65 - Murim Login

Chapter 65 Jin Mu-gyeong pondered. "What on earth happened in the past three years?" It was a feeling of bewilderment he hadn’t experienced in quite some time. And even now, that bewilderment was snowballing. Swish! Swish! Bang! Boom! The air exploded, and everything in the bedroom shattered to pieces, including the walls. But that was all. Jin Tae-gyeong managed to narrowly evade his attacks. "Is he dodging this? That guy?" It was a sight so unbelievable that even witnessing it felt surreal. He knew this human, Jin Tae-gyeong, well. Despite being of martial arts lineage, he was both mentally and physically fragile. When they were kids, he let things slide, but as the years went by, Jin Tae-gyeong's behavior became increasingly absurd. "How could someone like him be my brother?" Was it when they were fifteen? He distinctly remembered the day that guy brought a chair into the training hall. "Brother, what’s that?" "A chair." "You missed a word at the end." "A chair, sir......" "Why did you bring it?" "I thought I'd use it for horse stance training." Jin Mu-gyeong had smacked his forehead at that groundbreaking idea. He realized at that moment that words wouldn't work on this guy. "Get down." Thus, the concept of forceful rehabilitation was born. "And that guy, what? Hidden Dragon of the Mountain and River?" When he first heard that in an inn, he was so taken aback that he couldn't even scoff. If his drinking companion had been twenty years younger, he’d have given Jin Tae-gyeong a sound beating. That was why the first place he went upon arriving at the household was Tae-gyeong’s room. "Are you fabricating rumors too now?" Even without seeing it, he expected the Three Talents Sword technique. He could imagine the picture. A guy who only knew how to womanize pretending to be a top-notch expert just to gain some fame. "You picked the wrong day today." He stormed in thinking just that. However… "Different." He immediately noticed. The grown and solidified physique. The sharp intent hidden deep within the eyes, which once resembled those of a third-rate ruffian. When he grasped Tae-gyeong's hand, it was calloused and strong. "The pinnacle? No, that's not it. He's not yet elite." Having traveled this path himself, he recognized it. Jin Tae-gyeong was unrefined. He was merely facing the barrier to reaching the pinnacle. Which made it all the more astonishing. "How in the world?" Just like not every plant grows merely with water and sunlight, there’s a right season for mastering martial arts. Jin Tae-gyeong, being of the Taiyuan Jin family’s blood, was born with commendable innate potential, but he had missed that optimal period by wasting time. Yet, in just three years, he had grown this much. "It's only possible if he's completely transformed…" Shreeek! A sharp sound cut through Jin Mu-gyeong’s thoughts, narrowly missing Tae-gyeong’s punch and causing his face to harden. "He’s getting faster." It was no illusion. As time passed, the boy got quicker. Swoosh! Even at this very moment. Thud! Blocking an incoming attack with his arm, Jin Mu-gyeong felt confusion overwhelming him. Observing this, Tae-gyeong chuckled. "Did you think you couldn’t dodge it? So you blocked it?" "You..." "Didn’t I say I’d catch up?" "How did this happen? Did you drink some celestial oil?" "Why would I drink oil? This guy's totally out of it." "......" For the first time in his life, Jin Mu-gyeong trembled with anger at such an insult. Who was he? A peak martial artist in his prime, a genius in martial arts! Even the esteemed offspring of the prominent families who envied Jin Mu-gyeong never dared to speak ill of him like this. And yet, his own younger brother, just three years his junior, was calling him crazy. "You’re dead." Momentarily taken aback by the menacing aura, Tae-gyeong let out a smirk. "Your speech is short?" "What?" "If you hold out for a single moment, should I call you my brother? A moment has passed. Right, Mujin?" Hyeok Mujin, who was crouched in a corner unable to even breathe properly, hesitantly answered while glancing around. "Yes, yes, it seems so." But instantly, upon meeting the fierce gaze of Jin Mu-gyeong, he quickly changed his response, almost whining. "Maybe not... Can I just wait outside?" "No." Muttering ominously, Jin Mu-gyeong harnessed his energy. The pressure from the peak expert’s energy dominated the air. The ground cracked and the atmosphere seemed ready to burst. Grrrrk. The smile vanished from Jin Tae-gyeong’s face. "Brother, this isn't right." In contrast, a broad grin spread across his brother's face. "Just as you always do, you bastard." Bang! Crash! A deafening noise and destruction. Arriving late, Jin Wi-gyeong collapsed in front of the ruined building. “Youngest-!” Squee, thud! At that moment, someone emerged from the wreckage. Wearing bloody and tattered clothes, he tossed a barely recognizable figure aside like a sack. “He’s not dead yet.” He paused, then continued speaking. “One of them might actually be dead.” In response, a groan arose from within the rubble. “Ughhhh.” “Get a doctor!” “Take him to the Herb King Hall!” Jin Mu-gyeong looked skyward with a refreshed expression. “Ah, the weather is nice.” An unruly younger brother needs a good beating. The distinctive scent of medicinal herbs tickled my nose. I slowly opened my eyes. The room was clean. Outside, I could sense the bustling presence of a dozen or so people, and next to me, Hyeok Mujin lay asleep, wrapped in bandages. "This must be Herb King Hall." It’s practically like a second home by now. Thinking about it, I've woken up in the Herb King Hall more times than anywhere else after fainting. Ah, the building did collapse. Right. “Damn it.” Jin Mu-gyeong, that brute. Now where am I supposed to sleep? As I stared blankly up at the ceiling, something wiggled beneath my blanket. "What on earth is this?" Lifting the blanket, a small round white creature was revealed, snuggled up against