A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 1: Regressors First Day

"What is going on? We were just traveling to the workshop..."

Director Kim, his hair disheveled and half-shaved off, stands up while scanning his surroundings.

I search my mind, attempting to pinpoint our exact location in time.

'The very first day! This is the day we arrived in this strange world!'

The memory of how we got here resurfaces.

'We were in the SUV, heading to the workshop, and then a landslide struck... We were buried... and then there was a sudden flash of light...'

It is a memory from fifty years ago, making the details feel somewhat blurred.

I struggle to recall it with perfect clarity.

"Hey, Deputy Manager Seo."

'Now that I have undergone regression... how am I supposed to live...?'

"Deputy Manager Seo."

'In typical regression stories, people use knowledge of the future to thrive. But the only future events I know are useless things, like the birth of Mr. Ju's daughter thirty years from now...'

"Seo Eun-hyun, Deputy Manager!!!"

"Ah, Section Chief Jeon. My apologies, I was just a bit dazed."

The shouting of Section Chief Jeon Myeong-hoon snaps me out of my trance.

Deputy Manager.

It is a title I haven't been addressed by in ages. I couldn't help but feel startled by it.

Then, I recognize the face I haven't seen in a lifetime.

Section Chief Jeon Myeong-hoon.

Jeon Myeong-hoon.

He is the nephew of Jeon Myeong-cheol, the executive director of my former employer, SJD Company.

At thirty-two, he is only three years my senior, yet he secured the section chief role through pure nepotism.

'I recall having a deep dislike for him fifty years ago...'

However, seeing a face I haven't encountered in half a century actually makes me feel somewhat glad.

After all, is he not a fellow countryman from my long-lost home, appearing before me after fifty years?

I decided it was time for us to get along.

Swish!

Suddenly, Section Chief Jeon delivers a sharp slap across my face.

"Deputy Manager Seo! You idiot, couldn't you drive the car properly?!"

"Ah..."

Stunned by the blow, I immediately discard any warm feelings of camaraderie.

I had forgotten.

This man is a complete bastard.

"You incompetent fool, we're in this mess because of you! We're stranded! You... you absolute failure...!"

Just as Jeon Myeong-hoon prepares to lunge at me in a rage, Chief Oh stands up to intervene.

"That's enough. There was nothing Deputy Manager Seo could have done about that landslide."

The events of fifty years ago come flooding back.

Yes, I was the one... tasked with driving the company SUV.

"Aren't you furious, Chief? This jerk Deputy Manager Seo caused this disaster! We have no idea where we are, and the SUV is gone! We are stuck here because of him!"

And then, the realization hits me.

I definitely nodded off behind the wheel.

'But the reason I was so exhausted was...'

Jeon Myeong-hoon.

The day before the workshop, he dumped all his overdue work on me, forcing me to pull an all-nighter.

"If you were going to fall asleep, you should have let someone else take the wheel! Look at the disaster you've caused!"

Reflecting on it further.

'Wasn't Jeon Myeong-hoon the one originally assigned to drive?'

That’s right. Jeon Myeong-hoon was supposed to be the driver. But because he wanted to flirt with the female staff in the back, he forced me into the driver's seat.

"You stupid moron! We're stranded because of your incompetence!"

Ah.

The memories of fifty years ago are sharpening.

Back then, I was so confused and overwhelmed that I didn't understand what was happening.

I had instinctively apologized to Jeon Myeong-hoon.

I had actually believed it was my fault.

But looking back now with fifty years of perspective...

'Does Jeon Myeong-hoon possess no sense of shame or conscience?'

I had asked Jeon Myeong-hoon and the female employees several times to take over the driving for a while.

But Jeon Myeong-hoon refused to drive and even stopped the women from helping, despite knowing I was sleep-deprived from the work he gave me.

As a Deputy Manager, I couldn't very well ask the director or the chief to drive.

I was forced to drive for four straight hours without rest because of him.

