Murim Login - Chapter 100

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 100
Everyone possesses their own hobbies. Im Chun-su was no exception.
When Team Leader 1 entered the Guild Master’s Office, the first thing he witnessed was a golf ball rolling toward the door.
Roll, roll. Tap.
The ball, having strayed far from the hole, finally came to rest against Team Leader 1’s shoe. As he bent to retrieve it, Im Chun-su gestured him away.
“Never mind. Come sit and have some tea.”
“Yes, sir.”
A brief silence settled between them. Im Chun-su, savoring his tea, suddenly spoke.
“Smells good, doesn’t it?”
“Ah, yes. It must be fine tea.”
“This is Longjing tea—a gift, actually. Truth be told, I haven’t the faintest idea what it is. All I know is it costs a ridiculous amount.”
“Is that so?”
“Why do you look so shocked?”
“I thought you were fond of tea, sir.”
“Not at all. I just pretend to appreciate it because it looks refined. At home, I drink instant coffee.”
Team Leader 1 let out a quiet laugh. Among the Guild’s executives, Im Chun-su’s love of tea was legendary—there was practically a competition over who could gift him the finest brew.
“There are a few people who would be surprised to hear that, sir.”
“Such as?”
“Team Leader 3, for instance. He’s been boasting that he’ll bring back premium tea from his business trip to China.”
“Fire that idiot. His mind’s completely gone—thinking about sourcing grass instead of doing his job.”
“Are you serious, sir?”
“Of course I’m joking. Can’t I make a joke?”
Light laughter passed between them. Im Chun-su drained the remaining tea like cold water and smacked his lips.
“So then, when are you going to tell me?”
“Sir?”
“The news you brought. You’ve been hemming and hawing about it, so I took a chance and told you a secret. And yet…”
“Was it that obvious, sir?”
“Next time, look in a mirror before you come in. Your face is practically screaming it. Who wouldn’t notice?”
It was not long before Team Leader 1 forced himself to speak.
“The investigation into the Peace Guild you ordered previously… it failed, sir.”
“Both of them?”
“Yes. I apologize.”
“Explain in more detail.”
“We approached carefully, but it seems best not to touch the Peace Guild Master or his team leaders.”
“I expected as much. I should have made the request myself directly. Well, in the end, it’s my fault for letting pride get in the way.”
“No, sir. It is my shortcoming.”
“That’s also true. Even if those locked individuals are untouchable, I should have succeeded with Jin Tae-kyung, a mere C-rank Hunter.”
Im Chun-su fixed him with a cold, piercing gaze.
“Why exactly did you fail? I even hired an outside Familiar Mage and assigned the Guild’s Security Team to assist you.”
“Well, that is…”
Team Leader 1, who had been hesitating, finally forced out the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.
“We’ve lost contact.”
“Huh? Hong Woo-jin?”
“Hong Woo-jin left a single message and disappeared. The one we’ve lost contact with is the Security Team.”
“The Security Team? Why? Aren’t they supposed to report their status regularly?”
“Yes. We receive reports every two hours, but the last one came in four hours ago.”
“Are you telling me the entire Security Team just abandoned their posts?”
“No. Based on the circumstances, it’s highly likely they were dealt with by Jin Tae-kyung.”
“What?”
What was he talking about?
Team Leader 1 handed Im Chun-su, who looked bewildered, a printed sheet of paper.
“Today’s report.”
Seeing certain sections highlighted in red, it was clearly an emergency report rather than a routine one.
Im Chun-su’s eyes raced across the text.
The target had been in contact with someone of unknown identity, and both the conversation and his subsequent actions were suspicious. After reading through the entire report without missing a detail, he exhaled sharply.
“Heh, this guy’s more interesting than I thought. So what happens next?”
“The Security Team Leader made personal contact. He said he needed to pursue the target urgently and would take action first, then report later.”
“And then contact was lost.”
Im Chun-su drummed his fingers on the table, lost in thought.
Tap. Tap. Tap. When he lifted his head, the premium wooden table was frozen solid.
“Who was the one Jin Tae-kyung called? You must have gotten at least his name to show me this.”
“Sung Jin-ho. A thirty-year-old exam candidate living in Bucheon.”
“…Team Leader 1. Did I mishear? Not a Hunter, but an exam candidate?”
“I’ve double-checked myself, but it’s certain. He’s the administrator of the Gosiwon where Jin Tae-kyung lives. They’re like sworn brothers, apparently.”
“Heh, really. You’re surprising me multiple times today.”
I thought he’d be at least an A-rank Hunter at minimum, but what? A civilian exam candidate?
Im Chun-su shook his head and stood up from his seat.
