Murim Login - Chapter 428

I sat up and exhaled the breath I had been holding.

“Ugh, I thought I was gonna die.”

Pretending to be unconscious for four days required considerable patience.

Especially with all this high-tech medical equipment hooked up to me.

‘Going back to the Murim was a bit tricky too.’

Even if I returned, I’d probably just end up staring dumbly at the Yangtze River in the middle of Qingdao’s scenic route.

It made more sense to wrap things up here in the present. As long as the system was in place, time was on my side.

Crack.

I twisted my stiff neck from side to side, prompting Choi Min-woo to chuckle.

“If people saw this through the CCTV, it would’ve caused a huge commotion.”

“You’re saying terrible things. If that happened, I’d have bitten my tongue and ended it right there.”

Fortunately, there were no cameras, and my tongue was still intact.

In fact, the brainwave monitoring device I was wearing would notify the medical team the moment I regained consciousness, making CCTV unnecessary anyway.

“I’ve been curious—how did you fool the machine?”

I shrugged.

“Oh, the brainwave detector? That thing isn’t purely mechanical.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s mechanical, but the core operates with *majeongseok* (magic stones).”

“So, you used mana… or rather, your *gong*?”

“Yeah. I just caused a minor malfunction. Adjusting it to that extent wasn’t difficult.”

With my improved control over *gong* after unlocking my middle energy center, tricking a few medical devices was nothing. If I couldn’t manage even that, I might as well go check the water temperature in the Han River out of shame.

“Anyway, what’s going to happen with the Wu Haixing situation? From what I heard, the old man seems to have prepared for it.”

“For the fiftieth time, it’s ‘President Xiao,’ not ‘the old man.’”

“What? I think calling him ‘the old man’ makes him sound more friendly.”

“…Hah.”

Choi shook his head in exasperation, grabbing an apple from the nearby fruit basket. He pulled out a sleek knife—clearly expensive—and deftly peeled the apple before handing it to me.

“There’s no need to worry about Wu Haixing’s case. The public sentiment is on our side, and President Xiao seems to have sharpened his knives.”

“President Xiao, huh? Honestly, he seemed a bit soft to me.”

I bit into the crisp apple. Its sweet juice flooded my mouth.

If President Xiao were as firm as this apple, the Crown Prince faction wouldn’t have been able to maintain such a stronghold in power.

Choi seemed to read my thoughts.

“Did you know that President Xiao was once labeled a counterrevolutionary and spent five years working in a slaughterhouse?”

“He did?”

“After the Great Cataclysm, he aimed for political reform but became a target of the Crown Prince faction. But look where he is now.”

That was all I needed to understand.

He had personal grudges against the Crown Prince faction, and after enduring harsh times, he rose to the top—meaning he had a backbone of steel.

“He’s been sharpening his blade for a long time, and now is the time to strike. To the Crown Prince faction, President Xiao is the most dangerous swordsman they’ll face.”

“And what about Wu Haixing’s father?”

“Considering his political influence and the public sympathy for his son, execution is unlikely. But he’ll probably end up in a political prison or back in the slaughterhouse. Given his age, he’ll likely live out his days there.”

Like father, like son—both meeting such a miserable end.

This apple tasted especially sweet today, and it wasn’t just my imagination.

I wiped the juice from my lips with a grin.

“Well, staying in bed for four days was worth it.”

Choi handed me another peeled apple.

“Your decision was the right one. If the media had found out that you woke up after just half a day, suspicions would have been unavoidable.”

From what Choi told me, Lee Jeong-ryong was presumed dead, his body unrecovered, and Wu Haixing, who had died with a broken neck, was found as a mangled corpse due to the battle’s aftermath.

If I had woken up in perfect health after half a day, it would’ve been a feast for the media vultures.

“When you first woke up, I could barely keep calm… Did you really plan everything ahead before dealing with those two?”

I bit into the apple again and answered.

“I didn’t think that far ahead.”

“…What?”

“At the time, I was just exhausted and had a splitting headache. I told you not to inform anyone because it would’ve been a nightmare if word got out.”

“Why would it be a nightmare?”

Choi gave me a betrayed look before averting his gaze.

“…Never mind.”

“Relax, it all worked out, didn’t it?”

As I said, things were unfolding in our favor.

With Wu Haixing and the Crown Prince faction out of the picture, the biggest obstacle—Lee Jeong-ryong—had been eliminated, and taking down the Arc Lich had averted a greater catastrophe.

On top of that, we were being showered with worldwide praise.

The system’s notifications about my rising fame were so constant they were giving me a headache.

Just like now.

**Ding.**

– The world’s attention is focused on you!
– Your fame has skyrocketed!
– Due to the overwhelming volume of updates, fame-related notifications will now be consolidated monthly.

“…About time they did that.”

