Infinite Regressor, Chapter 466 - I’m an Infinite Regressor, But I’ve Got Stories to Tell

4. Time flew by rapidly. It's a common belief that when people immerse themselves in what they love, time seems to vanish in an instant. In this sense, Cheon Yo-hwa had discovered a new hobby: filial duty. Night and day, she brainstormed how to best care for her father, and lo and behold, hadn't several years slipped by in what seemed like mere moments? As the grand operation loomed closer, Cheon Yo-hwa embarked on a final review with her beloved younger sister. “What about the executives who have crossed over to our side?” “Forty percent. But most are in human resources and finance, so the loss is minimal. At this rate, the organization is actually getting healthier.” “Don’t let your guard down! Make sure to check with the police and prosecution too.” “It’s alright, sister. We funneled 60 billion into Japan. Why would they betray us? Their bellies would burst before ours do. Actually, I'm more suspicious about Yu Ji-won or Go Yo-il from that side. Can we really trust them?” “Now? What would we do if we can’t trust them? Without the materials they provided, we wouldn’t have even gathered twenty percent, let alone forty.” “Mmm…” Her sister tilted her head, puzzled. 'Sigh.' Every time this happened, Cheon Yo-hwa felt a slight tightness in her chest. 'No matter if we trust them or not, the power lies with them anyway, so what's the point of this discussion, my dear sister.' However, she made sure not to show her emotions on her face. Hadn't she known since long ago that her twin's intellect was a bit behind hers? Moreover, her sister occasionally exhibited intuition that surpasses her own. Well, everyone has areas they are particularly skilled in. “But sister.” “Why?” “Isn't this a relationship where we’ve shared secrets this big? Even if they are the mentor's siblings, we can't just trust them outright.” No, it’s not about trust but rather a matter of power—she was about to reply when her sister interrupted. “I think it's better to tie them down through marriage, sister.” ……? “Huh?” The voice that leaked out after a brief silence was, even to Cheon Yo-hwa herself, quite bewildered. Her sister looked at her strangely. “Why make that face? They’re an ally, but the collateral is shaky, isn’t it? Marriage is one of the most traditional and efficient ways in such situations.” “……W-what?” “You said he’s a university student. Haven’t gone to the military. Compared to the old geezers we had marriage talks about when we were younger, it’s much better. Oh, is he really ugly?” “Well that's not it, but…” “Huh? Then what’s really the problem?” “……” Beep beep beep beep beep-. Cheon Yo-hwa’s head, which had been calmly discussing the church's power structure until just moments ago, was suddenly in disarray, alarmed like a blaring red siren. But being the secret shadow mistress of a cult, she wasn't unfamiliar with situations that caused such surprise. Maintaining extreme composure, outwardly she continued to converse with her sister without any apparent issue. “Well… Marriage is a bit… awkward. Yo-hwa. Besides, what family are we? Haha, he's as poor as dirt. The match doesn't even begin to fit because of the family status.” “Huh? What’s wrong with that? Just bring him in as a live-in son-in-law.” Beep beep beep beep-. “The family's reputation is something our father and the elders worry about. Aren't we going to clean house with the old folks anyway? You’re going to control all the church's power, so isn’t it better if the family you’re marrying into is humble? A high-status family would only meddle more in this case.” “……” “Gasp?! Or sister. Could it be you already have your heart set on someone else? I, I’m sorry. I could never imagine you having a normal, human-like romance, so I assumed…” Her sister donned a solemn face. “It can’t be helped then. I’ll get engaged to him in your stead—.” “That will never happen!!” Startled. Her sister, Yo-hwa, was surprised by the sudden outburst. “Why yell so suddenly?” “W-well, that is…” “If you don’t want to marry him, then I’ll just do it. Although it is a bit odd since you’ve never introduced him to me.” Her sister smiled, seemingly to reassure her. “I’m not worried. Sister. A strategically arranged marriage is something I’ve been prepared for since I was seven.” “……” That wasn’t the issue! In fact… as just mentioned, Cheon Yo-hwa had diligently ensured that her sister and Go Yo-il never faced each other until now. Intentionally! Despite her sister’s reasonable assertions—'Why hide him so much', 'Isn’t he a comrade with whom we planned this grand scheme’, 'Shouldn’t we at least have a self-introduction time'—Yo-hwa had consistently ignored them. There was a very logical reason for this. ‘Without a doubt! My taste in men and Yo-hwa's are bound to overlap…!’ Cold sweat trickled down her neck. It was sweat born from DNA, rather than physical exertion. Why else would Go Yuri have specifically chosen Go Yo-il as her successor? Wasn’t it to thoroughly ensnare the two noble twin sisters of the Korean Peninsula? Could anyone dare escape from this reincarnated beauty trap laid out? ‘And this is purely my hunch, but—’ A sidelong glance. Cheon Yo-hwa looked at her sister. “?” Her sister tilted her head with an innocent expression. ‘That girl, she's terrifying when it comes to love!’ Knowing the hidden ferocity behind her sister's innocence, Cheon Yo-hwa couldn’t help but shudder. ‘She won’t simply give up just because there’s a goalkeeper. Absolutely, absolutely not.’ ‘She’s bound to say things like "Oh, it’s red because it’s stained with blood, isn’t this an automatic red card? Please, remove the goalie now!" after murdering said goalkeeper!’ ‘I can't let you get involved in this doomed coin, too, Yo-hwa…!’ Having reached her decision at lightning speed, Cheon Yo-hwa began to recite her lines almost mechanically. “He already has a girlfriend.” “What? Really?” “Yes. And she’s seven years younger.” “What?!” “They’ve been seeing each other since she was in middle school.” “That’s insane. A lunatic!” Her sister was aghast. As expected. Of course, Cheon Yo-hwa was well aware that the relationship between Go Yo-il and Yu Ji-won wasn't exactly a "romantic" one. At best, it was probably just a platonic love. However, for the sake of her beloved sister, Cheon Yo-hwa was more than willing to sacrifice Go Yo-il's reputation (without actually seeking his consent, of course). “Moreover, before he started dating his current girlfriend, he was in a questionable relationship with Teacher Go Yuri.” “What?! Wait, sister. That guy, Go Yo-il, did you say he was siblings with Teacher Go Yuri…?” “Yes.” Cheon Yo-hwa's expression turned gravely dark. “So, this means the man named Go Yo-il has enjoyed incestuous depravity since childhood, and after killing Teacher Go Yuri, he gaslighted the 7-year-younger accomplice of his murder into becoming his new girlfriend.” “Isn't he a complete psychopath?!” “Exactly.” “That makes him a bigger trash than even our father, who's morality was already questionable!” “Well, yes… That is true.” Cheon Yo-hwa barely kept in check the emotion that almost erupted from her heart. Composure. Only composure. “Moreover, every time he looks at me, his gaze is unsettling despite him having a girlfriend.” Cheon Yo-hwa's eyes glazed over thoughtfully. “Perhaps he covets my exceptional beauty, youth, and status.” “Eeek…” “But regardless of him being trash, he's competent. No, it might be because he’s trash that he’s competent. They say fight poison with poison, right? To vanquish our father's great evil, we have no choice but to join forces with the demon that is Go Yo-il.” Cheon Yo-hwa smiled. “Still, I don’t want to see my dear sister being tied to such a demon.” “Oh…” “Even if marriage is to happen, it’s only right that I, as the formal heir and your sister, take responsibility. Yo-hwa, you should live an unfettered and happy life.” “Sister…” Her sister's gaze also softened. The twin sisters interlocked their hands tightly. Because of the countless rituals in the cult they had performed together, they'd grown accustomed to this gesture. Their cold hands conveyed a warm sisterly bond. Then her sister beamed right in front of her. “Hey, Cheon Yo-hwa. Just checking… You're not planning some sneaky move to keep Go Yo-il all to yourself, are you?” She’s got such a sharp intuition. Scary kid. The older sister smiled sweetly as if nothing were amiss. “No way, Cheon Yo-hwa. Would I do that? Don’t you trust me? To trust yourself is to trust me, and to trust me is to trust yourself. Because together we are Cheon Yo-hwa…” “If you’re lying, you’re dead meat, okay, sister?” “I swear. On both our lives.” “Hmph.” Her sister released her hand with a playful eye-smile. The brief pressure had left her fingers tingling. “Well, fine. I’ll trust you.” Cheon Yo-hwa felt like she had shaved ten years off her life. The next day, the grand operation finally commenced. They ambushed the executive meeting and harvested the heads of their father's faction with ease, like snapping off Lego figures. They didn’t take their father's head, though. Yu Ji-won had been specially requested to neatly trim his limbs instead. “Yo-hwa, how dare you…! Did you forget the grace of raising, the grace of nurturing! How dareee!” Despite his attempts to resist by calling upon divine power, their father was unsuccessful. During the surprise attack, they had already severed his arms, sealing off most of his abilities. Even the divine favor had shifted long ago from the father to the twin sisters. Within three minutes, the cult leader was thoroughly subdued. The twin sisters, with hearts pounding wildly, personally escorted their father to the underground torture chamber. Fiery filial duty. ON. Given the moral constraints of providing any audiovisual evidence, we will just offer a voice-only recording here, with all 'disorderly-noise' removed. “Wait, sister! Ah! Ugh, seriously! How can you keep stabbing father like that? Leave some spots for me to stab at least!” “Oops. Sorry, sorry. Wow, now that I see it, I understand why humans are born with two eyes and two kidneys. It’s so siblings, like us, can nicely share and tear them apart. It's like divine orchestration, right?” “Whoa, look at those pitch-black bones. How much devotion did he offer to the divine to boast such pure blackness?” “Well then, father. Let me trim these protruding