Therefore...

"Section Chief Jeon... I have something to say."

"Look at him, acting all smug. Since your conscience is finally kicking in, you better apologize for getting us stranded..."

"I was incredibly tired, yes. However, I recall driving perfectly until the very end, keeping myself awake with coffee. When the landslide occurred, I did everything to avoid it. But the scale was too large, and the car was simply swept away."

I distinctly remember trying to brake and reverse when I saw the earth shifting ahead.

But the entire mountainside collapsed. It was a catastrophe that no one could have escaped.

"Section Chief Jeon, I know you're upset, but this isn't the time to play the blame game."

"This guy... who do you think you're lecturing!? You don't even realize what you did wrong..."

"Sigh..."

I inhale deeply.

In the life where I didn't have the gift of regression.

I spent fifty years learning how to survive and endure through sheer tenacity.

I learned to endure when powerful bandits crushed me and stole my belongings.

I learned to endure when arrogant martial artists insulted my honor.

I learned to endure when corrupt officials seized everything I owned to pay for taxes.

Yes.

When facing those I couldn't defeat, endurance was the only path.

But.

"Hey."

"What? 'Hey'? Seo Eun-hyun, you bastard, what did you just say?"

Groveling before someone I can actually handle...

Is not the way of a man. I learned that lesson as well.

"I said it wasn't my fault. That's enough."

"Chief, get off me. This guy is really asking for it..."

Thud!

Jeon Myeong-hoon lunges and strikes me in the face.

But the moment he attacks, I step into his space and deliver a powerful headbutt.

Boom!

"Aaah...!"

In my previous life.

How many times was I beaten by masters of Cultivation?

How many times did I take a beating from bandits while searching for herbs in the mountains?

How many times was I struck when robbers raided during the Great Famine?

I was beaten again and again.

Through that cycle of violence, I gained something that Jeon Myeong-hoon lacks.

The experience of true violence.

Boom!

Thump!

Boom!

Following the headbutt, I press the advantage and relentlessly strike Jeon Myeong-hoon.

"Ugh, stop, wait...!"

"You. Bastard. I. Told. You. It. Wasn't. My. Fault."

When you are beating someone.

Striking someone in the face instills a profound sense of terror in them.

The way their vision is blocked by a fist, followed by the immediate explosion of pain.

The sheer horror of a relentless assailant.

I target the areas around Jeon Myeong-hoon's eyes to blind him with swelling.

'If you can't admit your own mistakes, then at least learn to shut your mouth!'

With every blow, the resentment I held against him—grudges I didn't even know were still there—seemed to vent out of me.

Even after fifty years, the cruel bullying he put me through at the office remained etched in my mind.

"I did... I did something wrong..."

Sigh.

Once the arrogant Jeon Myeong-hoon finally stammered an apology, I ceased the beating and surveyed the group.

Director Kim, Chief Oh, Deputy Manager Kang, Deputy Manager Oh, Manager Kim...

They are all staring at me with pure terror.

Director Kim is the first to speak, his voice wavering.

"Deputy Manager Seo, regardless of the situation, beating a coworker like that is..."

"You're right, sir. I apologize. I lost my temper for a moment. I'm sorry for alarming everyone. And since I was the driver, I apologize for the situation we are in."

I give a polite bow to Director Kim and the rest of the staff.

In truth, aside from Director Kim, I won't be seeing most of these people again.

But Director Kim is someone I will stay with.

'Director Kim, if you embark on the path of the Dao, you will reach the very peak of this world.'

Of course, that only applies to the realm of martial arts.

Even though I have returned to the past, I have already abandoned the hope of joining a Cultivation Sect.

'What Sect? I don't possess the talent.'

That talent is known as spiritual roots or spiritual nature.

Without it, one cannot practice the techniques of immortal Cultivation or even sense the Qi of heaven and earth.

If there is one thing I desire in this life.

