Murim Login - Chapter 615

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 615
Yunnan Province, known formally by its official name, or simply as the Southern Wilderness in the Central Plains—the road leading there was long and treacherous.
Huff, huff.
The horse’s breathing grew ragged.
Four hours of relentless riding since leaving Daebyeol Mountain.
We had entered Hubei on a fine steed procured by Ju Hwa-ran, and now we eased the reins in a gorge to rest the animals.
“If we continue at this pace alone, it will take considerable time. You’ve been to Sichuan before, haven’t you, Master?”
“Me?”
Of course I had. Even now, the memory made my calves ache.
I nodded unconsciously at Ju Hwa-ran, whose bright, sparkling eyes posed the question.
“Absolutely. It was truly dif—”
“Pardon?”
“It was quite difficult. A little, I mean.”
I barely caught myself before saying something I shouldn’t have.
I am Jin Tae-kyung—mercilessly cold to men, yet gentle and warm to women.
Of course, I’d never actually been in a relationship in all my years.
“Even with the movement technique back then, it took nearly half a month.”
“Sichuan alone is well over three thousand li away. Considering you traveled without shortcuts, that’s quite impressive.”
The praise felt good, but I sensed this conversation wasn’t merely for flattery’s sake.
At my glance, Ju Hwa-ran smiled and withdrew an old leather scroll from her possession.
‘What is that?’
Just as I wondered, Song Il-seom, who had been examining the blade of his willow-leaf saber from his saddle, spoke with an expression of surprise.
“Made from horsehide. Could it be something from the Ma Bang?”
Ju Hwa-ran nodded.
“You recognize it. That’s right—precisely a map they used.”
“I’ve heard that even ten thousand gold coins couldn’t procure a Ma Bang map. They’re treasures beyond price.”
“As the young lord of the Yongbong Escort Agency, I can tell you—there is nothing in this world that cannot be obtained with wealth. But my grandfather obtained something more precious than gold: friendship. This map was given as a token of that bond.”
I see.
…Honestly, I understood almost nothing except that Pyo Wang Ju Gong-san, Ju Hwa-ran’s grandfather, had received this remarkable map as a gift from someone in a place called the Ma Bang.
I, who had been listening patiently to their exchange, finally spoke.
“Um, Miss Ju. Forgive me, but what exactly is the Ma Bang?”
“Descendants of the northern cavalry tribes.”
“For centuries, they’ve traveled the ancient trade routes, transporting goods between Sae Oe and the Central Plains. Their numbers have dwindled greatly over time, but they persist.”
“….”
Well, I understood what the Ma Bang was, at least.
I could have sworn I asked Ju Hwa-ran, yet why were these two dark-faced men answering instead?
Song Il-seom and Sa Ma-pyo opened their mouths almost simultaneously, then exchanged glances.
“You seem more knowledgeable than you appear.”
“More knowledgeable? Have you forgotten where the Black Dragon Demon Gate, which I belong to, is located? Even now, the Ma Bang operate in Gansu Province, where our main sect is established.”
“Operate? Or are they being squeezed dry?”
Song Il-seom chuckled and continued speaking.
“I’ve heard the rumors—the Black Dragon Demon Gate controls the trade routes and extorts massive tolls.”
“I heard you came from bandits. Do you have some bad history with the Main Sect?”
“Not particularly. I just want to kill anyone from the Demonic Heretical Way whenever I see them.”
“In that regard, we think alike. I can’t stand anyone who draws their blade first. So, are your weapons finished being maintained?”
“Not yet. But since they’ll be stained with blood soon anyway, I can do it later.”
“Then let’s move to another place.”
Wait, why is this conversation developing like this?
I stared blankly at the two of them as they casually shifted the topic, then opened my mouth.
“Move where? You crazy bastards.”
Song Il-seom and Sa Ma-pyo answered simultaneously.
“It’s a personal matter, so don’t interfere.”
“Besides, we need to give your mouth a rest anyway. Have some tea while we’re gone. We’ll finish quickly and be back.”
“….”
One’s an individualist, and the other’s like Guan Yu.
As the ambitiously launched Southern Wilderness Expedition showed signs of fracture from the very start, I had no choice but to step forward as the pavilion master of the Fire Dragon Pavilion.
Whoosh!
Two sharp sounds of air splitting rang out in an instant.
Song Il-seom and Sa Ma-pyo, who had evaded my finger wind and landed on the ground, were about to reflexively draw their weapons when I issued a warning in a calm voice.
“You’ll regret it if you draw those.”
“…!”
“…!”
This wasn’t merely a verbal warning. Feeling the tremendous energy waves pressing in from all directions, both of them froze in their tracks.
In their wavering eyes, undeniable astonishment flickered.
‘Strong.’
Their gazes toward me spoke those words, and it was an undeniable fact.
The Black Dragon Saber—the rumor-spreader of the Black Dragon Demon Gate, the hegemon of Gansu Province, and the heretical sect’s foremost late-stage expert—and Song Il-seom, the Soul Extractor, who had become a legend by felling countless enemies in fierce battles and life-or-death duels, would surely understand this.
Rather, because they were far from being merely mediocre masters, they could perceive it even more clearly.
Those who stand in high places can see farther and grasp the whole picture.
‘I was always two steps ahead before, but the pressure I feel now will be even greater.’
As always, I had grown stronger after awakening than before I fell asleep.
This was because I had gained small insights while establishing and creating basic martial arts for modern hunters.
