268 - Murim Login

**Chapter 268** The Death of the Dharma King Gyeongdo. And the mysterious bloodshed at Shaolin Temple, the pinnacle of the martial world. More swift-spreading than galloping horses are the voices of the people. Rumors have spread far and wide through the mouths of numerous witnesses. "Have you all heard the news? At the Seongrade… "The martial artists are surrounding Songshan Mountain. I heard there was a bloodbath at Shaolin." The province of Henan, which had been buzzing with festival excitement for the Seongrade, was turned upside down. The elderly recalled the chaos wrought by the Demon Sect decades ago, and the young realized that the war they treated as ancient history was abruptly real. “For the Demon Sect to reappear, it’s disastrous. Truly disastrous.” “Rumor has it that it wasn’t the Demon Sect but some other group?” “Who else could commit such deeds other than the Demon Sect?” “I don’t know the details either. It’s just what I've heard.” “No way. I heard that the leaders of the beasts who attacked Shaolin were the terrifying Yin-Yang Twin Demons.” “Yin-Yang Twin Demons? I heard that the Heavenly Demon himself stepped forward.” "T-the Heavenly Demon?” As numerous words piled upon each other, the rumors snowballed. People trapped in confusion between fact and fiction naturally had their eyes fixed on one place. The old site of the Martial Alliance. Where the pillars of righteous martial arts, both large and small, were gathered. “You’ve heard, haven’t you? About Jongryuchu, no, the Sword Saint Maejonghak.” “Stay strong. Sometimes life just deals you a hand like that.” “I also lost everything this time, phew… It turned out like that, but hearing about you, Captain, gave me energy.” “Why?” "Huh?” “Why does it energize you?” “Isn’t it obvious? The old sages said that sharing pain makes it lighter…” Whack! “Heuk.” Hyuk Mujin, struck precisely in the solar plexus, bent over with a sound of deflating. Seeing the back of his head so clearly exposed made my hand itch. It just went on its own. Smack! “Do you feel energized now? Huh?” “H-Hold on a moment. You hit my solar plexus. My solar plexus.” “Because of you, my blood pressure soars. My blood boils!” Whap-whap-whap! After smacking the back of his head like a storm, I felt a bit relieved. This guy’s already making things chaotic when they're tense enough. “Watch your words; things are serious right now, yes?” Hyuk Mujin muttered while rubbing the back of his head. “I was just trying to lighten the mood since it seemed so serious.” “Just stay quiet, okay?” “…Yes.” Silencing Hyuk Mujin, I quietly gazed out the window. Though martial artists were dashing in all directions, not a single one was showing any sign of dressing up, yet the atmosphere was tense with apprehension. Yet amidst all that, the sky couldn’t have been clearer. Hyuk Mujin’s deflated voice reached my ears. “It feels strange.” “What does?” “Everything. It's just hard to believe that only a day has passed.” “I feel the same.” Even the word 'tumultuous' wasn’t enough. Everything that happened the day before didn’t feel real. As if it were a dream. The final breath of Gyeongdo and the blood-drenched scene at Shaolin flashed before my eyes, followed by the appearance of the Yin-Yang Twin Demons, the Blood Lord, and the Sword Saint Maejonghak all parading like a panorama. ‘The problem is that this is just the prologue.’ In a theater, the end credits might have started rolling by now. But this is merely a foreboding omen. The inexplicable sense of crisis felt by everyone was palpable as though it were tingling the skin. ‘Something is changing.’ The martial world has already transformed into a vast powder keg. The righteous martial artists hold the fuse, but in Amcheon’s hand is a flint. And just yesterday, the fuse was ignited. Though I don’t yet know the outcome of all this, the process is beginning to emerge. ‘War will come.’ A war on an entirely different scale than in Shanxi Province will break out. Surely, the leaders know what I am beginning to suspect. The heads of righteous martial artists were already busy managing this crisis and holding meetings. “By the way, didn’t you attend a meeting yesterday, Captain?” I nodded slightly. Though not comparable to the Nine Sects or the Five Great Families, the Taeweon Jinga is undoubtedly a powerhouse of Shanxi Province. Especially since Shanxi was where Amcheon first emerged, it was natural that serious attention would be paid by the leadership. “What were they asking?” “They asked about the Grand Elder and the Red Wind Group. I answered everything I knew.” “The Grand Elder makes sense, but the Red Wind Group too?” “Yes, because the Temporary Strength Pill that Pongyang of the Red Wind Group used is connected to Amcheon.” “Ah.” Hyuk Mujin, who now held a senior position in our family, was aware of much of the internal situation, including the existence of the Temporary Strength Pill and Amcheon. “Was there anything else discussed?” “I just left. Important news will come from the elder brothers anyway…" My voice inadvertently sunk, slipping past my lips. “I felt uneasy leaving Noya alone too long.” My gaze naturally turned to someone while looking out the window. An elderly man of small stature lay on the bed as if in deep sleep. When I held his wrinkled hand, I could feel his pulse and see the slight rise and fall of his chest; it was breathing, yet even after a day, he had not regained consciousness. “When do you think he’ll wake up?” “The problem is we don’t know that exactly.” “Didn’t some famous physician with a great reputation visit?” “He said he had no way to intervene. Suggested we just keep an eye on it since there are no major injuries like with others.” **Flame Demon Martial Arts**—the pinnacle of Fiery Gate’s martial arts. Possessing immense power enough to fight a thousand martial artists, but everything comes at a price. For an elderly man well over a hundred, the stamina and strength to withstand