183 - Murim Login

Chapter 183 The hulking figure, reminiscent of a minotaur, glared with eyes no bigger than marbles. “What business do you have here, executioner?” It was as if he was telling me to pretend I didn’t see anything and walk past. Though the lines resembled those of third-rate thugs from movies, my [Qi Sense] informed me that this massive man was neither a third-rate thug nor a clumsy wanderer. [Lv.95 Cheolwoo] 'As formidable as he looks.' In martial arts terms, he would be considered a master at the peak level, and in modern terms, at least an A-rank hunter. If such a person were a thug, even the most capable law enforcement wouldn’t be able to handle him. 'Where did a guy like that come from?’ The aliases “Volcanic Crane” and “Three Blossoms” flashed through my mind momentarily but that was it. No matter how I looked at him, a nickname like “Magok District Butcher” or “Two-Axes of Seocho” seemed more fitting than anything related to a crane or blossoms. As I stood silently, the hulking Cheolwoo furrowed his brows. “Didn’t you hear me? Are you deaf? Or just mute?” Before I could reply, Hyuk Mujin stepped forward. “What an impudent fellow we have here. What kind of discourteous behavior is this towards our young master?” “Playing deaf to someone speaking is courteous behavior?” “Hold your tongue!” “Hold my tongue? How precious must one be to ignore someone’s question?” “This man! Does he need a lesson to come to his senses?” I stopped Hyuk Mujin, who was reaching for his sword. “Enough.” “Don’t stop me. That guy deserves to be taught a harsh lesson!” “He’s stronger than you.” “Ah, I see I should step back.” Cheolwoo, looking incredulous, spoke. “Is he your subordinate?” “For now, yes.” “You must have it tough.” “Every day is a battle of patience.” He clicked his tongue as he scanned our group from head to toe. “You seem like martial artists. It’s best to go on your way. This person made a huge mistake with me.” Cheolwoo grabbed someone by the collar and lifted them effortlessly, showing immense strength as the bulky middle-aged man soared upwards. “Help! Please, help!” The terrified man had his level window floating above his head, which I discerned earlier with my sense. [Lv.60 Woo Hwangtae] A name befitting someone who would whet your appetite for stew. It also seemed vaguely familiar. 'Woo Hwangtae, Woo Hwangtae... where did I hear that?’ As I pondered for a moment, Cheolwoo shook Woo Hwangtae by the collar. “Help with what? Don’t drag innocent people into this; better take a clean beating.” “Please, warrior. Let’s resolve this through dialogue. Dialogue.” “Dialogue?” “Yes, yes! Dialogue!” “Dialogue sounds good. Let’s first have a close talk somewhere private.” Clearly, he intended a physical conversation. As Woo Hwangtae, against his will, was being dragged away, he shrieked desperately. “I was invited by the Tae Won Household! I’m supposed to meet the young master!” “We were both invited. But I’m too straightforward to care about the Tae Won household’s young master or head.” “Eek!” This is bad. If I don’t remember soon, someone’s going to end up dead. While I usually avoid unnecessary disputes, I couldn’t just ignore this feeling of unease in my chest. 'He seems like a fairly important guest from what I hear.' The mention of a private meeting with Jin Wiyoung and the way Cheolwoo dismissively spoke of the Tae Won household bothered me. I smacked my lips as I stepped forward. “Hey.” “Aren’t you the persistent one… Did you call me?” “Yes.” “What for?” “Well, it’s not much.” I continued speaking towards the hesitating Cheolwoo. “On a good day like this, wouldn’t it be better to resolve things through dialogue?” “Should you stop now?” “Sorry if I’m butting in unnecessarily, but wouldn’t it be awkward for Tae Won household if the guests start fighting?” “Hey, young man.” Cheolwoo rubbed his neck, obviously annoyed, and his tone, which had been semi-formal, suddenly became more casual. “This is personal. Meddling is just going to make you tired.” “I’m already tired. But what choice do I have?” “Watch your tone.” “Sure. Right back at you.” “How old are you?” “Barely twenty.” “Twenty? Ha, young and fresh.” “How old are