Murim Login - Chapter 99

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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 99
The Security Team Leader had just finished his sauna when he received a phone call.
– Team Leader, it’s me, Kim Kwon-dong.
“Yeah, did you finish the call recordings and the report?”
– No, sir. It’s not that….
“You bastard. I gave you special treatment because you’re the most senior, and this is how you repay me? Get that report written and sent within ten minutes.”
– Wait, that’s not it. I’m calling to report something unusual that came up.
A moment later, the Security Team Leader dropped the malachite egg he’d been holding.
“He had a USB drive?”
– Yes. We don’t know who he was talking to, but he said the person assured him the item was safe. He even secretly pulled it out to verify it himself. Since Jun-su saw it directly, it’s confirmed.
“So, so what?”
– The target is keeping it in his possession… Right now, Jun-su has no way to handle it, so I’m reporting it to you.
“Jun-su? Put him on right now.”
– He’s currently monitoring the target with his Familiar, so it would be difficult.
The Security Team Leader bit his lip hard. His mind was spinning from what he’d just heard.
‘Who was he talking to? What’s the target’s identity? What the hell is on that USB?’
The Security Team Leader’s instincts began to stir.
“Kim Kwon-dong, this is a special directive from the Guild Master himself. You understand, right? How many times have I told you?”
– Everyone knows that.
“If we can grab even one piece of the puzzle, we all strike it rich. I move up the ladder, and you’ve already put in enough time to earn a promotion to Team Leader.”
– …It’s not that simple. I know as well as anyone that you need at least B-rank to get promoted to Team Leader.
“I think this is enough to make a case. I don’t know where that bastard Jin Tae-kyung crawled out from, but the pieces fit perfectly. Just listen to the conversation where he mentions Sangdong Guild—you can tell right away, can’t you?”
– I had the same feeling about it.
The plan was proceeding without a hitch, and Sangdong Guild still hadn’t caught on. And the item was being kept safe.
The conversation between the unknown contact and Jin Tae-kyung was loaded with meaning even to a third party listening in.
There was no need to mention what it would mean to the Security Team of Sangdong Guild.
“That USB is the key. Frankly, whether it’s the Peace Guild that Jin Tae-kyung belongs to or some rival guild trying to make a move against us….”
– If that’s the case, it’s definitely top-tier intel.
A bonus was guaranteed, and promotion was a given. If he caught the Guild Master’s eye, he could easily aim for an executive position in the guild.
In this moment, the Security Team Leader imagined himself as the Guild Master’s right hand, while Kim Kwon-dong lost himself in dreams of becoming Sangdong Guild’s first C-rank Team Leader.
“Keep watching. I’ll report this up the chain and pull Jin Tae-kyung’s call records. Let’s figure out a plan before dinner at the latest.”
– Yes, sir!
“I’m changing clothes and heading out right now. No matter how late it gets, we’ll have figured out who the target was talking to before dinner. Let’s come up with a strategy by then.”
That was when the Security Team Leader rushed toward the Changing Room.
– Ah, Team Leader. But there’s one thing that’s been worrying me….
“What is it.”
Anxiety was evident in Kim Kwon-dong’s voice. And the ominous premonition didn’t miss—it hit dead center.
– Hong Woo-jin is there.
“Damn it.”
A mistake. In his excitement, he’d momentarily forgotten about Hong Woo-jin’s existence. The Security Team Leader felt his urgency spike.
‘If that bastard makes a move first, things will get messy.’
The Guild Master he knew, Im Chun-su, was a man of clear rewards and punishments.
Even a Rookie could pave the way to promotion if they proved their worth, but if he deemed them lacking, he wouldn’t hesitate to cut loose a guild member with ten years of service.
‘I’ve seen it happen more than once.’
There was no way this would end with just losing face to Hong Woo-jin. The Security Team Leader’s own position was on the line.
Money? That wasn’t the issue. He wanted to climb as high as he could in the guild he’d devoted half his life to.
“Kwon-dong.”
– Yes, sir.
“That bastard’s home alone right now, isn’t he?”
– Team Leader, surely not? We can’t do this!
“I haven’t finished talking yet.”
Unlike Kim Kwon-dong, whose voice had risen, the Security Team Leader remained composed.
“We suppress the target, grab the goods, and leave clean. He’s just C-rank anyway—nothing to worry about.”
– He’s a C-rank that reeks of something fishy. If we mess with him wrong, we could end up on the receiving end.
“Me? A B-rank veteran getting beaten by some greenhorn who just awakened as C-rank? That’s insulting to my pride.”
