Murim Login - Chapter 145

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

Chapter 145
Hong Jin chuckled softly and tilted his wine cup.
“Our young master Jin, you’re quite ambitious, aren’t you?”
“I’d say I’m about average. And if I may ask, could you just call me Young Master Jin?”
“Oh my, pretending to dislike something you actually enjoy.”
“Like family…”
“Hmm? What did you just say?”
“Ah, I said it feels good, like family.”
“Family, that does sound nice. I’m already looking forward to meeting the young master of the Jin Family Estate.”
That’s right. No matter how much I talk in this room, the ones making the final decision are Jin Wi-kyung and Hong Jin.
Since both of them are practically professionals in this field, an amateur like me should gracefully step aside.
“By the way, what kind of grudge do you have against the Seongyun Escort Agency?”
“It’s not exactly a grudge… more like giving a deserving fool an extra slap. And I get to pocket some benefits while I’m at it.”
“Ah, is this related to the young master of the Seongyun Escort Agency you originally planned to deal with?”
This man’s perceptiveness is extraordinary.
Since he’d already figured out most of it, there seemed no point in explaining every detail, so I shrugged.
“Something like that. How did you know?”
“Young Master Jin. I’ve lived in the Imperial Palace for over twenty years.”
“Really?”
“It means I survived on perceptiveness alone. Reading the expressions of children is easy enough.”
Hong Jin gestured with his chin toward the junior members of the Sanseo Five Gates.
The ones sitting at the far end of the table with frozen expressions, stealing glances at us, suddenly flinched and shrank back.
“They’ve been like that since they arrived. Constantly watching Young Master Jin’s every mood.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It was pitiful just watching them. What exactly did you do to them?”
“Something similar happened with the people who just left.”
“The Zhongnan Three Hands? Tsk tsk. They really didn’t recognize who they were dealing with.”
Indeed, cause and effect follow swiftly. Hong Jin clicked his tongue sympathetically, while Lee Poong suddenly turned his head to stare at the junior members.
His gaze was unmistakably saying: ‘I’ll remember exactly who touched Chung Poong’s teacher.’
“Gasp.”
“M-Military Commander. No, great hero. That is to say…”
Lee Poong was a skilled officer in Shanxi Province’s military and an outer disciple of the Huashan Sect.
No matter how much the government and Murim maintained a non-interference agreement, if things went wrong, the future of the Sanseo Five Gates would become decidedly unpleasant.
Leaving the frantically stammering juniors behind, Lee Poong asked me directly.
“Could you tell me the details of that story?”
“It’s all settled. The person involved even beat himself up over it.”
“Beat himself up?”
“Ah, I mean he thoroughly thrashed himself. Of course, he apologized first.”
“Your teacher did this himself? Hmm.”
Technically, I only beat up one person, but I did beat someone up.
Lee Poong regarded the junior disciples with a noticeably softened gaze.
“Do you understand what wrongs you’ve committed?”
“Yes, sir!”
“We feel it deeply in our bones!”
A thunderous chorus erupted immediately. Lee Poong was one thing, but now that they knew Chung Poong’s identity, their intestines were practically writhing.
Setting aside that he was a master at the pinnacle of cultivation, he was none other than the Sword Saint’s direct disciple and a true successor of the Huashan Sect.
‘We’ve truly stepped in it this time.’
The Sanseo Five Gates, for all their pretense, were ultimately a minor faction. If the Huashan Sect—one of the Nine Major Sects and One Alliance—took offense, they could beat not just these disciples but their entire families.
And if we were lucky, that’s all that would happen.
“Everything discussed and done here today….”
Before Lee Poong could even finish his weighty statement, answers tumbled out.
“We’ll keep silent!”
“We’ll take it to our graves!”
“I’ve already forgotten!”
“Where is this place? Who am I?”
…These fools were really something else.
Watching this parade of sudden amnesia victims, I added my own remark.
“Will that be enough?”
“Y-yes?”
“What do you mean by that….”
“What do I mean? If you want to become family, you need to put your spoon in the pot too. You there—what does family mean?”
The targeted junior disciple stammered out a response.