I muttered without realizing it, making Choi tilt his head.

“Pardon?”

“Oh, nothing. By the way, how are my family members?”

My mother and Ha-yeon had arrived in China just a few hours ago, thanks to a private jet arranged by President Xiao. They’d been given a reception fitting for foreign dignitaries, complete with dozens of security escorts.

“No need to worry. Your mother is resting comfortably, and as for your sister…”

“You don’t need to tell me about her. She can take care of herself.”

“…Understood.”

Although I couldn’t keep it a secret from my family, I had discreetly informed them through Choi that I was unharmed and already awake. But I was still dreading the upcoming reunion.

‘There’s no way I’m getting out of this without a couple of slaps.’

Fighting a thousand monsters would’ve been easier.

I had only left a brief message in the family group chat, saying I was going to China. The aftermath of that decision sent chills down my spine just thinking about it.

“Chief Choi.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t leave my side during the family visit, okay? Promise me.”

“…Alright.”

Two hours later.

“You brat! You little punk!”

“Mom!”

“Ma’am, please!”

Choi stepped in to block my mother’s tearful assault, becoming the first victim of her backhanded slaps.

“P-Please, ma’am, calm down…”

“Out of my way! Are you moving or not?!”

*Whack!* *Smack!*

“Argh!”

“Jin Tae-kyung!”

Then, as if fate had conspired against him, my sister—now fearless after finishing her college entrance exams—delivered a precise kick between Choi’s legs.

*Wham!*

“…Uh.”

“…Oh.”

Choi muttered in a dazed voice, eyes wide with disbelief.

“M-My enchanted underwear… resistant to fire, water, and even imbued with semi-permanent cleaning magic…”

Goodbye, Choi.

You should’ve invested in stronger enchantments.

With a thud, Choi collapsed to his knees, groaning in agony. I paid silent respects to the fallen hero and braced myself for the storm about to hit.

‘Inventory open. Equipping Fire Dragon Armor.’

The moment I felt the protective armor wrap around my chest, stomach, and back beneath my hospital gown…

A sharp slap landed squarely on my cheek.

*Slap!*

Wait, I didn’t account for face slaps…

—

It was officially declared that I had regained consciousness a week ago.

And after another week of complex tests and tying up loose ends, I stood before countless cameras, holding a short press conference amid a sea of cheers.

“Mr. Jin, problematic reporters have been filtered out. Just call on the pre-approved journalists.”

Despite President Xiao’s assurances, a few reporters hungry for exclusive scoops swarmed in like bees.

“Mr. Jin! There are rumors that you had a poor relationship with Wu Haixing before the battle. Is that true?”

I gestured to the security guards to hold off and answered directly.

“Yes, it’s true.”

*Flash!* *Flash!*

Cameras clicked furiously, and murmurs filled the room. One Chinese journalist smirked and pressed on.

“What was the reason?”

“He was rude to me from the start.”

“What exactly did he say?”

“He called me a *bangzi* (derogatory term for Koreans). So I called him a *zhangke* (derogatory term for Chinese). He came at me after the meeting.”

The journalist’s smirk vanished.

“Zhangke? That’s a slur against Chinese people!”

“Oh, is it?”

I gave a nonchalant nod and motioned to the guards.

“Escort this *zhangke* out.”

“This is press suppression!”

“Suppress his mouth too. I don’t talk to *zhangke*—only Chinese people. Wu Haixing was just like that.”

At that moment, another Chinese journalist raised a hand.

“So, did you have further conflicts with Wu Haixing?”

“Not really. I settled things the Korean way—with a thorough beating in *jajinmori* rhythm. After that, we got along fine.”

“Then…”

I spoke in a solemn voice.

“Wu Haixing fell to the Arc Lich. There was nothing I could do. Thanks to the top-grade potion he left behind, I survived. Once again, I mourn his death.”

There. I said my piece and tied everything up neatly.

No matter what crimes or flaws Wu Haixing had, admitting I killed him would only complicate things.

‘No one would believe that Lee Jeong-ryong instigated Wu Haixing anyway.’

Uncomfortable truths tend to be ignored.

I imagined a 100-terabyte USB containing humanity’s secrets vanishing, and my eyes welled with tears.

“And most of all… I deeply mourn the passing of Hunter Lee Jeong-ryong, a senior I greatly admired. He was truly a wonderful person.”

“Ah…”

The press conference fell into solemn silence.

Wiping away my tears, I delivered my closing statement.

“Though our time together was short, I will never forget him. I offer my condolences to all who perished in this war. I’m sorry I couldn’t save more.”

With that final statement, the controversy was laid to rest.

The press conference lasted just 30 minutes but was broadcast live across national networks, cable channels, and streaming platforms, drawing 3 billion viewers worldwide.

Even before I could feel the aftermath, I sought out a certain person.