– ….
“You’re not actually buying what Im Chang-su said, are you? If that were true, it’d mean Jin Tae-kyung is actually an A-rank Hunter… If that’s the case, I’d sooner believe the Guild Master is a spy. Right?”
– No, sir, why would you say such a thing?
“Enough. Are we doing this or not?”
– Damn it. This is driving me crazy.
It was only moments later that Kim Kwon-dong, exhaling deep sighs, made his decision.
– If we get caught, we become criminals. You know that, right?
“I know. And if we don’t get caught, we’re innocent.”
– Team Leader, you really do have guts.
“That’s why I’m the Team Leader. Where are the men?”
– They’re all gathered now. We finished mapping out the CCTV on the first day of surveillance, and we have simple disguise gear ready.
“Good.”
– When do we start?
The Security Team Leader licked his dry lips.
“The moment I arrive.”
An old saying goes: strike while the iron is hot. To him, a C-rank Hunter was soft enough to pluck with one hand—like a horn that could be torn off in an instant.
* * *
I realized the bait had been taken not long after.
Meow.
Mew.
The two Familiars showering me with affection to win my favor. But this time, something was different.
With their short legs, they scrambled onto the sofa, and seeing them settle not just anywhere but on my thigh, I was certain.
‘They’ve bitten the bait.’
The USB in my pocket is the bait. The watchers must be going mad with curiosity by now.
What plan I mentioned in that call, who was on the other end of the line, and what exactly is on this USB.
‘I wish they’d be bolder than I expected.’
Whether it was them or me, there was nothing good about dragging this out. On a weekday afternoon, the apartment complex was quiet, and a boring documentary about returning to farming played on the television.
“Ah, maybe I should take a walk up the mountain for once.”
I was muttering to myself and about to step out the entrance when the change I’d been waiting for finally arrived.
[Lv.2 Cat]
[Lv.2 Cat]
The Familiar Magic had been released. The meaning of this phenomenon was unmistakable.
‘Now they’re making their real move.’
In the body of a kitten, they couldn’t steal the USB from me. But if the target—myself—moved to a place with few people around, things would change.
‘They’ll think I’m just an ordinary C-rank Hunter they can rob without worry.’
Of course, I could easily predict that the process would include a fair amount of violence and intimidation.
However, the watchers had overlooked one crucial thing.
Me. Those who had always been the aggressors never considered that they themselves could become victims.
‘I’m looking forward to this. What kind of people are they?’
I intended to show them exactly what happens when you engage in illegal stalking without permission.
* * *
The information Jin Tae-kyung obtained from the Real Estate Office was only half correct. Unlike the Security Team of Sangdong Guild, Hong Woo-jin’s hideout was in a place he never could have anticipated.
It was the rooftop of the apartment complex where Jin Tae-kyung lived.
“Phew.”
Hong Woo-jin, having severed the link with his familiar, opened his eyes in a small storage room attached to the rooftop.
By slipping the security guard a modest sum of money, he’d managed to secure this optimal space of roughly fifty square feet for several days.
“This situation’s gotten messier than expected.”
Jin Tae-kyung’s suspicious phone call, a USB containing who knows what.
He’d finally uncovered something worth calling information, but Sangdong Guild had done the same.
Emerging from the storage room, he looked down below the rooftop. Far below, he could see Jin Tae-kyung just stepping out of the apartment entrance.
‘Should I follow him or not?’
By the terms of the request, following would be the right call, but something felt off. It was then, as Hong Woo-jin watched the retreating figure of Jin Tae-kyung with conflicted eyes, that it happened.
“Well, well, what do we have here?”
One, then another. The way they crept out was indistinguishable from a snake stalking its prey.
Six in total.
Each wore different clothes and moved like ordinary citizens, but to Hong Woo-jin’s trained eye—a fellow professional in the industry—they were unmistakable.
“Sangdong Guild thugs.”
Not just one or two, but a full six of them had emerged.
Moreover, the target’s destination was a secluded mountain. Realizing what was about to unfold, he furrowed his brow.
“They really do have nerve. Quite a lot of it.”
The use of force fell outside Hong Woo-jin’s parameters. When the Security Team was deployed despite his explicit warnings at the time of the initial request, he should have put a stop to it then… but this crossed the line.
‘Jin Tae-kyung, I wanted to deal with that bastard myself.’
The man’s identity intrigued me, but only to this point. I had a premonition that getting further entangled would be a mistake.
‘Sangdong Guild, you bastards.’
Hong Woo-jin clicked his tongue and pulled out his smartphone to send a message.