“Those who eat together… or I apologize if that’s wrong.”
“Correct. So then, how does one become family?”
“Ah!”
The junior disciple exclaimed and smacked his forehead.
At least this one had some sense about him.
“Then next time, I’ll arrange a fine gathering. How about Honghwa House?”
“….”
These blockheads were hopeless.
With successors like these, the state of the Sanseo Five Gates was predictable. I let out a heavy sigh and explained it plainly.
“Forget Honghwa House. Just do well with whatever we ask of you. For instance, matters related to the Seongyun Escort Agency, understand?”
“Ah, I see.”
The Taewon Jin Family had certainly become the premier power in Shanxi, but if these minor factions united in resistance, it would become tedious.
As members of the Orthodox Martial Arts World, if we simply seized what we wanted like horse bandits and held people accountable, we’d face criticism.
In Murim, justification was nearly as important as martial prowess itself, wasn’t it?
‘But if there’s no one left to point fingers, there’s no problem at all.’
I slowly took in the four men and women before me. The successors of the four factions of the Sanseo Five Gates, excluding the Seongyun Escort Agency.
If they took the lead in supporting the Taewon Jin Family, everything would become far easier.
“Watch carefully where you sit when we eat. That’s how you’ll get your share.”
Though it’s a remote region, the Seongyun Escort Agency is counted among the top establishments in the city. This alone is a feast rich enough to share among ourselves.
The quick-witted ones quietly gleamed with interest at my words, while the slow ones cautiously opened their mouths.
“Still, that’s a bit…”
I cut off the stammering fool’s words like a blade.
“What sect do you belong to?”
“I, I beg your pardon?”
“Yes, you.”
After a long hesitation, the name Go Pyung Moon tumbled out.
It sounded vaguely familiar, but it was an obscure sect I could barely recall. Go Pyung Moon’s standing was precisely at that level.
No, all the sects of the new Sanseo Five Gates were equally unremarkable.
“Go Pyung Moon. Go Pyung Moon… the name doesn’t sit well with me. How about I suggest a new one?”
“Pardon?”
I continued, peering into the eyes of the fool who still hadn’t grasped the situation.
“Starting next month, let’s begin anew with a new name. Taiyuan Jin Family Go Pyung Branch. How does that sound?”
“…!”
“…!”
“Doesn’t seem to please you. Just throwing it out there, you know.”
Of course, it wasn’t just a casual suggestion.
I patted the pallid Go Pyung Moon Master’s shoulders and swept my gaze across the assembly.
“Is there anyone here who’s sworn brotherhood or sisterhood with Woo Jin-tae?”
“No, there isn’t.”
“Or perhaps a deep bond from watching each other grow up for over a decade? A childhood betrothal? Surely there’s something like that?”
“Absolutely not! We’ve only crossed paths a few times.”
“I, I only received a few bolts of silk as gifts and some jewels…”
“Then that settles it.”
Clap!
The sharp sound of applause made the four men and women flinch.
“Choose. Will you make enemies of the Taewon Jin Family, the Huashan Sect, and even the government? Or…”
I smiled wickedly and spoke the final words with deliberate clarity.
“Will you abandon the one you’re not close to and share the spoils with us?”
Clap clap clap clap.
This time it wasn’t me. Hong Jin was laughing and applauding.
“The more I see of our young master Jin, the more I like him, I tell you?”
“….”
Please refrain from such dangerous remarks, Elder Brother.
* * *
“Leaving already?”
His tone remained arrogant, but his voice and eyes were filled with reluctance.
‘The boy grows more endearing each time I see him.’
I reached to pat the head of the little fan—no, Sangshan King Ju Pyo—but lowered my hand at Lee Poong’s gaze.
Ah, right. This kid was a king. And royalty at that.
“Ahem. I happen to have urgent matters to attend to.”
“Could this not wait for another time?”
“My apologies. It is a matter of utmost urgency.”
“I see….”
Looking at the dejected child’s face, I felt not a shred of guilt—I just wanted to hurry back to the Main Residence and rest properly.
Right on cue, Hong Jin interjected with a honeyed tone.
