Murim Login - Chapter 442

Like the majestic flow of the Yangtze River, time flowed steadily and unhurriedly.

It was a late afternoon on the fourth day since leaving Sichuan in Murim’s timeline. While I was sitting on the deck, I sensed a familiar presence approaching.

“What are you doing?”

Even the sound of his footsteps gave him away.

Without taking my eyes off the Yangtze, I responded.

“What does it look like?”

Hyeok Mu-jin, limping closer, answered without hesitation.

“Looks like you’re just sitting there.”

“I’m thinking.”

“About what?”

“About peace in Murim.”

A brief silence followed before Hyeok Mu-jin burst into laughter.

“Pfft! That’s the funniest joke I’ve heard all year. You’re the best, Captain.”

“No, scratch that. I just thought of something else.”

“What is it?”

“There’s someone who always takes my words for nonsense. Lately, it seems their mouth’s been running wild since they’ve started feeling better. I’m debating whether I should knock some sense into them. What do you think?”

After a moment of consideration, Hyeok Mu-jin asked, “It’s not who I think it is, right?”

“It’s exactly who you think.”

“And who might that be?”

“You. Hyeok Mu-jin.”

“Keep quiet unless you want to end up tasting the Yangtze again.”

Nearly convulsing, Hyeok Mu-jin nodded desperately.

“Please, not that again…!”

A few days ago, after I had sentenced him to the “Yangtze Dip Punishment” and logged out immediately afterward, he spent hours as a spectator in the Yangtze Aquarium.

As soon as his body had somewhat recovered, thanks to Moon Kyung’s exceptional medical skills, he went around, vowing to catch and eat the fish that had mocked him during his ordeal.

“Okay, calm down. Why did you come here?”

“Eh?”

“I’m asking what you want. You must have a reason.”

With a voice full of disappointment, Hyeok Mu-jin replied, “Do I always need a reason to come see you?”

“If not, then it’s another dip.”

“There is a reason! There is!”

“Spit it out.”

“Well… this might just be my feeling, but…”

Hyeok Mu-jin hesitated before continuing.

“Have you been troubled by something lately?”

“Why?”

“It’s just… when I look at you these days, you seem like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

“Me?”

“Yes. And to be honest, it’s strange. Nothing much has been happening lately, but it feels like you’re the only one who’s worn out and busy.”

“…Hmm.”

“And you’ve been sleeping a lot more too.”

Since when did this guy get so perceptive?

Hyeok Mu-jin scratched the back of his head under my curious gaze.

“Well, it’s just what I thought. Isn’t it true?”

“No, it’s not.”

Of course, my answer was a lie, and Hyeok Mu-jin’s guess was spot on.

Ever since I first set foot in Murim, I’d never traveled so frequently between two worlds as I had recently.

‘In hindsight, it’s all been my choice.’

Sometimes, a quest disabled the logout function, but most of the time, I crossed over by my own decision.

If I’d spent time in another world while walking on a tightrope, the tension would have collapsed, and I wouldn’t have been able to overcome the crisis.

The change had only happened recently.

‘Both the modern world and Murim have settled past a major hurdle.’

For the first time in a while—or rather, since obtaining the system—I was experiencing peace in both worlds.

But deep down, I knew. This peace wouldn’t last long.

The calm before the storm. The fleeting tranquility before a tempest was why I busied myself, crossing between the two worlds, preparing for the inevitable storm.

That’s why, even with the breathtaking scenery of the Yangtze before me, I was still obsessing over an unsolvable mystery.

‘What exactly is this?’

I stared at the paper in my hand.

The coarse calligraphy paper was filled with incomprehensible patterns and symbols that I had drawn myself.

Each was slightly different in form, resembling cryptic letters from a detective novel.

No, if only they were just that. Then I wouldn’t have to worry so much.

“What is that?” Hyeok Mu-jin asked.

“A storm.”

“…Huh?”

“I don’t really know, to be honest.”

Or rather, I might already know but just don’t want to believe it.

The patterns and symbols were the only intersection of two worlds with entirely different flows of time, history, and culture.

In the modern world, they appeared in the Arc Lich’s magic circle. In Murim, they were discovered in the formation of Dark Heaven.

And now, I was grappling with a single word in my heart.

‘Dark Magic.’

In Murim, it was the evil power of the Demonic Path, often called **Magong** (Demonic Arts). I had no idea how vast or bizarre it was.

But the more I reflected on my experiences, the more I realized they resembled dark magic.

‘The Blood Lord, the Seocheon Magun, and the formation found in the cave.’

