Murim Login - Chapter 128

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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 128
Old Master Jang awoke to the commotion.
‘What ruffians are making such a racket at this hour?’
For someone growing old, sleep was already becoming scarce—this disturbance was most unwelcome.
‘Let me see what sort of fools these are.’
Old Master Jang shuffled out of the Thatched Cottage, his stiff joints protesting, and the first thing he beheld was a crowd gathered like clouds.
Hundreds of them by his reckoning. Every living creature in the village—man and beast alike—seemed to have congregated here.
“What in blazes is all this?”
In such a small village, nearly every face was familiar.
At Old Master Jang’s muttering, Merchant Si-jeon—a face he knew well—stepped forward.
“You’re awake, sir.”
“How could I sleep through this pandemonium?”
“Ah, please understand, Elder. Everyone’s gathered because word came that an honored guest was arriving.”
Old Master Jang replied curtly.
“An honored guest? Has the Emperor himself come?”
“There you go again. Is the Emperor your relative?”
“By age, I’d be his father.”
“You’ll be arrested for treason if you keep talking like that. Don’t you see the officials over there?”
“Officials?”
Following the merchant’s gesture, Old Master Jang’s eyes narrowed as he spotted dozens of uniformed officials and a County Magistrate in formal regalia.
“That scoundrel was nowhere to be found when bandits prowled about, yet now he struts in official robes? Is this honored guest some high-ranking noble?”
“Not a high noble, but in Shanxi Province, this is as good as it gets.”
The moment the merchant thrust his thumb upward, gasps erupted from the gathered crowd.
“There! They’re coming!”
“They’ve arrived!”
Old Master Jang turned to follow the crowd’s gaze. Spotting fifty mounted riders approaching in the distance with fluttering banners, he finally understood who this honored guest was.
‘The Taewon Jin Family.’
Though Old Master Jang cared little for worldly affairs, he had heard the name of the Taewon Jin Family until his ears ached.
A renowned clan that had maintained its lineage for three hundred years—the supreme power that held dominion over Shanxi Province.
As Old Master Jang watched the magnificent procession, his brow suddenly furrowed.
‘Who was that again? What was his name? Shanxi… Shanxi… something about a dragon?’
Age had dulled his memory. As Old Master Jang felt the sting of passing years, one figure caught his eye.
“Say, who is that young man?”
“Ah, that swordsman, you mean?”
There were easily dozens of martial artists visible from the Taewon Jin Family alone. Yet the merchant understood immediately.
Like an awl concealed in a pouch, the youth’s presence was impossible to overlook—he stood out wherever he went.
“That’s the Shanxi Sleeping Dragon.”
Shing—
As if in response to those words, the young man at the vanguard drew the blade at his waist.
The transparent sword gleamed brilliantly as it caught the sunlight, and a tremendous roar erupted from the crowd.
“Waaaaaaah!”
“Taewon Jin Family! Shanxi Sleeping Dragon! Jin Cheon Sword!”
* * *
“Shanxi Sleeping Dragon! Jin Tae-kyung! Shanxi Sleeping Dragon! Jin Tae-kyung!”
My epithet and name echoing from all directions. Despite experiencing this several times over the past few days, I felt a profound sense of satisfaction.
‘Is this what idols feel like?’
That’s it exactly. Milky-white Jin Tae-kyung. We love you, Jin Tae-kyung.
An idol fan club straight out of music variety shows materialized before my eyes. I smiled contentedly and drew the [Nameless Sword] from my waist.
Shing. Gleam!
With a brand forged from eternal cold iron, the visual effect was unparalleled.
“Woooooah!”
“Kyaaah! Young Master, take me with you!”
“Aww! Aww!”
A man who transcended all ages and genders—truly an all-audiences spectacle.
That was me.
Ding.
– Fame increases by 19!
– Fame increases by 26!
– Fame increases by 31!
.
..
– Fame rises dramatically!
– Due to increased fame, the title effect of
[Shanxi Sleeping Dragon]
has been strengthened!
‘The title effect strengthened?’
An unexpected windfall. I opened my status window to verify the changes.
Ding.
