Murim Login - Chapter 306

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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 306
As the massive fuselage of the Boeing 747-8 VIP lifted skyward, Jin Tae-kyung—who had been squirming in his seat—suddenly sprang up and began wandering through the cabin with unbridled enthusiasm.
“Wow, this isn’t a plane—it’s a hotel suite! Team Leader, look here. There’s even a bed!”
Choi Min-woo pressed his forehead at the sight of Tae-kyung’s endless exclamations. Anyone watching would think we were embarking on a vacation, not heading to a warzone.
“Um… Jin Tae-kyung?”
“Just a moment. I want to ask what kinds of alcohol you have here.”
The private jet sent by China’s Central Committee had three Chinese flight attendants aboard, and Tae-kyung called over one of them, launching into fluent Mandarin.
‘No, that’s practically native-level fluency.’
His vocabulary was sophisticated enough to pass for someone raised in China.
Even Min-woo, who possessed a talent for languages and spoke several fluently, couldn’t match Tae-kyung’s proficiency.
I’d heard he hadn’t even studied properly—so when on earth had he mastered Mandarin at this level?
A sudden thought flashed through Min-woo’s mind.
‘Come to think of it, this is someone who converses with monsters.’
Jin Tae-kyung was the very person who spoke the Demon Realm language—a tongue that confounded even the most renowned linguistic scholars—complete with profanities mixed in.
When I’d asked how that was even possible, he’d only replied it was a trade secret.
‘…I’ll just stop thinking about it. That’s easier on the mind.’
There’s a certain peace in giving up on understanding. Besides, this wasn’t the first or second time something like this had happened, and I figured he’d explain everything when the time came.
Having surrendered to acceptance, Min-woo took the glass of alcohol the flight attendant offered.
“What kind of alcohol is this? The transparent color makes it look like vodka.”
“Chamisul Fresh, sir.”
“…”
“I had a hunch and found soju. Chamisul really is best enjoyed on the rocks.”
Tae-kyung settled onto the sofa inside the cabin and began downing glass after glass in rapid succession. Exasperated by his relentless pace, Min-woo asked.
“Did some spirit of a man who died from alcohol deprivation possess you?”
“I’m drinking ahead of time. It’s too much trouble going back and forth.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind. It’s nothing.”
Tae-kyung muttered something incomprehensible before asking.
“It takes about five or six hours, right?”
“To Chengdu International Airport in Sichuan Province, yes. In case of emergency, it could take longer.”
“Emergency meaning what?”
“What else could it be?”
The emergency scenario Min-woo was referring to meant the case where the Lich and its massive monster army had occupied Chengdu.
“Of course, that’s unlikely. By now, an enormous number of People’s Liberation Army soldiers and Hunters should be defending the city.”
A population of 100 million and an area twice the size of the Korean peninsula.
Chengdu was the administrative capital of Sichuan Province itself. If Chengdu fell, Sichuan Province would be considered conquered.
Hearing Min-woo’s words, Tae-kyung waved his hand dismissively.
“Ah, we can’t afford to calculate probabilities. If we did, monster waves wouldn’t happen in the first place.”
“That’s certainly true, but…”
“Always prepare for the worst. Never assume the best.”
A casual remark tossed out without thought. Anyone could say it, but coming from Jin Tae-kyung’s lips, it carried a different weight.
How to describe it—a meticulous precision hidden beneath apparent carelessness, a seasoned veteran’s practiced composure seeping through.
‘A peculiar man.’
Choi Min-woo occasionally found Jin Tae-kyung oddly unsettling.
It wasn’t a matter of skill or combat experience.
Whenever he conversed with him, the thought would suddenly strike that this was no one who had merely weathered a crisis or two.
‘And he’s even younger than me.’
Jin Tae-kyung, who had been tilting his glass, paused as Choi Min-woo’s gaze sharpened.
“What is it? Would you prefer vodka?”
“No, this first snow soju is quite pleasant.”
“Right? It has such a clean taste….”
Jin Tae-kyung trailed off, his brow furrowing.
“This bastard’s at it again. Damn it.”
“…?”
“Not directed at you, Team Leader. Some creature keeps squawking incessantly.”
Choi Min-woo whispered softly, mindful of the flight attendants’ attention.
“The Skeleton Warlord?”
“Yes. It’s been throwing a fit since earlier, complaining about going to China.”
“Because of the Lich.”
“Even among Named Monsters, there are class differences. And it’s a higher-tier undead creature at that.”
If the Lich were a wolf, the Skeleton Warlord would be a dog. No matter how much a Named Monster elevated itself, its fundamental nature remained unchanged.
Moreover, this Lich that had appeared was far stronger than the Liches from the Great Cataclysm of old.
Choi Min-woo opened his mouth with a serious expression.
“Jin Tae-kyung.”
“Ah, shut it! Yes?”
“Something feels increasingly wrong.”
“Did you throw out your back?”
“No. I mean the atmosphere of how the world is turning.”
“Ah, the atmosphere. Same here. I want to live peacefully, but all these worthless bastards are causing chaos everywhere…Ah, not you, so stay quiet.”
Choi Min-woo rubbed his brow as a sudden headache crept in.
“I’m referring to matters concerning Gates and Monsters.”
“Ah.”
Jin Tae-kyung, who had been engaged in a debate with the invisible Skeleton Warlord, lifted his head.
“It is strange. Named Monsters that appear maybe once every few years—two of them have surfaced within just a few months.”
“Gate accidents have surged this year as well. The media, always eager to bite, attributes it to Guild and individual negligence, but I doubt it. The International Gate Research Institute holds the opposite view.”
The tablet PC screen Choi Min-woo handed to Jin Tae-kyung displayed in bold font: [Gate Mana Surge Investigation Results].
