Murim Login - Chapter 445

Dr-r-rk.

“Ah…”

Someone let out a small exclamation.

The sight before us was astounding—not just the grandeur of the enormous library revealed as the door opened, but also the fact that the door moved without any human intervention or exertion of energy.

It was a fresh experience for me, someone who had passed through automatic doors countless times in modern life.

‘A mechanical device? Or perhaps I should call it an apparatus since this is Murim?’

The recently opened door was intricately interwoven with iron and wooden components, forming a complex and elaborate structure.

That wasn’t all. Turning my head slowly, I noticed similar apparatuses scattered throughout the library.

Though primitive compared to the cutting-edge technologies of the modern era, it was undeniably a sight unseen in any of the prestigious sects I had visited thus far.

Still…

Why isn’t anyone here?

Not a single servant or guard could be seen, let alone the family head.

Zhuge Gyun, noticing the perplexed stares from everyone, raised his voice.

“Master of the house!”

His shout, imbued with internal energy, reverberated through the library, whose size could only be described as vast—more fitting than just “large.” It was a space larger than a modern soccer field, lined with bookshelves that stretched endlessly into the distance.

Zhuge Gyun’s voice pierced through the seemingly infinite rows of shelves, but no reply came.

“What’s this? Could he really not be here?”

“It seems he’s inside… but this is frustrating.”

Zhuge Gyun let out a sigh, as though he had anticipated this.

“He often gets absorbed in something and behaves like this. My apologies, but if you’ll wait a moment, I’ll go find the family head—”

Jeok Cheon-Gang interrupted him.

“No need. There’s no need to go that far.”

“What? But no matter what, the esteemed Jeok Dae-hyeop [1] has come—”

“He’ll come out when the time is right. Everyone has their own circumstances.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. To hear such words from Jeok Cheon-Gang, of all people?

Even Cheongpung was so shocked that the candy he was about to eat fell from his hands.

‘Is this a dream?’

Just as I was seriously pondering that, Jeok Cheon-Gang spoke again with a warm smile.

“In any case, in all my years, I’ve never seen a library this grand. May I take a look around for a moment?”

Zhuge Gyun replied with a bewildered expression.

“Of course.”

“Even if I burn it down?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I’m joking, you rascal. Haha, I wouldn’t go around burning things indiscriminately, even as a guest.”

Jeok Cheon-Gang laughed heartily before continuing.

“Unless I accidentally knock down a bookshelf, that is.”

The next moment, Jeok Cheon-Gang’s body shot upward like a beam of light. At the same time, he struck the nearest bookshelf with a blow imbued with immense strength.

Bang!

Before anyone could stop him, it had already happened. I stood there, jaw agape, watching the scene unfold before my eyes.

Oh my god…

Thud. Rumble.

A bookshelf, easily three stories high, began to topple over. And then, as if it were a massive domino, the countless shelves that had been tightly packed together began falling one after another.

“Oh… oh no, oh no!”

Thud! Rumble!

The deafening roar swallowed Zhuge Gyun’s scream.

As all the bookshelves collapsed, years’ worth of dust erupted into the air, blanketing the library in a dense haze.

At this point, I wasn’t sure whether this place could still be called a library. It was more like a graveyard of books.

Perhaps even someone’s grave.

“Father!!!”

Jeok Cheon-Gang patted Zhuge Gyun on the shoulder as he wailed.

“You’re now the new head of the Zhuge Clan.”

“Nooo!”

Smack!

Jeok Cheon-Gang smacked Zhuge Gyun on the back of his head and spoke with an exasperated expression.

“You really don’t get jokes, do you? Can’t you see your father’s still alive over there?”

Jeok Cheon-Gang was telling the truth.

Amidst the swirling dust clouds, the sound of coughing could be heard. A slender figure emerged, waving their hand as they walked toward us.

“I apologize for not greeting you earlier. Lately, there have been numerous matters requiring my attention.”

“As long as you’re aware of it, you disrespectful rascal,” Jeok Cheon-Gang replied curtly, shaking out his sleeves.

Whoosh!

With a sound like compressed air exploding, the dust dispersed, and finally, the figure of a man became fully visible.

“Ah, seeing you like this, it’s clear time has passed. Do you remember me?”

A clear voice answered.

“Of course. It was the fifth Mid-Autumn Festival after my birth. Senior, you consumed two plates of roasted duck and five jars of Yeo Ah-hong, and by the end of the night, you dueled with Pang Dae-hyeop, resulting in a bloody nose.”

“What? That Thunder King brat was there too? And we fought?”

“Yes. Pang Dae-hyeop laughed heartily and slammed the table, spilling wine on your knee. It was a minor scuffle.”

“Sounds like it could’ve ended in someone’s death,” Jeok Cheon-Gang muttered with a chuckle.

“You’ve still got that remarkable memory of yours. Enough reminiscing. Come over here; we’ve got guests waiting for you.”

“I was just about to greet them,” said the man, Zhuge Pung, whose serene and radiant gaze fell upon us.

Despite being covered in dust, his elegant appearance stood out. Among all the sect leaders I’d met, he was the youngest-looking and had the clearest, most vibrant eyes.

“I apologize for the delay in greeting such distinguished guests. I am Zhuge Pung.”

His introduction was understated, belying his status as the head of the Zhuge Clan, one of the greatest sects in Hubei and a cornerstone of the orthodox factions.

Before anyone could respond, Zhuge Pung added something that made me realize why he was known as the Reclining Dragon.