“Tsk, we really got played here. A guild with only five members—what’s with all the secrets?”
“What should we do?”
“What should we do? It’s getting close to dinner time. I’m going to grab some food.”
“…Pardon?”
Seeing the confused Team Leader 1, Im Chun-su clicked his tongue.
“Stop asking questions and just follow me.”
I’m planning to eat dinner in Ilsan tonight.
* * *
The six-on-one fight ended in an instant.
To begin with, there was only one person capable of exchanging blows with me—Choi Byung-il—and even he couldn’t hold out long before dropping to his knees.
‘Well, it was inevitable.’
But for someone, it must have been a tremendous shock.
With both ankles broken, Choi Byung-il, his face drained of all color, continued to speak to me.
“An A-rank Hunter? Are you hiding your identity?”
“No, I’m not. I’ve never hidden who I am.”
“Tell me your real affiliation! Could the Ares Guild be targeting our Sangdong Guild….”
“I’m with the Peace Guild. And the Ares Guild wouldn’t even glance at your guild. You’re in completely different weight classes.”
“Then who did you call?”
“How many times do I have to say it? The general affairs officer at the Gosiwon—Sung Jin-ho. Does that ring a bell?”
“This can’t be right, this just can’t be….”
In the end, I had no choice but to deploy a silencing seal. I tore his clothes and gagged him, then treated all the remaining wounded, including him.
Of course, these weren’t potions I’d bought from the Store.
“Wow, the Sangdong Guild really comes prepared.”
Just from what they’d brought with them, the quality and quantity of equipment and supplies were quite impressive. I used some of it for treatment, and the rest….
“I’m confiscating this for now. Anyone have a problem with that?”
Naturally, no one raised their hand.
They were all so overwhelmed by my overwhelming power that even with their wounds healed, they didn’t dare attempt another attack. These were fairly intelligent men.
“So, who’s going to give me a detailed briefing on your mission?”
Again, no one volunteered, so I had to choose someone myself.
The choice was simple.
“You.”
“M-me?”
“Yeah, you.”
The Familiar Mage, Kim Jun-su, flinched before declaring with a resolute expression.
“I belong to the Security Team. I cannot carelessly divulge guild confidential information to outsiders.”
“Oh.”
I expressed my admiration, and in that same moment, I grabbed him by the hair.
I heard a faint sound of tape tearing somewhere, and his toupee came flying off, revealing the shiny scalp hidden beneath it.
“What the——!”
“From now on, if you lie or play dumb in response to my questions, I’ll pluck out your hair strand by strand.”
“…!”
After that, everything flowed smoothly. Information poured from the mouth of a man desperate to preserve what little hair he had left.
“Hong Woo-jin?”
“Yes, he’s a B-rank mage hired externally by Team Leader 1. Like me, his specialty is Familiar Magic.”
“Is that so?”
A shame. I should have caught and dealt with him too.
‘We’ll meet again someday. If it takes too long, I can always hunt him down myself.’
I licked my lips and continued extracting information. Whenever Kim Jun-su hesitated, I’d toy with what little hair remained on his head to encourage his cooperation.
“That’s all, really all of it. Even though I’m in the Security Team, I don’t know anything more. So please, just spare my hair….”
His tone carried both grievance and sincerity. Especially that last plea—it tugged at my heartstrings.
‘This should be enough to wrap things up.’
The mastermind was, as expected, the Sangdong Guild—or more precisely, Im Chun-su.
After seeing his spendthrift son extort hundreds of millions in income, he’d started systematically plundering our guild from that point onward.
Well, in the end, I turned the tables on him instead.
“The Guild Master won’t just sit idle.”
“Is that some kind of excuse for weaklings? Stop mentioning the Guild Master and think about cleaning up your own mess.”
“…Tch.”
Choi Byung-il shook his head in frustration at my jab, but his words weren’t entirely wrong.
‘The Sangdong Guild Master will be furious if he finds out.’
I sent subordinates to surveil him, only to have them turned on and captured instead. There was no greater humiliation for the Guild Master, let alone the entire Sangdong Guild.
Given the circumstances, I could only hope they’d quietly bury this matter and move on.
‘Should I call Choi Team Leader?’
I was mulling it over, smartphone in hand.
[010-xxxx-xxxx]
A call from an unfamiliar number. What is this?
Seized by an inexplicable tension, I answered.
“Hello?”
– Come down. I’m waiting outside.
“I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number.”
– Jin Tae-kyung. That’s you, right?
“Well, yes, but… who is this?”
– I’m Im Chun-su. I heard you’re holding some of our people.
“….”
– Are you listening?
I’m listening. I just can’t speak.
