Murim Login - Chapter 444

*Zhuge Family.*

In modern martial arts novels, there’s always at least one famous family that makes an appearance.

Among the characters with the surname Zhuge, none are ever unintelligent, nor are they particularly physically powerful.

Despite being one of the established Murim families, their martial arts often seem more like a secondary skill.

And it’s no wonder—the true strength of the Zhuge Liang family doesn’t come from their bodies but from their minds.

A clan renowned for its broad knowledge, strategy, and expertise in mechanical traps, Zhuge Family members are often called the *“Ingenious Zhuge”* and hold a unique position as the brainpower of Murim.

Reading martial arts novels without encountering a Zhuge strategist in the Murim Alliance almost feels incomplete.

Perhaps that was why I felt a strange mix of familiarity and unfamiliarity at the sight of the Zhuge Liang family warriors striding confidently toward us.

It wasn’t just a sense of unfamiliarity, though.

*Thump, thump, thump!*

Zhuge Family warriors lined up like iron towers on either side, creating a path for a single figure to walk through.

A slender young man, dressed in pristine white robes that shone brilliantly, spoke up as he slowly approached us.

“The celestial phenomena were exceptionally bright last night. It foretold the arrival of distinguished guests. I am Zhuge Liang Family’s Young Master…”

Before he could finish, I raised my hand excitedly and shouted, “Gal Gyun-ah!”

“Gal Gyun-ah? No, it’s Zhuge Gyun,” the young man corrected, his expression stiffening.

For a moment, heavy silence blanketed the scene.

The Zhuge Family warriors, unaware of who I was, shot me looks that seemed to ask, “Who’s this lunatic?” Meanwhile, Jeok Cheon-Gang gazed at me with mild curiosity.

“Do you know him?” he asked.

“Yes. We met during the Seongra Grand Banquet. But I didn’t know he was the Young Master of the Zhuge Family,” I replied.

“You actually have friends?”

“He’s not a friend. I just call them the Three Fools…”

“Cough, cough! Cough, cough!”

Zhuge Gyun, one of the so-called “Three Fools” I met at the Seongra Grand Banquet, cut me off with an exaggerated cough. He then quickly turned to Jeok Cheon-Gang to address him properly.

“Junior Zhuge Gyun greets the great senior Jeok Cheon-Gang.”

Jeok Cheon-Gang glanced at Zhuge Gyun from head to toe before casually asking, “What’s your relationship to Gonghu?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I’m talking about Zhuge Gonghu, the ‘King of the Feathered Fan,’ who served as the Murim Alliance’s chief strategist during the Great Cataclysm.”

Even I had heard of Zhuge Gonghu’s nickname. He was the Murim Alliance’s brain, credited with turning the tides of battle during the bleakest moments of the war.

Alongside other top-tier martial artists, he was revered as one of the “Ten Kings.”

‘But this old man just called him a “punk” without hesitation.’

I had grown used to this kind of behavior, but to others, it must have felt like a glimpse into an entirely different world.

Jin Wi-gyeong gulped nervously, and the Zhuge Family warriors looked at each other with wide eyes, clearly questioning their own hearing.

Naturally, our Fire King Jeok Cheon-Gang couldn’t care less about such reactions. His boldness was just part of his nature as a descendant of the Fiery Flame Sect.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”

With his already intimidating face now scowling, Jeok Cheon-Gang resembled a demonic deity. Even the usually unflappable Zhuge Gyun stammered in response.

“H-He was my great-grandfather.”

“Is that so? You do resemble him a bit. You look like someone who’d be good with their head—and someone who’s got no manners.”

“…”

What an overwhelming presence.

Jeok Cheon-Gang, being over a hundred years old, could address the patriarchs of prestigious sects however he pleased, and no one would dare to object.

As the awkward atmosphere dragged on, I nudged Jeok Cheon-Gang’s side lightly.

“Come on, please stop,” I said softly.

