194 - Murim Login

Chapter 194 “Ah, that feels refreshing.” Cheok Cheon-gang, who went to see Sophie briefly, returned only after a while. I couldn't shake off a suspicious feeling and squinted my eyes at him. “Why are you squinting like that?” “Did you really go to see Sophie?” “Do you need to sniff me to believe it?” “It took you quite some time. Could it be…” “Even an elderly man like me has quite the stamina.” How is it that someone can have such stamina to take a 15-minute restroom break? At that rate, it’s not a restroom break; it’s like a fire hose. When I looked at him with disbelief, Cheok Cheon-gang raised his eyebrows at me. “What? Is there a problem?” “No, not at all.” A problem, he says. Considering all the help I've received from him today, it wouldn't be enough to bow a hundred times. 'And besides...' I brushed off a sudden thought. The dreaded artifact of the Flame Sect, the disciple of the Fire King. The murmurs whispering rumors, which I decided to ignore. 'Disciple, what a ridiculous notion.' It was a matter I'd never considered. Why would he take as his new disciple the person who killed his previous one, whom he cherished like his own child, after only meeting them a day ago? 'Even if that disciple was the worst scoundrel.' As I mulled over these thoughts, Jin Wi-gyeong approached and respectfully greeted Cheok Cheon-gang. “Jin Wi-gyeong of the Martial Arts School greets the renowned hero, Fire King Cheok Cheon-gang.” “The Jin family?” Cheok Cheon-gang scanned Jin Wi-gyeong up and down, then nodded as if he understood. “Are you this boy’s father?” “Pardon?” “You need to educate your child properly. Such a young one already causing trouble! And his language is completely uncouth.” Jin Wi-gyeong responded with the darkest expression I'd ever seen on his face. “...He's my younger brother.” “What?” “I am the older brother, Jin Wi-gyeong.” Cheok Cheon-gang stood firm. “Don’t joke with me. I understand wanting to look young, but if you're too greedy, even the heavens will punish you.” “It's the truth. I, Jin Wi-gyeong, am indeed the eldest brother of the Jin family.” “...May I ask your age?” “The year has changed, so I am now thirty-six.” Cheok Cheon-gang whispered incredulously. “You look at least forty-six.” Admittedly, his face had aged considerably, more than his years. At first, even I had mistaken him for our father. Though his hair was still thick, his face seemed to have been battered by the years like a fastball at 160km. There's no visible remedy. With Jin Wi-gyeong's sorrowful expression, Cheok Cheon-gang offered some consolation. “It's alright. What matters in life is capability. As long as you have a pretty wife and cute kids, it’s fine hahaha.” “I'm still single.” “...At thirty-six?” Though in modern times it's the age to start considering marriage, in a community where early marriage is common, thirty-six is old enough to have grandchildren. The single man Jin Wi-gyeong gave a brief response. This lull stretched longer. Frowning, then smoothing his brow, the Fire King let out a long sigh. “Damn it, I crave a drink.” I chuckled. How could a feast day like today lack alcohol? There was alcohol aplenty all around us. “Would you like a drink?” At my words, Cheok Cheon-gang widened his eyes. “What an audacious fellow! Are you joking with me?” “Pardon?” “Bring me a whole barrel.” Atmosphere is like a spark; once extinguished, it’s hard to reignite. But even after the uninvited guests from the Zhongnan Sect dampened our spirits, the spark didn’t die out. No, it blazed even more fiercely due to the presence of the Fire King. “Wowww!” “Drink up! Let’s drink!” “I never thought I’d see the Fire King in the flesh.” “If the Fire King is flustered, shall we chant left and right to calm him!” "......" I don’t know who it was, but that guy nearly extinguished the fire’s spark. At my cue, Hyeok Moo-jin discreetly left the scene to identify the atmosphere killer. Meanwhile, Cheok Cheon-gang welcomed greetings from many people. “Lord Cheok! Seeing you is the honor of a lifetime!” “Please visit our sect in the future…” “Please bestow your teachings upon us!” It was, literally, a flood of people. The name Fire King Cheok Cheon-gang was akin to a living legend. Moreover, because he had been absent for decades, most people had accepted his death as an open truth. Yet, the seemingly dead Fire King appeared. And not in the martial world or at Mount Gu Hua, but here in the Jin clan of Shanxi Province. 