Murim Login - Chapter 299

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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 299
“We can begin now.”
It was over ten minutes after Choi Min-woo and the Pyeonghwa Guild House began their protest when the Seoul Association President finally gave the signal.
A Gate was a fierce battlefield where life and death hung in the balance. No one expected Jin Tae-kyung, left alone to face a Named Monster commanding hundreds of Skeleton soldiers, to survive.
“Could he have survived?”
“It’s been exactly one hour and eight minutes. We’d be lucky if we can even recover his body.”
“Damn. This isn’t a rescue operation—it’s a body recovery operation.”
“Is this really okay? Time is of the essence, yet we’re just dragging our feet.”
“What else can we do? This isn’t just an ordinary A-rank Gate—a Named Monster appeared. When you think about it, the Association’s position makes sense. If we rush in recklessly and something catastrophic happens, it’s all over.”
The Hunters preparing to enter and the Reporters capturing every moment clustered together, murmuring.
Some raged against the delayed rescue operation, while others defended the Association’s decision.
Yet no one dared speak of Jin Tae-kyung’s survival. There was no point elaborating on the obvious.
“Still, only the Pyeonghwa Guild House really took a hit.”
“Right. Jin Tae-kyung is already… well, unfortunate as it is. But he openly defied the Seoul Association President on camera—the backlash is going to be brutal.”
“Exactly. That guy’s already paranoid about the media because he got his position through connections.”
Choi Min-woo’s face had hardened as he listened to the whispers around him.
The disadvantages the Pyeonghwa Guild House would face later?
He couldn’t care less.
‘No one’s dying.’
He wanted to rush forward right now, grab those fools by the collar and spout nonsense, knock down the Association Hunters blocking his path.
Yet he had waited this long because of something Kim Butler had said ten minutes ago, restraining him.
‘Didn’t the young master say so? That he trusts Jin Tae-kyung more than himself.’
Those words had forced him to suppress his agitation.
That’s right. He had always shown miracles, always turned the impossible into the possible. Today was just another chapter in that story.
He believed this, and he wanted to believe it.
‘Isn’t that so, Jin Tae-kyung?’
Choi Min-woo took a deep breath and stepped forward. About fifty members of the Pyeonghwa Guild House followed behind him with resolute faces.
“The Pyeonghwa Guild House will take the lead.”
The Seoul Association President’s eyes turned cold.
“That’s my decision to make as the commanding officer of this operation. But your words sound more like a declaration than a request.”
“That’s correct.”
“What?”
“Shall I repeat myself? I said it is a declaration.”
Before the Association President could respond, Choi Min-woo’s icy voice continued.
“I have no desire to delay further, nor any reason to negotiate. The Pyeonghwa Guild House will lead.”
“How dare you be so insolent——!”
The Association President’s face flushed crimson in that instant.
“Let’s do that.”
At the emotionless voice from behind, the Association President turned his head.
Standing there with folded arms and an expressionless face was Seok Go-jun, Lee Jung-yong’s right hand and head of the security team.
“Seok Team Leader?”
“Please consider the feelings of the Pyeonghwa Guild House members who have lost a comrade they fought alongside through thick and thin. The media will view it favorably as well.”
“But, but there are named monsters inside the Gate. If we put unverified hunters at the front, something terrible could happen….”
The Association President tried to continue speaking but fell silent at Seok Go-jun’s dry gaze.
For a moment, he had forgotten. The man before him was not merely a team leader of the Ares Guild, but Lee Jung-yong’s bodyguard captain and right hand.
Moreover, what he desired was precisely the “terrible something” the Association President feared.
The Association President’s deliberation was brief.
“The Pyeonghwa Guild House will take the lead. And three minutes later, the main Hunter Association and the Ares Guild will….”
But Choi Min-woo had already turned and was walking toward the Gate.
The gazes of the Association President, Seok Go-jun, and countless others clung to him like sticky threads, yet he paid them no mind.
“Let’s go. We’re rescuing Jin Tae-kyung.”
At Choi Min-woo’s quiet voice, a roar erupted through the venue with such force it seemed to deafen the ears.
Kim Butler, Lim Hyuk-jun, Song Song-i, and roughly fifty Pyeonghwa Guild House members surged forward behind Choi Min-woo, cutting through hundreds of hunters like a current and advancing toward the Gate.