“What? Are you saying I can’t even speak freely anymore?”

“No, but still… He passed away more than a decade ago.”

“What do these young folks know? If I had died first, Zhuge Gonghu would have treated me the same way. We’ve always been on a ‘punk-to-punk’ basis.”

‘Not brotherhood, but… punk-to-punk? Really?’

Even the choice of words was astonishing, causing the surrounding warriors to flinch once again.

Taking advantage of the moment, Jin Wi-gyeong quickly stepped forward to address Zhuge Gyun.

“We appreciate the hospitality of the Zhuge Family,” he said graciously.

Zhuge Gyun, now back to his role as the Young Master, responded in a composed manner befitting his status.

“It’s nothing. I hope your journey wasn’t too uncomfortable.”

“If our bodies and minds were at ease, could we even call ourselves martial artists?”

“It was terrible. How dare you make me come all the way here? Let’s hear the reason. If it’s nothing important, I’ll…”

“Please! Just stop!” I interrupted desperately, pulling on Jeok Cheon-Gang’s sleeve.

“Let go! How dare you grab my clothes, you brute!”

As I struggled to calm the fiery Jeok Cheon-Gang, Jin Wi-gyeong quickly changed the subject.

“I apologize for the sudden interruption, but let us move forward without delay.”

“Wise decision. Our ancestor Zhuge Wuhou himself would surely agree,” Zhuge Gyun replied.

With that, the Zhuge Family warriors and even the observing officials opened a path for us. Our group, including the Water Dragon Stronghold’s members, began to move forward.

Despite this, I could feel countless wary gazes and whispers trailing after us.

‘What’s going on here?’

Could this be the reason Jin Wi-gyeong insisted we pass through Hubei Province?

My question was soon answered as we climbed into the prepared carriages. Moon Kyung, seated quietly, suddenly spoke.

“There seems to be someone missing.”

“What?”

I looked around, only to realize one person was indeed absent.

“Wait. Where did he go?”

“Here, benefactor!”

“…What?”

To my disbelief, Cheongpung stood near an unfolded street stall, happily eating freshly prepared steamed fish.

“I’ll be done soon!” he shouted.

“Stop talking nonsense and get over here now!” I yelled back.

For once, I wished for a single day of normalcy. Just one.

With my frayed nerves and bruised heart, I sat silently as the carriage began moving again.

—

The carriage rolled along the well-maintained road, its wooden wheels occasionally creaking. Even as we traveled further from the harbor, the wary eyes of the people seemed to follow us like shadows.

Unlike the prominent sects of Sichuan—like Emei, Qingcheng, and the Tang Clan—which are situated in remote or mountainous areas, the Zhuge Family is based in the heart of a bustling urban center.

Just glancing out the carriage window, I saw hundreds of people bustling about, far more than I had anticipated.

The faces of the locals were tanned from the sun, and yet, whenever they spotted the Zhuge Family crest on the carriage, they would stop, bow, and offer polite nods of respect.

“Why are there so many people here?” I muttered, unable to contain my curiosity.

Sitting across from me, Zhuge Gyun offered an explanation. “The Yangtze River is the lifeblood of Hubei Province. Its fertile lands produce abundant harvests year after year, drawing people in. With such prosperity, smiles rarely leave their faces.”

“Is that so?” I replied skeptically. “But the people I saw back at the dock didn’t seem like they were smiling much.”

At this, Zhuge Gyun fell silent. His previously confident demeanor shifted, and he avoided my gaze.

“I’ll explain more when we arrive at the estate,” he said quietly, his expression unusually serious.

Something was clearly going on, but with the heavy atmosphere in the carriage, I chose not to press further and turned to look out the window again.

‘Something’s definitely strange,’ I thought.

As we journeyed deeper into the city, my unease only grew.

Normally, the guards stationed in these areas would be relaxed, often lazing about in boredom. But today, they stood vigilant, inspecting identification plates and even stopping civilians for questioning.

