Murim Login - Chapter 446

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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 446
*Ding.*
– A Quest has been generated.
The familiar system notification chimed.
Immediately after, a translucent holographic window materialized in the air—visible only to me.
Quest
[Another Chaos]
An ominous shadow has fallen over the once-peaceful Hubei Province.
The crystalline waters of the Yangtze River have been stained crimson with blood, the formidable Hae-sa Bang has crumbled beneath countless deaths, and the Dongjeong Fisherman Elder—who once condemned the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance—has vanished without trace.
Should someone uncover the full truth of these events and locate Hyung Soo, the chaos will subside.
Rank
: Peak
Restriction
: Jin Tae-kyung
Objective
: Uncover the truth of the incident (Incomplete)
Reward
: ???
Failure
: Escalation of chaos in Hubei Province and subsequent incidents
Do you accept this Quest?
Y / N
A Quest, then…
I slowly surveyed my surroundings.
Moo-song with his jaw clenched tight, and Je-gal Poong—the Crouching Dragon Guest—observing him with a cool smile.
Jeok Cheon-gang furrowing his brow as he watched them, while Moon-kyung sat motionless and expressionless.
And finally… Jin Wi-kyung, calmly observing this entire catastrophe unfold.
‘As expected, he knew all along.’
According to Je-gal Poong, the Hae-sa Bang Master and a thousand of his subordinates had been buried in the waters of Red Cliff a fortnight ago. Jin Wi-kyung must have learned of it while en route to Sichuan.
‘The fact that he added Hubei to our return route means the leadership in Hanan approved it as well.’
Now, as the existence of Dark Heaven spreads across the land in the wake of the bloodshed at Shaolin and Sichuan.
The series of incidents currently unfolding in Hubei cannot be treated lightly under any circumstances.
If this is Dark Heaven’s scheme, it must be stopped. If it is a sinister plot by the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance exploiting the chaos Dark Heaven has wrought, then it must be punished severely as a warning to all.
Jin Wi-kyung is not here as the Minor Patriarch of the Taewon Jin Family or as Acting Patriarch, but as an Inspector of the soon-to-be-established New Martial Alliance.
And what this signified was simple.
‘I too must align myself with Jin Wi-kyung’s purpose.’
There is no penalty for refusing the Quest anyway. Whether I accept or not hardly matters—I am already bound to this vessel and its course.
I murmured inwardly.
‘Yes.’
*Ding.*
– You have accepted the Quest!
– Quest,
[Another Confusion]
This Quest has been registered in your Quest log! Quest information may be updated depending on circumstances.
Well, I wonder if there’s anything left to update here.
Based on what I’d heard from Je-gal Poong and the atmosphere I felt upon arriving at the Jeongal Family, it was clear that all of Hubei Province had already branded the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance as villains and pointed fingers at them.
But….
“Are you certain that the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance are the villains?”
At least for now, my personal judgment was that I couldn’t jump to conclusions.
And at my words that broke the heavy silence, Je-gal Poong, the Crouching Dragon Guest, smiled faintly and opened his mouth.
“Blazing Divine Dragon Jin Tae-kyung. It seems you have many questions about this matter.”
“I wouldn’t say I have none.”
“Speak freely. Within reason, so we don’t waste each other’s precious time.”
“First, I’d like to ask if there’s any evidence.”
“Evidence?”
“Yes. There’s only circumstantial evidence. Shouldn’t there be at least a witness who saw the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance attacking the Hae-sa Bang on the night that incident occurred at Red Cliff?”
“A witness, and what else?”
“The whereabouts of the Dongjeong Fisherman Elder, who publicly denounced the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance, remain unknown as well.”
“Continue.”
I glanced sideways at Red Sky River as I spoke.
“From what I heard before from my, ah, my master, I understood that the Dongjeong Fisherman Elder is a supreme master who belongs to no orthodox sect.”
“You’re well-informed. The Dongjeong Fisherman Elder spent his entire life near Dongting Lake, building connections with notable figures from all walks of life.”
The Dongjeong Fisherman Elder was a particularly well-known figure even among the Murim, where eccentric masters and unusual individuals abounded.
