Murim Login - Chapter 331
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I will re-publish the earlier chapters to fix those issues with the translation. I apologize in advance if it did not meet your standard. Please comment the chapters you find that is lacking in quality so I can fix them ASAP. Thanks for understanding!
Current re-published chapters (270 - 305)
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Seonhwa-a, the child who lights the boat’s fire. It referred to a boatman, but it was also a nickname for a specific person.
“Chief.”
At the subordinate’s call, the man sitting cross-legged in the center of the cabin opened his eyes.
His eyes glinted like crystals. His skin was bronze, befitting a tough boatman, and his body was muscular. The bulging temple veins indicated that he was a high-level master.
“What’s the matter?”
A deep, resonant voice flowed from his dry lips. The subordinate answered with utmost respect.
“There’s a ship fifty yards away.”
“A ship? Is it one of our brothers from the alliance?”
“No, it’s not.”
Then there was only one possible answer.
On the Yangtze River, which traverses the world, there are only those who rob and those who are robbed.
“What’s its size?”
“About fifty people. It doesn’t seem to be a merchant ship.”
“I see.”
“What should we do?”
“Handle it quietly without causing a commotion.”
With that, the man closed his eyes again.
If it had been a warship sent by the government, it might have been different, but for such a trivial matter, it wasn’t worth his personal attention.
As always, his subordinates would handle the task according to his orders.
‘To think my meditation would be interrupted by such a trivial matter.’
He pushed aside his annoyance and immersed himself back into his thoughts.
He had reached the peak of his martial arts over ten years ago, but now he was blocked by an invisible wall.
He had tried various elixirs and even opium, which was said to show unprecedented sights, but it was all in vain.
‘At this rate, it’s going to be difficult.’
The Water Dragon Gang was one of the ten largest bands within the Yangtze River Route Alliance.
Located in Sichuan, a region with immense trade, it was a lucrative spot within the alliance.
But for the man, who was just entering his forties, there was an even greater ambition.
‘Alliance Chief.’
His goal was to become the leader of the Yangtze River Route Alliance, and thereby the king of the Yangtze River.
To those who didn’t know the situation, it might have seemed laughable, but he had the ability and background to make it a reality.
Over ten years ago, he had become the leader of the Water Dragon Gang at a young age, just over thirty. That was proof enough.
He took a long breath. As he circulated the natural energy permeating the air, his heightened senses absorbed the surrounding information.
The damp smell of water. The gradual slowing of the fast ship. And the shouts and laughter of his subordinates.
“Haha! They’re really unlucky to run into us. Who’s the captain?”
“It’s me.”
“Did you think you could sail without the permission of the heroes of the Yangtze?”
“I’m terribly sorry for not recognizing the heroes of the Yangtze. This is a small token of my sincerity…”
Thud! Crash!
With the sound of blows, someone fell. A series of high-pitched screams made the man frown.
‘I told them to handle it quietly.’
No warrior likes to have their training disturbed. No matter how rough and uncouth they might be, he didn’t expect them to be so dense.
Just as the man, with eyes wide open, was about to get up, a thunderous noise followed by silence enveloped the surroundings.
‘Looks like it’s over now.’
Relieved, the man was about to close his eyes again. But then, a question crossed his mind.
‘But… why is it so quiet?’
Thud, thud, thud.
The sound of measured, resonant footsteps approached the cabin.
Someone stopped outside the door and spoke in a yawning voice.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming out?”
An unfamiliar voice.
The man’s mind sounded an alarm.
‘Enemy!’
Everything happened in an instant.
The man sprang up and shot toward the door with the speed of light.
With a punch imbued with overwhelming energy capable of destroying a large ship, he smashed through the thick wooden door, aiming for the figure beyond.
And in the next moment.
Boom!
A deafening explosion shook the fast ship.
The man glared at the opponent, or more precisely, at the hand that had blocked his fist.
A voice filled with barely suppressed rage emerged between his clenched teeth.
“Who are you?”
“Me?”
The young man smiled faintly as he answered.
“I’m the owner of this ship.”
Flames erupted from the eyes of Seonhwa-a Mu Song.
“You brat, I’ll show you the heavens.”
I kicked the leg of the middle-aged man sprawled out on the deck.
“How long are you going to stare at the sky? Get up quickly.”
The focus returned to the dazed eyes. The middle-aged man, who raised his upper body, looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“How could you so easily counter the Ship-Breaking Fist?”
“Wait, Ship-Breaking Fist?”
Right, now I remember.
I had definitely seen this martial art somewhere before, but it had been so faint in my memory that it puzzled me.
I scrutinized the middle-aged man with a curious mind.
“What’s your relation to Cheolsu?”
“Cheolsu? Who are you talking about?”
“You know, Cheolsu… Cheolsu…”
Gung Kibang interjected smoothly.
“Cheolsu Shinryong.”
“Right, Cheolsu Shinryong. When I met him at Seongradayeon, he also mentioned the Ship-Breaking Fist.”
As I recall, it must have been the first round of the preliminary matches.
He had boasted about the honor of witnessing the Ship-Breaking Fist, so I had smashed a cliff with my Fiery Fist.
‘He withdrew and went back immediately afterward.’
In Murim, it had only been a month, but given all the events I’d experienced, it felt like a distant past.
Anyway, the middle-aged man in front of me had mastered the same martial art as Cheolsu Shinryong and possessed higher skills.
The man, who had been blinking like a goldfish, stammered with a trembling voice.
