Murim Login - Chapter 440

The day Jin Taekyung’s private jet landed at Incheon International Airport, the eyes of the world turned toward South Korea.

Countless flashing cameras illuminated the dusk, making it easy to forget that it was already evening. Despite the biting winter cold, hundreds of thousands gathered to welcome their hero home with thunderous cheers.

And at the center of it all stood a man, dazed by the overwhelming scale of the reception, mumbling to himself.

“…What the… sibuTeol?”

Though he muttered it as quietly as an ant, the top-of-the-line equipment of international media captured the young hero’s unwitting slip-up.

“What the sibuTeol? [1]”

“What does she mean by that?”

“What does that mean?”

It was well-known that the variety in Korean swear words could sometimes even trip up translation devices. While Western reporters struggled to grasp the full, nuanced meaning of “sibuTeol,” Korean reporters, well-versed in all manner of colorful language since their school days, sprang into action.

“Get the article up! We need to be the first to post!”

“With… with this?”

“Idiot, don’t you realize anything Taekyung says is breaking news right now? Instead of wasting time, get his lips and audio analyzed and upload it immediately!”

“Yes, yes, but… uh… Senior, won’t this…?”

“Won’t this what?”

“I just feel like this could backfire on us if it looks like we’re criticizing Jin Taekyung… something like ‘Taekyung’s Profanity Scandal’…”

The senior reporter grimaced at the younger reporter’s comment.

What is this guy, a second or third-year reporter? He should’ve learned to think by now, but he’s still as clueless as ever.

Resisting the urge to curse, remembering that this fool was the bureau chief’s nephew, the senior reporter sighed.

“Listen, Reporter Hong.”

“Yes?”

“Taekyung can curse as much as he wants.”

“…Huh?”

“In this country, if a politician or celebrity swears in public, they’re condemned. But if Jin Taekyung swears, people go crazy with joy. Get it?”

“Yes, sir!”

Seeing the junior nodding finally, the senior reporter sighed again and glanced at his smartphone.

In the live chatroom of the world’s largest video-sharing website, I-Tube, streaming the event, comments were pouring in at an insane pace.

– *Si… si… sibuTeol?*

– *SibuTeol is back… the legend has returned.*

– *There’s even “Bbaljjwa.[2]” I laughed so hard when Chinese news brought it up.*

– *King Taekyung. The guy who skipped interviews and ended an official press conference in 30 minutes after making monumental achievements…*

– *…but fought till the end to save the survivors.*

– *A guy who bets “bbaljwa” on live Chinese state broadcasts with millions watching instead of just the pot…*

– *A crazy warm-hearted guy.*

– *Is he a hunter or a madman?*

– *SibuTeol.*

– *SibuTeol….*

– *King Taekyung once told us not to call him “SibuTeol.”*

– *Really? Alright, from today, we’ll call you “SibuTeol.”*

– *If he hates it, we have to call him “SibuTeol” then, don’t we?*

– *SibuTeol + Bbaljwa = SibuTeol.*

– *Is this a setup or what?*

– *Hello everyone, how do you feel about Taekyung being the descendant of General Jinchu of the Ming Dynasty?*

– If that guy’s Korean, then I’m an Asgardian. Just yesterday, I was drinking beer with Thor in Valhalla. Sigh, he’s definitely Chinese. You can tell because he’s so dumb. Not that Jin Taekyung isn’t dumb too, but as a Korean myself, I think it’s embarrassing for him to use such crude language at an official event like this. At the very least, we could learn a thing or two about dignity from our neighbor, Japan

– ???

– “Not only jjajang sauce, now they’re throwing in wasabi too…”

– *Sigh*, it’s like watching right-wing Japanese folks getting all riled up over King Taekyung. Why are they so dumb?

– ???: “McDonarudo. Sankyu!”

– “Please, just watch your own country’s broadcasts. Stop coming to Korean channels and pretending to be Korean – LOL! The denial is hilarious. I’m really Korean, by the way.”

– “Oh yeah? Where do you live?”

– “Seoul City, Busan District.”

– *Sigh…*

– “No wonder they call it Hell Joseon. Might as well call it Left-Jjajang, Right-Wasabi.”

– *Northerners have Devil Fruit powers too.*

– *“Uncle-in-law, uncle-in-law, massacre!”*

– *Stop getting baited by weirdos and just watch the stream. The parade is starting.*

– *Look at all these viewers; this is insane.*

Television, cable, and streaming platforms worldwide watched as the massive limousine bus carrying Jin Taekyung and his party began to move.

Amidst louder cheers and flashing lights, the sky was filled with drones illuminating the night.

– *Wow, this is insane. The cameras can’t even capture all the people.*

– *This is bigger than the Olympics. How many drones are there?*

– *Must be a lot.*

– *Watching the bus leave gave me chills. This is really epic.*

The limousine bus carrying Jin Taekyung and his entourage moved at a slow 10 km/h, passing through a sea of people.

Fireworks exploded without pause, and flower petals tossed by the crowd swirled in the wind.

Initially stiff and reserved, Jin Taekyung soon relaxed, waving and smiling at the people around him.

‘They’re people who like me.’

Six months ago, Jin Taekyung had been a mere grain of sand on a beach.

No one paid him any attention, and if a wave passed by, he would be washed away, just an everyday F-rank hunter.