It is simply this...

'I hope for the chance to work even harder than I did in my last life.'

In my previous life, after Director Kim mastered martial arts and moved on.

He would occasionally meet me for a drink.

Those meetings stopped once he reached the pinnacle of his power.

But this time will be different.

'If I provide Director Kim with my full support, perhaps I can share in his success.'

To achieve that, I must stay on his good side starting now.

"Right, everyone is stressed, and Section Chief Jeon was out of line. But Deputy Manager Seo, your reaction was quite extreme. Both of you, apologize."

"Yes, Director. You are correct."

After bowing to Director Kim once more, I help Jeon Myeong-hoon to his feet.

"I'm sorry, Section Chief Jeon. I went too far. I truly apologize."

"You... you son of a..."

Seeing my sudden humility, Jeon Myeong-hoon tries to find his nerve and glares at me.

But when I meet his gaze with eyes as cold as ice, he quickly looks away and remains silent.

"It looks like we're in a forest. Why don't we walk out and try to find a village?"

Director Kim suggests while looking at the horizon.

The sky is turning a deep red as dusk approaches, and the temperature is dropping.

In a normal world, Director Kim's plan would be logical.

However, in this place, common sense is useless.

'This is a world where Cultivators seek the Dao to become immortals, and martial artists battle for power and glory.'

That is the reality here.

And the forest we have landed in...

I search my fifty-year-old memories for its name.

'The Ascension Path.'

It is renowned as the premier location for demons and Cultivators to transcend mortality.

It is a place where the world's Qi is most concentrated.

There are no human settlements or kingdoms anywhere near the Ascension Path.

Thus, Director Kim's plan to find a village is futile.

The priority right now is survival.

'Night is falling. We need a fire.'

I settle my thoughts and address Director Kim.

"Director, do you have a phone signal?"

"Hmm... No, the signal is completely dead."

"If the signal is gone, rescue will be difficult, and we can't determine our location. Since it's getting dark, rather than wandering for a village that might not exist, we should prepare to camp here tonight."

Hearing this, Section Chief Jeon, who had been brooding, offers a weak rebuttal.

"What are you saying... Deputy Manager Seo. It's more dangerous to stay in the woods at night, we have to find a village..."

"I believe moving aimlessly is more dangerous. How about this?"

I point toward a towering tree nearby.

"Why don't you climb that tree and see if there's a road or village in sight? If there's nothing, we follow my plan."

"Climb that? Who's going to do that... you, Deputy Manager Seo?"

"If no one else can, I will."

I nod calmly, grip the trunk of the tallest tree, and begin my ascent.

I once had to escape a wild boar while gathering herbs in the mountains.

Back then, I climbed a tree in a desperate struggle for survival.

Modern people aren't used to climbing trees, but with fifty years of hardship behind me, I reach the top with ease.

"What do you see, Deputy Manager Seo?"

Director Kim calls out from below.

Just as I thought, the forest stretches endlessly in every direction.

There are no paths, no towns, and no signs of human life.

'Instead, there are likely monsters and demons lurking in these shadows.'

I don't shout the truth down. I pretend to scan the horizon for a moment before climbing down.

"Ha, Deputy Manager Seo. You're quite the climber. That tree must be eleven meters tall."

"Wait, what kind of tree is this? It doesn't look like anything from back home."

Director Kim claps my shoulder while Manager Oh examines the tree with curiosity.

I wipe the bark from my hands and deliver the news.

"There are no roads or villages nearby."

"That's bizarre. Even with a landslide, the highway should be somewhere close..."

Director Kim rubs his chin in confusion, while Section Chief Jeon watches me with suspicion.

"Deputy Manager Seo... are you sure you looked properly? Are you just lying so we stay here?"

"Why would I lie? I'd much rather sleep in a bed than in the dirt. If you don't believe me, Section Chief, feel free to climb up and check yourself."

