Murim Login - Chapter 530

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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 530
Hanan was truly a place worthy of being called the Central Plains.
For thousands of years since civilization began along the Yellow River, it had been the center of the world, and it was also the capital of nine dynasties that rose and fell like wildfire throughout the ages.
Because of this, even now that the Martial Alliance had officially been rebuilt and ominous war clouds began to gather, Henan Province had not lost its vitality.
Rather, it was flowing in the exact opposite direction.
“Is it just my imagination, or are there more people and the atmosphere seems quite good?”
Hyuk Moo-jin’s words were true. The wide main road was filled with people, and it was difficult to find any great worry on their faces.
Occasionally, there were people who cast uneasy glances at martial artists passing through the streets with weapons at their sides, but that was all.
I pulled my bamboo hat down deeper and muttered.
“Yeah, it is.”
“It’s strange. Just a while ago, the atmosphere was completely different. Is this the calm before the storm or something?”
“…You crazy bastard. Are you seriously praying for something to happen?”
“Considering the situation, it’s not entirely wrong, is it?”
That was true. But there was also a fact that Hyuk Moo-jin was overlooking. As I debated whether to smack the back of his head, I shook my head.
“Rather, I’d say those people have finally realized it.”
“Realized what?”
“That this place, Hanan, is the safest location in all the land.”
“…Ah.”
To the eyes of commoners, martial artists were like untamed beasts.
But most of the martial artists currently in Hanan were united under the names of righteousness, justice, and the Martial Alliance.
Moreover, their numbers weren’t merely dozens or hundreds—they numbered in the thousands.
From the perspective of commoners, they would have been anxious at news of war breaking out among martial artists, but now the situation was rapidly stabilizing.
‘If this were the modern world, the atmosphere wouldn’t be nearly this good.’
Imagine a war breaking out between the United States and Russia.
The moment war began, citizens in Moscow or Washington DC would either be running for their lives or staring up at the sky, wondering when intercontinental ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons would rain down.
‘Though there’s no guarantee that Hanan is completely safe either.’
What if Dark Heaven swept away half the world and reached Hanan?
It wasn’t entirely impossible. Even if the Martial Alliance had been formed and countless martial artists stood under one banner, there was no way to know the outcome of the war.
But the bigger problem was that other methods existed.
‘Lee Dong-jin. Or should I call it a warp magic circle?’
An uncomfortable truth not yet known to everyone, difficult to believe.
Such truths could awaken vigilance, but sometimes they brought tremendous chaos and shock. That’s probably why it hadn’t been announced yet.
‘When that time comes, I won’t be smiling like this.’
With a bitter taste in my mouth, I suddenly looked around.
A child gazing at passing martial artists with curious eyes, a merchant delighted by the unexpected prosperity, and martial artists moving along the main road with expressions mixing tension and excitement.
At least none of these people knew all the information about Dark Heaven.
Those who knew the deep secrets were already continuing endless meetings with their new alliance leader.
“Squad Leader?”
“What are you thinking about so intently? You’re making people stare.”
“…It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
I seemed to have lost myself in thought for a moment. Shaking off the brief reverie, I resumed walking.
Standing alone in the center of a crowded main road was bound to draw attention.
As expected, several sharp-eyed individuals were already glancing in my direction.
‘Not an ordinary martial artist. A master, certainly.’
Though it would be an overinterpretation to assume they were lackeys of Dark Heaven.
From those who carried themselves with confidence in their martial robes and wore their weapons openly, I sensed nothing but pure and righteous auras.
“There, Leader.”
Hyuk Moo-jin’s low voice reached my ears from behind. Yet I continued walking as though nothing were amiss.
“It’s fine. Just keep going.”
“You knew?”
“Of course.”
“Still, I’m a bit uneasy about it.”
I understood Hyuk Moo-jin’s concern.
Since the Songshan Resolution, I had become quite the famous figure myself.
Though I had already etched the titles of Shanxi Sleeping Dragon and Blazing Divine Dragon into the minds of martial artists across the realm, raising the Martial Alliance’s banner before thousands of warlords had certainly cemented my reputation.
While not quite at the level of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families’ leaders, my name and face were far more recognized than most elders of the major orthodox sects.
“Uneasy about what? Just pretend you didn’t see them and move on.”
“No, I really think something bad is going to happen.”
At Hyuk Moo-jin’s continued fretting, Gung Ki-bang clicked his tongue.
“Your nerve is too thin. What calamity could befall us just because someone recognizes our faces? At worst, we’ll be bothered. That’s why we’re wearing these bamboo hats in the first place.”
Gung Ki-bang, having offered his light rebuke, turned to me with a question.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Leave him be. It’s actually endearing, the way he notices things and worries ahead of time.”
“…Well, I suppose that’s true.”
I smiled warmly to myself.
Though I rarely expressed it, Hyuk Moo-jin was like a sore thumb to me—precious beyond measure.
Having spent the longest time together since arriving in the Murim and endured countless hardships, I couldn’t help but care for him deeply….
“This is driving me crazy. What are you two saying?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Hyuk Moo-jin, his complexion now pale, continued toward us.
“I’ve been dying to use the toilet since earlier, and you two keep spouting strange things. Seriously.”
“…!”
“…!”
Endearing, my foot.
So when he said something bad was going to happen, he meant something really bad.
At the sight of Gung Ki-bang and me rendered speechless, Hyuk Moo-jin broke into a cold sweat and hurried ahead.
“Where is this gathering place? Hurry! I’m about to—!”
Look at that desperate spirit. It was a sight I’d never witnessed even in battle, and Gung Ki-bang reflexively pointed to a building nearby.
