Murim Login - Chapter 138

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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 138
The luxurious six-horse carriage surged forward without hesitation.
Elite soldiers who looked formidable at a glance cleared the path ahead, while the throngs of people who had filled the streets like ants parted to either side, watching the carriage dash past like wind.
“So this is how Moses must have felt.”
Chung Poong reacted to my murmur.
“Moses? What is that?”
“There is such a person.”
“Ah, I see.”
Had it been Hyuk Moo-jin, he would have complained at length about me saying something strange, but Chung Poong was different.
With the excited face of a child at an amusement park, he pressed and tapped various parts of the carriage.
“I’ve never ridden in a six-horse carriage before!”
“…What about a four-horse carriage?”
“I’ve never ridden in one of those either!”
“What about just a regular carriage….”
“I want to ride in a regular carriage too!”
….
If I put him on a subway, he’d probably faint.
At this point, it would be faster to count what he’s experienced than what he hasn’t.
I gazed intently at Chung Poong, who had entered a state of excitement.
‘What exactly is this guy?’
Whether I should call him pure or foolish.
Then again, having lived his entire life on a mountain, it might be natural.
‘At least he’s easy to handle.’
I can’t forget that expression from just moments ago. Those eyes that lit up like dual headlights at the single word “imperial family.”
‘Have you ever seen the imperial family?’
‘I want to! I will! Please let me see them!’
What dwelled in his eyes wasn’t the typical reverence common folk held toward the imperial court. If anything, it was more like the thrill of going to see an elephant at a zoo.
‘He really is a peculiar one.’
It seemed I wasn’t the only one thinking so.
The junior members of the Sanseo Five Gates, excluding the mid-tier merchant Woo Jin-tae, were also regarding Chung Poong with expressions as if observing something bizarre.
“His condition seems a bit….”
“Is it really okay to go like this?”
“If he misspoke in front of the Crown Prince, I feel like we’d all be in trouble.”
“If it ends with a misspoken word, we’d be lucky. If he finds the imperial family fascinating since it’s his first time seeing them and tugs on the Crown Prince’s ear, that’s the end of us. The end.”
…That’s actually a plausible concern.
The Royal Official who was also riding in the carriage leaned in with an anxious expression, whispering to me.
“Young Master Jin.”
“Yes?”
“Is that person… truly reliable?”
“Trust me. I vouch for him as a master of skill.”
“No, I’m asking if your mind is sound, regardless of your martial prowess.”
“Ah.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to bring that warrior who was with the young lord instead?”
“Who, ah—Hyuk Moo-jin?”
“That sounds like the name. I’ve heard that warrior is quite skilled in martial arts as well.”
If Hyuk Moo-jin had heard this, he would have jumped with joy.
The problem was that thanks to the beating I took this morning, my face was covered in dark bruises, making it impossible to go with him.
‘And Hyuk Moo-jin alone won’t be enough.’
To avoid offending the young king’s sensibilities, I needed to bring a more impressive gift.
I shook my head firmly at the worried Royal Official.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take full responsibility and ensure no problems arise.”
Who was I? A direct descendant of the prestigious Taewon Jin Family and a rising star of Shanxi Murim.
At my confident declaration, the Royal Official’s expression brightened slightly.
“Then I shall trust only Young Lord Jin….”
Thud.
“…?”
“…?”
Wait. What was that sound?
As if on cue, we both turned our heads, and there was Chung Poong holding something in his grasp.
“Huh, why did this fall off?”
The Royal Official, who had been silent for a while, looked at me as Chung Poong stood there grinning, holding an exquisitely crafted golden dragon.
“Young Lord Jin.”
“Yes?”
“Are you truly certain this is fine?”
After a moment of deliberation, I opened my mouth.
“Probably.”
* * *
A space so vast it could be called a fortress rather than a residence. The man’s stride was unobstructed.
All those who met his firm lips and piercing gaze bowed respectfully.
“We greet the Military Commander.”
He acknowledged them with a nod and quickened his pace.
After passing through an endless colonnade lined with pillars, his footsteps finally halted before a massive iron gate carved with dragons.
“Announce my arrival.”
“Yes, sir!”
A commander of the guard unit saluted him sharply and called out with vigor.
“The Military Commander of Shanxi Province, Lee Poong, has arrived!”
Soon after, a voice responded from within.
“Let him enter.”
“…!”
A voice neither childlike nor as deep as a grown man’s.
The man, sensing something, had his eyebrows shoot up when the heavy iron door swung open with a resounding clang.
Grrrrgh.
The space beyond was a Great Hall adorned with lavish opulence. Gold and silver treasures glittered from every direction, and a table wide enough to seat dozens overflowed with delicacies from land and sea.
Any other person would have gasped in awe. But Lee Poong’s gaze remained fixed on a single point, unable to tear away.
‘How is he here?’
At the end of Lee Poong’s line of sight, a man seated at the head of the table smiled faintly.
From the lips of the man draped in brilliantly crimson silk so dazzling it hurt to look at, a honeyed voice flowed forth.
“Well, who do we have here? Isn’t this our Lee Poong?”
Our Lee Poong?
Lee Poong bit his lip firmly and offered a military salute.
“I greet the Military Commander.”
The Military Commander held the rank of seventh grade, with only two such positions in each province.
Second only to the supreme military commander and the Sangshan King, it was the highest office below them, and as deputy commander, his actual authority was formidable.
Though this was what was known, the man before him wielded even greater power than that.
‘A wretch deserving of death.’
A treacherous schemer who used cunning tongue and petty tricks to blind the young king’s eyes and ears while filling his own coffers—a corrupt official and embezzler. That was Lee Poong’s assessment of the man.
