Murim Login - Chapter 746

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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 746
Returning to daily life typically meant stability.
However, in the aftermath of Siegfried Bassman’s shrouded death, each of us returning to our respective positions found ourselves caught in a breathless maelstrom.
“The mana distribution at the C-rank Gate in Sokcho, Gangwon Province is rapidly escalating. Currently at Stage 2… Stage 3 initiated! This is a mutated Gate situation!”
“How many personnel can we mobilize?”
“Four teams are on standby at the Gangwon Branch, and using the teleportation magic circle connected to Sokcho City Hall, we can deploy to the scene within five minutes.”
“Dispatch them immediately. This could escalate into a monster wave if we’re not careful. Prioritize survivor rescue and rapid suppression.”
The situation following our return was, quite literally, catastrophic.
Just a few years prior, mutated Gates appeared no more than once a month, yet now they erupted multiple times daily—and these figures were limited to domestic incidents alone.
The mana distribution graph climbed without fail, not weekly but daily, in an unbroken upward trajectory.
All broadcasting networks curtailed entertainment programming, while newly established disaster news channels hosted fierce debates among field experts.
– The truth many overlook is that mana distribution increases have occurred consistently every year. Compared to the period immediately after the Cataclysm, current levels are actually quite low. Once this crisis passes, things will stabilize quickly, so citizens needn’t worry….
– Stabilize quickly? That makes no sense. And how can you compare the post-Cataclysm period to now? Frankly, after we defeated the Demon King on “Victory Day,” did humanity throw down its weapons and all dance together in celebration? Even then, if you went to Han River Park, there were Lizardmen. Don’t you remember it took nearly a year just to clear out the remaining monster forces?
– I live in Ilsan and never saw Lizardmen at Han River Park. My point stands.
– What kind of idiot….
– Ahem, now listen here. You’re only a year younger than me—don’t use such language.
– A year younger my ass. My parents filed my birth certificate late. Satisfied?
– Mr. Moderator. Are you just going to let this continue?
It was no longer surprising to see white-haired authorities from academia flushing crimson on television, engaging in title-match debates over their competing claims.
Even as they grappled with one another, the news on the adjacent channel broadcast breaking reports of mutated Gates or monster waves erupting somewhere across the globe.
And amidst those horrific scenes, I fought with all my might.
Schwick!
The blade of White Flame carved cleanly through hide and bone harder than armor.
The colossal creature—I’d lost count of how many—froze in place, then slowly pivoted before splitting vertically down the middle.
Squelch, thud!
The moment the three-meter frame cleaved precisely in half and collapsed, my eyes met those of a man sprawled several paces ahead.
In his hands, clutched by the narrowest margin of survival, was a plastic placard scrawled in red paint.
[ARREST INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JIN TAE-KYUNG!!!]
Hmm.
Uncertain how to respond in such circumstances, I simply laughed bitterly.
Even if one despised it, using three exclamation marks seemed excessive—a wry thought to accompany the moment.
“Are you alright?”
“…Yeah.”
“You seem unharmed except for some minor scrapes, but to be safe, stay seated. Since everything’s over, the rescue team should arrive shortly.”
I turned away from the man whose lips barely moved.
In the span of mere thirty minutes, the street lay scorched and desolate, corpses of monsters and human bodies intermingled across the devastation.
I extended my senses to probe the surroundings, but detected no further signs of life.
‘The damage shouldn’t have escalated this far.’
A tragedy, truly—that a monster wave would strike this peaceful small city.
And that hundreds of protesters gathered to condemn me had chosen this very street as their assembly point.
Squelch. Squelch.
I crossed the street, my feet splashing through puddles where crimson and azure blood had mingled.
The hyenas who had caught the scent wasted no time, rushing forward with cameras and microphones in hand.
“What are your thoughts on this monster wave?”
“You arrived faster than anyone else and suppressed the monster wave! First, as a human being myself, I express my deepest gratitude….”
“Those were protesters gathered to condemn you. Is there any possibility that this monster wave was artificially triggered by someone supporting you….”
“Why hasn’t Mr. Sky revealed himself yet! What connection do you have to Siegfried Bassman’s death not long ago?”
“Jin, say something for us!”
It felt as though filth was being hurled at me from all directions.
While some defended me, far more reporters were obsessed with extracting sensational headlines.
And likely, a considerable number of them were receiving substantial sums of money from someone else in exchange for asking such questions.
For instance….
‘The Odin Guild, perhaps.’
It was something I had already suspected. When Choi Team Leader first told me about it, I wasn’t particularly surprised.
Public opinion deterioration through media control.
Openly dragging me and the Ares Guild—who enjoyed overwhelming public support—through the mud was something that could hardly be attempted by ordinary means.
But Michael Silbert was precisely the kind of man who possessed both the power and justification to do so.
The problem was that, at least as far as the media was concerned, his attempt was working far better than I had imagined.
“The Prophet still hasn’t revealed himself. We’d like to ask The Prophet, who must be watching you from somewhere, to say a few words!”
“Statistics show that while the Ares Guild suppresses an average of 3.6 situations daily, the Odin Guild resolves 6.5. Do you have any response to this?”