It was peculiar that he never affiliated with any orthodox sect and never ventured far from the vicinity of Dongting Lake throughout his life, but the formidable martial arts he displayed with the single fishing rod he always carried were also famous throughout the Murim.
“The fact that such a supreme master as the Dongjeong Fisherman Elder vanished without anyone knowing—I simply couldn’t make sense of it.”
“What aspect troubles you?”
“If the Dongjeong Fisherman Elder was killed by someone’s hand, that would mean the other party was an equally supreme master or greater. When supreme masters truly clash, it causes absolute chaos. There’s no way it could go unnoticed.”
“You speak your mind clearly. Continue.”
“And this is, well, somewhat disrespectful to Senior Moo-song, but….”
As I stepped forward, Moo-song, who had regained some composure, nodded his head.
“Speak. I’m fine with it.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“Then, well.”
I opened my mouth carefully.
“Honestly, does the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance even have a master of that caliber? From my experience, it didn’t seem like they did.”
…!
…!
Wait, you said it was fine. You said to speak.
At Moo-song’s expression, which now looked anything but fine compared to moments before, I hastily changed my words.
“Ah, of course, I’m speaking only of Hubei Province. I deeply respect the Sea King, that great hero. I even enjoyed watching the drama about him—well, anyway, I’m a huge fan.”
“….”
“Truth be told, when I was young, my dream was to become a Water Thief. The great voyage! The great Yangtze River!”
“….”
Yes, I had made a mistake.
Why did I feel guilty even though I was the one helping him?
It was Je-gal Poong’s single remark that rescued me from this predicament.
“There is one. A master of that caliber.”
“Really? There is? You’re not lying, are you?”
“….”
Je-gal Poong continued speaking slowly, leaving Moo-song to sink back into dejection.
“Huang Chong—the Yangtze’s Single Blade.”
“The Yangtze’s Single Blade. The Yangtze’s Single Blade….”
The epithet sounded vaguely familiar, but the name itself was unfamiliar. Surely this wasn’t the Huang Chong from the Records of the Three Kingdoms.
‘This must be that Uncle Huang Moo-song mentioned when we first arrived in Hubei Province.’
As I tilted my head at this unfamiliar name, Jeok Cheon-gang interjected with a sharp, clear voice.
“The Yangtze’s Single Blade? The one they say is sworn brothers with the Sea King?”
“Yes. I believe you would know of him as well, Senior.”
“I caught a glimpse of him once during the Zheng Ma Great War. For a Water Thief, he was composed and sharp-witted. I thought the young man had decent talent and character…but it seems he’s finally crossed that threshold.”
“Had he not aided the Sea King, there would be no Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance as it exists today.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Without someone steadying him from the side, how could that foul-tempered brute the Sea King ever rule the Yangtze?”
This was practically spitting in someone’s face.
Moo-song, who had just heard his master insulted right before him, seemed to have something to say—his lips trembled—but Jeok Cheon-gang silenced him with a mere glare.
Seizing that moment, I quickly spoke up.
“Then you’re saying this Yangtze’s Single Blade eliminated the Dongjeong Fisherman Elder?”
Je-gal Poong, who had been pondering for a moment, nodded slowly.
“Presumably.”
“Presumably?”
“Nothing has been proven. There is no certainty—only circumstantial evidence and suspicion. However, there are many witnesses who can testify to where the Dongjeong Fisherman Elder went last before his disappearance.”
“Where was that?”
Je-gal Poong’s gaze fixed on Moo-song as he spoke deliberately.
“The Dongjeong Pavilion. He made his way to the headquarters of the Dongjeong Pavilion, where the aforementioned Huang Chong, the Yangtze’s Single Blade, serves as pavilion master. And he never appeared again.”
“That’s absurd!”
Those were not my words.
Moo-song shot to his feet, his voice trembling with rage.
“Uncle Huang would never do such a thing!”
He too was one of the disciples who had inherited the Sea King’s absolute technique.
The energy released by Moo-song, standing at the very precipice of his peak, stirred the dust that had settled in the cabin.