Yet even beneath Lee Poong’s disapproving gaze, his smile remained unchanged.
“Lee Poong, it’s been so long. Your mood seems rather grim, doesn’t it? Have I done something to offend you?”
“That could hardly be the case. I was merely surprised to find the Military Commander in such a place.”
“Such a place?”
“A gathering of martial masters from the Murim. They are such rough individuals that I worried the Military Commander might find it uncomfortable.”
The words seemed considerate, but their true meaning was different. Both men understood this well.
“Why? I enjoy these kinds of gatherings. And your manner of address has been too stiff from the start. Just speak comfortably. We’re close, aren’t we?”
“Close? What do you mean by that?”
“The kind of closeness where we share even a single bean. True servants who loyally serve the throne.”
Share even a single bean? True servants?
Lee Poong asked flatly in response to the man’s words.
“Then would it be acceptable if I called you casually as Hong, the Court Official?”
The man, Hong the Court Official, stiffened momentarily.
Lee Poong had touched his sore spot with merely a single word.
“That’s… rather too casual, isn’t it?”
“I merely followed your words.”
“I didn’t realize you thought of me so casually, Lee Poong.”
“Now that you understand my heart, I find myself at a loss for words.”
“Lee Poong.”
“You called, Hong the Court Official? Or shall I address you as the Military Commander again?”
A heavy silence settled between them.
It was some time before Hong the Court Official’s mouth opened again.
“Our Lee Poong has grown quite bold, hasn’t he?”
“Have I?”
“Yes, you’ve made quite remarkable progress compared to a few years ago, haven’t you?”
“I’ve learned many things thanks to your guidance.”
“I thought you only knew how to wield a sword well, but today I see your tongue is equally sharp. I’ve reassessed you.”
“I still fall far short compared to others.”
Our gazes collided in the empty space between us. Within the taut silence, Hong the Court Official smiled softly.
“Well, we can discuss that later… but would you mind if I asked you just one thing?”
My formidable opponent had taken a step back. Pressing further would only invite disaster upon myself. I nodded silently in acknowledgment.
“Please, ask away.”
“You mentioned before that you were once with the Huashan Sect, correct?”
I hesitated. For me, the Huashan Sect was a memory both longed for and painful.
Though nearly a decade had passed since I left Huashan, the memories from that place remained deeply embedded in both body and soul.
“Yes. I was a lay disciple.”
“And the Huashan Sect is located in Shaanxi?”
Hong the Court Official and I could be called political adversaries. As such, we understood each other’s affairs quite thoroughly.
Hong the Court Official was neither careless nor foolish enough to ask such basic facts out of ignorance.
Rather, he was a cunning man with a hundred serpents writhing in his depths.
This made me feel even more suspicious.
“That’s correct. But why do you suddenly ask such a thing?”
“I’ve recently made the acquaintance of several people, and I wondered if you might know them.”
“Are they from the Murim?”
“That’s right. And they’re from Shaanxi as well.”
“Surely not the Huashan…?”
“No, no—if that were the case, I would have mentioned it beforehand.”
I exhaled in relief.
Though I had left of my own accord, my sect was something I would take pride in for a lifetime. The fact that it hadn’t become entangled with a treacherous official like Hong was a blessing beyond measure.
“There are countless martial sects in Shaanxi, and during my training at the main temple, I rarely ventured outside. Even if I heard their names, I likely wouldn’t recognize them.”
“Is that so? Then perhaps you might recognize them by sight?”
“…?”
Seeing my expression, Hong the Court Official picked up the chopsticks resting on the table.
“You asked me earlier, didn’t you? Why I was in such a position.”
The beautifully crafted silver chopsticks tapped against the wine cup.
Ting. A clear sound rippled outward. Hong the Court Official flashed me a knowing smile.
“I’ve invited several acquaintances. Renowned and powerful martial artists whom the Crown Prince would surely appreciate.”
At that very moment, a powerful voice rang out from beyond the iron gate.
“The Zhongnan Three Hands of Shaanxi request an audience!”
“The Zhongnan Three Hands… the Zhongnan Sect!”
My complexion changed dramatically.
The Huashan Sect and the Zhongnan Sect had been bitter rivals contending for supremacy in Shaanxi for a full century.
Hong the Court Official’s intent was as clear as the smile he now wore.
“Since you’re both from Shaanxi, I thought I’d arrange a gathering. You don’t mind, do you?”
The moment Lee Poong clenched his fist, a massive iron gate swung open and three broad-shouldered figures strode into the Great Hall.
Among them was a face I recognized.
“Well, well. If it isn’t Lee Poong of the Huashan Sect?”
Lee Poong’s body trembled. The instant he saw that face, a shameful memory from ten years ago came flooding back.
“How did you get here!”
The sharp-eyed man answered with brazen nonchalance.
“How did I get here? When the Military Commander of Shanxi Province summons me, I come running a thousand li without hesitation. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“You’re too kind. We’re simply grateful you accepted our invitation.”
Gong Il-hyuk, the third of the Zhongnan Three Hands, flashed a grin at Lee Poong, who was grinding his teeth audibly.
“My, how you’ve risen in the world. A Military Commander, no less—quite the promotion for someone like you. I suppose Huashan scattered some silver around, did they?”
“How dare you insult the Huashan Sect!”
“Insult? It was you who insulted Huashan. Ten years ago—who was it that fell to their knees in mere seconds against your so-called great Huashan martial arts?”
“You bastard—!”
A thunderous cry erupted from Lee Poong’s lips.
In that moment, as he glared at Gong Il-hyuk with eyes blazing like infernos, a third voice called out from beyond the iron gate.
“The rising talents of Shanxi’s Murim seek an audience!”

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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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