the aftermath were not there. ‘Perhaps…’ I shook my head to dispel the sudden thought that came to mind. Let’s shelve negative thoughts for now. Both the Sword Saint and the physician clearly stated there’s no threat to his life. Now, the best course was to watch over Jeok Cheongang closely. “Did anyone suspicious appear while I was away?” Within the Martial Alliance, the abbot of Shaolin Temple had been assassinated. No one could claim safety. Just as Jeok Cheongang protected me from the Blood Lord, I needed to protect him in return. Hyuk Mujin nodded with an air of confidence. “The Jinryong Squad has surrounded the building without any gaps. Don’t worry.” "Jinryong Squad? Isn’t that supposed to be the elite team of the Taeweon family?” “Yes. Even the young master was concerned for Jeok's safety, so he attached me specifically. Who am I, after all? I’m Hyuk Mujin, the squad leader of the Jinryong Squad.” "Oh..." I looked Hyuk Mujin up and down before averting my eyes. The confidence on his face quickly shifted into a slightly disgruntled expression. “What’s with that reaction just now?” “It’s nothing. Just realizing that maybe I shouldn’t be leaving my spot unattended.” “Are you implying you don't trust the skills of the Jinryong Squad, the elite of our main household?” “No, not at all. Just drop it, okay?” Hyuk Mujin, narrowing his eyes at me, suddenly stood up. “Fine. I’ll report to the young master and withdraw the squad.” “Hey now, there’s no need to take it like that. Are you going through puberty again?” “It’s because you keep saying things that hurt, Captain. Isn’t this the nth time? Hmm?” "Lower your voice. You'll wake Noya." "It’d be nice if he did wake up." That’s a good point. While I was momentarily lost for words, Hyuk Mujin took a step toward the door. It was clearly a gesture meant to be stopped. Sometimes, you have to fulfill others' expectations. “Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Hyuk Mujin huffed and spoke. “It’s one thing to put up with everything else, but I can’t stand remarks that disregard my beloved subordinates!” “What now?” I didn’t really expect him to say something like that. Mujin has really grown up. Maybe he won't need any more verbal 'circumcisions' on his humor. “…I’m seriously leaving now.” “Alright, alright. Sit down. Calm yourself and have some water.” “Humph. I refuse.” “Haha. Our Mujin has really grown up, making me say things twice.” "......!" Hesitating for a moment, Hyuk Mujin quietly sat back down in a chair. “Still, I need an apology.” “Huh? For what apology?” “For ignoring my subordinates.” “When did I do that? I never ignored them.” “Just a moment ago, didn’t you express disbelief? Isn’t that because you think they’re weaker in martial arts than you, Captain?” I took a sip of the now cold tea. “Well, we aren’t exactly the Nine Great Schools or the Five Great Clans, so of course there’s a difference in level compared to them. But the Jinryong Squad members are all young and talented, right? They performed excellently yesterday. It was your squad that saved Mumeong, wasn’t it?” Shaolin is like a great tree. Although it lost a large branch known as the Dharma King and many of its fruits due to yesterday's incident, the roots remained. The martial arts of Shaolin and the survival of Mumeong were proof of that. Ah, and that old monk Gyeongcheol survived too, didn’t he? “Yes. They fought bravely against Amcheon’s men as well.” Hyuk Mujin puffed out his chest, full of pride. “See? That’s what matters. And they all seemed sharp, loyal to the family too. But there’s just one problem.” “What’s that?” “You’re the squad leader.” “While your subordinates are standing tall and diligent, the squad leader is here just chatting?” “Well, that’s…” “You say you care about them, you’re proud of them?” “It’s true! I care so much for those guys…” Hyuk Mujin, who hesitated, got his act together and began to speaking fluently. “Besides, my current mission is to protect Jeok Dae-hyup and you, Captain.” “What was your mission before this?” “Huh?” “What was your mission before?” “That was, of course, to guard the young master.” “Really?” I laughed, pulling something from my sleeve and tossing it onto the table. With a clatter, a gold mask lay there, gleaming, and as he saw it, Hyuk Mujin gasped. “Gasp! Where did you get this…?!” “Where else? I thought it was strange, how clingy you got after the preliminaries.” “Wait a minute. This is a misunderstanding. I was truly busy with the guard duty for… “Misunderstanding? Sure, misunderstandings are great. Shall I ensure there’s no room for any in the future?” Crunch. Unable to withstand the grip, the gold mask crumpled like a small ball. Hyuk Mujin’s eyes shook as if an earthquake hit them. “Guard duty at a gambling den, you rascal? You were so famous I didn’t even have to find out—you became something of a legend for winning ten thousand silvers at once and losing the same amount right after.” The fact that I heard about it even amid such a serious atmosphere says it all. Rumor had it that one of the servants at the Martial Alliance struck it rich at the, well, 'Toto', and slapped the chief before leaving. “If you treasured your subordinates so much, you would’ve pooled the membership fees and placed the bet together, right? But you gobbled it all up alone to avoid lowering the odds?” Silent. No response. He couldn’t have anything to say even if he had ten mouths. Stiff-faced, Hyuk Mujin finally spoke up. “Originally, life is… about hitting it big once.” This guy still hasn’t come to his senses. Just as I lifted my fist, glaring at Hyuk Mujin with an incredulous expression, it happened. Whoosh, tap. There was no detectable presence or sound. Like magic, a young—or rather, elderly—man had smoothly landed on the window sill from a height of several floors. Smiling, he waved a hand. “How about we chat for a bit, friend?” Friend, what friend. I inwardly sighed as I looked at the Sword Saint Maejonghak.