Amid the crowd, I noticed plain-clothed martial artists blending seamlessly with the populace.

Their presence wasn’t overt, but their martial prowess was undeniable. Their skill level wasn’t low, and for a moment, I thought of Dark Heaven. But the realization came quickly when I heard Jeok Cheon-Gang’s voice through transmitted qi.

– They’re Zhuge Family members. For some reason, they’re operating incognito here.

Even in their own stronghold, they were concealing their identities and moving stealthily?

‘What could warrant such extreme precautions?’ I wondered, recalling recent events.

Turning to Jeok Cheon-Gang, I asked through transmitted qi, – Did you hear anything during your last absence with my eldest brother? Something related to the Zhuge Family or Mount Wudang?

Jeok Cheon-Gang furrowed his brows slightly as he replied, – What would I need to know for?

– I thought you might have heard something, given the timing, I said hesitantly.

– If there’s a destination, you go. Why bother asking questions? They just insisted we get there quickly. Otherwise, I’d have sunk every one of their ships.

– …I see.

I couldn’t decide whether to call this attitude pragmatic or reckless. Shaking my head, I glanced at Moon Kyung, who sat calmly, smiling and chatting with Hyeok Mu-jin.

As our eyes met, Moon Kyung’s expression shifted slightly, and his voice echoed faintly in my ear.

– What?

– …I haven’t even said anything yet.

– Don’t waste time staring at me unless you don’t want to see tomorrow’s sunrise.

‘Well, this is terrifying,’ I thought, exhaling slowly as I shifted my gaze back outside.

We were now approaching Longzhong Mountain, also known as Crouching Dragon Mountain, where Zhuge Liang had once lived in seclusion.

Atop its vast expanse stood the sprawling Zhuge Family estate, a testament to their wealth and influence.

‘So, this is the wealthiest clan in Hubei Province,’ I thought, gazing at the estate in awe.

Zhuge Liang, the famed tactician and ancestor of the Zhuge Family, was known for his frugality. But his descendants had clearly used their intelligence for more than just scholarship and innovation.

By leveraging the fertile lands and abundant resources of the Yangtze River, they had amassed an enormous fortune, as evident from their estate.

Before we even reached the estate gates, the sheer scale of their wealth was unmistakable.

“Why aren’t we getting out? Aren’t we there yet?” I asked, growing impatient.

Zhuge Gyun responded with a calm smile. “Getting to the inner courtyard on foot would take a while. We still need to pass through seven more gates, so please remain seated.”

“…Seven gates?” I asked incredulously.

“This is already a shortened route. Our family sustained significant damage during the Great Cataclysm,” Zhuge Gyun explained matter-of-factly.

“Unbelievable. It’s like they’re swimming in wealth,” I muttered, shaking my head. “Didn’t your ancestors leave behind a mandate to live frugally? Weren’t they supposed to be humble scholars?”

Without missing a beat, Zhuge Gyun replied in a solemn tone, “Studying requires resources. Do you know how expensive books are? Our family also supports scholars who can’t afford to pursue their education independently.”

“Progress in both academics and martial arts requires a stable environment. Hunger only breeds impatience and desperation.”

“…I see,” I murmured, unable to argue with his logic.

By the time Zhuge Gyun had finished his calm explanation, the carriage passed through eight gates and arrived at the inner courtyard.

“Please disembark and follow me. The family head is expecting you,” Zhuge Gyun said, his tone turning formal.

“The family head…?” I began.

“My father,” Zhuge Gyun confirmed.

I remembered what Jeok Cheon-Gang had told me before—that during the Great Cataclysm, Zhuge Gonghu lost his only son. Following the family’s tradition of primogeniture, he passed on the position of Young Master to his grandson, who later became the current head of the Zhuge Family: Zhuge Pung, the Reclining Dragon.

“We’ve brought our honored guests, Father,” Zhuge Gyun announced as the grand doors slowly creaked open.