It was then that a resonant cry burst from Kim Butler’s lips.
“Pyeonghwa Guild House, assume attack formation!”
Clang clang clang!
Moving armor and blades glinted brilliantly in the sunlight. In an instant, the fifty-odd Pyeonghwa Guild House members transformed into a wedge formation, launching forward like a single arrow.
At their vanguard, Choi Min-woo charged toward the magical field with a thunderous cry.
“Breach!”
Whoooosh!
Had the Gate’s magical energy ever felt so repugnant before?
Choi Min-woo opened his eyes, sensing an ominous writhing in his chest. And without knowing why, his heart sank heavily.
‘This is….’
Scorched earth.
Could any word better describe the sight before him?
The forest path visible from the hillside where the Gate entrance stood was engulfed entirely in flames of fire.
‘Jin Tae-kyung.’
The ominous feeling he had sensed passing through the Gate was slowly taking shape.
Behind him, Lim Hyuk-jun spoke in a trembling voice.
“Choi Team Leader. Could it be that Tae-kyung….”
“Enough. We are executing the operation now. Premature personal judgments are forbidden.”
But this time, even Choi Team Leader’s words carried no weight.
The situation before them looked so hopeless, and not just Lim Hyuk-jun but all the Pyeonghwa Guild House members were shaken.
‘No. It can’t be.’
Choi Min-woo clenched his lips as if steeling his resolve and moved forward heavily.
“Continue advancing. Lower your guard and press forward.”
They proceeded cautiously onward, prepared for any monsters that might emerge.
Yet as they drew closer to the forest path, the despair felt by the Pyeonghwa Guild House members deepened.
“This can’t be.”
Mountains of shattered bones and weapons. Ash covering the blackened earth.
In that place where only death and destruction flowed endlessly, no trace of life could be found. Not even the one person they had so desperately hoped to locate.
‘Dead? That person?’
A single question flickered through everyone’s minds.
Those who had known Jin Tae-kyung for longer blinked blankly at this incomprehensible reality.
From within the suffocating silence, Kim Butler’s words fell like a physician’s final verdict.
“After using detection magic… no movement or life signs were detected within a 300-meter radius.”
Choi Min-woo’s eyelids trembled.
“That means….”
“I’m sorry.”
Kim Butler answered with a devastated expression, extending his hand. Something drifted up from the direction his fingertips indicated and slowly flew toward them.
“That is….”
“Given the considerable magical power emanating from it, it appears to be a trace of a Named Monster.”
What Kim Butler held in his hand was a metal fragment no larger than a palm.
Despite being covered in ash, its black luster remained undiminished. When a skull emblem appeared—a sight that chilled the blood—several gasped involuntarily.
“A skull emblem! Yes, it’s the armor the Named Monster was wearing!”
“That’s right! We saw it clearly.”
Someone nearby then cried out as if in horror.
“There’s a short sword here too! It’s not equipment a Skeleton would use!”
“It belongs to Jin Tae-kyung. It’s definitely a weapon he used frequently.”
Amid the shock that engulfed the atmosphere, Kim Butler opened his mouth in a subdued voice.
“It appears to have oxidized. Along with all enemies, including the Named Monster….”
“…!”
The air surrounding the Forest Path crackled with tension.
Now everything was certain. Jin Tae-kyung was dead. He had sacrificed his own life, taking his enemies with him to the afterlife, and departed from their side.
It was Lim Hyuk-jun’s weeping that shattered the seemingly endless silence.
“Ugh. Uuugh!”
A small tremor beginning in his hands traveled up through his arms, shoulders, and back, soon spreading throughout his entire body. Tears poured from Lim Hyuk-jun’s large eyes.
“Tae-kyung, Tae-kyung…uuugh!”
No one mocked him as his massive frame shook with sobs.
Though the depth of sorrow varied from person to person, everyone present shared the same heart.
Grief over Jin Tae-kyung’s death, self-recrimination for not fighting alongside him, and a helpless despair toward themselves.
The eyes of the Peace Guild members turned red with tears, and tears streamed down the cheeks of Kim Butler and Song Song-i.
Only one person did not weep—Choi Min-woo alone.