The recipient was Team Leader 1. The message was brief and concise.
〈 Team Leader 1
I’m done with the job.
Before leaving the Rooftop, I didn’t forget to offer a prayer for Jin Tae-kyung, who had already vanished.
‘That was filthy. Let’s never see each other again.’
In many ways, it had been an unlucky commission.
* * *
I climbed the Mountain Road in silence. It had been a long time since I’d strayed from the hiking trail.
But I didn’t stop. I simply kept moving forward, deeper and deeper still.
Then, at some point, a wide clearing appeared. In that overgrown place where weeds had grown tall enough to brush my knees, I slowly turned around.
“Still taking a stroll, I see?”
Kim Kwon-dong, the middle-aged man I’d encountered twice before, hardened his expression without a word.
“No response. And who’s the man beside you?”
“A friend.”
If Kim Kwon-dong had the kind of ordinary face you could find anywhere, this man who’d just answered was the complete opposite.
He was the type whose menacing appearance would make gangsters weep—a massive frame with a gravelly voice that rumbled from between his lips.
“You knew everything, so why’d you come all the way out here?”
“You kept trailing behind me. I was curious how far you’d follow. Think of it as dog training.”
The man burst into a hearty laugh.
“Bold for a kid. How old are you?”
“I have a restless spirit.”
“You’ve got a knack for dodging questions.”
“Thank you for the compliment, Choi Byung-il.”
The man, Choi Byung-il, fell silent. His pupils trembled.
“…How did you know?”
“That’s a trade secret. But are you really friends with Kim Kwon-dong? Judging by appearances, you two don’t make a convincing pair.”
Now it was Kim Kwon-dong’s turn to be flustered. But my words weren’t finished yet.
“If you’re not friends, is it difficult to answer? Then I’ll ask the other four. I’d appreciate it if Park Hyung-jin, Oh Gyu-hyun, Lee Min-chul, and Kim Jun-su would give me honest answers.”
Whoooosh.
The air rippled, and four people dropped down. With level windows floating above their heads, they all wore expressions as if they’d seen ghosts.
“Why are you all so shocked? I was just being considerate so you could breathe easier.”
Choi Byung-il clenched his teeth. His initial composure had vanished, replaced by anxiety and panic.
“What the hell… Who do you think you are?”
Since he’d cursed first, respect for elders was over. I smirked at Choi Byung-il.
“Still don’t know? You must’ve dug up all my information. If you went as far as assigning a Familiar Mage, that says it all.”
“…!”
“If it were just me at home, I would’ve let it slide. But thinking about my family being watched too pissed me off. So I threw out some bait, and you bit hard.”
All six watchers trembled.
“S-so the USB too?”
“Oh, that? My lifetime collection of adult videos.”
A treasure of humanity that I’d carefully stored in my inventory.
“This can’t be right! I had a good feeling about this.”
“Yeah. There are plenty of ridiculous pieces out there. It’s natural for a man to have instincts about these things.”
I spoke to them as they stood there with vacant expressions.
“Since you answered sincerely, let me ask just one thing.”
One by one, their bodies flinched each time my gaze met theirs.
Finally, my eyes stopped on a gaunt man in his twenties standing before me. He was probably the Familiar Mage.
[Lv.41 Kim Jun-su]
“Jun-su. You came from Sangdong Guild, didn’t you?”
“Shut your mouth!”
Choi Byung-il shouted, but Kim Jun-su had already answered.
His answer was written plainly on his ashen, bloodless face.
“Okay, Sangdong Guild. I figured as much.”
Choi Byung-il’s face hardened at my words.
“You shouldn’t have spoken that name.”
“Why, you’ll kill me?”
“…I’ll capture you and think about it.”
“That sounds pretty difficult.”
Choi Byung-il’s level was in the mid-60s. The aura he gave off was comparable to Im Chang-su’s, while the rest were merely ordinary C-rank Hunters in their 30s and 40s.
The probability of these amateurs capturing me was extremely low.
“Come at me with the resolve to die. That’s the only way you’ll tie a butterfly knot around my wrist.”
“Go!”
At Choi Byung-il’s shout, the watchers from Sangdong Guild began rushing at me from all directions.
Whoosh!
A single dagger falling over my shoulder was the beginning.
I reached toward that trajectory, which appeared to move in slow motion.
At the same time…
‘Inventory open. Equip.’
Crack!
The blade, brimming with force, shattered the enemy’s dagger. Fragments of metal and someone’s blood spilled onto the nameless grass below.
“Come on, you stalking bastards!”
Screeeech!

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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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