bits for you. Don’t worry! It’s natural for children to clip their aged parents' nails, you know.” “Clip clip- clip clip-.” “Snip snip- snip snip♪” “Voila! Father’s achieved dieting success!” “As expected of father. A determined middle-aged man! I never doubted that father could shed the flab as soon as he put his mind to it!” “Goodness. What child helps their father lose weight automatically? We're such devoted daughters, sister.” “Indeed. We should raise a thousand Daughterly Devotion Gates, just like the torii at Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine.” “Wow! A human tourist attraction!” “You see, sister. In modern times, the concept of filial duty is truly complex. It's not just about serving your living father but ensuring everlasting fame even after death. This is the true pinnacle of filial piety…” For a rigorous two hours, the twin sisters melted away a lifetime of grievances. “Phew…” It was an immensely fulfilling time. A slight existential detachment but profound satisfaction enveloped Cheon Yo-hwa as she stretched her arms wide. Oh. What would have happened if she hadn’t been able to have such a moment? She probably would have grown up holding onto childhood traumas, always dragging them around like a shadow... Isn’t it truly fortunate? Yo-hwa felt immensely satisfied to finally be able to reinvent herself as normal. “Huh?” Amidst the scene littered with severed heads of Lego-like figures, Yo-hwa’s gaze caught something during her examination for any errors. It was someone’s right hand. A wrist that had run its own way from her father’s arm earlier. “……” Whoosh whoosh. She glanced around. No one was there. Of course, she had manipulated both the schedules and movements of the devotees several times beforehand in preparation for this day. Lest anyone catch sight of her, Cheon Yo-hwa quickly picked up her father’s severed hand. Just like someone who prefers drumsticks when eating chicken, her interest was limited to a specific part of the hand. 'Fingerprints…' Cheon Yo-hwa looked down at her father’s fingers, swallowing hard. 'With these, I can easily modify or establish various documents.' 'For example, an engagement agreement… or a prenuptial contract?' Kyaaaaaah! Cheon Yo-hwa squirmed, her face turning beet red. To some, it might have looked like a cute action. However, considering the fact that her bloody father's severed hand was nestled in her arms, it might have been a rather frightening scene to most people with common sense. 'This is insane, absolutely insane!' 'Still, my sister's suggestion of taking him in as a live-in son-in-law is quite reasonable. Even my cold, calculating brain acknowledges that it's a very logical proposal.' 'A live-in son-in-law… With me soon ascending as the head, having a respectable man standing by my side certainly has its appeal, doesn’t it?' 'Ah, wait. What if I take this opportunity to change his surname too? Legally, he’d still be Go Yo-il, but we have our own names for use within the cult anyway.' 'Then…' Cheon Yo-hwa muttered softly. “Cheon… Cheon Yo-il?” Kyaaaaaah! Unable to contain herself, Cheon Yo-hwa dropped to the floor and rolled around. Although her clothes were stained with various substances from the corpses, it didn’t matter since she had just been showered with bits and pieces of her father. 'This is crazy. Absolutely mental!' 'Cheon Yo-il… Cheon Yo-il! Oh my gosh! It feels so fateful! I’m Cheon Yo-hwa, and my husband would be Cheon Yo-il!' 'If this isn't a couple destined by the heavens, then what is it? Seriously, what is it?' 'The trend is leaning more towards Yo-il-Yo-hwa rather than Yo-il-Yuri or Yo-il-Ji-won. The feel of the names is just superior…' “Cheon Yo-il. Dear Yo-il? Brother Yo-il? Yo-il—” Thud. While she was rolling on the ground, Cheon Yo-hwa's shoulder bumped into something. She looked up, thinking it might be a chair leg, but it wasn’t. It was Yu Ji-won. The expressionless girl was looking down at her. "……" "……" Cheon Yo-hwa slowly got to her feet. “Ahem.” She cleared her throat, maintaining the dignity of a calm, elegant, and confident shadow madam. “Oh, you’ve gone through a lot today, Ms. Yu Ji-won.” “Not at all, miss. You as well.” “Thanks to you, I won’t have the hassle of dealing with the bodies. I’m a person who knows how to appreciate favors. I’ll make sure you never have to worry about money for the rest of your life.” “The honor is mine, young miss.” Thump. Thump. Behind the practiced mask sculpted from years of training, Cheon Yo-hwa’s heart was pounding. She didn’t hear, right? Of course, she didn’t hear. I whispered it super quietly. “Just in case, leave only the right and left wrists and dispose of the rest. Oh, since our cult also knows how to make skinned masks, please take care of the facial skin too.” “Understood.” Yu Ji-won’s expression remained unperturbed. Only then could Cheon Yo-hwa breathe a sigh of relief internally. As expected. Thank goodness. She didn’t hear. “By the way, young miss.” “Yes?” “Mr. Matiz’s real name is Go Yo-il, not Cheon Yo-il. Just in case there was any misunderstanding—” “Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!” The shadow madam. Adds another page to her book of embarrassing moments.