Je-gal Poong, covering his mouth with his sleeve as he coughed lightly, answered with perfect composure.
“And why is that?”
“Does the Family Head not know this? Uncle Huang persuaded our Master even during the Orthodox-Unorthodox War and supported the Orthodox Sects. He belongs to the moderate faction within our Alliance! For such a man to dismantle Hae-sa Bang in this manner and eliminate Dongjeong Fisherman Elder—this is utterly impossible!”
“Utterly impossible? How hollow and meaningless. Circumstances and people change with each passing moment, and one such as I, a man of wisdom, deduce outcomes from the facts of a situation.”
Je-gal Poong remained composed, rendering Moo-song’s fury inconsequential.
“I say with certainty—I do not believe the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance is the culprit in this matter. Yet every circumstance points to your Alliance.”
“How so? Because Hae-sa Bang, our rival for so long, has vanished, and our brothers now fill that void? Or because Dongjeong Fisherman Elder simply went missing on his way to find Uncle Huang?”
“Both.”
“Have you even questioned the brothers of our Alliance?”
“Not yet.”
“Then why—!”
The moment Moo-song began to shout, Je-gal Poong’s quiet voice pierced the ears of everyone present, myself included.
“When not a single member of the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance shows their face, whom exactly would I question?”
“…!”
“…!”
“A month has passed. Did you truly believe the Main Residence, the Wudang Sect, and the government authorities have done nothing while you suspect an innocent Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance?”
Silence blanketed the room.
All eyes fixed upon Je-gal Poong and Moo-song without utterance.
While Moo-song stood rigid as stone, Je-gal Poong’s words flowed seamlessly onward.
“Two days after that fateful encounter at Red Cliff, Dangyang Chai and Hong Lake Chai—those swift to seize Hae-sa Bang’s territories—vanished without a trace. Not a single soul remained.”
“…Then Dongjeong Channel…”
“Someone once told me that Dongjeong Channel is a fortress of natural perfection, built upon the river itself. I attempted it myself and found their words true. Now that Hae-sa Bang’s core masters have been drowned, we cannot breach Dongjeong Channel by crossing the waters of Tianling Waterfall.”
Mysterious and magnificent nature sometimes forbids human intrusion.
The Tianling Waterfall Je-gal Poong spoke of was undoubtedly the passage to Dongjeong Channel—accessible only to a select few boatmen.
Among the Yangtze River Water Bandit Alliance and Hae-sa Bang, one would need to be a master sailor of exceptional skill, or someone who had spent a lifetime upon the Yangtze in Hubei Province. Dongjeong Fisherman Elder was surely among such men.
“Dongjeong Fisherman Elder shared an intimate bond with the late Hae-sa Bang Master. Enraged by his friend’s death, he publicly denounced your Alliance and set sail across Tianling Waterfall—that very same waterfall where we have sunk dozens of vessels over the past month.”
Je-gal Poong suddenly rose and began to walk with deliberate ease.
He clicked his tongue softly at the collapsed bookshelf, then continued speaking as he rummaged through the towering stacks of books.
“But do you know what happened? Though he failed to cross Tianling Waterfall, the Yangtze River—having received dozens of vessels as tribute—graciously bestowed a single gift upon him.”
Crack, thud!
The precariously stacked books tumbled down in a cascade, raising clouds of dust.
Je-gal Poong, covered in the pale haze, straightened his hat and stood upright.
In his hand lay something dark and weathered.
“That is…”
“Your suspicion is correct, Hu Gae.”
Je-gal Poong nodded at Gung Ki-bang’s murmur.
“The Black Bamboo Flute Blade—the sole unique weapon of Dongjeong Fisherman Elder in all the Martial World.”
“…!”
“Now then, Sun Hwa-ah Moo Song.”
Je-gal Poong slowly raised the shattered Black Bamboo Flute Blade.
He pointed it at Moo-song, whose eyes had widened, as if thrusting it toward him, and continued.
“You shall lead the way beyond Tianling Waterfall to Dongjeong Channel. I must see with these very eyes what transpired in that place.”

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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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