she brought onto Chairman Lee Suncheol’s desk.

“In the years I’ve been unconscious, you’ve been collaborating with Continental using Holy Trinity Bio for arena-related production.”

“As you said, it’s a lucrative venture.”

“I know. But what’s the outcome? Could it be that there still isn’t one?”

Lee Yeonhee’s gaze on Chairman Lee Suncheol grew sharper and more intense.

“Weren’t you always the type to cut off anything without results? So why have you maintained this ‘collaboration’ for nearly ten years without a single substantial report?”

“……It’s an investment for the future. Technological advancement doesn’t happen from just a few years of scribbling.”

“That’s why I’m asking, Father. What exactly are you trying to develop that warrants breaking your own principles to partner with Continental?”

“I didn’t realize it would cause you this much distress. Don’t worry; it’s all taken care of.”

“And that’s precisely the problem!”

Bang.

Lee Yeonhee slammed her hand on the desk. Any other person might have rebuked such disrespect, but Chairman Lee Suncheol merely watched his heated daughter.

“From facilities to materials and management costs, all these expenses have been approved over the last several years, yet there’s no trace of a research lab for this collaboration?”

“…….”

“I can understand secretly operating arena material-based facilities. There’s documentation for that. But this research lab has no such records.”

“I told you. I dismantled it because you might cause a ruckus like this.”

“Father, you’ve become oversimplistic in my absence.”

Lee Yeonhee let out a dry laugh at her father’s dismissive response.

“You dismantled it as a precaution because I might cause a ruckus, yet there isn’t a single record of this research lab except for the approval documents?”

“…….”

“Father, do you think I’m a fool?”

Like a blade. Much like the sharp gaze and presence of Guildmaster Kim Muyeol, chairman Lee Suncheol looked at his daughter, who was so fittingly nicknamed Dohu, with silent intensity.

Swiveling his chair to face the large, single glass window, he stared outside. Perhaps because it was still morning?

The cityscape visible through the window was bustling with countless cars and people.

Observing her father’s silent demeanor, Lee Yeonhee let out a short sigh and brushed her bangs aside.

“Fine.”

She sighed once more, a familiar sound after such a long time.

“After all, I didn’t come here to get answers.”

Disappointment?

No, it was definitely disappointment.

Chairman Lee Suncheol, having heard his daughter’s long-missed sigh, quietly reached into the inner pocket of his suit.

“I don’t know what you’re plotting, but it stops here. That’s what I came to tell you.”

A warning to step back from all arena-related businesses. Through sheer force and authority. Her growl was that of a rejuvenated lioness, enough to trample him once again.

“With that said, I’ll be leaving now. Sorry to bother you when you’re busy.”

The mighty lioness withdrew.

Click.

As the door closed, chairman Lee Suncheol brought the handkerchief from his pocket to his mouth.

And then, “Cough!”

A sharp and rough cough escaped him. He then violently tossed the handkerchief aside and took out his phone.

“Dr. Choi. Come quickly.”

The discarded, pure white handkerchief on the floor, was stained deep with crimson red.

“Yeonhee has caught on. Hurry up.”

***

In a high-rise building in Gangnam, an unusual atmosphere pervaded the uppermost floor of the Awakener Association. The reason was simple.

“What did you say?”

Guildmaster Kim Muyeol.

The only person capable of shaking this blade-sharp man had made a personal visit.

Moreover, “He requested a lockdown of certain areas in Cheorwon. As compensation for representing the national team.”

Given his request, it was no wonder the atmosphere was even more tense.

“Do you realize how outrageous your request is?”

But Shimun acted as if it was no big deal.

“It’s just a temporary lockdown to ensure nothing leaks out.”

He shrugged nonchalantly.

“I looked up the location. It’s a secluded mountain area, so it’ll be easy to block off.”

“What business do you have there that requires such measures?”

Kim Muyeol furrowed his brows in suspicion. And then.

“Don’t tell me, is it Desperado again?”

His eyes widened briefly.

Fortunately, “It’s not them.”

Shimun waved his hand dismissively.