A mid-tier Guild Master had come all the way here in person to meet me. And of all people, Im Chun-su, known for his terrible temperament.
– Come down. We can clear up any misunderstandings and grab a meal.
There wasn’t really any misunderstanding to clear up, but I had no idea what would happen if I said “no.”
The man had already figured out my location and come here, hadn’t he?
In the end, I had only one choice.
“I’ll be right down.”
* * *
Im Chun-su’s first impression was striking. He was younger than expected, and his gaze was gentle yet burning.
‘Like fire itself.’
Ironically, that was my first thought upon meeting a master of ice magic.
“Hello. I’m Jin Tae-kyung.”
“I’m Im Chun-su.”
Despite the burning intensity in his eyes, his voice was cold. Now he truly matched the nickname “Frozen.”
“It’s interesting to see your face in person after only viewing it in reports and photos.”
So there actually existed people who could admit to investigating someone so directly, without a shred of embarrassment.
“Where are my people?”
“Upstairs.”
“Are there any casualties?”
“No way. Becoming a criminal is absolutely out of the question.”
“I appreciate that.”
Im Chun-su nodded toward me.
“My people made a mistake due to their impatience. I hope you can understand?”
“If there’s adequate compensation.”
At my response, Im Chun-su chuckled softly, while the man beside him who appeared to be a team leader furrowed his brow.
“You’re quite rude for a young man.”
“I do tend to be that way… but hearing it from someone who’s had me under surveillance feels a bit odd.”
“Even so.”
The man’s words trailed off. Im Chang-su had raised his hand to stop him.
“Team Leader 1, go upstairs and release the kids.”
“…Yes, Guild Master.”
If Kim Butler possessed a refined charisma, this man wielded a raw, commanding presence. Perhaps because we were both mages? For some reason, the two figures seemed to overlap in my mind.
“Walk with me for a bit.”
Im Chang-su led the way, and I followed behind.
“Do you know something?”
After walking briskly for a while, Im Chun-su suddenly spoke.
“Once I form a grudge, I must see it through to the end without exception. I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of person I am.”
That’s the Murim style.
Survival of the fittest. The blood of a Murim tough guy flowed through this man’s veins as well.
“The current Sangdong Guild was built that way. Trampling what was destroyed and salvaging it to build even higher.”
“I see.”
“What about the Peace Guild?”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“For the past decade, I’ve been bored. All nearby guilds are in alliance with us, and we had no more rivals. Then you all appeared.”
Looking at his eyes, which seemed to burn with curiosity and passion, one thought dominated my mind.
‘This is dangerous.’
Regardless, Im Chun-su continued.
“The Guild Master and Team Leader are individuals whose information I cannot easily access, and above all, your existence has stimulated me.”
We were now climbing a hillside. Despite his considerable age, Im Chun-su showed no signs of breathlessness.
“Do you know why I came all this way?”
“To see me, I suppose.”
“Only half right.”
Im Chun-su’s footsteps stopped. As he slowly turned around, a chilling coldness emanated from his entire body.
[Lv.75 Im Chun-su]
“At my age, time is precious. I’m not so extravagant as to climb all this way just to see a face.”
Frozen. The moment the seasoned A-rank mage who had weathered the great upheaval extended his hand toward me.
Tssss.
A dozen ice spikes materialized in the empty air above my head. The summer air froze solid, and frost descended upon the scorched earth.
‘I’ve walked straight into it.’
I’d thought the Old Master was someone who understood propriety, but I never expected him to come at me so directly like this.
“Do I really need to go this far?”
“I’m doing this precisely because it’s you.”
“But I’m only a C-Rank Hunter.”
“Right, so let me see what a C-Rank Hunter can actually do.”
The moment his words ended, Im Chun-su clenched his fist. Icy spikes radiating a biting chill shot toward me.
Screeeech!
Yet the ice spikes didn’t touch even the hem of my clothes.
“Rise forth. Fire Wall.”
With a clear incantation, the mana seeping into the atmosphere surged. The frost-covered ground beneath Im Chun-su’s magic melted, and flames erupted upward.
Whoosh, crackle!
It was a literal barrier of fire. The azure flames consumed the ice spikes and carved a divide between Im Chun-su and me.
Beyond the wavering flames, Im Chun-su’s voice trembled with shock.
“This is…!”
But I wasn’t looking at Im Chun-su. Behind him, at the entrance to the Mountain Trail, a figure stood and offered a gentle greeting.
“Fortunate that I arrived in time. Chun-su, you as well.”
[Lv.80 Kim Hwa-jong]
Kim Hwa-jong. The arrival of Kim Butler.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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