Of course, I hadn’t created anything remarkable enough to call it a step forward—but advancing even half a step was a significant achievement.
It was only unfortunate that the ones who first realized this achievement were allies, not Dark Heaven.
“Thousands of miles of road still lie ahead. If you’re going to fight, then fight until one of you dies right now. Or else….”
“Pavilion Master.”
I certainly held goodwill toward Ju Hwa-ran, but this wasn’t the time to listen to her.
I gave a small shake of my head to Ju Hwa-ran, who had spoken with a hardened face, and continued.
“Or else, the two of you join forces and come at me. There won’t be another chance after now.”
“….”
“….”
Song Il-seom and Sa Ma-pyo, who had been staring at each other with sealed lips, didn’t take long to reach a decision.
Shring. Click.
With a crisp metallic rasp, the two blade edges that had been barely visible vanished from sight.
Ju Hwa-ran exhaled softly as she watched the two men settle back into their saddles as though nothing had happened.
“Sigh… I was hoping something like this wouldn’t occur.”
I felt the same way. But before accepting those two into Fire Dragon Pavilion, I had already deliberated on this very possibility.
‘The tension between them won’t be pleasant. Especially from Song Il-seom’s perspective.’
Everything stemmed from an old grudge that began decades ago, when the Orthodox and Demonic sects divided the realm and clashed in their final confrontation.
A young and bold escort bearer with the surname Ju had accepted a commission from a certain woman and wrote a new legend called the Thousand-Mile Escort, and the child born to that woman grew strong and left behind a son before departing this world.
That son was Song Il-seom. The last survivor of the Guangdong Chen Family, annihilated by the Demonic Heretical Way.
Unless he were a Buddha or Jesus himself, it was entirely foreseeable that he harbored contempt toward the heterodox sects.
‘I just didn’t expect it to blow up this quickly.’
Damn it. We’ve barely been traveling for a few hours and already there are signs of a breakdown? Now I understand why college students hate group projects so much.
Even setting aside these two who’ve become the Murim’s fastest-made enemies, the situation was equally dire.
“Leader, I think because I got hit by the carriage earlier, I keep needing to use the bathroom.”
“Master. Don’t fight. Tae-san. If Master is in danger, I worry, and I’m hungry.”
“….”
Look at this lineup. Damn it.
Watching Hyuk Moo-jin, whose stomach was more active than his body, and Ho Geo-a Tae-san, who I suspected might actually have an inventory instead of a stomach, made my vision darken.
Yet even in this bleak situation, there was one ray of light.
“Miss Ju.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you. I’m truly happy to have you here.”
I meant it sincerely. Setting aside whether she was beautiful or not, wasn’t she the most normal one among us?
It was true that her martial skills were slightly lacking compared to the other members, but she had broad knowledge of the Murim and found routes with remarkable ease.
The fact that she’d even discovered a shortcut known only secretly among the escort agencies proved as much.
But why wasn’t she responding?
“Miss Ju?”
“….”
“Hello? Miss Ju?”
Despite calling again, no answer came back.
Ju Hwa-ran, gripping the reins silently, turned her head and opened her mouth hesitantly.
“I, I think we should head this way.”
“Huh? No, you’re certainly doing well, but what I meant was….”
“Then I’ll go ahead and check the escort agency markers. Hyah!”
“Whoa. Whoa whoa?”
There was no time to say anything more. I could only stare blankly at Ju Hwa-ran’s retreating figure as she and her horse became one, rushing away urgently, before I felt a stinging sensation at the back of my head and turned around.
‘…What’s wrong with these people now.’
Song Il-seom. Sa Ma-pyo. Hyuk Moo-jin. Even Tae-san.
Exactly four pairs of eyes fixed upon me, boring into me with an intensity I couldn’t quite decipher.
Reflexively startled by their cryptic gazes, I found myself asking.
“What? Why is everyone staring at me like that?”
“Oh. It’s nothing.”
“Let’s head out first. Come on.”
Song Il-seom and Sa Ma-pyo advanced their horses forward slowly, their expressions complicated. Hyuk Moo-jin and Tae-san responded with reluctant looks.
“Uh, we were just looking. Nature’s calling.”
“…If you need to go, why are you staring at me?”
“When I look at the squad leader, what was about to come out goes back in.”
“Tae-san. I was just hungry and looking. No particular reason.”
“…What does being hungry have to do with me?”
“No. Just. Just. Um. Tae-san. I figured it out. I understand now.”
What kind of nonsense was this?
Even if I could overlook Hyuk Moo-jin, that broad-shouldered insectivore staring at me with such pity was irritatingly unsettling.
But before I could press the matter, Tae-san slapped the half-dead stallion’s rump and bolted away.
“Tae-san! I’m coming! The horse is coming too!”
As the already-dying stallion staggered forward unsteadily, Hyuk Moo-jin hurried after him in panic.
“Wait, let’s go together!”
“No! Don’t follow! Tae-san only looks ahead when running!”
“I have jerky.”
“Tae-san! Found a friend! We’re together forever!”
Crazy bastards….
But why did it feel like I was being ignored by these lunatics?
I gripped the reins with an expression like I’d swallowed shit.
“Come on. Let’s go too.”
Snort.
“….”
Now even the foal was making a disgruntled face.
I smacked the horse’s head as it snorted, then squeezed its flanks firmly.
With a small whinny, the stallion galloped through the Gorge.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————