'Of course, it’s a commotion.' If a legendary singer, once considered dead, returned to life, it might cause a similar stir. Despite the warm reception from local fans of Shanxi Province, Michael Cheon-gang looked rather indifferent. Noticing this, Jin Wi-gyeong discreetly communicated. - Little brother. Among those who could converse leisurely with the eccentric Cheok Cheon-gang were only Cheong-pung and me. Since Cheong-pung is unpredictable, I naturally ended up as the intermediary. “Is something bothering you?” “Look at the state I’m in. Wouldn’t you feel uneasy?” Cheok Cheon-gang eyed the liquor barrel beside him. Though some time had passed, it was barely emptied. It wasn’t that he disliked drinking, but simply hadn't had the chance to enjoy it. “Damn it. It’s this hard to get a single drink.” People suddenly asked to be apprenticed, sect leaders and high officials wanted to treat him as a guest of honor. Shockingly, even a pregnant woman asked if she could touch his nose. She claimed she wanted to receive the Fire King’s energy to birth a great person. 'What am I, a wish-granting stone statue?' I found it amusing, so I could only imagine how exasperating it was for him. Given Cheok Cheon-gang’s temperament, the fact he lasted this long is impressive. “Shall we move to a place we’ve prepared in advance? It’s quieter there.” “Ugh. Forget it.” “But you seem uncomfortable.” “Oh, I said it's fine! Why’re you blabbering on?” Despite his grumbling, Cheok Cheon-gang didn’t budge from his spot, leaving me to tilt my head in confusion. 'What is it?' Though our acquaintance was brief, I understood him to a certain extent. He clearly disliked noisy environments and was visibly bothered by people's attention. With such a personality, it was expected he would have lived at Mount Gu Hua for his entire life. 'So, why?' I watched Cheok Cheon-gang’s movements attentively. In front of him, the owner of a trade association that held significant influence in Shanxi was bowing deeply. “Oh, Great Warrior Cheok Cheon-gang! I’ve long heard of your renowned name echoing throughout the world.” “When I was young, I…” “Just get to the point.” “As a humble admirer of yours, I prepared a modest token of my appreciation.” “A modest token?” “Yes. It’s something I recently acquired, and it appears to have found its rightful owner.” The merchant retrieved a small box from his robe and opened the lid to reveal a ring adorned with transparent jade. “It’s a Poison-Repelling Ring.” “That’s quite a rare item. It must have been difficult to acquire.” The merchant waved his hand modestly. “Having the honor to meet the great Cheok Warrior, how could price be an issue! It's only worth about a thousand silver coins, haha.” A single ring costing a thousand silver coins. That price was among the highest of any gifts received by the Jin family in Taiyuan. However, Cheok Cheon-gang nodded nonchalantly. “Well, thanks for giving it to me.” “Where are you from, and who are you?” “I’m with Yangcheon Trading…” “Yangcheon Trading? Is that near Hebei?” Even before finishing his introduction, the merchant broke off, but he bowed humbly. “Yes, we’re hoping to establish trade with the Peng family in Hebei, but it hasn’t been easy.” There lies the merchant's true purpose. Despite offering a not-so-modest token, the reason for seeking out Cheok Cheon-gang was to request his influence in securing a deal with the Peng family in Hebei. “So, the Peng family. Who is their current head?” “Great Warrior Peng Cheol-young, known as the Iron Blooded Blade.” “I’ve never heard the name. Is he the son of the Thunderous Blade King?” “Yes, the Thunderous Blade King passed down his position as head of the family.” “When I was young, I shared a drink with the Thunderous Blade King. I understand.” With that, the conversation ended. The merchant left, grinning widely and leaving the box behind. Underneath it lay a pile of bills that had remained unseen. Taking advantage of the merchant’s departure, I whispered. “So, you know the Thunderous