“Are you sure? I heard you provoked Malik’s sister in your last broadcast.”

“Malik doesn’t care about his sister anyway.”

“That’s true.”

Kim Muyeol nodded slightly at Shimun’s words. Malik and Marlina, known infamously as the siblings of death.

Despite their notorious reputation as a duo, the reality was that the two siblings weren’t particularly close. To be precise, it was Malik who didn’t care about his sister.

“Malik. That scrawny guy has little interest in the living.”

Death Lord Malik. As a ranker-level necromancer, his focus was exclusively on the dead. Thinking along those lines, “… However.”

Kim Muyeol furrowed his brows once more.

“How do you know such details?”

Desperado. As the world’s most powerful villain organization, there were few with connections to them.

‘Even though I secretly supported them, I’ve only met a few of their core members a handful of times…’

If someone like Kim Muyeol, who had once covertly supported them, found it nearly impossible to get information on Desperado, anyone outside that circle would find it even more challenging.

Shimun replied casually, “I just watched the broadcasts and made some educated guesses.”

“Broadcasts? Malik barely speaks under normal circumstances.”

“I’m pretty good at reading situations. In fact, I’m more curious about something.”

Shimun turned Kim Muyeol’s suspicion back on him.

“How do you know Malik’s personality so well, Uncle?”

“That’s because…”

Kim Muyeol, the ever-perceptive, was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained his composure.

“I’m a ranker, unlike you. I’ve faced Malik in the arena many times, so naturally, I would know.”

“I see. For a moment, I wondered if you were secretly colluding with them, like with Continental.”

Shimun nodded slyly.

“……”

Was he mistaken, or was he really breaking into a cold sweat?

Golem Choi Changwook, who had been listening quietly, certainly felt that way.

‘How, how does he know that?’

Though he appeared as stoic as ever, sweat was trickling down under his shirt.

It wasn’t much different for Kim Muyeol.

‘This brat has remarkable intuition.’

While not as visibly affected as Choi Changwook, Kim Muyeol’s heart did momentarily race.

Then, “Hah. You have quite the imagination.”

Recovering his breath, Kim Muyeol spoke out.

“Haha! It’s all in good fun, isn’t it? The idea of a country’s Awakener Association President being linked to the world’s largest villain organization.”

“You can’t shake me with such nonsense.”

“Of course not. It was a joke, after all. I was trying to imitate the reporters these days. They’re relentless.”

Shimun smiled innocently, matching his uncle’s tone. But Kim Muyeol didn’t miss it.

‘He can’t possibly know about my support for Desperado…right?’

He caught the subtle tension in Shimun’s smile. Suppressing his unease, Kim Muyeol inquired, “So. You won’t explain why you need this information lockdown?”

“I might be wrong about my suspicion. I’ll check it out first, and if my hunch is correct, I’ll inform you, Uncle.”

“… Really?”

Surprise flickered in Kim Muyeol’s eyes. Understandable.

Even as he pressed for information, Kim Muyeol knew he was in no position to force Shimun to talk.

But now, his cunning nephew was offering to speak voluntarily?

‘He surely isn’t doing this out of goodwill…’

There was an unsettling feeling, as if discovering more might end up backfiring on him.

‘Still, I have to find out. It might be related to why my trait is nullified around him.’

Given the leverage Shimun had over him, Kim Muyeol had no choice but to delve deeper.

“Fine.”

Kim Muyeol nodded silently. His gaze then shifted to Choi Changwook, standing beside him.

“Choi Changwook.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll make the preparations.”

Having listened to the entire conversation, Choi Changwook bowed without hesitation.

“Then, please proceed immediately. I’ll send you the address.”

Shimun stood up and prepared to leave. As Shimun exited the chairman’s office, “… Should we assign someone to follow him?”

Choi Changwook asked in a low voice.

Kim Muyeol chuckled dryly while reaching into his coat.

“If you did, would you be confident he wouldn’t notice?”

“Th-that…”

“Forget it. Even if you tailed him, he wouldn’t be fooled now.”

“Pardon?”