you?” “Twenty-five, you little punk.” Unbelievable, I was stunned twice. Once by his condescending attitude at twenty-five, and again by the fact that his looks don’t match his age. Even if he drank protein shakes instead of milk, this wouldn’t happen. I asked, quite shocked. “Twenty-five? Is your name Benjamin, by any chance? Living life backwards, eh?” Benjamin Cheolwoo glared. “What nonsense are you spouting?” “No nonsense, just facts. Must’ve been tough looking so mature.” “Mature? Nonsense! Everyone thinks I look young!” “Who, exactly? Let’s choose: Number one, your mom. Number two, your dad. Number three, your grandma. Oh, let’s make number four your youngest aunt.” “This beardless brat…” “Drop your pants. Let me see if you’ve got any hair.” “You little… “Woof, woof! Woof woof woof!” Cheolwoo let go of Woo Hwangtae’s collar. The man, who had been trembling and looking between ground and sky, took a deep breath. “You… huff huff…” “Are you mad, Benjamin?” “Shut that mouth of yours!” Seems like I’ve really set him off. 'I didn’t mean for things to go this far.' Replying to each word got us here. Cheolwoo, like a raging minotaur, snorted heavily but managed to speak, albeit with difficulty. “What are you, huh?” “What do I look like?” “A fool asking for death.” Crack. You could hear the unsettling sound of shifting knuckles from his hand, as big as a shovel. Cheolwoo gritted his teeth, glaring at me. “Do you understand the consequences of meddling in personal grudges in the martial world?” “That’s why I apologized for meddling. But if guests start fighting, what does that make the host? You should think about the main household’s reputation too.” “Main household?” "Oh, the main household." "Are you part of the Tae Won household?" "I wouldn't call myself a freeloader." "If you joke around one more time, I'll make sure you're bedridden for three years." "Watch your language, before you end up mourning for three years." Cheolwoo chuckled. It wasn’t a laugh of amusement, but the kind that escapes when you're up to your ears in anger. "My senior repeatedly warned me... You’re hopeless. Let’s have it out." Boom! Before he even finished speaking, a tremendous crash resounded as the ground shattered. It took only an instant for the huge, two-meter figure to reach right in front of my nose, hurled like a cannonball. “This will hurt.” Swoosh! With his chilling voice, the wind split, or rather, dispersed chaotically. A simple straight punch without any special technique. The force behind his fist held enough power to smash a massive boulder. But... 'It’s fine as long as it doesn’t hit.' Wham! Clang! I bent my body backward as if lying down. The compressed air burst from his prolonged fist as it struck the empty air just a hand’s breadth above me. A tree some distance away gets tossed as if caught in a typhoon. 'Wow, this guy was serious.' I was genuinely taken aback by the sheer force. If it had hit an ordinary top martial artist, they wouldn’t have just felt pain—they’d be severely injured or worse. With his eyes blinded in rage, he seemed oblivious to everything. “Hey, take it easy. Go easy on the moves.” "You rat-like bastard!" Swish! Swish! Each time I effortlessly dodged the consecutive blows, my hunch grew stronger. 'I can win this.' Even a massive boulder needs to be struck to be shattered. No matter how strong an attack is, it means nothing if it doesn’t land. Moreover, he was only at the beginning of the peak level, unable to unleash his full Martial Qi. If our understanding of martial arts was similar, I’d have the advantage, especially since I possess a unique power. 