Chapter 384
**Mount Qingcheng**
A sacred site of Taoism, steeped in ancient history.
Anyone who stands before its majestic and overwhelming landscape is struck speechless.
But I was struck for a different reason.
‘It’s definitely different… but it’s similar.’
Mount Qingcheng of Murim and Mount Qingcheng of the 21st century.
The two worlds I’ve experienced share many similarities—the terrain in Murim, the language, the appearance of the people, and even their way of life.
At one point, I even wondered if Murim might be a distant past of the modern world.
‘But it’s not.’
A butterfly effect? That kind of thing only happens in movies.
The two worlds are certainly alike, but there are subtle differences, and their histories are distinct.
Moreover, the world of Murim is smaller than the modern world; it isn’t divided into five oceans and six continents.
There are foreign lands inhabited by different people, but that’s it. The vast continent ruled by a great nation is the center of that world.
Perhaps what the Chinese endlessly claim as “Zhonghua” is exactly what Murim is.
‘But why does it have to resemble even this?’
After experiencing the “Three Gates Bloodshed” that mercilessly soaked Sichuan in blood, I now find myself at Mount Qingcheng in Sichuan Province.
I don’t know if it’s mere coincidence or a cruel twist of fate.
I just hope that’s where the similarities end…
*”Mr. Jin?”*
“Jin Tae-Kyung?”
“Oh.”
I snapped out of my thoughts as if waking from a dream.
Wei Fenghu and Team Leader Choi, who had already disembarked from the jet, were looking at me with curious expressions.
“Sorry, I was just lost in the scenery for a moment.”
*”To be able to see the beauty of Mount Qingcheng in such darkness… Mr. Jin, you must possess extraordinary mana.”*
Well, that’s not entirely wrong. Now that I’ve reached the pinnacle of martial arts, I can easily pierce through the darkness with my sight without relying on any power.
I nodded subtly, and Wei Fenghu admired.
*”Now I understand why Korea has kept you so well hidden, Mr. Jin. You truly are an S-rank hunter worthy of being called the face of your nation.”*
“Excuse me? I’m still officially an A-rank.”
*”There’s no need to hide it. Our country has already gathered some information.”*
Before I could respond, Wei Fenghu continued speaking smoothly.
*”To become an S-rank hunter requires endless mental discipline and rigorous training. Our nation, too, has gone through many trials and errors to cultivate our current hunters… Achieving such a level at such a young age, as you have, Mr. Jin, must mean that the Korean government has provided you with considerable support.”*
“…”
*”Ah, of course, Mr. Choi here is also an outstanding hunter. Having such individuals by my side is truly reassuring.”*
What is this talk about a comforting meal like gukbap? [1]
Team Leader Choi and I exchanged glances briefly, coming to a silent agreement.
‘Let’s just keep quiet.’
‘Let’s just go along with it.’
This is just a misunderstanding stemming from how unrealistically I’ve risen to this point, but there’s no need for us to dislodge the label they’ve already placed on us.
It’s also too bothersome to try and convince Wei Fenghu otherwise right now.
“Well, there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding, but I’ll explain everything in due time.”
*”No need to worry. We all know our circumstances.”*
*”Even the Chairman is aware, so when you meet him, just go along with it.”*
Know what? I chuckled inwardly.
‘The Chairman, huh.’
The king-like figure who holds in his hands the population, economy, and military of over a billion people in the People’s Republic of China. Even now, at the peak of my martial prowess, he is a figure who feels both close and infinitely distant.
I wonder if I’ll get to see him once this is all over?
Well, what does it matter? This is something to think about much later.
Even without the raid rewards, I’m earning a whopping ten billion won a week. Right now, he’s just a very generous employer. I’m saving people and making money—killing two birds with one stone.
“I’ll do that. If I get to meet him.”
*”Good. Then let’s go see him.”*
“…Excuse me?”
*”Didn’t I mention? He’s waiting for us in the underground bunker.”*
Wait, what is this situation?
As I stared blankly at Wei Fenghu’s back as he walked ahead, I quickly whispered to Team Leader Choi.
“D-Did you hear that?”
