Murim Login - Chapter 305

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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 305
“How’s your body holding up? You shouldn’t be fully recovered yet.”
“…No, I’m fine.”
“If it gets too much, rest. Seok Team Leader, you’re still young, but pushing yourself like this will wear you down to the bone.”
“I’m ashamed to burden you.”
Lee Jung-yong glanced at Seok Go-jun, who answered with a pallid face, and inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘To think he’d fall so easily.’
Seok Go-jun was Lee Jung-yong’s most capable blade.
Though unknown to the outside world, he believed there were fewer than five people in the entire nation capable of matching that man’s skill.
Of course, two of them were Cheon Tae-min and himself.
‘To fell such a man with a single move… he exceeds all expectations.’
He could no longer deny it. He had underestimated Jin Tae-kyung and the Peace Guild.
Though the gap in power seemed laughable, it was he who kept coming out defeated each time.
Lee Jung-yong’s gaze turned toward Seok Go-jun, who hung his head.
“Go-jun.”
Seok Go-jun lifted his head. When Lee Jung-yong called him by his given name, it signified a conversation between master and disciple, not between vice-guild master and security chief.
“Yes, Master.”
“You are my disciple, whom I have taught with utmost devotion. Do not forget that fact.”
“I have never forgotten it for a single moment. You are more than a parent to me, Master.”
Lee Jung-yong nodded at the unwavering, loyal response.
In his eyes, his disciple was lacking in many ways, but his loyalty surpassed anyone else’s.
He had postponed it out of caution, but now it was time to sharpen him more keenly.
“You did not fall—you were knocked down. I will give you the strength to rise again.”
“Strength, you say?”
“For now, understand it as such. I will make it so that your own hands bring down Jin Tae-kyung.”
“…!”
Seok Go-jun’s body trembled as he bowed deeply.
“Thank you, Master.”
“Always remember that this master believes in you.”
Despite the warmth in his voice, Lee Jung-yong’s eyes were sunken to an unfathomable depth.
Just as Seok Go-jun, unaware of this truth, lifted his head with a flushed face, faint signs of presence approached from beyond the door.
“Finally arriving.”
At Lee Jung-yong’s murmur, Seok Go-jun’s brow furrowed.
“He broke the promised time.”
“Let it be. It’s only his first year in office. He’s indulging himself before the lame duck period arrives.”
“Still, to keep Master waiting….”
“Seok Team Leader. Keep to your duties.”
“Understood.”
Seok Go-jun returned from being Lee Jung-yong’s disciple to being the Ares Guild’s security chief and fell silent. Not long after, five or six people opened the door and appeared.
The middle-aged man at the front took a large step toward Lee Jung-yong and offered his hand for a handshake.
“I apologize for the wait. The traffic was particularly heavy today. It’s made me appreciate the value of an official motorcade all over again. Ha ha.”
Polite yet brimming with confidence—the bearing and tone of a man who could extend his hand first to Lee Jung-yong, the de facto leader of Ares Guild.
The middle-aged man with the Taegeuk badge pinned to his chest was someone who could do exactly that.
Lee Jung-yong grasped his hand with a faint smile.
“Please, don’t mention it. Thank you for making the trip, Mr. President.”
President Baek Han-sung, the 27th President of South Korea and the youngest elected president in history at just forty years old, nodded in acknowledgment.
“It’s been a while. Vice Guild Master Lee Jung-yong. Was it at my inauguration oath earlier this year that we last met?”
“That’s correct. Though it seems we’re seeing each other more frequently than expected.”
“Is that so? Ha ha.”
Baek Han-sung let out a quiet chuckle at Lee Jung-yong’s response.
He knew full well just how formidable a figure Lee Jung-yong was—the immense power he wielded.
It was hardly surprising that rumors circulated in South Korea about there being two presidents, with Ares Guild House serving as an alternative Blue House.
‘The previous administration never once visited the Blue House during their tenure.’
Large Guilds are iron fortresses built upon military might and wealth.
Among them, Lee Jung-yong’s position—commanding and controlling Ares Guild—surpassed even the influence once wielded by the great corporate magnates of the past.
There were two reasons why Baek Han-sung could meet with such a figure, even if unofficially.
First, because he was a president in the early stages of his term, enjoying the unified support of the nation; second, because there were matters of mutual benefit to discuss.
“They say people grow more at ease as they age, but it seems that’s not the case for me.”
“You certainly are straightforward.”
Understanding the subtle meaning behind Lee Jung-yong’s words, Baek Han-sung produced a pristine white envelope.
“An unofficial diplomatic letter sent by Chairman Xiao Yang.”