“Time is as precious as gold, and I have no intention of stealing yours. Those who wish to stay, feel free to do so. And remember, comfortable conversations are an old principle of mine, so let’s not have any misunderstandings.”

Then, to my surprise, he nonchalantly lay down sideways on the dusty floor, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Well, that’s one way to do it. Relaxing and convenient.”

As I leaned diagonally, resting my chin on my hand, his eyes curved into crescents like a crescent moon.

Although the people around seemed bewildered, one by one, they began to sit and listen attentively to Zhuge Pung’s words.

Mu Song attempted to leave, claiming he had to head to the waterways of the Yangtze River in Hubei Province. However, Zhuge Pung’s single remark caused him to halt in his tracks.

“I won’t stop you if you must go, but the story I’m about to tell directly concerns you, Seonhwa-ah (Fire Child), Mu Song.”

Mu Song hesitated but ultimately stayed, while Moon Kyung, who seemed most likely to leave first, surprisingly remained seated.

After all, if he had left alone in a situation where everyone else stayed, it would have drawn even more attention.

Zhuge Pung, who had already identified the boy’s mysterious background as a disciple of Shinui (Divine Doctor) through the Zhuge Clan’s intelligence network, cast a meaningful glance at Moon Kyung but soon looked away and began speaking.

“It was exactly a month ago. I was reading *History of the Sages* for the eighty-fifth time in the library when I received the news.”

The leaders of the Nine Great Sects and Five Noble Families, each representing their respective regions, had vast and detailed intelligence networks, as if they could see their domains as clearly as the palm of their hands.

The Zhuge Clan was no exception.

“The Sea Serpent Guild has disappeared.”

“The Sea Serpent Guild? What’s that, Benefactor?”

“I don’t know either.”

While Cheongpung and I were puzzled, the others opened their eyes wide in shock.

Mu Song’s reaction was the most dramatic among them.

“The Sea… Sea Serpent Guild?”

“Yes, the very same Sea Serpent Guild you’re thinking of—the organization formed by countless fishermen and boatmen in Hubei Province.”

Ah, now I understood.

I hadn’t heard the name Sea Serpent Guild before, but I could grasp the nature of the organization.

In simpler terms, it was a kind of trade guild, similar to the Hunter Associations found in every region. The Sea Serpent Guild was a fishery guild operating—or rather, it had been operating—in Hubei Province.

And this news was undoubtedly a welcome one for Mu Song, judging by the faint smile that played on his lips.

“I don’t know how the Zhuge Clan feels about it, but for me, as someone aspiring to the League, this is joyous news. My master had quite the headache dealing with the Sea Serpent Guild.”

“I thought as much. After all, within Hubei Province, it was the only organization capable of rivaling the Yangtze River Waterway League.”

The Yangtze River’s tributaries sprawled across Hubei Province like a spiderweb.

Though the Yangtze River Waterway League was formidable, the number of people engaged in the fishery trade was overwhelming.

While Mu Song’s jurisdiction wasn’t in Sichuan, he chuckled heartily at the news of a strong competitor disappearing.

“But how did they dissolve? Were they caught smuggling salt, perhaps?”

Zhuge Pung shook his head.

“That’s unlikely. Even if they had, the Sea Serpent Guild was far too meticulous for such slip-ups. If they were discovered, the Emperor’s fleet would already have filled the Yangtze in Hubei.”

“Then, was it internal strife?”

“It seems you misunderstand me.”

Zhuge Pung’s clear, transparent eyes stared at Mu Song.

Then, speaking slowly, he said, “The Sea Serpent Guild didn’t dissolve—they were annihilated. Someone completely destroyed them.”

“What?”

“The night before I received the report, the Sea Serpent Guild had hosted a banquet celebrating the guild master’s eightieth birthday. Forty-five ship captains and a thousand guild members loyal to the master attended. They drank deep into the night, launching dozens of pleasure boats into the waters of Chibi.

“And that was the end of them.”

The next morning, an old ferryman who rose early witnessed a ghastly sight: countless corpses filled the waters of Chibi, along with the wreckage of their shattered boats.

The guild’s head, its key members, and dozens of captains who formed its backbone were all buried at Chibi.

Without a head or body, nothing can function.

Thus, the Sea Serpent Guild, which had stood shoulder to shoulder with the Yangtze River Waterway League in Hubei Province for decades, vanished.

“H-How could such a thing happen…?”

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Especially since you didn’t know about it, Mu Song.”

As Mu Song stood speechless, Zhuge Pung stared at him intently.

“Do you know who moved first when word of the Chibi incident spread? Was it the government? The surviving guild members? No. It was the Yangtze River Waterway League. They quickly invaded the Sea Serpent Guild’s territory and seized control of the Yangtze.”

“…Zhuge Dae-hyeop.”

Mu Song’s face stiffened.

Like the rest of us, it seemed he finally understood why he had to remain in this gathering.

“Are you perhaps suspecting me, or the League?”

“Of course not. The Huang Dae-hyeop of Dongting whom I know is no fool—unlike those rash and brutal league chiefs elsewhere.”

Zhuge Pung brushed the dust off his shoulders, smiling slyly at Mu Song as he continued.

“That’s what I thought—until three days ago, when Dongting’s Elder Fisherman, who publicly criticized the Yangtze River Waterway League, disappeared.”

At that moment, the group broke into murmurs of unease.

And then, a familiar notification chimed in my ears.

*Ding.*