Jeon Myeong-hoon winces as if he's swallowed something foul and backs off.

"I think we should establish a base and light a fire before it gets completely dark."

"That's a good point. Then... let's also look for the SUV. We were in it when the slide happened, so it should be around here somewhere."

Director Kim suggests, clapping his hands together.

But...

'Common sense doesn't work here...'

The SUV is gone.

It won't be found.

"Maybe we can find the car and sleep inside? It's full of supplies for the workshop..."

The workshop was essentially a company picnic.

The SUV was packed with food and camping gear.

However, the vehicle has vanished.

'I know the car is gone because I've lived this before, but they won't believe me if I just say it.'

Rather than wasting energy arguing, I'll let them see for themselves.

"Let's split up. One team will find a place to sleep, and the other will search for the SUV. We meet back here before sunset."

I suggest the division of labor.

I am paired with Deputy Manager Oh and Manager Kim to find shelter.

Director Kim, Section Chief Jeon, Chief Oh, and Deputy Manager Kang form the search party for the car.

We head our separate ways.

"Um, Deputy Manager Seo. How exactly do you find a place to stay in a forest like this?"

Deputy Manager Oh asks tentatively.

She still feels awkward around me after the fight with Jeon Myeong-hoon.

"Sleeping out in the open is risky. Wild beasts could attack, and an open fire might start a forest fire. A small cave is our best bet. Ah, like that one over there."

"Oh! A cave?"

"You found one already? That's incredible luck!"

Of course, I led them directly to the cave I had stayed in fifty years ago.

'In my last life, I only found this refuge after wandering for hours in the dark.'

To them, it looks like luck. In reality, it was a calculated move.

'It was a safe haven back then, and it will be now.'

I check the cave and begin gathering dry brush and leaves from the area.

"Wow... Mr. Seo, you're very handy."

"Were you in the Boy Scouts or something?"

"Something like that, yeah."

It wasn't the Boy Scouts; it was fifty years of being an "Old Scout" in a brutal world.

"We can use Director Kim's lighter later. For now, let's gather more wood for the fire."

"Oh, this reminds me of being at school camp when I was a kid."

"You're right! It feels exactly like that."

The two women chat cheerfully as they assist me in gathering firewood.

As the sun begins to dip below the horizon...

"Alright, let's head back to the clearing. The others should be returning soon."

"Okay~"

"Coming~"

I lead them back to our starting point.

A few moments later, we regroup with Director Kim, Chief Oh, Section Chief Jeon, and Deputy Manager Kang.

"Did you find the SUV?"

"..."

Director Kim shakes his head, looking dejected.

Chief Oh and Jeon Myeong-hoon also look defeated.

Deputy Manager Kang Min-hee speaks up, her voice tight with anxiety.

"It's gone. We searched everywhere, but it's like it just evaporated. It makes no sense. If we were in the car during the landslide, how are we here but the car isn't?"

She looks around nervously, clearly intimidated by the strange forest.

"There's nothing more we can do today. We've found a shelter, so let's head there. We can search more thoroughly tomorrow."

"Alright."

The six of them follow me to the cave, their moods heavy.

"Oh, what is this?"

"Mr. Seo built it."

"Wow, Seo Eun-hyun is surprisingly capable. Have you lived in the wild before?"

Deputy Manager Kang Min-hee is impressed by the windbreak and the makeshift door I constructed.

Chief Oh Hyun-seok offers a quiet word of praise.

Director Kim nods in approval, while Jeon Myeong-hoon just sulks and walks inside, too exhausted to complain.

"Director, may I have the lighter?"

"Oh, of course."

Director Kim hands it over, and I ignite the dry wood I prepared.

We gather around the warmth of the fire inside the cave.

The smoke vents perfectly through the gap I left in the windbreak.

"I can't believe we're in this situation."

"None of this is logical..."

"..."

Everyone sits in a somber silence, lost in their worries. Then, it happened.

Gurgling.