“Unofficial, as expected.”
“Yes, as you’re well aware.”
The People’s Republic of China. As the official name suggested, China remained a deeply rooted communist state.
And the Communist Party leadership had no desire for the people to waver, nor for faith in the Party to falter.
“They’re managing to conceal damage of that magnitude quite skillfully. Whether that’s impressive or not is debatable.”
“If this truth were revealed, all of China would descend into chaos. There would be no turning back.”
Yet among the handful of people who already knew the truth, it was being called the “Sichuan Province Catastrophe.”
The Chinese Communist Party leadership had announced it as a major earthquake and sealed off the surrounding area using the People’s Liberation Army.
“That Named Monster called the Lich—it inadvertently ended up assisting the Chinese Central Committee. After all, even American satellites cannot penetrate the interior, or so I’m told.”
“It’s spatial distortion magic. Extremely powerful at that.”
“I see. I’m still completely ignorant when it comes to magic.”
“Whether it helped the Central Committee or not, it will have a detrimental effect on the war situation. Because no one knows what’s actually happening inside.”
Despite his leisurely tone, Lee Jung-yong’s eyes moved swiftly across the text written on the documents.
After a moment, once he had reviewed all the contents, a quiet murmur escaped his lips.
“Thirty A-Rank Hunters, two hundred B-Rank Hunters…”
The documents that had arrived from China were contracts. Contracts to hire them as mercenaries to resolve this crisis.
And among them was an item that could not be overlooked.
“They’ve specified me by name.”
President Baek Han-sung nodded.
“The Central Military Commission has been pushing hard for this. They believe the Ares Guild and Vice Guild Master Lee Jung-yong’s role will be decisive in this matter.”
“That would make sense. The situation is spiraling out of control at an alarming pace.”
“As you well know, Vice Guild Master, China has a significant number of Hunters, but their elite forces are not particularly well-refined.”
“A chronic problem China has always faced.”
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Lee Jung-yong’s fingers drummed slowly against the documents. His mind was working through calculations at a furious pace.
The military force China was requesting amounted to twenty percent of the Ares Guild’s total strength.
No—if Lee Jung-yong himself joined the effort, that figure would climb to fifty percent. S-Rank Hunters were absolute powerhouses, numbering fewer than twenty across the entire world.
‘They must be quite desperate.’
This wasn’t China’s first proposal.
Four days ago, Lee Jung-yong had met secretly with the Chinese Ambassador to South Korea. The video he’d seen alongside the proposal far exceeded his expectations.
‘It was extraordinary magic.’
The commanding power to control thousands of monsters. Magic with overwhelming destructive force.
It was on an entirely different level from the Liches he’d encountered during the Great Cataclysm. A single spell was more than sufficient to grasp the magnitude of danger this situation posed.
However….
‘Great risk always comes with proportionate reward.’
Establishing a foothold in an authoritarian state was never easy.
The ‘Sichuan Province Catastrophe’ was a disaster for some, but an opportunity for others. And the terms China had offered were sweet—temptingly so, enough to worry about competitors snatching them away.
‘As long as I’m involved, this operation won’t fail.’
Having finally reached a decision, Lee Jung-yong opened his mouth.
“I will accept China’s proposal.”
“A wise decision, sir.”
A smile formed at the corners of President Baek Han-sung’s lips.
If the Ares Guild achieved significant merit in this matter, it would yield considerable diplomatic benefits. For him, eager to establish major accomplishments during his tenure, there was nothing but satisfaction.
“It’s an honor to be of service to my homeland and to you, Mr. President. However….”
At Lee Jung-yong’s next words, President Baek Han-sung’s smile clouded over.
“I’ve heard rumors that similar proposals have been extended to several of the top ten domestic Guilds, not just the Ares Guild.”
“….”
“I know it’s likely just a rumor, but I thought I should ask you directly, just in case.”
After a brief silence, Baek Han-sung replied.
“It seems baseless rumors have leaked out. Such a thing would never happen.”
At that moment, the Chief Secretary standing behind Baek Han-sung thought to himself:
Tomorrow’s informal meeting with the leaders of the top ten domestic Guilds would need to be deleted from the schedule.
Having pruned away the bothersome branches, Lee Jung-yong finally broke into a bright smile.
“As I thought. I understand completely. I’ll begin selecting the necessary personnel right away.”
But Baek Han-sung’s words didn’t end there.
“The talk about the top ten Guilds is a baseless rumor, but not entirely without foundation.”
Lee Jung-yong, who had been organizing documents, paused.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Among the Guilds that received China’s proposal, there is one that does not belong to the top ten.”