*”Yes, I did. But I’m as surprised as you are. For the Chairman to leave the safety of Beijing and come all the way here… It seems the rumors about him are somewhat true.”*
“Rumors or whatever, the Chinese Chairman—*the* Chairman—”
*”It’s not just ‘the Chairman,’ it’s the General Secretary! The nation’s leader!”*
*”Um? What was that?”*
*”Nothing, Minister of Defense.”*
Team Leader Choi quickly smoothed things over with a respectful response to Wei Fenghu, who had turned around to look at us. But then, with a very serious and earnest expression I had never seen before, he turned back to me and whispered.
“Mr. Jin Tae-Kyung, you absolutely must not make the same kind of slip-up in front of the Chairman. Understand? Especially don’t mention anything like ‘General Secretary.’ This isn’t your high school friend we’re talking about.”
“How did you know?”
For some reason, it felt like Team Leader Choi had just cursed under his breath. Must be my imagination.
Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself, *”Not General Secretary. It’s the Chairman of China.”*
Unlike Team Leader Choi, who was born into an elite family, I’m an ordinary citizen through and through.
No matter what feelings I might have harbored about China before, the fact that I’m about to meet one of the top leaders of a global superpower made my heart race.
*Just don’t mess this up. Especially not with the General Secretary thing.*
Ten minutes later, I found myself shaking hands with the leader of the People’s Republic of China in a deeply buried underground bunker, while several key figures looked on.
*”It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jin. I am Shao Yang, the President of the People’s Republic of China.”*
Great, I managed to avoid mentioning the General Secretary. Having narrowly avoided that pitfall, I opened my mouth with a sense of relief.
“Welcome.”
*”…?”*
Oh, crap.
—
Shao Yang.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and the leader of over a billion people.
His voice was gentle, yet his gaze held a commanding presence.
*”As you all know, I am neither a military expert nor a great general. I’m just a political strategist who only achieved a small part of my ambitions at the age of seventy.”*
Hearing someone who controls the fourth-largest landmass and the largest population on Earth refer to themselves as a “strategist” was shocking, to say the least.
*So this is what Team Leader Choi meant by ‘rumors.’*
I was beginning to get a sense of the kind of person he might be.
Maybe it’s just a mask he puts on in front of others, or maybe it’s all just an act.
But at this moment, the elderly man named Shao Yang, who spoke to all of us in the room, exuded an aura completely different from any pretense or hypocrisy.
*”Do your best. Please save as many of our people as you can and put an end to this terrible disaster as quickly as possible. If you do that, I will make sure both you and your country receive the gratitude you deserve, and I will remember the help you’ve given us for a long time.”*
I don’t know much about his life or his policies.
But I have to give him credit for reaching out to the world for help in saving his people.
*”That’s all I have to say. I kindly ask that you focus on finding the best way to minimize sacrifices and put an end to this situation, without worrying about complex political matters.”*
The elderly statesman, who had dedicated his life to politics, turned to look at someone.
*”Wei Fenghu, Minister of Defense, my old friend.”*
*”Yes, respected Chairman.”*
*”Do you want full control of the Central Military Commission?”*
After a brief hesitation, Wei Fenghu nodded heavily.
*”Yes, I do.”*
*”You could handle that power well. But I’ll have to decline.”*
*”…Chairman?”*
*”Bring me the order after this meeting. I’ll take full control and responsibility for everything myself.”*
At first, I wondered why the Chairman would refuse such power, but then I realized—it was his way of shouldering all the burden himself.
As I watched this unfold, Team Leader Choi muttered beside me.
“He’s a good leader.”
I shook my head slightly.
“No, Team Leader Choi. You’re the best leader to me.”
“Mr. Jin Tae-Kyung…”
“So could you maybe adjust the guild’s profit-sharing ratio a bit?”
“Mr. Jin Tae-Kyung…”
Same words, different meaning.
As I watched Team Leader Choi look at me with an expression that clearly said, “Why am I not surprised by this,” something caught my attention.
*”The Chairman is leaving.”*
At the secretary’s announcement, everyone stood up. It was a gesture of basic respect for the head of state.
*”I wish you all the best.”*
The Chairman made eye contact with each person in the room, offering a few words as he departed. Of course, I wasn’t an exception.
Unfortunately, I was the very last person he addressed.
*”Mr. Jin.”*
“…Yes.”