“Th-that building over there.”
“That place? The three-story Inn?”
“Huh? Y-yes.”
“Ahem. Then I’ll head there first. Uuuuuggghhhh!”
Was that final cry an act of willpower to hold it in? Or was it a booster burning through the last sphincter to blast through?
As Hyuk Moo-jin twisted his body while cutting through the crowd at an incredible speed, Gung Ki-bang muttered under his breath.
“The Drunken Eight Spinning Steps…?”
“…Please don’t talk nonsense. He just needs to use the bathroom.”
God. Buddha. Why are there only idiots around me?
Sighing deeply in my heart, I gazed toward the three-story Inn that Hyuk Moo-jin was heading toward.
Not far away. A corner of my chest that had settled during our journey here began to flutter with an odd sensation.
“…A month? No, has it been two months?”
At my unintentional murmur, Gung Ki-bang’s eyes narrowed with interest.
“Oho.”
“What, you bastard.”
“Could it be what I’m thinking?”
“Since when could you even think?”
“Right?”
“Want me to agree?”
“Well. The atmosphere back then was a bit… peculiar.”
“Want to pick out a grave for yourself?”
“The way you’re cleverly dodging it seems to confirm it.”
“Want to get hit so fast that even clever dodging won’t help?”
“Hehehehe. I wish that Hyuk bastard could’ve seen this.”
“…No. That’s… Sigh. Never mind.”
By this point, he would normally have deflected the topic to avoid getting hit, but today was different.
My fist clenched at the sight of Gung Ki-bang laughing with a deflating sound and glancing at me, but strangely, I didn’t feel like hitting him.
“Hehehehehehe.”
“…”
Crack!
Watching him laugh like that, my urge to hit him surged forth abundantly.
I grabbed the back of Gung Ki-bang’s neck and lifted him up as he clutched his solar plexus without even a scream.
“So. That’s the place, right? The three-story Inn.”
“Ughk. Y-yes, that’s right.”
“I’m going to eat. I’m hungry.”
“Ah, I understand.”
“That Konryun Un-ryong or whoever came too, I hear. I’m going to see him after all this time. And while I’m at it, I’ll build some rapport with that Hwangbo fellow.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Mind your manners. Unless you want the Ten Dragons and Phoenixes to become the Nine.”
That should be enough of a moral lesson. Released, Gung Ki-bang rubbed the spot where he’d been hit and muttered.
“Cruel bastard.”
“What did you say?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
Gung Ki-bang, whose nonsensical answer wouldn’t convince anyone, hastily changed the subject.
“Anyway, I’m looking forward to it. Once everyone hears you’ve arrived, they’ll welcome you with open arms.”
“I don’t really care. Whether they welcome me with open arms or not.”
I don’t particularly care about Konryun Un-ryong or that young master of the Hwangbo Family either.
But there is one person I genuinely hope will welcome me.
However, Gung Ki-bang misunderstood my response and spoke urgently.
“No! Hwangbo Ak may be irritating, but if he hears you’ve come this far, he’ll come running barefoot….”
But Gung Ki-bang’s words never reached their end.
Boom!
In an instant, a deafening explosion swallowed up Gung Ki-bang’s voice and all the noise of the bustling main road.
The silence that had briefly descended was shattered in an instant—so quickly it couldn’t even be called a moment.
“Ahhhhh!”
“Kyaaaaa!”
“Gowol Pavilion! Gowol Pavilion is…!”
Screams erupted everywhere as countless people scattered in all directions like a swarm of locusts.
But I stood rooted to the spot, watching intently.
‘Gowol Pavilion.’
I could see it clearly—a section of the three-story inn where today’s meeting was supposed to take place was completely blown open.
Through the shower of debris and clouds of dust, a figure was launched through the air.
Screech! Boom!
Not far away, a street vendor’s stall was smashed to pieces and the ground was gouged deeply.
A man staggered to his feet, barely managing to stabilize his form.
Thud, thud, thud.
‘Who is this?’
His martial robes were torn to shreds, his leather shoes scuffed and peeling. Fury and humiliation blazed across his handsome face.
“How dare you, you bastard I’ll tear to shreds…!”
It was at that moment.
Gung Ki-bang’s eyes went wide as he saw the man spewing words through gritted teeth.
“H-Hwangbo Ak!”
“…?”
“What are you doing here right now?”
So that was Hwangbo Ak?
I looked the man up and down, momentarily taken aback by the sudden call, and muttered.
“He really did come running barefoot.”
Was this some kind of surprise event for me? Or perhaps a sudden welcome ceremony Ten Dragons and Phoenixes style?
But looking at Hwangbo Ak’s contorted face, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“What did you just say?”
“Oh. My apologies. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“This damnable bastard….”
“You look busy. We can talk later. Ah, here it comes.”
“What?”
The confusion lasted only an instant. In that very moment when urgency and shock bloomed across Hwangbo Ak’s face, as if he’d momentarily forgotten something.
Whoooosh, crash!
A massive object hurled from the void struck Hwangbo Ak directly.
The sheer force and speed were palpable even from the sound alone. Even with full concentration, it would have been a close call—but having let his guard slip for just a moment, the outcome was inevitable.
“Cough!”
Hwangbo Ak’s figure was sent flying backward, spewing blood, while a colossal shadow surged forward in pursuit.
What should I do? My deliberation was brief.
‘There’s truly never a peaceful day.’
Swish.
I stepped forward with a quiet sigh.
An enormous giant, casting a shadow vast enough to blot out the sun, glared down at me with eyes the size of lanterns.
“You. Move.”
I answered calmly.
“I. Refuse.”

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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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