Murim Login - Chapter 394

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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 394
The Continent truly operates on a different scale.
I had believed it to be a small city, yet upon arrival, its actual area and population far exceeded my expectations.
As a result, despite the monster horde’s rampage through the area, a considerable number of buildings remained intact.
‘This place is no exception.’
The entrance to the Municipal Hospital, currently serving as a temporary command center.
A tall, fair-skinned Hunter emerged and approached Choi Team Leader and me.
「I’ve been waiting for you.」
“Did Magic Johnson send you…?”
「Yes, I’m Michael Johnson. Please, call me Michael.」
“Ah, of course.”
That neighborhood—everyone’s a Johnson. Must be part of some L.A. Johnson family association.
I felt puzzled as I shook Michael’s hand.
He grinned widely after our handshake.
“What’s wrong?”
「I’m an ardent fan of yours. Crimson Left.」
“…I’d appreciate it if you’d just call me Jin instead of Crimson Left.”
「Why? I think that nickname suits you perfectly.」
“Then how about I call you Little Johnson?”
Michael responded with a serious expression.
「Nope.」
How decisive. I was left speechless and replied.
“It’s the same logic. So please, just call me Jin.”
「Ah, okay.」
That Crimson Left epithet really has spread across the globe.
Cheon Tae-min, who defeated the Demon King and is called the Savior of the 21st Century, earned the coolly impressive title of Slayer, yet even if I defeated not a Demon King but a Demon God, I’d probably remain Crimson Left.
At best, it might evolve into Crimson Right as the limit.
“Don’t be too upset about it. Crimson Left—it’s endearing and rather charming, wouldn’t you say?”
“Team Leader, are you teasing me right now?”
“Of course not.”
Michael observed Choi Team Leader, who was stifling a laugh.
「Choi. You came as well.」
“You know me?”
「Of course. How much Johnson adores you has already spread like wildfire among the guild members.」
“….”
I immediately jabbed Choi Team Leader in the ribs as his expression darkened.
“Don’t be upset about it. Johnson’s Johnson speaks highly of you, Team Leader.”
“…Jin Tae-kyung. You just said Johnson twice.”
“Did I? Must have misspoken.”
Ignoring Choi Team Leader’s sharp gaze, I turned to Michael with a question.
“Where is Magic Johnson?”
“Ah, allow me to show you the way.”
We followed him inside, and the moment we stepped into the Lobby, the ambient chatter evaporated. All eyes turned toward us in an instant.
I’d heard that a few civilians had been rescued the previous night, but since this was a temporary command post, it appeared to be staffed entirely by military personnel.
“The atmosphere really does change when Jin arrives, doesn’t it?”
“I was already famous, but I suppose I’ve become even more so since yesterday.”
“Oh, did you perhaps defeat a Named Monster?”
At Michael Johnson’s question, I shrugged.
“Well, something along those lines.”
Considering General Liao’s position within the Military, he certainly qualified as a Named entity.
Though they’d issued a gag order from their side, somehow the rumors had spread like wildfire, and every time I passed by, I caught hushed whispers from the soldiers.
“Did you hear? Yesterday, Jin took down the Commander…”
“I heard about that, but wasn’t it just a rumor?”
“It’s not a rumor—it’s the truth. Not just the Hunters, but even the headquarters operations staff confirmed it. Apparently Luo Yang heard it directly.”
“If that’s true, I’m disappointed in Jin.”
“Me too. I thought he was a hero of the people.”
It was exactly the reaction I’d anticipated.
Crabs favor their own kind, and arms bend inward. As soldiers, it was only natural they wouldn’t view my actions against their direct superior favorably.
“He should have snapped his neck instead of breaking his limbs.”
“Exactly. How many people died because of that pig?”
“That bastard also pocketed a fortune in this defense procurement scandal, didn’t he? That’s why they’re trying to sweep his broken bones under the rug. At least by following Jin, they can scrape together some merit and save face.”
“Damn thieving son of a bitch. A man like that should be hanged in Tiananmen Square.”
…Wait, they actually approve of what I did?
Not just the enlisted men, but even the officers were murmuring among themselves.
Calling him an incompetent pig who wasted soldiers’ lives, wondering aloud why they still used canteens manufactured during the Chinese Civil War.
Combined with the newly revealed circumstances and General Liao’s usual reputation, statements that would normally warrant charges of disrespect to a superior officer were pouring out freely.
“The atmosphere is quite favorable. At this rate, we won’t have to worry about what comes next.”
I answered Choi Team Leader, who walked beside me, with a bewildered expression.
“You’re right. If I’d known it would go this well, I should have hit him a few more times.”
“Hmm. We do still have several high-grade potions remaining.”
“Our Team Leader is quite the jokester now.”
“I’m not entirely joking.”
“Pardon?”
What’s gotten into this man all of a sudden?
Choi Team Leader met my confused gaze with a steady stare.
“Jin Tae-kyung is an S-rank Hunter in every sense of the word. You’re the embodiment of ordinary people’s dreams and aspirations, a public figure who commands widespread support. General Liao, on the other hand, is the very personification of corrupt privilege. To move against Jin Tae-kyung would require tremendous resolve.”
“So hitting him more wouldn’t matter?”
“It would matter, but you won’t be ensnared by a General Liao who’s about to fall from grace.”
“Come now, just hours ago you were telling me not to cause trouble.”
“Even the finest sports car will crash if you only press the accelerator. Isn’t it necessary to have someone like me riding alongside to apply the brakes? And…”
Choi Team Leader continued in a low voice.