Never had he imagined a day like today would come for him.

‘My only dream was to survive and retire…’

He had gained so much. Though he’d walked a thorny path, surrounded by death, the fruits dangling along the way had been sweet—strength he could only dream of, immense wealth, and even honor.

And…

“You worked hard, my son.”

“I’m so proud of you, Taekyung, but it’s hard to see your face with all these cameras flashing. How long are these reporters going to stick around?”

His family, who had always been by his side.

The warmth of his mother’s hand patting his back made him tear up, and he chuckled at his sister’s squinting face under the bright lights.

“You two are the ones who had it hard, not me.”

“I know, Mom and you had it worse.”

“Thought you were heartless, but at least you have some conscience.”

“Wow, look who’s talking.”

“Smile, dummy. How many cameras are filming us right now?”

With a laugh, Jin Taekyung hugged the two, then noticed a pair of eyes gazing at him from behind his family.

“You’ve worked hard, Mr. Jin Taekyung.”

“You too, Team Leader Choi. I may have all this strength, but without you, I’d have struggled a lot.”

“I was only doing what I was supposed to. The same goes for what’s to come.”

“You say that with a smile, but it’s terrifying.”

“You know as well as I do—this isn’t the end.”

He knew. That’s why his resolve grew stronger.

Jin Taekyung had walked a dangerous, thorny path so far. He couldn’t let his precious family and friends tread the same road.

Even if his feet bled and the pain made him collapse, he would protect them from the looming threats.

Sometimes with their help, and sometimes through his own sacrifice.

“I’ll be counting on you. From now on as well.”

As Team Leader Choi glanced at Taekyung’s outstretched hand, a dimple appeared on his cheek.

“Yes, always.”

Just as the two clasped hands, a grumbling voice echoed in Taekyung’s mind.

– *Oh, having fun, are we?*

‘Still sulking, huh?’

– *Who’s sulking? This great king would never be moved by petty human emotions!*

‘So you’re sulking.’

– *I said I’m not!*

The Skeleton King, stuck in Taekyung’s inventory due to the circumstances, had been sulking for a while now.

Taekyung smirked slightly and murmured in his mind.

‘Hey.’

– *Don’t talk to me!*

‘Thanks for everything so far, and I’m counting on you going forward too.’

– *Heh…*

The Skeleton King cleared his throat, hesitantly replying.

– *Fine, if you insist so much, I’ll consider it.*

‘Consider what?’

– *Being by your side, with you vile humans.*

‘Ah, there’s no need to consider that.’

– *What?*

‘You’re joining Peace Guild, no matter what. The contract is ready. Just stamp your skull since fingerprints won’t work.’

– *What nonsense! Isn’t this a free country?!*

‘Nope, I’ll work you to the bone.’

– *Let me out! Turn this car around!*

Unable to hold back his laughter, Jin Taekyung leaned toward the driver’s seat.

“Can we change our destination?”

“Uh… what?”

The startled driver stammered.

“It’s… it’s different from the instructions I received…”

“Is it not possible?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Really?”

“Um… well…”

The driver sighed in partial surrender.

“…I think we can make it happen.”

“Then, please head to the Peace Guild’s guild house.”

The driver relayed the change, and while his superiors were initially shocked, they agreed. Over 3,000 drones continued following the parade to the guild house.

When the limousine bus stopped in front of the Peace Guild’s guild house, the entire scene was captured and broadcasted worldwide.

Even as midnight approached and Christmas Eve dawned, the excitement didn’t subside.

In fact, it only burned more fiercely, feeding off each new spark.

Jin Taekyung’s name was on everyone’s lips everywhere, though for some, the reminder only brought pain.

That morning, Magic Johnson, an American S-rank hunter, posted about Peace Guild on his official SNS, hinting at a possible agreement.

*Bang!*

The face of the hologram TV announcer disappeared as the man smashed it, shouting angrily.

“Jin Taekyung, Jin Taekyung, Jin Taekyung!”

*Bang! Crash!*

Eyes bloodshot, Seok Go-jun’s fists flung a violent energy that shattered his surroundings into dust.

That name he hated so much—the name that haunted him with unforgettable terror.

“Arghhhh!”

Just then, in the ravaged space, a small sound reached his ears as a cautious voice called out.

“T-Team Leader…”

***

Footnotes:

[1] SibuTeol: This term is a romanization of the Korean expletive “씨발” (ssi-bal), a commonly used strong swear word in Korean. Roughly equivalent to “damn” or more intense profanity in English, it expresses frustration or disbelief. In this chapter, Jin Taekyung mutters “sibuTeol” to himself, overwhelmed by the unexpected grand reception. The moment is picked up by the media, sparking global amusement and confusion due to the unique challenge of translating Korean profanities into other languages.

[2] Bbaljjwa: A slang term derived from the Korean word “불알” (bul-al), meaning “testicle.” The term is used in a humorous, mocking context, particularly online, to indicate “risking everything” or “betting one’s life” on something, often with a comedic or exaggerated tone. In this chapter, the nickname Bbaljjwa humorously surfaces in online comments, referencing Jin Taekyung’s fearlessness and his audacious behavior on a Chinese broadcast, where he figuratively “bet everything” on his actions. This playful slang adds to Jin Taekyung’s bold and unconventional public image.