Murim Login - Chapter 67

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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 67
“Ugh, my whole body aches.”
Hyuk Moo-jin groaned in pain. His exposed upper body was stained entirely in dark crimson.
At the sight, the wrinkled old man—the Medicine King Master—clicked his tongue.
“What in the world did you do to yourself?”
As he unwrapped the bundle he’d brought, massive acupuncture needles the size of stakes came into view. Hyuk Moo-jin asked in a terrified voice.
“You’re going to insert those into my body?”
“Why? Scared?”
“It looks like it’s going to hurt terribly… Please use as few as possible.”
“Sure thing.”
The Medicine King Master, answering without hesitation, picked up two of the large needles.
“I’ll place one at the Baihui point and one at the Huiyin point. If you die, you won’t have to worry about pain anymore.”
“…”
“Now you’re ready for treatment.”
With a single remark, the Medicine King Master silenced Hyuk Moo-jin and worked his hands with practiced efficiency. In the blink of an eye, dozens of needles both large and small pierced his skin.
Thwick, thwick, thwick.
“Ah, ahhh!”
“Such dramatics from a young man. By the sound of your voice, you’ll be spry for another fifty years.”
The Medicine King Master, leaving the porcupine-like Hyuk Moo-jin behind, turned his gaze toward me.
“Show me.”
“Show you what?”
“Deaf? Take off your upper garment.”
Before age, even the Shanxi sleeping dragon means nothing. I removed my shirt while eyeing the gleaming needles warily.
Whoosh.
“Hmm?”
The Medicine King Master’s eyes widened as he examined my body.
“What kind of monster are you?”
His voice carried genuine astonishment. My body, which had been covered in bruises until yesterday, was now clean.
‘I didn’t expect it to be this effective either.’
After sleeping through the night, most of the bruises had vanished and the aching bones felt perfectly sound.
‘Is this the power of sleep mode?’
It seemed that now, merely sleeping could rapidly heal even significant contusions. Even the Medicine King Master, whose experience in medicine was extensive, found me fascinating enough to examine me thoroughly for some time.
“Did you consume some miraculous elixir last night?”
“No. I just practiced breathing exercises all day and slept deeply.”
“Is this the efficacy of the Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng? No, that’s too much…”
The Medicine King Master shot me a suspicious look, as if wondering whether I’d raided the medicinal herb storage again, then shook his head.
“The Third Young Master may be discharged.”
Hyuk Moo-jin, who had been groaning, brightened immediately.
“What about me? What about me?”
“I swear, if you run off again without permission, I’ll pierce your Huiyin point with this large needle.”
The gaunt old man muttered in an eerie tone, thrusting a large needle into the empty air repeatedly—a scene that could rival any horror film.
This opening ceremony would certainly be drenched in blood.
“Third Young Master, you should leave. Unless you want to be needled.”
How thoughtful of him.
I bolted upright the moment I averted my gaze from those eyes gleaming with madness.
A sudden flash of realization struck my mind.
‘Now, where do I go?’
The Pavilion had collapsed, leaving me with nowhere to return. I stood there hesitating, suddenly homeless, when—
“Ahem, is the Medicine King Master within?”
A familiar voice called from beyond the door. I opened it cautiously, and the face I expected appeared.
“Elder Brother?”
Jin Wi-kyung jumped back a beat late.
“What? How are you here! I came to speak urgently with the Medicine King Master on official business—what a remarkable coincidence!”
“….”
He was trying hard.
* * *
After hearing my situation, Jin Wi-kyung took the lead with a solemn expression.
“I know a place suitable for temporary lodging. Follow me.”
It was an action clearly conscious of the eyes around us. The image he had cultivated thus far was that of a sub-family head who strictly separated public and private matters, remained cold-headed, and possessed considerable ability.
The problem was….
“There goes the Sub-family Head.”
“And the Third Young Master is with him? What brings both of them out in broad daylight?”
“He must hate being apart even for a moment. He’s completely smitten with the Third Young Master.”
Everyone who needed to know already knew the truth—that Jin Wi-kyung was an absolutely devoted brother.
‘Well, anyone who doesn’t know would be the abnormal one.’
Even now in his mid-thirties, he was like this; I could only imagine what he was like when younger. Moreover, right after the battle ended, he was so overjoyed he even gave me a piggyback ride.
‘Our youngest! My brother!’
He made such a scene in front of hundreds of people—there was no way anyone could be ignorant of it.
As I internally sighed, a strand of telepathic transmission pierced my ear.
– How was that? Your brother’s quite the actor, isn’t he?
I nodded, thinking he deserved an Academy Award for Best Actor in the category of terrible acting.
– Is your body alright? Moo-kyung didn’t mean any malice by it, so I hope you understand.
“….”
His fists were overflowing with malice. If my recovery hadn’t been so fast, I would have spent several days staring at the Medicine King Hall ceiling.
‘I should avoid running into him whenever possible.’
The brat had a terrible temperament and formidable martial prowess—there was no hope for it.
Jin Moo-kyung had risen to become my number one threat the moment he appeared.
“Still, seeing each other often will naturally build affection.”
Seeing each other often will naturally build bruises.
Unaware of my true thoughts, Jin Wi-kyung chuckled and continued walking.
Walking deeper into the heart of the Taewon Jin Family, past crowds of people, the foot traffic gradually thinned.
‘Where on earth is this?’
The Taewon Jin Family’s sprawling grounds testified to its former glory. Even from a distance, the estate rivaled several soccer fields combined, making it impossible to explore everything. Every step I took led to unfamiliar territory.