“Jin Tae-kyung. Jin Tae-kyung!”
“You there! Why is your question level so pathetic! And you call yourselves reporters!”
“Everyone, step back. Now!”
It was pure chaos.
Reporters rushing forward to secure more stories and payment. Police and Hunters attempting to hold them back.
I felt my insides twist as I slipped through the crowd, hearing what sounded like someone’s voice echoing through my mind.
– You humans are… truly a mess.
I never thought the day would come when a monster would say such things to me.
But I couldn’t think of anything to say in return.
Or perhaps my strength had drained away the moment I saw those picket signs.
“Shut your mouth. You’re being loud.”
Despite not expending much power, the mental exhaustion was considerable.
I gave a brief reply to Skeleton King, whom I had stored in my inventory, then pulled out a magic scroll I had prepared and tore it.
Rip. Whoosh!
As the teleportation magic manifested, its distinctive sensation swept across my entire body.
The surroundings shifted in an instant. As my vision rapidly cleared, a familiar face came into view.
“You came back quickly? I got word just a moment ago that you were returning.”
Song Song-i’s voice was heavy with fatigue, and dark circles that hadn’t been there before hung beneath her eyes as she suddenly produced a handkerchief and offered it to me.
“First, wipe your face. You’ve got blood on it.”
I looked back and forth between the handkerchief and Song Song-i, then smacked my lips.
“Just curious, but do you save the Clean spell for cooking soup?”
“What, do you think magic works like inserting coins? I can replenish my mana by drinking potions, but not my mental stamina. I’m already sleep-deprived as it is—just use a handkerchief instead.”
I have nothing to say, knowing full well who the decisive cause of my sleep deprivation is.
I silently wiped the blood away and handed her the handkerchief. Song Song-i accepted the soiled cloth and quietly chanted a spell.
“Clean.”
“…?”
Whoosh.
The dust and blood vanished in an instant, leaving the handkerchief spotless.
Song Song-i blinked innocently at me, who was staring at her in disbelief.
“What? It’s a luxury brand.”
At that confident remark, and seeing that Song Song-i had clearly orchestrated this entire situation, I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.
“Ha.”
“Finally, you’re smiling. You looked half-dead on TV just moments ago.”
“You were watching?”
“Saw the whole thing live. I even heard those crazy reporters spouting nonsense.”
“…Well, I suppose I have to accept it. After all, I bear some responsibility for this mess in the first place.”
Song Song-i suddenly frowned.
“Are you going to spout nonsense too?”
“….”
“Just when I thought you were getting better, you’re doing this again. If you want to blame yourself so badly, go kill those bastards first, then beat yourself up all you want.”
That’s the last thing I want to happen.
But it’s not that simple. Even after three days had passed since returning from Switzerland, nothing had fundamentally changed.
Magic Johnson’s investigation still hadn’t yielded results, the Prophet’s whereabouts couldn’t be traced despite all manner of magic and satellite surveillance, and the Odin Guild under Michael Silbert’s leadership was skyrocketing in stock value by the day.
“Don’t blame yourself too much, and don’t worry. It’s not just you—others are working hard too. Especially Kkokjeong; he was ranting yesterday about going straight to Paris and cutting off Michael’s head.”
“That’s reassuring, like having a thousand generals at my side, but if he actually does that, his own head will roll.”
“Yeah, I told him exactly that.”
“…You told him that directly?”
“Yeah, because it’s true. Anyway, he seemed a bit dejected when he heard it, but he understood soon enough.”
That alone is enough to be grateful for.
I walked alongside Song Song-i, exchanging various stories with her.
By the time I finished hearing about Mother and Ha-yeon, who were staying at the mansion under tight security, I had arrived at the office where Choi Team Leader was waiting.
“Welcome back.”
He looked exhausted, even more so than Song Song-i. The office, which was always meticulously organized, was in disarray, and empty coffee cups cluttered the desk.
“You must be tired from your long journey. But….”
Choi Team Leader glanced between Song Song-i and me, then lowered his voice.
“Where’s the other person?”
“Don’t worry. They came with us.”
–
I’m right here.
I’ve been confined for far too long.
At the mere sound of his voice, I retrieved the horned creature from my inventory.
More precisely, I pretended to rummage through the spatial pouch at my waist while reciting the command.
‘Inventory open. Summon.’
And in the next instant, as a sturdy Caucasian young man materialized with a pop, Song-i murmured.
“Wow, what a smooth delivery.”
“Silence your tongue, you beautiful yet impudent human wench. How dare you compare this body to such a thing….”
“Thanks. That really brightened my mood.”
“This damnable situation.”
Skeleton King’s face was brimming with displeasure as he spat out the crude curse, but there was nothing we could do about it.
‘Even though his identity has been partially exposed already, we must conceal it as much as possible.’
Though I had laundered my past and status, perfection does not exist in this world. Even the Pentagon, known to possess the world’s most sophisticated security systems, had been breached in the same manner.
Given such circumstances, we had no choice but to prevent his exposure as much as possible.
But in the next moment, hearing Choi Team Leader’s single remark, I realized I had to play the Skeleton King card.
“Three minutes ago, Tokyo Bay collapsed.”

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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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