my side. After a moment of silence, I spoke. “What are you doing here?” “Hush, quiet! Quiet!” It was So-yul, the younger sister of So-cheon. A five-year-old girl gazed at me with the most earnest eyes in the world. “What are you doing?” “Be quiet!” “Your voice is the loudest, you know?” “Hush!” Whatever she was doing, life sure seemed interesting for her. I sighed and pulled the blanket over my head. But that didn’t last for long. Wiggle, wiggle. “Puh!” So-yul poked her head out, panting heavily. “Can’t breathe!” Is this really the Herb King Hall? Is it okay for anyone to just waltz into a patient's room where they’re supposed to be resting? “Did you do something wrong or not!” With her tiny hand, she patted my chest with an unexpectedly stern expression. “So, what were you doing here?” “Playing hide and seek.” “With whom?” “With my brother!” So-yul beamed. “He’ll never guess I'm hiding here!” “Well, let’s see.” I glanced at the closed door. Since earlier, I’d sensed someone lurking outside. It was obvious, really. “Come in.” “It’s fine, just come in.” Only then did the door cautiously open. So-cheon entered with an apologetic expression. “I apologize for intruding, benefactor.” Upon seeing her brother, So-yul looked at me with a shocked face. “You betrayed me!” I replied with a gentle smile. “Life is full of betrayals.” “This doesn’t count! It’s a vile conspiracy!” “...Where did you learn to say things like that?” So-cheon’s face turned red at the sight of his five-year-old sister using such cunning vocabulary. “Yul, you shouldn’t use language like that!” “You’re part of a whole pile too!” “You mean part of the same crowd.” With this, resting was out the window. Resignedly, I propped myself up. “Ah, benefactor, are you okay? Your body isn’t fully healed yet…” “It’s not that bad. Just a few bruises.” Granted, I did get hit quite a bit—my bones ached, and I was covered in bruises. But he is my only brother, so I let it slide. Besides, I pushed it deliberately. “I see, that's a relief.” "So how did you know? Is the rumor already out?" “There isn’t anyone in the family who doesn’t know about it.” Well, given that the entire building collapsed early in the morning, it’s to be expected. Out of curiosity, I asked. “So, what are people saying?” I imagined the rumor going something like: The Hidden Dragon of Mountain and River got beaten like a dog by Jincheon Sword. Turns out he’s all just hype. Pretty predictable... “Everyone is furious. Such a vile and wicked scheme!” “Uh?” A vile and wicked scheme? What on earth? Did Jin Mu-gyeong poison me without me knowing? Was I drugged? As I sifted through my bewildered memories, So-cheon, with anger in his voice, gritted his teeth. “If I’d caught him, I’d have torn him to pieces, even if it meant mutual destruction.” “...I appreciate the sentiment, but aren’t you overreacting? Calm down, calm down.” If Jin Mu-gyeong heard this, he wouldn’t just laugh it off. However, despite my attempt to quell him, So-cheon’s anger didn’t dissipate. “How could I calm down? The clan leader has declared immediate punishment.” What? That sounds terrifying. Was this a place where a second brother got executed for beating up his younger sibling? ‘This is the martial world.’ I asked in a shaky voice. “Did they kill him?” So-cheon shook his head regretfully. “He escaped. By now, the search party should be on his trail.” “Unbelievable.” Gasping, I struggled to suppress my urge to dissect Jin Wi-gyeong and So-cheon’s brains to see what nonsense was inside. “Is it really necessary to go that far?” “Pardon?” “No, I mean, even if he was rough with me, he’s not a bad person.” “He attempted to harm our benefactor!” “Well, it can happen. I understand.” Having a younger sibling myself, I know too well. There are times I wish Ha-yeon was a brother so I could thrash him without societal judgment or guilt. “See, I’m barely hurt. If I just rest for a day or two, I'll be fine.” So-cheon looked at me with deep admiration. “Benefactor is... truly a noble gentleman. I, So-cheon, am sincerely moved.” Thud. This is driving me nuts. I rubbed my forehead as So-cheon suddenly bowed deeply. “Alright, tell them to call off the search party. Actually, forget it, it’ll be faster if I go myself. Where’s the eldest brother now?” So-cheon promptly answered. “He is in the office with the second son.” “Hmm?” “Excuse me?” “No, what did you say?” “The clan leader is with the second son.” My head spun. I struggled to speak. “Then who’s the search party chasing?” So-cheon tilted his head and answered. “It must be the assassin, naturally.” “Assassin?” “What assassin?” Another voice abruptly chimed in. Hyeok Mujin, having woken up without me realizing, questioned in disbelief. “What nonsense is being spouted here?” Ignoring Hyeok Mujin, I gestured to So-cheon to continue speaking. “For now, it’s being assumed to be the hidden disciple of the grand elder. His martial arts skills were so outstanding that had the second son not arrived just in time, our benefactor could have been in grave danger... isn’t that so?” Incredulous at this wild story, Hyeok Mujin gaped. “Have you lost it? Want to know how I ended up in this state?” Just as the truth from the shrimp caught in the whale’s fight was about to spill out. “Ah, we forgot about Inspector Hyuk. I heard you fought valiantly against the assassin.” Instantly, Hyeok Mujin’s ears perked up. “Me? Who said that?” “Clan Leader said so. Everyone’s envious because, on top of the merits you achieved this time, you suffered severe injuries while protecting the benefactor. They’re saying the position of the next gatekeeper is guaranteed.” “Next gatekeeper!” “But what do you mean you’ll tell us?” “That would be… Listening to the eager tone of Hyeok Mujin continuing his words, confused, he finally spoke resolutely. “About the assassin.” “Oooooh!” “He was strong. As the future gatekeeper, I clashed a hundred times without determining the winner… What utter nonsense.”