Status Window
[Lv.61 Jin Tae-kyung]
Occupation
: First-Rate Martial Artist
Fame
: 2100 (+250)
Titles
: 4 (Title effects active)
– Returner (All stats +10)
– Shanxi Sleeping Dragon (All stats +15, Fame +200)
– Scion of a Noble House (All stats +5, Fame +50)
– Gambler (In one-on-one combat, combat-related stats +10%)
Strength
: 196 (+30)
Stamina
: 195 (+30)
Agility
: 192 (+30)
Intellect
: 35(+30)
Charm
: 35 (+30)
Martial Power
: 45 years
Resilience
: 155 (+30)
Remaining Points
: 60
– Please allocate your remaining points.
The title effect of Shanxi Sleeping Dragon, which had previously granted +10 to all stats and +100 fame, had definitely changed.
‘Has the value of my name increased, is that it?’
A title doesn’t simply fall from the heavens.
Even for me, rumors of being a sleeping dragon and such gradually spread, and when my fame rose at some point, I obtained the title of Shanxi Sleeping Dragon.
It seemed that as my fame increased, the title’s effects also grew stronger.
‘My level has already surpassed 60.’
The status window I checked after a long time had grown considerably. My rapidly rising fame, combat stats approaching 200, and a robust 45 years of martial power.
‘Exhilarating!’
As my body trembled with excitement, Hyuk Moo-jin, holding a flag on my right, looked at me as if I were a madman.
“Are you that pleased?”
I composed myself and answered deliberately.
“Who said I was pleased? I’m just lifting the mood since the people are enjoying themselves.”
“…I have much to say, but I shall refrain.”
“A wise choice.”
We pulled back on the reins and slowed our pace as we walked amid the crowd’s cheers.
Dozens of men poured forth and blocked our path ahead.
Among them, a portly man dressed in a single ornate crimson robe smiled broadly at me.
“Hehe, you are as distinguished as I’ve heard. The reputation of Shanxi Sleeping Dragon has reached my ears well.”
“Ah, yes.”
I asked, bewildered.
“But who are you?”
Hyuk Moo-jin whispered urgently.
“It’s the County Magistrate, the County Magistrate.”
“What’s a County Magistrate?”
“Pardon? You don’t even know what a County Magistrate is?”
“Is it like a village chief or something?”
“Wow, this is driving me crazy. Just think of him as an official.”
“Ah, an official. So the people behind him are government soldiers?”
“…Why are you acting like you’ve never seen soldiers before?”
“No, I’m just curious.”
Truth be told, this was genuinely my first time.
I studied the portly man—no, the County Magistrate and his subordinates intently.
I knew this world had nations and government offices and law enforcement agencies, but I’d never actually encountered them face-to-face until now.
‘How can they show their faces so little?’
In a neighborhood where dozens of violent crimes occur daily, I’d never once seen soldiers apprehending criminals.
Though thinking about it, considering there was no intervention during the Eight Thousand Swordsmen battle involving nearly two thousand people, or regarding the Red Wind Gang incident, perhaps this was inevitable.
‘And they’re not even cracking down on the loitering bandits.’
What exactly do these officials do?
If this were the modern world, half of the martial artists would be locked in solitary confinement on murder charges.
“Ahem, ahem!”
The County Magistrate cleared his throat, his face flushed crimson.
Despite his official position, he seemed offended at being disregarded by me.
“Oh, my apologies. I suffered a head injury recently and keep losing focus.”
My casual response seemed to mollify him somewhat, and his expression softened.
“Hmm, not at all. You must have endured tremendous hardship facing those vicious bandits. My, you say you killed over five hundred of them?”
“Uh… five hundred people?”
“Indeed. Hearing the heroic tales of Jin Cheon Sword and Shanxi Sleeping Dragon brought me such joy. Hehe.”
I had no idea where that number came from.
Even counting all the bandits who participated in this battle, there were barely three hundred, and by the time Moo-jin and I arrived, fewer than a hundred remained.
‘In reality, it was probably just seventy bandits that Pung Yang and the already exhausted ones accounted for?’
Well, rumors are always exaggerated anyway.
“Well, that’s too…”
Just as I was about to correct the record, a stir rippled through the crowd listening intently to our conversation.
“Five hundred? Wasn’t it just Shanxi Sleeping Dragon and Jin Cheon Sword?”
“My, so the two of them defeated over five hundred bandits?”