“There’s been no official announcement, but it’s already established fact. Mana distribution maps in a considerable number of Gates are increasing rapidly.”
“That’s the real cause behind the recent string of Gate accidents?”
“Yes.”
Mana is the source of a Monster’s power. If the mana distribution within a Gate increases, it naturally follows that the Monsters grow stronger.
And above all else….
“The evidence is right here in my hands.”
Choi Min-woo nodded at my words.
The Skeleton Warlord. This Named Monster, which I had heard about just days ago, had ‘evolved’.
It was such an abrupt occurrence that even the Warlord himself didn’t understand the reason, or so I’m told.
“The Lich that appeared this time may have undergone a similar growth in power.”
“I had some suspicions. But….”
I swept back my long hair.
“This is going to be a real headache.”
“That’s why sufficient countermeasures are necessary. According to several documents I’ve obtained regarding this situation….”
“I’ll look at the documents later.”
“Pardon?”
“I have quite a bit of backlog to deal with right now.”
“Backlog? You’re speaking of this now?”
The Boeing 747-8 VIP we were aboard was cruising at twenty-five thousand feet.
What backlog could possibly be handled here?
My response that followed only made Choi Min-woo more bewildered.
“I’m going to get some sleep.”
“…Sleep? How can you sleep at a time like this?”
“I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“Wait, just a moment.”
“Don’t wake me up under any circumstances. This is what I need right now.”
What kind of person does such a thing?
Before Choi Min-woo could even protest, he watched in disbelief as I sluggishly crawled toward the bed prepared inside the aircraft.
“Oh, that’s right. Choi Team Leader.”
With only my head poking out, I added with a serious expression.
“Could you turn off the lights?”
“….”
Watching me fall asleep the moment my head touched the pillow, Choi Min-woo thought to himself.
‘The profit split will absolutely be nine to one.’
* * *
Ding.
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[Login]
completed.
A familiar notification. I opened my eyes, feeling the hardness of a wooden pillow and bed frame instead of the soft pillow and mattress.
The ceiling of the Martial Alliance Pavilion, entirely unfamiliar, came into view.
‘I’m back.’
A full month had passed. Though in Murim, barely two hours would have elapsed.
Turning my head to the right, I saw the Old Master, a small figure, deep in slumber.
Even as sunlight streamed through the window and bathed his face, Fire King Red Sky River remained utterly motionless.
“I’ve arrived, Old Master.”
The moment I stirred and pushed myself upright with a low murmur.
“Oh, mm. Ah.”
“….”
“There. Good. Yeah.”
I gazed down at Hyuk Moo-jin writhing in the corner of the room like an earthworm and contemplated the situation.
‘I’m certain I left him on guard duty before logging in.’
This lunatic was having a wet dream while supposed to be standing watch.
It’s a lifelong regret that I can’t record this and share it in the Taewon Jin Family group chat.
But I can certainly kick his ass for it.
Smack!
“Ugh!”
“Wake up, you Tokyo Hot bastard.”
Hyuk Moo-jin jolted awake with a yelp, torn from his pleasant slumber by the pain.
“Squad Leader, did you cough!”
“Yeah. And you seem to have just coughed too.”
Hyuk Moo-jin, whose eyes were darting around frantically, let out an awkward laugh.
“Ah, well. There were… circumstances.”
“….”
Whether there were circumstances or he was about to create them.
I stared at Hyuk Moo-jin with a look of utter disgust and heaved a long sigh.
Yes, this is all my fault for trusting this bastard.
“So, how long have you been asleep?”
“Not long at all, sir. Truly.”
“Then nothing unusual happened while you were awake?”
“No. Until two hours ago, I didn’t let a single ant slip through.”
I pondered for a moment before asking.
“Two hours ago? Isn’t that right when I was falling asleep?”
“Well, yes, that’s right. But I really haven’t slept long.”
“Right. Two hours is definitely not a long sleep.”
“Yes, yes.”
“So my faithful Moo-jin followed me all the way into my dreams to protect me?”
Hyuk Moo-jin nodded frantically.
“Yes! Hyuk Moo-jin, Vice Commander of the Jinryong Squad of the great Taewon Jin Family! I pledge my unwavering loyalty to you, Squad Leader!”
“Ah, how touching.”
I chuckled softly and picked up the vase sitting beside the bed.
“Then why were you making such mysterious moans while protecting me in the dream?”
“Gasp.”
“Just who were you dreaming about? Mimi from Honghwa House? Kirara from Tokyo Tower? Or the dutiful daughter from the tofu shop?”
Whenever I look at that bastard, my blood boils and my chest grows so tight I can’t contain myself.
As I lifted the vase high, Moo-jin stumbled backward with hesitant steps.
“P-please, just this once.”
“I’ve already given you five hundred chances.”
“Then since you’ve already given me five hundred, couldn’t you just give me one more….”
“That’s enough.”
Whoosh!
In that instant, three things happened simultaneously.
First, the vase in my hand flew through the air with tremendous force. Second, the vase narrowly grazed the crown of Moo-jin’s head as he ducked and hurtled toward the door.
Third, with impeccable timing, the door swung open and someone stepped inside.
“How is Red Sky River’s condition….”
Crack!
The short, stocky Old Master holding a small bundle in one hand couldn’t finish his sentence.
His eyes losing all focus, he stared at me and Moo-jin, his lips moving soundlessly several times before he simply crumpled.
Thud, crash!
The vase, which had struck the Old Master’s forehead with perfect accuracy, rolled across the floor, and various needles and medical instruments spilled from the bundle he’d been carrying.
“…!”
“…!”
The Luoyang Eccentric Physician, who had come at first light to check on Red Sky River’s condition, collapsed from a concussion.

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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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