The Blood Lord’s regeneration during Jeok Cheon-Gang’s Hwasingwi-mu (Flame God Phantom Dance) resembled that of a troll. The Dark Heaven overlord worshipped by the Seocheon Magun confronted me using the body of his deceased subordinate.

Moreover, the formations used by the black-clad men to turn Shaolin and Sichuan into bloodbaths bore an uncanny resemblance to the warp gates of the modern world.

‘It would be stranger if I didn’t suspect anything by now.’

At the same time… it was hard to accept the reality.

Dark magic in Murim?

This was like discovering that your childhood crush had left the toilet seat up—it was a bitter pill to swallow.

‘Where, how, and why?’

My mind was filled with question marks. Investigations were underway in the modern world, but I felt like I was wandering in endless fog.

What scared me even more was the unidentified something lurking beyond the mist.

If all my fears proved true, then…

“What are you looking at so intently?”

A voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I frowned.

Not because my train of thought was interrupted, but because of the pungent stench that assaulted my nose.

Suppressing an instinctive gag, I asked, “Did you not bathe again?”

Gong Gi-bang, who had quietly plopped down beside me, nodded.

“It’s only natural for beggars not to bathe. Why, is there a problem?”

Hyeok Mu-jin spoke up, his face green.

“Gong, are you perhaps a toxic human? The moment you came within three paces, my head started spinning, and I felt nauseous.”

“The Beggars’ Sect only bathes three times in life: when they’re born, when they join the sect, and when they die.”

I turned to Gong Gi-bang and said, “Then go take a dip in the river before I kill you. And while you’re at it, scrub yourself.”

“No way. I hate water, especially after that day.”

Ah, right. He was another Yangtze Dip victim.

With a grim expression, Gong Gi-bang glanced at the paper I was holding.

“Still looking at that?”

“Still? You knew about it?”

At Hyeok Mu-jin’s question, Gong Gi-bang nodded.

“Of course. A few days ago, he suddenly showed it to me, asking if I’d ever seen it. Naturally, I said I hadn’t.”

“Captain, you’re playing favorites, aren’t you?”

I gave Hyeok Mu-jin a warm smile.

“Yes, I am.”

“Because he’s a beggar. I thought he might know something. Satisfied?”

Gong Gi-bang chuckled, delighted at Hyeok Mu-jin’s frustration.

“Moon Kyung. He showed it to him too.”

“Hey, that’s…”

I started to speak but stopped. Revealing Moon Kyung’s true identity wasn’t an option.

Not because I noticed Moon Kyung watching from a distance, stroking his beard meaningfully.

…Not just because of that.

“You see, Hyeok, this is your place in the hierarchy. Not the heart, but the pinky toe—urk!”

Having had enough of their nonsense, I grabbed Gong Gi-bang by the collar and tossed him overboard. His scream echoed as he plunged into the river.

Splash!

The water sprayed up to the deck from the force of his fall.

Moments later, Cheongpung, who had been laughing at the unexpected spectacle, suddenly shrieked.

“No! Mimi!”

What now?

Curious, I turned to look and couldn’t believe my eyes.

A white serpent with horns was thrashing wildly in the water, desperately swimming toward us.

The once-pristine Yangtze around Gong Gi-bang turned pitch-black, and the nearby fish floated belly-up.

“…What the hell?”

Even the Millennium Venomous Serpent reacted like this. Maybe he really is toxic.

The other crew members, witnessing this ecological disaster in real-time, began debating whether Gong Gi-bang belonged to the Beggars’ Sect or the Sichuan Tang Clan.

Sighing deeply, I gestured toward them.

“Pull him out if you want to keep working on the Yangtze.”

Realizing their livelihood was at stake, the crew scrambled into action.

—

Even after that, I continued crossing between the modern world and Murim multiple times daily to handle tasks and conduct investigations.

The agreement between the Peace Guild, to which I belonged, and the Wizard Guild led by Magic Johnson had become a hot topic among hunters worldwide.

But for the general public, the bigger news was about me, Jin Taekyung.

[World Hunter Association:

“Jin Taekyung is an undeniable S-rank hunter and a hero who saved countless lives. Keeping him as an A-rank is absurd.”

After a brief visit to the Association headquarters, he is scheduled to receive his S-rank license. The Association’s fervent invitation!]

[Breaking News: Jin Taekyung declines the Association’s proposal.

“I can’t go right now. I’ll visit when I have time.”

The Association is flustered.]

—

Ignoring the chaos surrounding me, I returned to Murim once again.

And finally…

“Finally, I can breathe again. Damn Yangtze.”

With Jeok Cheon-Gang’s satisfied comment, our ship entered Hubei Province after nearly ten days of sailing.