“Heavens, how can a person be so formidable!”
Ding.
– People regard you with awestruck gazes.
– Fame increases by 40!
“Too much, you say?”
I continued speaking to the bewildered County Magistrate.
“Actually, it was understated. The real number was close to six hundred.”
“Six hundred!”
“My second brother and I split it evenly.”
“Then that’s three hundred men per person!”
“Well, to be precise, around two hundred eighty-five?”
The County Magistrate and even the government soldiers stood slack-jawed.
“Ohhh!”
“Two hundred eighty-five men! And such detail!”
Ding.
– People regard you with awestruck gazes.
– Fame increases by 40!
Hyuk Moo-jin leaned in and whispered to me this time with a look like he was observing insects.
“Are you really going to go that far?”
“Yeah.”
“What if your inflated achievements are exposed as lies?”
“As long as you, Wol-hwa, and the Hengshan Sword Sect keep quiet, we’re fine. Now hurry up and back me up.”
“I refuse. This Hyuk Moo-jin, despite appearances, is a man who has lived a truthful life without shame before heaven.”
I asked in exasperation.
“When Jin Moo-kyung destroyed my pavilion, wasn’t it you who fought an assassin that never existed?”
“….”
“If you have nothing to say, shut your mouth and manage your expression. My two hundred eighty… how many was it again?”
“Two hundred eighty-five, sir.”
“Right. I’ll credit you with about thirty of them. If you were born with balls, you should at least become a Gate Master of the Taewon Jin Family. Don’t you think?”
“…!”
Hyuk Moo-jin, who claimed to have lived a truthful life without shame before heaven, captivated the County Magistrate’s heart with his eloquent tongue-work.
Most of those third-rate bandits became first-rate masters, Pung Yang transformed into Lü Bu riding a red hare, and the Poong Yang Region became an invincible expert who could split mountains and seas with a single sword.
‘I’ll trust and filter whatever comes out of this bastard’s mouth from now on.’
He lied so well that even I, the actual person involved, couldn’t tell what was real. If I’m confused, there’s no need to mention others.
“…Thus, the absolute ruler of the Highland, Pung Yang, and the brutally vicious Red Wind Gang were buried by the Hengshan Sword Sect.”
The moment Hyuk Moo-jin’s fabrication—or rather, his story—ended, sighs tinged with regret erupted from all corners. Among them, the County Magistrate’s reaction was the most enthusiastic.
“Ahhhhh, how extraordinary. How could such a thing… Murim is truly a wondrous and fearsome place.”
Hyuk Moo-jin swept his gaze across the crowd with melancholic eyes.
“A warrior like myself knows no fear. Ever since I took up the sword, I have lived with death as my companion. But if there is one wish….”
“One wish?”
“To die by the blade of a true master. That is all I desire.”
“….”
At this point, the bullshit was reaching a bumper crop.
I suppressed the urge to smack the back of Hyuk Moo-jin’s head and stepped forward.
My fame had already been drained dry and wouldn’t rise further. There was no reason to continue conversing with this bloated official.
“Forgive the interruption, but we have urgent business elsewhere.”
The County Magistrate, who had been staring at Hyuk Moo-jin with glazed, hypnotized eyes, suddenly snapped back to awareness.
“Ah, my apologies. That wasn’t my intention.”
“Then perhaps you have business here?”
“Could I meet with Jin Tae-kyung? I mean the City Lord’s request.”
The County Magistrate’s gaze drifted toward the carriage behind me.
Though invisible from outside, Jin Wi-kyung, Jin Moo-kyung, and Wi Paeng were riding within.
‘They’ve become one with the wine, so to speak.’
These were the pathetic losers who’d been thoroughly defeated in our drinking contest over the past three days. But how could I tell him the truth? I lied without changing my expression.
“I apologize, but he’s currently in the midst of energy cultivation and cannot receive visitors. As you well know, it’s quite a dangerous undertaking.”
“Ah, I see. Then there’s nothing to be done.”
The County Magistrate clicked his tongue and withdrew a rolled scroll from his sleeve, handing it to me.
“What is this?”
“An invitation from the City Lord. Having heard of your recent exploits, he was deeply impressed and has arranged a gathering with several prominent figures.”
Ding.
– Quest created.

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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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