“No way.”
A flash of realization struck Lee Jung-yong’s mind in that instant.
At the same moment, Baek Han-sung’s lips parted.
“It’s the Peace Guild, which Hunter Jin Tae-kyung belongs to.”
“…!”
Lee Jung-yong’s face hardened like stone.
Again. Once more, that bastard was blocking his path forward.
Now it wasn’t the name Choi Min-woo that grated on him—it was Jin Tae-kyung, three syllables that had become unbearable.
“Well, that’s rather inconvenient.”
Lee Jung-yong’s voice came out rough as sandpaper.
The greenhorn president with a shelf life of only five years knew the facts but did nothing to prevent them.
He understood the new president’s anti-Ares political stance, but wasn’t this simply asking for trouble?
Lee Jung-yong suppressed the urge to raise his voice and spoke.
“Too many boatmen, and the boat heads for the mountains.”
“I understand.”
“Your Excellency. This isn’t something that can be handled so simply….”
Lee Jung-yong’s words were cut short by Baek Han-sung’s calm reply.
“The boat owner called these boatmen himself, so there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“The boat owner? You don’t mean…?”
“Yes. Chairman Xiao Yang personally designated it. He insisted that you, Vice Guild Master Lee Jung-yong, Ares, and Hunter Jin Tae-kyung must participate without fail.”
“…!”
Lee Jung-yong’s eyelids trembled slightly.
President Baek Han-sung felt that electric thrill from the moment he’d won the presidential election, defying everyone’s expectations. He suppressed the smile threatening to escape and glanced down at his watch.
“The Peace Guild, being quite modest in scale, prepared remarkably fast. By now, they’ve likely already boarded the flight.”
* * *
– You cunning wretch.
“Wow. So this is First Class.”
– I must humbly apologize. My judgment that you were cunning and foolish was wrong. I was mistaken.
“Damn. These cushions are incredible. What kind of alcohol do you have?”
– You’re insane. A madman. Completely mad. Utterly insane!
“Look at how spacious these seats are. I could live here.”
– You mad fool! Don’t go there!
Damn, that’s annoyingly loud.
Ignoring the Skeleton Warlord’s screams from inside my inventory, I asked Choi Team Leader.
“How much does one of these cost?”
Choi Team Leader opened his mouth as if he’d been waiting for this.
“The new model from Focke-Wulf, the German aircraft manufacturer renowned for its outstanding engineering….”
Here we go again.
I cut him off before he could launch into an explanation about Focke-Wulf’s founder.
“Look, I don’t care if it’s Focke-Wulf or Pokémon Black Friday—what’s the typical price for a plane like this?”
“The aircraft we’re currently aboard is worth slightly over one hundred billion won.”
“Understood. I should purchase one.”
Anyone who heard that would have stared at me like I was insane.
But it wasn’t an impossible prospect.
I recalled a conversation I’d had with Choi Team Leader just hours earlier.
‘Unfortunately, please tell him I cannot go.’
‘It’s not “him”—it’s Chairman Xiao Yang. Regardless, that’s truly unfortunate.’
‘I find it unfortunate as well. Raising my profile is appealing, and elevating the Guild’s prestige is appealing, but that particular situation is… problematic.’
‘They’ve offered one hundred billion won.’
‘How much?’
‘One hundred billion. If the promised week is exceeded, weekly compensation of one hundred billion will be added to the total.’
‘Weekly? Weekly compensation of one hundred billion?’
‘There’s no helping it.’
‘Even so, I’m not going. Thousands of monsters and that deranged Skeleton Warlord—even for someone like me, it’s too much. I’m not some money-obsessed fool.’
‘Anyone who defeats the Lich will receive fifty trillion won.’
‘Ah, suddenly I’m craving something spicy. I’ve heard Sichuan cuisine is incredibly spicy and umami-rich….’
‘….’
‘Damn it, let’s go.’
All preparations concluded in a flash—with only Choi Team Leader and myself departing for China.
Besides, Chairman Xiao Yang had originally wanted only me anyway.
‘This isn’t about the money.’
I’m going to help the suffering Chinese people and to elevate the Guild’s standing.
With a sense of duty burning in my chest, I opened my mouth to address Choi Team Leader.
“By the way, Team Leader.”
“Yes?”
“If I earn fifty trillion won, do I split that with the Guild as well?”
“….”
“Let’s be clear about this. Money matters should be handled cleanly.”
Choi Team Leader, regarding me with an expression of disbelief, answered.
“Nine to one split.”
This man was something else.
As we regarded each other like human garbage, the cabin announcement sounded and the private aircraft sent from China began its takeoff.

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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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