‘Everything’s so dilapidated.’
Now the paths were completely deserted. The scattered Pavilions and buildings of unknown purpose looked worn and desolate.
The atmosphere suggested rats held their Olympic games during the day and ghosts played cards at night.
As I glanced around nervously, Jin Wi-kyung hurried to explain.
“Given the Main Residence’s current circumstances, we’re barely managing to maintain even this much. We’ll need to undertake major renovations soon, I’m afraid.”
“I don’t really mind.”
“Truly?”
“Yes.”
I meant it sincerely.
I’d endured five years in a cramped three-pyeong Gosiwon studio. Rats could be caught, and ghosts—surely they wouldn’t actually appear?
“As long as it’s spacious, that’s what matters.”
“So you’re saying that regardless of the circumstances, spaciousness is all that concerns you?”
The premise felt slightly off, but when I nodded anyway, Jin Wi-kyung’s face brightened.
“Excellent. I was worried you might dislike it.”
“…Where exactly are we going?”
“We’re here. This building.”
“Oh.”
We stopped before a large three-story Pavilion. Compared to the other buildings I’d passed, this one was far cleaner and exuded an elegant, classical charm.
The high stone wall encircling the Pavilion appealed to me as well.
“This is nice, isn’t it?”
There was no reason to dislike this at all.
Jin Wi-kyung smiled brightly at my reaction, clearly pleased.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, it’s much cleaner than I expected. And it looks incredibly spacious.”
“Indeed. We built a large Training Ground here.”
“A Training Ground!”
“We also constructed an Underground Training Ground for when the weather is poor.”
“Oh. Two Training Grounds!”
“Sharing them shouldn’t pose any problems.”
“Right, sharing would be perfect… Wait?”
Hold on. What did he just say?
“Isn’t this supposed to be just for me?”
“Ah, well.”
Jin Wi-kyung laughed awkwardly.
“Since it’s spacious anyway, wouldn’t it be fine for two people to use it? And this way, you two can grow closer.”
“…Who?”
Unease crept up my spine.
And a bad premonition is never wrong.
Jin Wi-kyung stepped into the Pavilion without answering.
“Moo-kyung! Your Elder Brother is here!”
Damn it.
* * *
“So I’d like us to live together until the Quarters are rebuilt.”
Jin Moo-kyung, having heard the situation, nodded readily.
“Very well.”
I didn’t expect him to agree so readily.
Both I and Jin Wi-kyung were startled by this unexpected response.
“Wait, you’re serious?”
“Yes. But please send just one person tomorrow.”
“Of course. I’ve been worried about you holing yourself up in the Training Ground anyway, so this works out. I’ll find you a competent Servant with sharp instincts. Or should I bring in a housekeeper too?”
“I don’t need a Servant or housekeeper.”
“Then what?”
Jin Moo-kyung fixed me with a penetrating gaze.
“Please send a Physician instead.”
….
….
Of course. The scene I’d witnessed on the way here suddenly flashed before my eyes.
A deserted street. An Underground Training Ground where not a single scream would escape. The perfect conditions for committing a crime.
‘He’s planning to beat me to a pulp.’
As I shuddered with a chill, Jin Wi-kyung stammered open his mouth.
“M-Moo-kyung. That’s not… that’s not what I think it is, right?”
“It’s exactly what you think. It might even be worse than that.”
“Worse than I think….”
“We should call a mortician instead of a Physician.”
I didn’t hesitate and threw myself toward the exit.
Whoosh! Grab!
This damned luck.
Jin Moo-kyung chuckled as he watched me being dragged back by Jin Wi-kyung, who’d caught me by the nape of my neck.
“That’s pathetic footwork. A stray dog from the back alleys would be faster than you.”
This time I didn’t back down and fired back.
“If something’s faster than me, is it a dog? A red hare?”
“You’re still dazed even after taking that hit.”
“Try it! Go ahead!”
Of course I had no intention of getting hit. I had a reliable protector after all.
“Enough!”
A resounding shout shook the Underground Training Ground. Jin Wi-kyung’s face had hardened, utterly unlike before.
“What are you two doing?”
This was a first for him. They say a kind person’s anger is terrifying—and looking at Jin Wi-kyung right now, I understood exactly what they meant.
“You can’t even get along as brothers, and yet you’re brawling right in front of me?”
Under his piercing gaze, both Jin Moo-kyung and I fell silent.
“It’s not half a year, not even a full year—just a mere fortnight. All I asked was that you live together until the Pavilion is finished. Is that such an unreasonable request?”
Jin Moo-kyung flinched. As the primary culprit in destroying the Pavilion, he had every reason to feel the sting of those words.
“That’s because he was being disrespectful….”
“So you destroyed the Pavilion and beat your younger brother? Is that what you call an excuse!”
Jin Moo-kyung lowered his head.
“I apologize.”
Now the arrow turned toward me.
“And you, Tae-kyung?”
I wanted to pull out my identification and prove my age, but I held back.
This body was barely twenty years old, and Jin Moo-kyung was my elder brother by three years.
“Answer me!”
“…I apologize.”
Jin Wi-kyung shot us both a stern look.
“This is a decision I’ve made after careful deliberation. If you truly dislike each other, speak now. I will respect your wishes.”
My gaze and Jin Moo-kyung’s collided in the empty space between us.
In that same instant, our answers tumbled out.
“I dislike it.”
“I dislike it as well.”
“….”
After a heavy silence, Jin Wi-kyung finally opened his mouth.
“I’m pleased that you’ll follow my wishes.”
Isn’t this just a setup where the answer was already decided?

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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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