'Stats.' Swoosh! Bang! After missing yet another strike, Cheolwoo blew up in frustration. “Damn it all!” "You’re too excited. Relax and breathe deeply! Then, maybe you’ll graze a hair or two." Meanwhile, I regained full composure. Hyuk Mujin and Chung Poong were watching indifferently from the sidelines, and Woo Hwangtae stood gaping, watching our exchange. Given the circumstances, Cheolwoo seemed quite flustered. "Who are you, really?" "I’m from the Tae Won household." "There’s no way someone like you would be in such a backwater place... Wait a minute." Studying me intently, Cheolwoo suddenly furrowed his brow. "Are you... the Sword of Jincheon?" "I do have a bit of a connection to that person. As far as I know, we came from the same womb." "So... the Hidden Dragon of Shanxi?" I flashed a smile. "Bingo." Though Cheolwoo might not understand the word bingo, he read it as a confirmation and clenched his fist. "Somehow, I had a feeling you were something special." "Try landing a hit before you say that. You said it’d hurt, but it just feels refreshing." "I admit. You may not be a dragon, but you could be akin to the Imugi." "That's a stingy assessment." "Your mouth has reached the level of a master." "It’s all part of the mind game. Look back at yourself. All you see are your eyes rolling white as you swing blindly." "Don’t get it twisted. I just didn’t want to use my sect’s martial arts against an unknown small fry like you." "Where’s your sect? Dodong Sect?" "Doesn't concern you." Cheolwoo spat phlegm and muttered. "Damn, the Hidden Dragon of Shanxi. What a buzzkill." It’s the same for me. He seemed to be from a reputed sect himself, and if we fought until one of us dropped, both he and I would face repercussions. "I'm holding back because of my big brother." "I’m letting it go because of the senior master." We said similar things at the same time and glared at each other. "Huh? This bastard." "Bastard? This youngster dares call an adult—" "Acting all grown-up, do you even know my real age before playing the adult card?" "You’re hardly twenty! How is that not young?" "But that’s not—" Combining my age from both the martial world and modern life, I’d be hitting fifty soon, but explaining that here wouldn’t get through. I swallowed my words. "Fine. Why am I even bothering to fight with someone like you? Anyway, in the martial world, the strongest is the adult." "What! Are you saying you’re stronger than me?" "Of course. Didn’t you feel it just now, the difference between us?" "You insatiable brat!" "Go ahead, if you can." "You think I can’t?" As Cheolwoo raised his fist, seething, a voice suddenly cut in. “I think it’s best for both of you to stop now.” A figure with ghostly footwork descended, his eyes cold, sweeping over us. His gaze passed over Hyuk Mujin and Chung Poong, then finally stabbed like arrows into Cheolwoo and I. “The Gentle Fist and the Third Young Master.” “Sir Wei, it’s not exactly what it looks like…” “Yes, I was just…” The icy voice, colder than a winter wind, froze our words. “Were you planning on disgracing your sects?” Cheolwoo and I quietly closed our mouths. "How long has it been since Pahwakyun left?" "I don't know, more than half an hour?" "Why isn't he back?" "Maybe he's stuck." "A Taoist from Mount Hua?" "What does that have to do with anything? Does being a Mount Hua Taoist mean their bowels work better?" "That's true." By the time Cheolwoo’s constipation theory seemed more likely, a group descending from the hill attracted cheers from the crowd. One face among them was unmistakable to martial artists of Shanxi Province. “It’s the Hidden Dragon of Shanxi!” “The Hidden Dragon is coming with the Gentle Fist!” “Wow!” The appearance of the two promising young talents heated up the atmosphere. Reputed to become future pillars of the martial world, the duo walked side by side, waving. Every wave prompted cheers and hands reaching out to touch their garments. “The Hidden Dragon!” “The Gentle Fist!” “They seem close. Were they acquainted?” “Does it matter? True talent recognizes true talent. It's not unusual for them to form a bond quickly.” “Now that you mention it, they do seem well-matched.” As everyone beamed at them with contentment, Jin Taekyung and Cheolwoo exchanged words in hushed tones, their lips barely moving. “I went easy on you earlier. You realize that, right? You couldn’t even touch me.” “Nonsense. I didn’t even use half of my strength.” “I didn’t use even a third.” “Correction, I used less than a tenth.” “My mistake. Actually, it was less than a hundredth.” “Now that I think about it, same here.” “This is totally insane.” “Look who’s talking!” Amidst the thunderous cheers, this intense exchange was audible only to the masters at the peak of their craft.