“Your Majesty, since I am here, please let this Young Master Jin go, won’t you?”
But Ju Pyo merely stared at me with a stubborn expression.
“When might I see you again?”
“Well, perhaps after a thousand nights pass?”
“A thousand nights!”
Ju Pyo cried out in shock.
Roughly three years. For a child barely ten years old, that would be an eternity.
“You, you’re truly that busy?”
“Such are the circumstances of adults, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm, even the late Empress was not quite so occupied….”
His disappointment ran deep. It was Lee Poong’s next words that lifted the downcast Ju Pyo’s head.
“Your Majesty, what if you did this instead?”
“What do you mean?”
“It is said that a grand banquet will be held at the Taewon Jin Family in a fortnight. Why not visit the Taewon Jin Family yourself?”
“The Taewon Jin Family?”
“Yes. All the finest masters in Shanxi Province will gather there, so it shall surely satisfy you.”
Ju Pyo’s eyes sparkled with delight.
“Excellent! Such a solution existed!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
….
What are these fools talking about now?
They’re spinning fantasies without even being invited. If I told them not to come, it would cause trouble, so I had no choice but to nod along.
“The Grand Master is right. Do come visit us then.”
“Will that truly be acceptable?”
He asks so quickly.
I offered a business smile in response.
“Of course. My elder brothers will be delighted as well.”
“Is, is that truly so?”
“Yes. You know who my brothers are, don’t you? You should be acquainted with my second brother.”
“Jin Cheon Sword?”
Dark clouds suddenly gathered across Ju Pyo’s bright face.
“Your second brother dislikes me. Three years ago, he ate without saying a word and left. It was quite rude.”
“…He said nothing at all?”
“I don’t want to talk about that day anymore.”
Hong Jin whispered in a small voice.
“His Majesty asked for an autograph, but he refused outright.”
Since Jin Moo-kyung said he’d been invited three years ago… Ju Pyo would have been seven years old then.
Good heavens. How could a seven-year-old child—and a king no less—ask for an autograph and get flatly rejected?
‘That man is quite something.’
In a way, it was so very Jin Moo-kyung of him.
Recalling the painful memory of my fandom being trampled, I fidgeted silently with my fingers.
Watching him, my heart felt oddly tender.
“If you visit again, I’ll ask him to give you an autograph.”
“Really? Truly?”
“Promise. Pinky swear.”
I even linked pinky fingers with the bewildered boy and stamped the seal.
“What is this?”
“It means swearing an oath to heaven and earth. Something like that.”
“Ooh!”
Despite all the fuss about royalty and the throne, a child is still a child.
Everyone smiled warmly at the sight of Ju Pyo, overjoyed and not knowing what to do with himself.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen His Majesty smile like that.”
“Indeed. After dealing with this boring Military Commander every day, it’s refreshing to see him laugh so brightly.”
“I’ve only done my best.”
“Doing your best doesn’t always guarantee the best results. These things happen.”
“Lee Poong!”
“What is it, Military Commander?”
Lee Poong and Hong Jin.
As the two of them bickered—whether they were on good terms or bad, I couldn’t tell—Chung Poong approached Ju Pyo with an expectant expression.
“Would you like me to give you an autograph too?”
“…Have you never signed your name before?”
“How did you know? I’ve done a thumb print on the way here, but this would be my first autograph.”
“Isn’t it strange that you don’t know?”
Look at that eager expression. He’s desperate to give someone his autograph for the very first time.
“Um, can’t I give an autograph?”
“No, go ahead. His Majesty will be delighted if you do.”
But Ju Pyo’s reaction was unexpected.
“An autograph? From you?”
“Yes! I really want to give you one!”
“That won’t do.”
“Why? Why not? My grandfather is supposedly very famous. Haven’t you heard of the Sword Saint?”
“I have. Of course I have. But…”
Ju Pyo shook his head with a deliberately firm expression.
“You don’t have a sobriquet yet, do you?”
“Pardon?”
“When you earn yourself a magnificent one later, come see me again. Then I’ll make sure to get your autograph.”
“….”
“….”
So that was something only the named could do.

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