“Sometimes you need to maintain the track so the sports car can run smoothly. Like now.”
“…?”
“Yesterday, there were too many people who witnessed what happened. If a gag order can’t be enforced anyway, it seemed better to spread the word quickly.”
It didn’t take long for the question mark forming in my mind to transform into an exclamation point.
“Team Leader, could it be…?”
Choi Team Leader laughed as he watched me standing there with my mouth agape.
“Getting ahead of the game and spreading rumors in our favor as much as possible. It’s a method Lee Jung-ryong Vice Guild Master uses frequently.”
“…Ah.”
Now the pieces were falling into place.
I had wondered why the rumors spread so quickly despite the gag order, but it was clear that Choi Team Leader had already made his move beforehand.
The Public Security Armed Force hunters would have been easy to mobilize given their intense resentment toward General Liao, and the soldiers….
‘He opened his wallet.’
No matter what else, it all comes down to money. Choi Team Leader had bought people’s silence with cash, and they spread rumors in the most favorable direction for us.
After all, isn’t the military the perfect place where countless microphones and speakers are constantly buzzing?
‘Rumors spread fast.’
When ten people open their mouths, a hundred hear it, and those hundred tell a thousand. In that process, with plenty of embellishment added along the way, the inflated rumors inevitably become accepted as fact.
‘But he thought of this and pulled it off in just one night?’
I gazed at Choi Team Leader with admiration brimming in my eyes.
“Team Leader Choi. Are you perhaps Zhuge Liang? Or Zhang Liang?”
“This is nothing special.”
“Team Leader Choi, you’re something else.”
“…Please stop.”
As we exchanged such words, Michael’s footsteps ahead came to a halt.
Knock, knock.
“Johnson. It’s me, Michael.”
Beyond the door marked “VIP Private Room,” two distinct auras—one large and one small—responded. A deep yet cheerful voice rang out.
“Oh, come on in.”
“Understood. My mission ends here, so I’ll take my leave.”
Michael, who had shrugged his shoulders toward us, stepped aside.
I pushed the door handle to the side on behalf of Choi Team Leader, whose body had suddenly tensed.
Creak.
With a smooth sound, two figures came into view.
“Ha ha, meeting again like this. Charming young people!”
A massive Black man approaching with strides, extending a hand the size of a pot lid—Magic Johnson.
And….
“Eek!”
A plump pig trembling with fright the moment it saw me.
I glanced at General Liao, whose jowls were quivering, then grasped Magic Johnson’s hand and whispered.
“When did you arrive?”
“About thirty minutes ago?”
“What about the front line you’re supposed to be commanding? And why were you with that person instead of coming straight to us?”
“Wait a moment. I’ll answer everything in order. But first, let me greet Choi.”
Snap.
Magic Johnson snatched Choi Team Leader’s hand like a hawk diving for prey, greeting him warmly.
“How have you been? I’ve thought about you quite a lot.”
“…Yes.”
Choi Team Leader’s answer was undoubtedly one hundred percent sincere. He must have had countless thoughts on the way here.
But that response was enough to excite Magic Johnson, even if he didn’t understand what it truly meant.
“Ah. That’s the same as me. We really do have a lot in common. Don’t we?”
“…”
I suspect we’d differ quite significantly on the matter of preferred gender.
“Anyway, I’m glad we’re meeting again.”
Magic Johnson ended his encounter with Choi Team Leader, his eyes brimming with lingering affection, and answered the question from moments before.
“And Jin, if you’re asking about the Southern Front I’m commanding, don’t worry. A brief absence won’t cause any problems.”
“It seems the war situation is developing quite favorably.”
“Hmm. Well, the fact that monster legions are retreating across all fronts is certainly encouraging.”
“Ah, the monster legions are retreating… What?”
Choi Team Leader and I exchanged glances as if we’d made a pact, blinking in unison.
What in the world is he talking about?
Choi Team Leader, recovering his composure faster than I did, questioned Magic Johnson.
“This is the first we’re hearing of this, Mr. Johnson. Could you explain what’s happened?”
“It’s exactly as I said. Last night, the monster legions turned tail and fled. Turns out the same thing happened across all fronts.”
“But we haven’t detected any such movement on our end.”
“Ah, let me correct that. This Western Front is the exception.”
“How so?”
“What? Hahahaha!”
Magic Johnson laughed heartily, patting my shoulder as he continued.
“Well, obviously because this Western Front has penetrated deepest into enemy territory. I’m not sure what the Arch Lich is scheming, but the Western Front is already a broken highway. They’ve already retreated as far as they can.”
“Ah.”
I’d momentarily forgotten—unlike the other fronts that advanced gradually while fighting under air and ground support, I had simply killed and destroyed everything in my path as I advanced.
‘I did break through with overwhelming momentum, but was it this significant?’
Magic Johnson chuckled at my bewildered expression.
“That’s not very becoming of the twenty-first century Genghis Khan. You’ve achieved such extraordinary military exploits—why not smile a little?”
“It’s far too early to celebrate. But setting aside the monster legions’ withdrawal, what brings you here?”
“I came to see Choi.”
“…!”
“…!”
“Just joking.”
Look at Choi Team Leader’s face—one more joke like that and his sphincter might rupture.
“Since we’re temporarily withdrawing personnel, I had to deliver orders to the Commander.”
“Withdrawing? To where?”
“Chengdu. A military conference has been convened.”

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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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