Choi Changwook’s eyes widened. Understandably so, since he was a Diamond-ranked player. Feeling a bruised ego, “Chairman, even if I’m not a tracker…”

Choi Changwook began to protest.

“That’s why you’re not a ranker yet.”

Kim Muyeol cut him off with a click of his tongue.

“Did you not notice anything different about him?”

“… No.”

“Then, trust my judgment. Don’t waste our resources.”

“Understood.”

Kim Muyeol had already pulled out a cigarette.

Or rather, he was about to.

“Chairman?”

Choi Changwook instinctively brought his lighter closer but paused to inquire. For a moment, Kim Muyeol stared silently at the cigarette between his fingers. The soft warmth and texture, and even the sound of laughter.

His vision grew hazy, as if engulfed by an illusion.

Ultimately, “Tsk.”

Kim Muyeol irritably put the cigarette back into his coat.

*

Cheorwon, Gangwon Province.

Known as one of the coldest regions in South Korea, “Nice and cool.”

The weather was pleasantly refreshing, even in early June.

“The scenery is great too.”

Indeed. It’s quite different from Seoul.

Enjoying the natural landscape not visible in the city, Shimun, together with the Philosopher’s Stone, turned to look behind him.

There stood a group of men in black suits. They were representatives from the association, sent by his uncle Kim Muyeol.

Shimun addressed the tallest man who stood at the forefront, “Mr. Choi, please take care of things while I’m gone.”

“Of course. Take your time.”

He signaled to Golem Choi Changwook, and then, using human alchemy, he swiftly dashed through the forest.

Swoosh.

Soon, Shimun reached a clearing.

“What the…? There’s nothing here?”

Looking around in confusion, he pulled out his phone to check Lee Yujeong’s message.

‘Strange. According to Lee Yujeong’s information, it should be here…’

There was no way Lee Yujeong’s intelligence could be wrong. If she provided such detailed information, it must have been sourced from within Holy Trinity.

Therefore, ‘It must be hidden.’

As an unregistered facility with the association, it had to be concealed.

Zing.

A sharp resonance echoed in Shimun’s left eye. Before his eyes, layers upon layers of brilliant golden magic circles began to reveal themselves.

Activating Odin’s Eye and looking below, “I knew it.”

Like a blueprint, he saw the intricately constructed corridors and spaces deep underground.

Moreover, ‘Is that… a person?’

He noticed a figure rapidly moving through those corridors.

Snap.

Without hesitation, Shimun snapped his fingers. The surrounding earth and rocks gathered and alchemized into the form of a drill.

Whirr.

In no time, it bored through the ground. Behind the drill, a luxurious space formed, akin to a high-end elevator in a building.

“Up we go.”

Shimun jumped into that space and descended deeper and deeper underground. After a few minutes,

Crash!

The drill made contact with the facility’s wall, producing a rough, intense friction sound. Instead of enhancing the drill with more alchemy energy,

Snap.

Shimun alchemized the concrete surface of the wall, presumed to be part of the facility, into a door.

Then,

Click.

He opened the door and stepped inside.

Simultaneously, “This time, over there!”

A sharp voice accompanied the sound of a throwing knife cutting through the air.

Swish.

Shimun casually tilted his body, dodging the incoming knife, and caught the attacker’s wrist before flipping them over.

Grab.

The attacker, having thrown the knife at considerable speed, couldn’t regain their balance and flew through the air.

“Ugh!”

At that moment,

“Huh?”

“You?!”

Shimun and the airborne attacker both reacted in surprise upon seeing each other.

Quickly extending his arm, Shimun grabbed the woman’s ankle, and alchemized the floor into a soft cushion, cushioning her fall.

Snap.

Squelch.

The texture was so soft it was hard to believe it had been a solid floor. The woman, momentarily blinking in bewilderment due to the unexpected gentle landing, quickly got to her feet.

And then, “Kim Shimun-nim? What are you doing here…?”

She stared at him as if she had seen a ghost.

Shimun, too, looked at her with surprise.

“Kang Dayoung-ssi, right? Lee Yujeong’s secretary.”