‘He’s dead. Jin Tae-kyung.’
He gazed around the Forest Path with dark, hollow eyes, where acrid smoke still rose.
It was as if he might be hiding somewhere and spring out like a jack-in-the-box at any moment.
‘I thought you could survive any situation.’
Suddenly, his chest grew heavy. It was the first time since he had lost his parents.
The sorrow, swollen like a balloon, grew so taut it seemed ready to burst at any moment.
“Hah, how tragic.”
“Jin Tae-kyung is nowhere to be found. It seems he’s dead after all.”
As Choi Min-woo slowly turned around, hundreds of people entering the Forest Path came into view.
At the head of the Hunter Association and the rescue operation team were two figures.
“It appears rescue is futile. Wouldn’t you agree, Association President?”
“Indeed. Everything’s turned to ash, so I’m not even sure we’ll find bodies. Setting that aside, where are the Named Monsters?”
“We’ll need to conduct a thorough search, but according to the detection magic results, all the concerns you mentioned appear to have been resolved.”
At Seok Go-jun’s words, the Association President’s deeply furrowed face brightened considerably.
“Ah, that’s welcome news. I was worried there might be more casualties.”
“Thanks to your sound judgment, Association President, we were able to minimize losses.”
“Don’t say that. This is all thanks to the Ares Guild stepping forward. Once everything is wrapped up nicely, I’ll absolutely present a commendation. Haha. This is my first achievement in office, so I’m planning quite the ceremony… Lee Jung-yong will attend as well, won’t he?”
“He’s Vice Guild Master, not Guild Master.”
“Ah, that’s right. Getting old must be catching up with me—I’ve been so forgetful lately.”
A dry smile crossed Seok Go-jun’s lips.
“That happens. And when the commendation is presented, the Vice Guild Master will surely attend with joy.”
“It’ll be nice to see him after so long. Seok Team Leader, please convey my regards.”
“Simply relaying what I’ve seen and heard will surely delight him greatly.”
“Haha.”
The exchange between Seok Go-jun and the Association President was a sharp needle—one capable of puncturing the balloon of Choi Min-woo’s swollen emotions.
“Shut your mouth.”
“…!”
All sound ceased abruptly.
The Association President’s expression twisted violently as he belatedly grasped what he’d heard. But Seok Go-jun was faster.
“You’d do well to watch your tongue.”
“I said shut your mouth.”
“A young man with no manners. Don’t you agree? Choi Min-woo, Team Leader of the Peace Guild.”
It was a cutting remark.
To Seok Go-jun, Choi Min-woo was a kite with a severed string. The Ares Guild founded by his grandfather was already as good as in Lee Jung-yong’s hands, and with Jin Tae-kyung—that troublesome figure—dead, there was no need to hide his fangs.
“I understand emotions run high with the death of a guild member, but you need to compose yourself.”
Choi Min-woo muttered bitterly.
“He could have lived if you hadn’t wasted time.”
“We did our best. The Association President’s judgment was sound as well. And…”
Seok Go-jun continued in a dry voice.
“You bear responsibility too. Don’t you?”
“…!”
“Where were you when Jin Tae-kyung died? Reading the newspaper leisurely in the office? Or at a bar since afternoon?”
Choi Min-woo bit his lip. Everything Seok Go-jun said was true.
Because he had trusted Jin Tae-kyung, he had devoted himself entirely to training.
But… at least he shouldn’t have done the same.
Another needle flew at him as he struggled to speak.
“You killed Jin Tae-kyung. All of you, weak as you are and having forgotten your duties—you all killed him.”
“…!”
Seok Go-jun let out a snort of laughter.
“Regret all you want. The dead don’t come back.”
It was the moment Choi Min-woo’s fists clenched so hard they trembled.
“What the hell are you saying, you bastard?”
A low but forceful voice pierced through everyone’s ears.
Those unfamiliar with it were bewildered by the sudden profanity, while those who recognized it froze like statues.
‘No way….’
As Choi Min-woo slowly turned his head, a figure trudging down the forest path in the distance came into view.
“You finished the forty-ninth day memorial service while I was taking a piss? Damn it.”
Jin Tae-kyung spat out phlegm.
“Exactly right, you bastard.”

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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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