“Are you acquainted with my junior?”
“Junior?”
“Cheolsu Shinryong is the youngest of our three brothers. He’s the third. I’m the second.”
Oh? I’ve heard of this too.
People often talked about Cheolsu Shinryong’s master, making it a tiresome topic.
“Then, could it be…”
The middle-aged man nodded.
“That’s right. My master is known as the King of the Seas.”
“Jang Bogo!”
“No, it’s nothing. Just talking to myself.”
“Why the sudden polite speech?”
“Of course, I must be respectful. You’re a senior in the martial arts world and a hero of the Yangtze River Route Alliance. You should speak comfortably too.”
To me, both the Yangtze River Route Alliance and the Green Forest Alliance were groups of outlaws gathered by social misfits.
However…
‘If he’s a disciple of the King of the Seas, that’s different.’
If the King of the Seas hears that I beat up his disciple while trying to seize the ship, he won’t be happy.
Unlike the Green Forest Alliance’s Cheonryeokbu, which has clear justification, this situation needs a peaceful resolution.
I helped the bewildered middle-aged man to his feet and dusted off his clothes.
“Look at your dirty clothes. You’ll need to get them dry-cleaned.”
“Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
“I told you to speak comfortably. I made a small misunderstanding, causing an unfortunate incident. If I had known you were from the Yangtze River Route Alliance, I would have resolved it peacefully. You understand, right?”
“Really?”
“Of course. Do I look like a rude person who would lie to a senior?”
The middle-aged man, staring at me, glanced upward.
Following his gaze, I saw the flag rising high above the fast ship. Even from a hundred meters away, the large characters were clearly visible.
Yangtze River Route Alliance (長江水路盟).
I spoke heavily.
“I can’t read. I’m illiterate.”
I knew it wouldn’t work.
I tightened my grip on my fist and looked at the middle-aged man.
“Let’s just let this go.”
“…Let’s do that.”
Swoosh.
The fast ship sliced through the water powerfully. Cheongpung, who had been enjoying the breeze at the bow, ran up to me excitedly.
“Eun-in, it’s really refreshing!”
“Of course it is. It’s early spring.”
“There are lots of fish in the water!”
“Of course there are. It’s a river.”
“People on the other ship are getting beaten up a lot!”
“Of course they’re… what?”
What did I just hear?
As I doubted my ears, Cheongpung responded with a bright smile.
“Every time the captain swings the big oar, flesh gets torn, and blood splashes everywhere!”
It seemed the middle-aged man, Mu Song, was punishing his subordinates.
It made sense since they had gotten humiliated for messing with the wrong passenger ship.
“Pretend you didn’t see anything. You saw nothing.”
“Can’t I go and ask to hit them once too?”
“No, please don’t.”
Ignoring the gazes of the surrounding sailors, who looked at me like I was some kind of freak, I spoke to Gung Kibang.
“Hey, you should have told me in advance.”
“I’m not a fortune-teller. How could I know who’s in which bandit group?”
Gung Kibang, responding with a face that said he was at his wit’s end, muttered.
“Attacking a ship with the Yangtze River Route Alliance’s flag is crazy in itself. Now you’re asking why?”
“I can hear you.”
“I’m saying it so you can hear. What do you expect me to do when you never listen?”
“Hah, this guy has grown bold. Mujin, what do you think of this insolent situation?”
Hyuk Mujin responded.
“Bleeeergh!”
“…You get severe seasickness. Rest.”
Despite being a top-notch martial artist, he was still like this.
Watching Hyuk Mujin’s back as he clung to the railing and retched, Cheongpung twisted himself.
“I wish I could get seasick too. I’ve never tried it.”
Lucky you, having so many things you want to try.
Maybe because I was on a boat, I was once again feeling the powerful effect of the Bermuda Triangle today.
‘Are we going to drift on the Yangtze River?’
As I pondered that thought, the giant figure of Mu Song landed on the deck with a surprisingly graceful movement, given his size.
He threw the bloodstained oar to a subordinate and approached me.
“Is there anything uncomfortable?”
“No, I’m fine, senior.”
Mu Song’s gaze passed over the retching Hyuk Mujin.
“That friend doesn’t seem very comfortable.”
“It’s fine. I’m comfortable.”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, not at all. By the way, are we heading to Chengdu?”
“Yes. How long will it take?”
“Considering our current position near Guang’an at the entrance of Sichuan… three days. If we catch the wind well, we could arrive the day after tomorrow.”
That’s about as fast as if we used our martial arts for swift movement.
Normally, it would take much longer on a regular ship, but the fast ship of the Yangtze River Route Alliance made it possible.
I bowed deeply with sincere gratitude.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing difficult.”
Mu Song’s cooperative attitude was because he had realized our identities.
As a disciple of the Fire King Jeok Cheon-Gang, I, along with Gung Kibang from the Beggars’ Sect and Cheongpung, the successor of Sword Saint of Mount Hua, had some standing. Oh, and the last one from the Taewon family… let’s skip that.
“Anyway, we’ll be in Chengdu soon, so rest comfortably. I, Mu Song, control the rivers of Sichuan.”
“Wow, that’s impressive, senior.”
“No one can act recklessly on the Yangtze without my orders. Hahaha!”
Just then.
Screeeeeeeeam!
Kill them all and take everything!
Hearing the faint cries from afar, I muttered.
“They seem to be acting recklessly quite often…”
Mu Song’s face turned red as he shouted.
“Who dares cause trouble on the Yangtze River!”