Blade King?” As could be inferred from the nickname, he was also among the top-tier masters known as one of the Ten Kings, alongside Cheok Cheon-gang. Cheok Cheon-gang sipped his drink and replied. “I told you, we had a drink once.” Wow. He talks about the Thunderous Blade King as if he were some neighborhood friend. Moments like these make me realize the greatness of Cheok Cheon-gang anew. As I gaped in admiration, Cheok Cheon-gang bragged. “I broke his nose in three years.” “…Excuse me?” “We were having a drink with the Sword Saint when he barged in without a word and picked a fight. So, I taught him a lesson with a good match.” What on earth is he talking about? “Weren't you friends?” “Me? With him?” Cheok Cheon-gang scowled, his eyebrows drawn together. “Why would I associate with such a brute? We haven’t seen each other since.” “Afterwards, strange rumors flew around as well. They said I and that Peng guy fought a hundred moves and mutually acknowledged each other before withdrawing. It must have been the Peng family’s doing.” At his words, those around us, including myself, were dumbstruck. The story about the Thunderous Blade King was outrageous enough, but then realizing the merchant's petition would come to nothing was even more baffling. “So, doesn’t that mean Yangcheon Trading can’t strike a deal with the Peng family? The great warrior’s name would only backfire.” Cheok Cheon-gang blinked. “Yangcheon Trading? What’s that?” "Huh?" “Oh, that guy just now? Why should I care?” “No, you said you’d help them connect with the Peng family.” “They asked me to meet them, so I did. It’s true I drank with the Thunderous Blade King. Was there a single false word in what I said?” I’m not sure about that, but he certainly had no conscience. I found myself respecting his shamelessness. 'Fire King, are you even human?' Many have fallen victim today. Those who believed in Cheok Cheon-gang’s empty promises, offering their “humble tokens” will soon realize it was all a lie and will surely regret it. 'This is tantamount to mass fraud.' Yet, there would be no victims seeking compensation. No one would dare approach Fire King Cheok Cheon-gang to reclaim their offerings. “Please visit our establishment soon.” “Hmm, perhaps someday.” By "someday," he likely means when his soul wanders the afterlife. “This is a small gesture on my part…” “I will gratefully accept it.” No, he really is just accepting them; I looked at the ever-growing pile of treasures, spirit pills, and receipts, realizing this was why he stayed on. Surely, this was the grand plan of an elder seeking to make a grand haul in his later years. After dealing with dozens of gullible people, Cheok Cheon-gang finally opened his mouth. “Hmm, I gathered quite a lot. Is there no one left?” Jin Wi-gyeong replied with an exasperated expression. “Yes. Everyone who could come seems to have already been here.” “What a pity, there could’ve been more to take.” What greed, that old man. Cheok Cheon-gang, contentedly looking over the spoils he earned by drink rather than sweat, stretched his back. “Ah, exhausting.” “Why do you look at me like that?” I quickly averted my gaze from Cheok Cheon-gang’s stern eyes. “No reason. I just find it admirable.” “Doesn’t seem genuine coming from you.” “No, I mean it. It’s not bad to have a lot of wealth, is it?” “Is that so?” Cheok Cheon-gang chuckled lightly and casually tossed out a comment. “Then you keep it.” “W-what?” “I’m saying you can have it all.” “All… that?” “These things are useless to me but not to you. I don’t care if you give it away, so just take it.” What is this situation? I looked at Cheok Cheon-gang with a bewildered expression. 'Why all of a sudden?' He had already given great help. I couldn’t help but be curious about his intention in showing such excessive kindness to me and the Jin family in Taiyuan. Could it really be what I’m thinking? I swallowed nervously and opened my mouth. “Great Warrior, do you perhaps…” At that moment, Cheok Cheon-gang stood up, his face flushed with drink, and said. “Ah, I’m drunk. I’ll go rest now, see you tomorrow.” I watched as Cheok Cheon-gang staggered away, then turned my eyes to the liquor jar. The moonlight reflected on the jar, which wasn’t even half emptied.