The Chairman’s lips curled into a faint smile as he looked at me.
*”I have great expectations for you, Mr. Jin. Although this is a contract where both sides get what they need, I hope that you will prioritize saving lives in all situations.”*
Was it just me, or did he spend a lot more time speaking to me than anyone else? Sensing the attention of the others in the room, I nodded.
“Understood.”
*”Please be a great help to us.”*
With those words, the Chairman turned to leave but paused briefly, adding one last remark.
*”Welcome.”*
*”Goodbye, then.”*
As the Chinese officials left to escort the Chairman, I collapsed into my chair.
*Crap.*
If I die, it’ll be from shame. Even if a monster kills me, let my cause of death be recorded as shame.
*Argh, noooo!*
As I mentally screamed in all directions, something gently pressed down on my foot. It was obviously Team Leader Choi sitting next to me.
“What?”
Team Leader Choi cleared his throat.
“Ahem.”
“What?”
“Ahem… the others, the others.”
“Oh.”
It was only then that I realized the dozen or so people in the bunker, of different races and genders, were all watching me.
And among them, four stood out the most.
*Those are…*
A Chinese man and woman, and two Western men with green and blue eyes, respectively.
Just making eye contact with them was enough to feel the immense power they held within. It wasn’t surprising, more like it was expected. Anyone who knew who these four were would feel the same way I did.
*S-rank hunters.*
People whose very existence is a topic of discussion. They are the pinnacle among all hunters in the world.
These were the faces I was sick of seeing on TV and in advertisements, and now they were standing right in front of me.
One of them stood up and extended his hand toward me.
*”Nice to meet you. I’m… Oh, do you not speak English well? I can use a translation spell if you need.”*
I didn’t expect him to speak to me first. A bit dazed, I took his hand and replied.
“No, I’m fine.”
*”Oh, look at your pronunciation. I’d believe you were American.”*
The middle-aged Black man, who stood over two meters tall, smiled with bright blue eyes as he continued.
*”It seems you know who I am, right?”*
How could I not? Feeling more nervous than when I met Shao Yang, I answered.
“Of course, Magic Johnson.”
One of only three people in the world to hold the title of Grand Mage.
The Black man before me, Magic Johnson, was the War Mage among those Grand Mages, specializing in combat magic.
*Talking to Magic Johnson… I never thought I’d see the day.*
As I reflected on how glad I was to have come here, the world’s top War Mage grinned widely and spoke to me.
*”Haha. Thanks for recognizing me. Actually, I’ve known about you for some time as well.”*
“M-Me?”
*”Of course. Even my youngest daughter, who just started elementary school this year, knows about you, Mr. Shibalja.”*
Oh, come on. How far has that ridiculous nickname spread?
What do they even call “Shibalja” in the English-speaking world? F**k Guy? F**k Man?
The thought of Magic Johnson’s young daughter knowing me by that name didn’t make me happy at all.
And apparently, I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t pleased.
*”What a vulgar nickname. But I suppose it’s fitting for an A-rank hunter.”*
The speaker was a relatively young-looking Chinese man, probably around thirty, who leaned back with his arms crossed, glaring at me.
*”Don’t you think so, Korean Bbangja?”* [2]
Team Leader Choi didn’t even have time to stop me. The words had already flowed out of my mouth automatically.
“What did you say, you damn mainland pig?”
***
Footnotes:
[1] Gukbap is a traditional Korean dish that consists of hot soup served with rice. “Guk” means soup, and “bap” means rice in Korean. The soup is typically made with a rich and hearty broth, often from beef, seafood, or anchovies, and can contain various ingredients such as meat, vegetables, and seasonings. The rice is usually added directly into the soup or served separately to be mixed in as eaten. Gukbap is known for its nourishing qualities and is a popular comfort food in Korea, especially during the colder months.
[2] “Korean Bbangja”: A colloquial and somewhat derogatory term used mockingly to refer to a Korean person, derived from the Korean slang “bbangja” (빵자), which combines “bbang” (빵), meaning bread, and “jada” (자다), meaning to sleep. The term “bbangja” colloquially refers to someone who is sleeping or napping, akin to calling someone a “sleeper” or implying laziness. In this context, it is used to emphasize the person’s Korean identity in a teasing or slightly mocking manner.
